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klaffyesterday at 8:03 PM1 replyview on HN

There are classes of motorcycle accidents that are not a function of rider speeding or otherwise being careless. The one that took the life of a coworker is described as follows: the motorcycle is travelling on a country two-lane road, trees alongside, sunny day, and a vehicle comes from the other direction and turns left across the path of the motorcycle. At closing speed over 160 kph (80- 100 kph in opposite directions) the gap is closing at over 45 m/s and dappled lighting makes it hard to see the motorcycle even with a daytime headlight. Years after my friend's death I read a chapter in a book on forensic engineering which covered the situation in detail (not my coworker's death specifically, but this class of motorcycle accident as a recognized pattern).


Replies

27183yesterday at 9:32 PM

This is extremely common in urban areas as well, at lower speed. Not necessarily less fatal. The thing that seems similar between flying and riding motorcycles is that even a "small" crash is likelier than you want to have extreme consequences. Airplanes and motorcycles are not made to crash. Cars are.