On my way to work, o-dark thirty. Merging off freeway to get on another freeway, the merging turn goes under the freeway into a sharp 25mph posted turn (270 degree turn), ease a little out of the turn (but still hard sharp turn/curve) and climbing up and I jump on my brakes as a few cars are stopped & scattered on the road. I'm like what is going on here. I ease up and over off the right shoulder and see a bike and biker laying on the road.
Although it's posted 25mph, most take it 45+ and seem to have to focus on controlling taking it that speed - I see it all the time. It fools one in a way, hard to explain, its a hard curve.
So I turned on my flashers and get way over to the right pulled up even with the down biker. I get out and starting walking over to him but the cars then decided to work their way around him to get on their way with the exception of one gal in a BMW stepped out and was calling 911. Now more cars are coming around the corner and have to really hit their brakes because their headlights are aiming straight yet in the curve they are not seeing us well until nearly on us causing me to jump back a couple times. I'm thinking this guy is going to get squashed, especially if a big rig comes roaring in. I'm dodging traffic myself.
So edc'ing 2 lights, I mode one into the strobe and aim it somewhat toward the oncoming cars as I hear them coming up fast. Not straight at them though. It really caught the attention (probably thinking cop/emergency vehicle light strobing), and although they slowed down much better, they were still kind of swerving to get through and a few close calls next to the guy laying on the road. I then whip out the other light and trained it on the guy laying on the road. One strobe light toward oncoming traffic as I hear them approaching and other trained on the fella on the road. Now notice the gal that was making the call is leaving.
So I make it to the guy and ask how he's doing (still strobing oncoming traffic). I know, probably dumb question. He says he thinks he's okay. Then he get up on his feet. I walked him off to the inner side of the cuve, we had to stop a couple times because cars kept coming through. Finally got to my vehicle, I couldn't get him to sit down. Meanwhile I kept the strobe trained to oncoming traffic because the bike is still laying on the road.
I got him to stand still, got his face shield shattered helmet off and he seemed to check out okay. So I placed the strobing light on my SUV somewhat aiming across and down toward incoming traffic. I finally made a dash to get his bike off the road to my vehicle, all the time keeping my other light toward traffic. I thought I'd have to drop the bike and jump out of harms way a couple times, but made it. Figured someone gonna hit the bike and lead into another real mess, or get myself hit. If a car does hit the bike, a chance might happen a car fly off the ramp, down over the side to roll and possibility on the freeway below, might really get messy.
While back to communicating with him I notice his forearm now bleeding. Although he was in full face helmet and full armor jacket & pants, his side was somewhat shredded and it had worn through his right arm armor into his forearm, but not down to the bone. He says he was spinning on his side down the road.
So waiting for ambulance I was able to dash in and out of traffic and get bike parts and accesories off the road while communicating to him each time i was back from getting another part. Plug in cords, gps, detector, go-camera, foot peg, turn signal, brake lever etc etc.
All he knows is the back end of his bike suddenly flipped out and he was suddenly down and spinning. Doesn't know why. Well i picked up some hand tools, mostly sockets and he says they are not his. Maybe hitting a tool took him out, i don't know. A fire truck and ambulance finally showed up.
My last to him, I told him "I'm glad I didn't come around the corner and flattened you out". He smiled, shaking my hand says "I'm glad you did come around the turn, stopped to help me instead of flattening me out. I thought I was going to get run over".
I told him help is here now, I gotta go, and if I ever see you again you better not be laying on the road, besides, I ride a bike too. He shooked my hand again and with a big grin says thank you again.
Two edc lights and I'm glad flashlight strobe mode alerted oncoming traffic making it possible to get him off the road more safely.
Never knew if I would ever need strobe mode, well maybe he needed it more than I did. Hate to see one down on the road, but if I ever do again, I'll stop and do what I can again. Now I'm glad I been carrying 2 lights edc instead of 1. Also thinking about adding road flares for my vehicle. This is one situation up the curve I could have used them, but the flashlights at least allowed me to do something better.
I couldn't believe nobody else offered to assist. The poor fella probably got his ego ripped, memorized laying there not knowing if he was going to get hit or not (had Mr. Magoo eyes at first), and now his arm must not feel good, but he'll be okay. Wonder how he took notice my use of the flashlights, no matter, I'm just glad he'll be fine, and I'm also glad for having working flashlights on me.
