2 dramas in one week

[yabadabapal]

I have an apartment in Portland Oregon where I stay when Im in town from time to time. And of course Portland is one of the great cities of the world. 30,000 bicyclists a day. The number 2 city in the world after Amsterdam. And the best mass transportation system. I use my car about 4 times a month. Soon Ill be on my GT. Motorcycles and scooters are becoming a big thing here, especially among young people ages 18 to about 30. It was just a few days ago I was sitting at the piano working on a new song when I heard a loud motorcycle coming up the street and I thought it was strange that the sound continued without any sign of fluctuation for down shifting and stopping at the numerous stop signs in this residential area. All of a sudden The motorcycle engine noise just stopped. I knew immediately that something was wrong. I walked out of my building and looked down the street and followed what appeared to be a blinker. I found the bike crumpled in the bushes and 20 feet away lay a young girl about 25 years of age with her body laying next to a telephone pole. 911 of course and then Without moving her I stayed close to check vitals which were functioning. Cardiac fluctuations and stuff like that. As she woke up I told her that everything was going to be ok, but then she noticed that her left hand had been nearly severed. She went into shock at which point I held her head and neck to minimize any additional trauma. The ambulance came and I was later informed that she was going to live but with an alcohol level over .08, her days of having a license in Oregon were soon to be over as it should be. Oregon is mandatory one year suspension for 1st time.

And today After leaving my recording studio downtown, I was riding my bicycle on 4th Ave headed towards burnside when I hear a motorcycle smash into the back of a car which was only a few feet away as I waited for the light to change. The biker flew into the back window of the car smashing all the glass and then bounced of the car and began to scream while running around in circles on a busy street. I jumped off my bicycle and grabbed her as she held her hands to her face. I brought her to the curb where people were sitting outside a cafe and instructed everyone to empty there water glasses and put all the ice in a table cloth and then wrapped it around her head and into her mouth to stop some of the bleeding. 911 again of course and I stayed with her and then of course the ambulance and discussions. People at the cafe were crying as we struggled to keep her calm. The ambulance and police took her away. As she was being taken away she grabbed my hand and said thank you and I said Your going to be ok. As the economic grandeur of this country is changing from great to merely sustainable at best, so are the lifestyles and methods we use to accommodate those changes. Scooters and motorcycles are becoming a useful tool in our day to day operations. But as I have witnessed among so many young people here, most who are unprepared for the consequence of their choices and actions, things can get ugly without any warning. I was a young person some time ago, but I was lucky. I had parents who kept an eye on me and although it wasn't always rosy, I learned about consequences and responsibilities. I always go out of my way to have a chat with a young person on a motorcycle or bicycle or scooter when I think they're doing something stupid and being unprepared for what might happen. From what I can see and Ive traveled all over the place, a lot of young people are getting older and growing up without the many gifts Ive received from my family. I hope all of us will take a few minutes from time to time and help send them in the right direction, whether on a motorcycle or otherwise.

[squints]

Thank you for doing what you could and keeping the situation form getting worse. I'm sure they greatly appreciate you for it.

 

[SpaceKing]

That can be rough on a person. They were lucky to have you be on the spot but how are you?

[yabadabapal]

Doing well thanks spaceking. Just a little bitty freaked. Almost canceled my GT purchase order today after all this. Its scary out there.

[Wheels Rollin']

But as I have witnessed among so many young people here, most who are unprepared for the consequence of their choices and actions, things can get ugly without any warning.

Thanks so much for sharing this, Bobby -- and for being a source of calm in what certainly were two very stormy situations... I was especially taken by your sentence above, though I would suggest it's not limited to just the 'young' -- I'd be willing to bet many here see that in every age encountered <>... Certainly, there are many more these days of all ages, for any variety of reasons, migrating to two-wheel transport, whether it be human powered or motor powered... From my vantage point, motor powered transport seems to be taking the lead... That places more and more people on machines in most areas... Many of them, however, fail to revise their mental models | mindsets and cage driving habits and adapt them for their new dynamic... After all, how difficult can it be to ride something like they did as kids? <>... We're all challenged by the casual and cavalier, and I suspect that will be something facing us for quite some time to come <>...

 

Some valuable lessons for us all...

 

~ Bill

 

P.S. Enjoy your GT <>...

[outpost22]

I admire your calm and composure. Scooters and small mc's aren't toys. Some of my racing buddies got hurt more on their wife's pit/foofoo bikes than their race bikes due to a lack of respect for what the bike can do. When young (and older) people see "70 MPG" this day and age and a "harmless" scooter, it can be a recipe for disaster. I see riders in shorts and high heels with beanie skull caps here all the time. It makes me cringe.

 

Thanks for holding down your end of the state.

[motoguy128]

Are all songwriters as well trained in Finrst Aid as you? Is that a required class in College for the music program?

 

Nice job managing both situations!

 

It's unfortunate that rider training and helmet laws are nessesary, but I think your story clearly shows they are. Althouhg drinking and driving, despite all the risks, penalties, and ongoing public advertising compaigns, remains a big problem.

 

 

I had a nice conversation with a gentlemen that really liked BMW motorcycles, and wanted to eventually buy one, but indicated he didn't have a bike and it seemed had never ridden a motorcycle. I tried to do my best to steer him towards getting a dual sport or something small first, then moving on to a larger, more expensive machine. An RT is certianly not a beginner bike

[Wheels Rollin']

An RT is certianly not a beginner bike

<>

It never ceases to amaze me, motoguy128, how many people coming through our MSF classes -- a majority of them beginning riders, mind you, with absolutely minimal miles | Rider-In-Command time -- have already purchased their bikes presuming (1), they'll enjoy riding enough to have invested the time, energy and resources into it they already have, and (2), they have the aptitude and attitude for it... And those bikes? They're typically 1000cc+ -- and, more often than not, brand-spankin' new... Seeing them struggle with the 125cc-250cc bikes we use in the range exercises involving anything more than straight line riding, knowing what they've told us about themselves, is... well... it's truly eye-opening and sobering... Dreams, once set, are just about impossible to alter -- or so it seems... Sometimes, bigger isn't better... In this case, I believe that to be true...

<>

 

~ Bill

[yabadabapal]

Well said Bill "dreams once set, are just about impossible to alter". Thats a great, and very true statement, which I think I will keep with me.

[chemman]

I I see riders i ... with beanie skull caps here all the time. It makes me cringe.

 

 

At least they are wearing some form of helmet. It could be Bermuda shorts, sneakers and no helmet

[BFish]

good story and hats off to you for the actions. down here in hurricane alley scooters have always been popular with, you guessed it, senior citizens. no discrimination against SC's implied. what's hard to ignore as they cruise thru the busy "city" traffic is most (unscientific) are not even close to ATGATT. shorts, sandals and no helmets. pretty soon road rash and worse will manifest itself along our frenzied roads. as scooters begin to proliferate the scene i'm taking notice of the rider demographics as to age, appearance, dress, etc. beginning to see some non-SC's riding and still very few ATGATT. i fear the worse is yet to come in regards to accidents. hope i'm wrong.