An article re-posted on DWI Hit Parade reports a jail appearance in southwestern Colorado after a 40-year-old Cortez woman allegedly struck and killed a couple on a motorcycle after drinking four beers and smoking a joint.
Crash investigators believe she crossed the centerline, although "The motorcycle was traveling eastbound close to the double-yellow line..."
Have you ever noticed a group of oncoming motorcycles and how the bike on the left side of the lane seems to be almost on top of the centerline? Is such a motorcycle operator "staking his claim" to his side of the road? Is he brave or stupid?
By "close to the centerline" I mean, if you dropped a plumb from the end of the left handlebar, it would hit the centerline. That "close"... Often that operator is riding in a group, a pack, of 3-4-5-6 motorcycles. Why doesn't he ride even just a little to the right?
The driver, who survived the crash, may be looking at 12 years behind bars. She is being held without bail. Now, there's a concept we ought to have around here...
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
1 comment:
He's staking his claim, and avoiding the grease strip in the middle of the lane.
A lone motorcyclist riding to the right of the lane's center is often unseen by tunnel-vision car drivers. If something isn't directly in front of their view, then it doesn't exist; so the rider stays to the left.
But some motorcyclists are just like car drivers: they move *too far away* from an obstacle (like the grease in the center of the lane) and cause a problem for oncoming traffic. For an example, drive on Crystal Lake's McHenry Avenue between Northwest Highway and Crystal Lake Avenue. Notice that while the curb isn't moving, and there are no obstacles on the pavement, many car drivers crowd the center island, often riding on the double-yellow stripe. They're afraid that without that three-foot buffer on their right, they might hit something that isn't there.
Blame poor training, and bad advertising. We're told that when we drive a car or ride a bike, we Own The Road and must defend all attempts by other drivers to usurp our deity-given right to hog the pavement.
Ed.
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