WARNING: Motorcyclist survives terrifying crash in Australia

[Dellortoman]

Seems there's some debate as to whether the biker was speeding, so let's try to settle it.

It's a simple matter to work out his average speed while in the frame of the video. The distance he travelled from crossing the white line at the threshold of the intersection to the point of impact is pretty damn close to 10m. He covered that distance in 0.7 seconds (the first part of the video appears to be in real time). That works out to 51kph.

However, he was hard on the brakes for pretty much the whole distance, so maybe he was doing 60 when he entered the frame and 40 when he hit the car. I think the speed limit there is 60. At least it was when I lived there. So, in my estimation, the probability is that he wasn't exceeding the speed limit, at least while in camera view (who knows what he was doing further back up the road?). But whether he was going too fast for the conditions is another question. Given the way things turned out, it's hard to argue that he was travelling at a safe speed. Hopefully he'll learn something from the experience and ride a little more defensively in future.

The above is the best I could do with the stop watch on my phone and scaling the distance across the ground off google maps. There may be a 10% error in my measurements. I'm sure the police crash investigation guys could do it better by actually measuring the distance on the ground and using a better timing device. But even with better accuracy, I think he'd be unlucky to cop a charge for speeding.

 

[Vince]

They do love their Neg, negligent, Driving charge. In a lot of cases that's down to the investigating cop's discretion but even single-vehicle accidents especially bike crashes and even bike versus Kangaroo can get that charge.

 

[Legs]

Worst nightmare, I always approach intersections like that with eyes like organ stops.

 

[Laverda SF]

This was an Attention POST as this crap happens to Motorcycles every day - Really wish Members read my "Bought a Brand NEW 70 Breganzie 750 SF0" Post ;o)

Bought a Brand NEW 70 Breganzie 750 SF0

Most of you OLDER Members know my history but this post is intended for our NEWER Members who come here interested in Laverda Breganzie Motorcycles. Bought a 70 Breganzie 750 SF basically brand new from an Italian Motorcycle Mechanic - Alian, whom worked for a collapsed European Norton...

www.laverdaforum.com

 

[Shajota]

Well, not wanting to get into any debate on victim blaming or some such but looking at the video it appears both were at fault.
Certainly appears the car going to miss the lights but had left after last car went through and was caught in the intersection when lights turned orange and was trying to sneak across before the traffic from the other way started flowing. Also does not appear to have a blinker on and almost certainly did not have an arrow as the other lights turned green.
The bike clearly is trying to beat the red light on approach because they turn green for opposite traffic as he enters the intersection. No idea whether he was speeding or not, but even accepting Cam's analysis he certainly does not appear to have slowed down to avoid running the red. I guess he may have not realised that car was turning (without a blinker on) and thought he'd make it in time and most probably would have. Reckless driving nonetheless.
Interesting to see what charges will be laid to either or both of these drivers.
(Still of video 3 secs in showing lights for other traffic have turned green and bike just entering intersection with car also not far into his turn)

 

[Dellortoman]

You're right Peter. I didn't even check the for the change of lights. Neither of them should have been there. There's normally about a second or two delay when one light goes red before the opposite light goes green, so the bike probably entered the intersection against a red light. At least it was a very late orange light, which he could (and should) have stopped for. Same goes for the car. What's he doing in the middle of the intersection if he didn't have time to make the turn before the lights changed?

I reckon that would be a good police training video. Lots of stuff going on.

 

[Vince]

I regularly sit mid-intersection 100m from my house. I am turning right anytime after 3pm and school pickup. Once you legally enter the intersection past the line on the green to do your right turn you're obliged to clear the intersection and you can if those heading straight through stop on the Orange like there legally supposed to. I regularly bearly avoid being hit by these Orange and red runners. They look you in the eyes and just keep coming through the orange or red they don't care. It's crazy shit.

