Be carefull out there !!!

[PHILinFRANCE]

Just spent an evening with some Dutch friends of ours with there son of 19 half way through the night Remy the son ups and offs with his mates on their mopeds !!! within half and hour the phone call comes!!!! One of them Kevin, a French boy we know came to a junction and his brakes failed !!! went straight into the side of a wagon.
We went down with his mother, the pompiers (fire/ambulance) had arrived and where doing what they do best, the wagon had crushed the moped but LUCKILY Kevin had been thrown away braking his leg HORRIBLY and head wounds.
I'll try and get to see him in the next day or so and let you know how he's doing and i WILL pass any comments on to his mother.

Not a nice thing to report but can happen to any of us !!!!
Be careful out there guys and gals
Phil

Phil

[P4ulie]

Always a horrible thing to hear. Glad he isn't just a smear on the road. Fast healing to him & fingers crossed the break was a clean one & leaves no lasting complications.

Moral of the story, test your fecking brakes Know mine work, had to use them & the horn plenty on the way home this evening

Paul

[PHILinFRANCE]

Thanks Paul
Not good news, he was airlifted to Bordeaux straight from the accident last night and they're fighting to save his leg , fingers crossed, the kids only 16 years old.
Phil

[BushcraftBarmy]

Not a story I wanted to read as a guy about to buy his first bike in 20 years.

I have been cycling throughout that time. Does anyone know if motorbike riders are any more likely to be in a colision with another vehicle than a cyclist? I am aware that the impact speeds are differnt so I'm focusing on the actual occurance rate...?

My thoughts go out to the young lad needless to say.

[davsato]

not a great tale and i hope the lads is okay soon,

but i cant say im surprised seeing the state of many PTWs in france. brakes failed? add it to bald tyres, rusty chains dragging on the ground, helmets perched on top of heads, it being uncool to actually use the lights in the dark, you dont need oil in the forks cos theres springs in there innit, etc etc

[PHILinFRANCE]

Not trying to put anyone off !!! just felt gutted for the lad and needed to say something, and i fully agree Dave the thing he was hacking about on was a heap !!!
No doubt his mother WILL SLAP SOME SENSE into him when he gets better !!!!! but if he's missing a leg he probably wont need it............it's a hell of a way to learn a lesson.
Phil

[Wandering Star]

Should always do a pre-ride P.O.W.D.E.R. check. "Petrol, Oil, Water, Damage, Electrics, Rubber" and the last one, a "rolling brake check" as you pull away! Takes less than a couple of minutes, could save your life, or at least your bank balance.

Hope he recovers quickly.

[P4ulie]

Does anyone know if motorbike riders are any more likely to be in a colision with another vehicle than a cyclist? I am aware that the impact speeds are differnt so I'm focusing on the actual occurance rate...?

Less likely to shoot red lights, undercut left turning lorries & all the rest I see cyclists doing daily in London. It all depends on the riders confidence, ability & reflexes. Sometimes it is just down to luck.

I found that the motorbike allows you to take a much more dominant position on the road, increased visibility & presence to other road users & the ability to accelerate out of iffy situations. Brakes, suspension etc should all be better (although my Specialized has better front forks& brakes than the VV :S)

Downside people still aren't aware & you're traveling a heck of a lot faster. Swings & roundabouts.

If you want further advice start a different thread, think we've hijacked Phil's enough.

Hopes & prayers to the youngster, being a silly tw*t or not (sure we have all been guilty of that) losing a leg is a terrible thing to happen to anyone, let alone an active teenager

Paul

[AndyB]

not a great tale and i hope the lads is okay soon,

but i cant say im surprised seeing the state of many PTWs in france. brakes failed? add it to bald tyres, rusty chains dragging on the ground, helmets perched on top of heads, it being uncool to actually use the lights in the dark, you dont need oil in the forks cos theres springs in there innit, etc etc

That sounds like the majority of peds over a year old when I had one way back in 1975. I don't think any of us had a working back light because we'd all smashed them pulling wheelies and the most sensible addition you could make was a rack because it worked out cheaper than the fines for no back light or multiple replacements over the year you were stuck on the evil things.

I hope the lad gets better and the surgeons save his leg. I had 300 stitches put in my left leg after having an argument with a rusty car and I'd buy the guy who did the repair work a pint every day of his life if I could because it took him several hours when 15 minutes with a saw would have seen the job done.