Good point, I do not know the length of the skids but I would surmise the motorcycle was probably speeding. It doesn't change who is at fault unless the speed was excessively negligent. What it does do is add mitigating circumstances of the inevitable wrongful death lawsuit filed by the estate of rider.
It is possible the Subaru driver could be charged criminally with vehicular manslaughter but guilt could difficult to prove if investigation proves the rider was speeding.
Presumably the cage driver will claim he did not see the motorcycle because it was speeding. We also don't know the sobriety of the cager.
Coefficient of friction of the roadway and length of skid calculations will give a minimum velocity at the time of impact.
Other mitigating factors is riding experience and training of the rider and toxicology results from his autopsy.
Here is another photo from the crash scene. Speed limit is 55.

 

Skillz:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/br...703-story.html

I do not mean to make light of a rider's death, but I read news reports like this every day.

And by every day, I mean every day.

 

I agree, fatalities are an everyday thing but the circumstances in the linked article are completely different.
Intent of my post was to make this a learning experience.
I also noticed the Subaru had pulled across two lanes and was entering a third lane when it was hit by the motorcycle. The rider had some visual clues that the Subaru was a threat as it traveled about 36' (two lanes of traffic)plus a parking lane, plus the side street/stop sign where the cage had been "stopped".
Tunnel vision, inattention and target fixation could have been other reasons why the rider did not see the Subaru.

 

Mine, too. I apologize for taking your thread a bit off topic.

 

Would be intersting to know if there were other vehicles in the middle or far right lane in approximately the same area as the rider which would have left the rider with no escape (still poor judgement on rider's part for not accounting for the lack of escape). I have seen impatient cages pull out across a 2-3 lane roads with clearly visible cars quickly approaching and just barely escape unscathed.

If there were cars near the bike, it may have also given him a false sense of security via assuming the subaru would surely see the cars near him and not pull out.


Other than presumably poor judgement and lack of skills on the rider's part, this appears to be gross negligence and vehicular homocide by the Subaru' driver. At what point do we stop calling negligent actions 'accidents' and allowing the "I'm so sorry, I didn't see him" excuse to fly? It is far too easy to obtain a driver's license in this country and penalty for shitty driving is far too lenient. Automobiles are deadly weapons in the hands of the untrained and incompetent.

 

Yea but the judge and jury who decide the vehicular homicide charge of a cage driver who pulls out in front of a (possibly speeding) motorcycle are all cage drivers themselves. They too haven't seen motorcycles when they were driving and will sympathize with the plight of the Subaru driver.
I never use the word accident in my threads, they are all referred to as collisions.

 

He could have been speeding, but with a speed limit of 55, the car driver needs to know to make damn sure no one is coming.

And what you said about judge and jury is true, and sadly, the defense lawyer will strike any and every (wont be but a few probably) juror with a motorcycle license.

And I don't really wish that the driver gets jail time, as I don't like to see more lives ruined after a deadly collision unless alcohol or texting was involved. Sometimes things truly are just accidents...but we have to do something in this country to curb the rate of collisions, not just ones involving motorcycles, but all. America's roadways have become one giant game of russian roulette and the really sad thing is that it doesn't have to be that way.

 

I am sorry for the rider. I got slid into by a motorcycle Sunday.I thought I was paying attention. He was traveling so fast I only had time to lift my foot before impact.

 

It happens all to often, we hear of fatalities multiple times a week during our short riding season. I am passed daily by guys on every type of bike imaginable, and i am guilty of riding far too fast at times. Cagers don't seem to see us at the best of times and I have to take evasive measures daily on my commute to work (60 miles each way) . This is another sad example that will stick with readers for a day or two and changed someone's family forever.
Long story short, and I have to do this myself, slow down, make sure your are skilled enough to make the tight maneuvers by practicing, and remember people just don't register that we are there.