Don't ride in groups

That apparently is what happened when a truck cashed into them in NH.

7 dead and some injured

It seems like the driver of that truck/trailer combo was going to wipe out somebody that day.  It could have been one person, it could have been a mini-van with 7 members of a family, or, in this case, a group of motorcycle riders.  Just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It is granted that some motorcycle club members riding in groups act the fool, hog the road, try to control traffic around them, ride too closely, speed, go slow, all sorts of things that the pack mentality seems to bring out of otherwise safe riders.

Apparently they just arrested the driver and found heroin at his house. At least that's what the article I just read said. 

It is a real bummer about the group in NH. We get on thin ice when we speculate, but if I were a betting man and I was asked which was more likely, one out-of-control truck driver crossing the centerline, or ten out-of-control motorcyclists doing the same in formation?...

In any case, when riding in a group, RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE! Leave appropriate space. Allow plenty of braking and maneuvering room. Communicate with your fellow riders and set a safe regrouping spot down the road. Don’t let yourself be pressured to ride outside your comfort zone. Move faster riders forward, and slower toward the back. I’m no expert on group riding, but these are my bare minimum rules for going out in a group, and I’ve had some great rides with a variety of other riders by sticking to them. If it seems sketchy, I’ll bail.

I don’t want to come across as preachy, but I do want to remind folks that the risk isn’t worth it if things don’t sit right with you. Motorcycling on public roads is not for the complacent! Keep the rubber side down and have fun...safely.

This is very upsetting

I will do trail rides in groups.

Never on the street.  3-4 bikes is pretty much my max, and I prefer alone or in pairs.

In reply to cdeforrest :

This is no place for Flounders.

cdeforrest: you are being an a-hole, take that somewhere else.

In reply to cdeforrest :

I think this is neither the time nor the place for these opinions. 

Also, be realistic. You’re on a motorcycle and are hit by a one ton pickup towing a flatbed trailer. What is a helmet going to do? Make identification easier?

News said the driver was DWI.

How about avoid heroin, and crossing the double yellow and plowing into people?

I think people who ride without helmets are idiots. But I'm okay with them making their own choices.

In this particular case helmets probably didn't matter at all.

This crash isn't about riding in groups, wearing helmets, being on a Harley or "murdercycles". It was about an impaired person causing an accident that unfortunately involved motorcycles instead of cars.

In reply to ddavidv :

Exactly . 

Several years ago, a woman died on my street, after a guy crossed the center line. Her seatbelt and airbag didn't save her life, on a 35mph road... 

Had nothing to do with riding in a group. I have ridden in plenty of groups, and when done correctly, they are safer than riding solo.  You have more eyes looking out for road hazards, you are more visible to other drivers, and cars tend to give you more space. Groups are dangerous when they decide that the rules don't apply to them and they run red lights or stop signs to stay together. Bad idea. 

This reminded me of the group of (bi)cyclists hit by a guy driving a truck under the influence of drugs here in MI.  He killed five and seriously injured several more.    It doesn't matter what you are doing if the other guy is on drugs or distracted.  Bad stuff happens.  He was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 40 years, but that barely feels like justice.  

I am working in NH right now, so this incident is all over the news right now.  

They really don't know what happened yet, so it's all just speculation.

Maybe helmets could have saved some, maybe not.  We don't know yet.

The driver did himself no favors by fleeing the scene, but he apparently has a fairly lengthy police record.  It seems he panicked, which is not surprising.  I can imagine the company that owns the truck and trailer will be more diligent about who they hire, but sometimes they don't get a lot of choices for workers up here. It's good that a company will give a guy with some history a second chance, but unfortunately sometimes that can come back to bite. It's a catch-22. 

Motorcycling is huge up here.  I doubt this incident will change anything, as sad as it is.

And then you get the left turn in front of a rider.  No place to go.

 This happened near me yesterday .

Lots or all were Marines too.  Hope they rip this douchebag to pieces 

Ian F said:  I can imagine the company that owns the truck and trailer will be more diligent about who they hire, but sometimes they don't get a lot of choices for workers up here.

I doubt that company will be in business after this is all over.

In reply to ddavidv :

According to news reports up here (there was a 15 min update during the morning news program today), the company has been cited for numerous safety infractions in the past, so no - probably not.

News says he had a recent DWI and Mass didn't pull his commercial license.  Head of Mass DMV just quit over it.  Also, he just plead guilty.  Ukrainian citizen here legally.  DWI a few years ago and just wrecked a truck in Texas very recently.

Dr. Hess said:

News says he had a recent DWI and Mass didn't pull his commercial license.  Head of Mass DMV just quit over it.  Also, he just plead guilty.  Ukrainian citizen here legally.  DWI a few years ago and just wrecked a truck in Texas very recently.

Wow. I thought any kind of moving violation involving drugs or alcohol meant you automatically lost your CDL and it makes it EXTREMEMLY difficult to get back.

Justjim75 said:

Lots or all were Marines too.  Hope they rip this douchebag to pieces 

I can’t imagine his time in prison will be pleasant.   Routine beatings from anyone who ever rode or served are gonna be his life from now on.