Accordion

We were just discussing this road in the night riding thread for Orange County. I was just up on Santiago today - finished my ride around 2pm today.

Preliminary details are that two motorcycles crashed into each other and killed two of the four people involved.

Accident happened right around the Irvine Lake entrance.

I noticed tons of flare debris out there today and was thinking that there must be tons of accidents up there. Maybe I should eliminate that route entirely from my schedule.

Uncle Jams Army

I must have gone through Irvine Lake at about 12:30 p.m. Didn't see anything. I must have just missed it.

Accordion

They are saying it happened at 4:30pm. I was mentioning the flare debris all over the road from what must have been several other accidents. Love the climbing and the feeling of getting away up there but it's getting scary.

John R

I think the odds are in your favor as far as getting hit on Santiago Cyn. At least you have a wide bike lane, there are no intersections or cross traffic for miles. Just keep as far to the right in the bike lane and keep your eyes open. You will be ok!!

CritEastwood

What JR said^

Garfield Cat

Early morning rides before the motorcycles and cars get on, that's the trick. Its like riding through Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach in the summer on the weekends after 10 am.

Accordion

Three motorcycles involved. 24 year old riding Southbound when a 60 year old crossed the double yellow and hit him headon. Both dead instantly. Third motorcycle rounded the corner and couldn't stop in time. Both riders ejected and in critical condition.

CritEastwood

I wonder what the BAC was on the 60 year old.

rooftest

+1. Unfortunately, if you're going to stop riding roads after a fatal accident; you'll run out of roads pretty quickly.

blknyt

I wish you were wrong, but I think you nailed it here. That morning I rode my bike to Cooks from Jamboree/SCR and did the loop to Irvine Blvd and back. Later that afternoon my buddy called me to ride our Harleys and we met a few other guys at Cooks. The place was absolutely packed, it was hot, and the beer was flowing freely. I really don't understand that at all. Riding a bike (whether you're the motor or not) requires that you have all your senses functioning at the highest possible level. A biker once offered to buy me a beer duriing a ride, "to take the edge off". I told him thanks, but no thanks, I need every "edge" I can get out here. The accident apparently occurred about a half hour after we went through that area....

CritEastwood

After posting my question, I saw that the wegister updated some info on those involved and what appears to have transpired. The 24 year old rider was running about 50 MPH in his lane. The 60 year old rider was apparently exceeding the speed limit by quite a bit and crossed over the double-yellow, head-on into the young man. The directions they were traveling also lends to the legitimacy of my question.

I ride motorcycles and have been for about 30 years. Drinking and riding is ridiculously idiotic.

Garfield Cat

Early morning rides are still the best bet.

idoru2005

+1

However, early morning brings a different set of dangers - groggy, inattentive drivers...

cjbruin

Well it looks like we can agree on something. I subscribe to the "Eight hours from bottle to throttle" rule. Even a little alcohol in your system when you get on your bike is too much.

cjbruin

I just read that the 60-year-old was an LAPD officer. No judgments or conclusions...just more info.

calamarichris

Counter-intuitively, now is the safest time to ride that road. When news like this hits, many local motorcyclists will avoid the bad juju. Also, now that it's in the news, the LEO enforcement of that road is likely to increase for a few weeks or months.

More cops + bad juju = decline in squidliness.

idoru2005

Good point. Now may actually be a great time to try riding through the canyon at night. If it weren't for the dang cold I caught from my kid...

cjbruin

There was a fair amount of LE patrolling the canyon the last two weekends. Saw at least three speed traps on the last two Saturdays and a handful of people getting tickets.

Accordion

I've seen a lot of that the past month as well. They like to sit up at the top of the hill near Jamboree. The problem is that as soon as one motorcyclist sees them they all do the universal sign that LEO is around - tapping the top of their helmet as they pass. So after the first ticket there are no more but it does serve two purposes - nobody speeds that day and word of mouth probably causes people to slow down the next time as well.

CritEastwood

A little more light has been shed on this incident. Apparently the 60 year old was riding with two other riders who hurriedly left the scene. Having been in LE for a number of years and knowing how most of them go about their professional and personal lives, I'd wager that the two other riders were also off-duty LE. I can not imagine any LE people leaving their friend lying dead on the road, unless they had something to hide. CHP cuts local yokels NO slack when it comes to fatality collisions and the factors that cause them.

My initial look at the photos in the wegister's article made me think that someone was exceeding the speed limit. Looking more closely at them and knowing the young man that was killed was doing only 50 MPH leads me to believe the other rider must have been ridiculously exceeding the speed limit. Those bikes were absolutely mangled. I'd really like to hear more conclusions from the CHP when they get things wrapped up.

Accordion

Coming from a long line of Law Enforcement Officers this statement is so true. My brother (Sheriff) always said the CHP are the only guys that will give a ticket to other Law Enforcement officers. My cousin (LAPD) absolutely despises the CHP. He was stopped and said he flashed his badge and STILL received a stern lecture about speeding and veiled threats of a ticket. For 7 mph over. On the 5 Freeway.

CritEastwood

Most LE agencies frown upon their members flashing a badge when contacted. Personally, I find it very unprofessional to do so. If they got you, they got you. When I had long hair and was in LE, most contacts had the officer asking me what I did for a living before scratching a ticket and only then would I identify myself as being LE. It got me out of a few tickets and one reduced, which is why I kept long hair for about five years. However if they didn't ask, I never identified myself as LE.

rooftest

So he had to listen to a cop lecture rather than getting a citation like the rest of us. Sounds like he has every right to cry about that. Are you saying the CHP should let their "bros" slide on this fatality?

Accordion

I am not now, nor have ever been in Law Enforcement. There are 6 people in my immediate family in it, however. I am not saying what they did is right or wrong, I am just stating that they said it. The thoughts I gathered from hearing them talk was that the CHP held no "bro" mentality and would prosecute equally. Doesn't seem so bad to me.

DannoXYZ 

Yeah, there are brash ways of flaunting it that may make things worse for you, and there are subtle, tactful ways of indicating that you're in LE. Even if you aren't, there are sure ways of getting out of a ticket with the CHP... well, maybe 80% sure...