Long winded but I couldn't help thinking about it all day.
Although it's posted 25mph, most take it 45+ and seem to have to focus on controlling taking it that speed - I see it all the time. It fools one in a way, hard to explain, its a hard curve.
So I turned on my flashers and get way over to the right pulled up even with the down biker. I get out and starting walking over to him but the cars then decided to work their way around him to get on their way with the exception of one gal in a BMW stepped out and was calling 911. Now more cars are coming around the corner and have to really hit their brakes because their headlights are aiming straight yet in the curve they are not seeing us well until nearly on us causing me to jump back a couple times. I'm thinking this guy is going to get squashed, especially if a big rig comes roaring in. I'm dodging traffic myself.
So edc'ing 2 lights, I mode one into the strobe and aim it somewhat toward the oncoming cars as I hear them coming up fast. Not straight at them though. It really caught the attention (probably thinking cop/emergency vehicle light strobing), and although they slowed down much better, they were still kind of swerving to get through and a few close calls next to the guy laying on the road. I then whip out the other light and trained it on the guy laying on the road. One strobe light toward oncoming traffic as I hear them approaching and other trained on the fella on the road. Now notice the gal that was making the call is leaving.
So I make it to the guy and ask how he's doing (still strobing oncoming traffic). I know, probably dumb question. He says he thinks he's okay. Then he get up on his feet. I walked him off to the inner side of the cuve, we had to stop a couple times because cars kept coming through. Finally got to my vehicle, I couldn't get him to sit down. Meanwhile I kept the strobe trained to oncoming traffic because the bike is still laying on the road.
I got him to stand still, got his face shield shattered helmet off and he seemed to check out okay. So I placed the strobing light on my SUV somewhat aiming across and down toward incoming traffic. I finally made a dash to get his bike off the road to my vehicle, all the time keeping my other light toward traffic. I thought I'd have to drop the bike and jump out of harms way a couple times, but made it. Figured someone gonna hit the bike and lead into another real mess, or get myself hit. If a car does hit the bike, a chance might happen a car fly off the ramp, down over the side to roll and possibility on the freeway below, might really get messy.
While back to communicating with him I notice his forearm now bleeding. Although he was in full face helmet and full armor jacket & pants, his side was somewhat shredded and it had worn through his right arm armor into his forearm, but not down to the bone. He says he was spinning on his side down the road.
So waiting for ambulance I was able to dash in and out of traffic and get bike parts and accesories off the road while communicating to him each time i was back from getting another part. Plug in cords, gps, detector, go-camera, foot peg, turn signal, brake lever etc etc.
All he knows is the back end of his bike suddenly flipped out and he was suddenly down and spinning. Doesn't know why. Well i picked up some hand tools, mostly sockets and he says they are not his. Maybe hitting a tool took him out, i don't know. A fire truck and ambulance finally showed up.
My last to him, I told him "I'm glad I didn't come around the corner and flattened you out". He smiled, shaking my hand says "I'm glad you did come around the turn, stopped to help me instead of flattening me out. I thought I was going to get run over".
I told him help is here now, I gotta go, and if I ever see you again you better not be laying on the road, besides, I ride a bike too. He shooked my hand again and with a big grin says thank you again.
Two edc lights and I'm glad flashlight strobe mode alerted oncoming traffic making it possible to get him off the road more safely.
Never knew if I would ever need strobe mode, well maybe he needed it more than I did. Hate to see one down on the road, but if I ever do again, I'll stop and do what I can again. Now I'm glad I been carrying 2 lights edc instead of 1. Also thinking about adding road flares for my vehicle. This is one situation up the curve I could have used them, but the flashlights at least allowed me to do something better.
I couldn't believe nobody else offered to assist. The poor fella probably got his ego ripped, memorized laying there not knowing if he was going to get hit or not (had Mr. Magoo eyes at first), and now his arm must not feel good, but he'll be okay. Wonder how he took notice my use of the flashlights, no matter, I'm just glad he'll be fine, and I'm also glad for having working flashlights on me.
Long winded but I couldn't help thinking about it all day.