 

[Cosi]

Firstly the rider was heading too fast into the intersection, traffic turning, look closely, could be that one today, secondly the rider develops target fixation and veers left into the car turning right, which leads me to believe that the rider was most likely very inexperienced, and was probably approaching that intersection a bit faster than 51, the super man impression was quite scary to watch, very lucky if they’re the only injuries sustained

 

[Basketcase]

Airbag vest would have helped the landing.
Not racing up the inside lane when the outside lane van is blocking full view of the junction would have helped even better.

 

[Andy]

Yep, car driver was a cock, obviously, but ferkrissakes, doing that speed into an intersection when you’re flying out of a blind spot? The motorcyclist was a bloody idiot.
Victim blaming? Well, I suppose, they’re both victims.

 

[Andy J]

I’m afraid to say the biker was a victim of his own stupidity Imho and a salutary lesson for all novice riders.

 

[3C-Wayne]

Seems there's some debate as to whether the biker was speeding, so let's try to settle it.

It's a simple matter to work out his average speed while in the frame of the video. The distance he travelled from crossing the white line at the threshold of the intersection to the point of impact is pretty damn close to 10m. He covered that distance in 0.7 seconds (the first part of the video appears to be in real time). That works out to 51kph.

However, he was hard on the brakes for pretty much the whole distance, so maybe he was doing 60 when he entered the frame and 40 when he hit the car. I think the speed limit there is 60. At least it was when I lived there. So, in my estimation, the probability is that he wasn't exceeding the speed limit, at least while in camera view (who knows what he was doing further back up the road?). But whether he was going too fast for the conditions is another question. Given the way things turned out, it's hard to argue that he was travelling at a safe speed. Hopefully he'll learn something from the experience and ride a little more defensively in future.

The above is the best I could do with the stop watch on my phone and scaling the distance across the ground off google maps. There may be a 10% error in my measurements. I'm sure the police crash investigation guys could do it better by actually measuring the distance on the ground and using a better timing device. But even with better accuracy, I think he'd be unlucky to cop a charge for speeding.

No need for a stopwatch if you assume the video was recorded at 30 frames per second, the rider appears to be traveling at about 2 feet per frame. 60 feet per second about 40MPH or 65KPH.

 

[Vince]

That's the local speed limit, so much for speed limits affecting safety. To fast for THAT

 

[Eurocycleguy]

I hear you loud and clear. For bush pilots we have another one. Always wear what you would walk home in! Never had to use it but if I wasn't wearing it it was close by in a bag. Of course the bag could be consumed in the post-crash fire and then I would be the idiot again.

Jim

Fire-proof bag.

 

[Alzero]

Fire-proof bag.

They work about as well as fire proof safes, the bag won’t burn, but what happens to the contents when they reach 1000* or more? You have a bag or safe full of charcoal and ash.

 

[piranha-bro2]

Anyone who approaches an intersection where a car is waiting to finish a RH turn ahead of them (which is not only legal, but as Vince says) and enters the intersection so fast that they're still doing 65kph while braking so hard the rear wheel is off the ground is a fukwit. Throw in the simple fact that the light has been red long enough for the opposite traffic light to have turned green before he even enters the intersection and you're looking at a fukwit x 10. His light must have turned orange WAY before he got anywhere near that intersection ... and he did all this with the van blocking the view of maybe himself and any car waiting to complete the RH turn ... fukwit x 100. Very lucky to escape serious injury.

 

[Davo]

Anyone who approaches an intersection where a car is waiting to finish a RH turn ahead of them (which is not only legal, but as Vince says) and enters the intersection so fast that they're still doing 65kph while braking so hard the rear wheel is off the ground is a fukwit. Throw in the simple fact that the light has been red long enough for the opposite traffic light to have turned green before he even enters the intersection and you're looking at a fukwit x 10. His light must have turned orange WAY before he got anywhere near that intersection ... and he did all this with the van blocking the view of maybe himself and any car waiting to complete the RH turn ... fukwit x 100. Very lucky to escape serious injury.

+1. The van was blocking both of their views, but he was the only one entering the intersection against the lights illegally. The car, despite not having it's indicators on, had waited for the lights to change and other oncoming traffic to stop before completing the right turn.