Even officers with sirens and lights get hit by left hand turns

[hd-dream]

Deputy hurt in west Houston motorcycle crash
By LINDSAY WISE
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Nov. 13, 2008, 5:01PMShare  Print Email Del.icio.usDiggTechnoratiYahoo! BuzzA Harris County deputy constable is being treated at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center after suffering a broken leg and arm when his motorcycle collided with a car in west Houston this afternoon, Houston police said.

Deputy Constable Russell Rideaux, a veteran of Precinct 6, was injured about 12:50 p.m. while escorting a funeral procession in the 2800 block of S. Dairy Ashford at Ashford Meadow, said Danny Perez, spokesman for the Precinct 6 Constable's Office.

The deputy's name is being withheld until his family has been notified. He was flown from the crash site by Life Flight helicopter, but Houston police Sgt. G. Whitehead said the deputy was conscious and did not appear to have life-threatening injuries. He suffered a broken arm.

The driver of the silver Mercedes sedan that collided with the motorcycle is being cited for failure to yield the right of way on a left turn, Whitehead said.

The accident occurred as the funeral procession was moving northbound on Dairy Ashford and the Mercedes was heading southbound.

A witness, Carlos Rosales, said the deputy's siren and emergency lights were operating when the car turned left into his path. The motorcycle struck the right rear door and the impact vaulted the deputy over the car, Rosales said.

[Lew]

Sorry officer.....I didn't see you on your motorcycle.....or hear you....or.....

[CTRockDog]

The Cop High Sided over the car in front of a funeral procession?  Wow that has got to be some bad mojo there.  I was reading that motorcycle escort accidents like this are real common. 

[Lew]

A good friend of mine works escorts with the WSP.  He's been run over at least twice that I know of.  One tough bird!  He's living proof...what don't kill ya makes ya tougher.
Lew

[kik]

It just goes to show you that bikers have to be alert when we ride because cagers generally have their heads stuck up their butts. Oh gee I officer I'm sorry I was tuning my radio, talking on my cell phone or just in general day dreaming or I was in a hurry to get home so I could turn the game on....ect ect. Sorry to rant on but I've personally been rear ended twice t-boned once and had an old blue hair pull out in front of me in FL. Thats where I had to lay my 47 knuckle down. It bounced off her car and wrapped itself around a fire hydrant. Lucky for me I've walked away from all of them with a few scrapes and bruises.
Kik

[seattledyna]

In Sacramento news just yesterday, a county motor cop with lights and siren had a 79yo man turn left into a church parking lot right in front of him, sadly the officer did not make it.

its our worst nightmare

[Coyote]

In Sacramento news just yesterday, a county motor cop with lights and siren had a 79yo man turn left into a church parking lot right in front of him, sadly the officer did not make it.

its our worst nightmare

I had not heard this one. Very sad indeed.

[Skullfork]

Here's a good example of how easily it happens ...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE8Yx55XN-c

[seattledyna]

Keith, it was in Rancho Cordova

http://www.kcra.com/news/17966653/detail.html

[boooby1744]

R.I.P

[PaBagger]

Nothing gives me the willies more than seeing a left hand blinker coming towards me...

[seattledyna]

If I see a blinker at least I know I have a chance!

[hdjax2]

Mike I remember officer Larry Canfield form the competition we went to in Elk Grove. He was a graduate of Galt High School. He was very well liked from what I hear. Hopefully his family can find some comfort knowing he was doing what he really loved. RIP

[apes]

He was in a high speed persuite of a speeder in a School Zone, ripped the front wheel off the bike...." if they can see you ,they are aiming for you"

[seattledyna]

I remember too David, when they have a memorial we should ride along, the motor cops around this area seem like good guys!

[hdjax2]

Sounds like a plan Mike. Heres another test of my infantile picture posting skills. Softaiwins, Me, You

[attachment removed after 60 days by system]

[Hawg Holler]

My cage is a white Ford F-250 four-wheel drive crew cab and people turn left in front of me and roll through stop signs on the right of me all the time. It doesn't matter what is coming down the road -- it could be a truck pulling a double-wide trailer -- some people either have bad judgment, poor eyesight, lack of patience or they are just plain stupid and they will pull out into or across traffic no matter what. A couple of things I do on these congested roads:

1. If it's a four-lane, ride in the right lane abreast of a vehicle on the left. The likelihood that someone will pull out in front of TWO vehicles is lessened (I hope) and if they do they'll hit the car next to you first. Course, if someone runs a stop sign or light on your right, you're going to be the one that gets it, but the left-hand turner is the more dangerous of the two in my estimation. The absolute worst position is to be in the right lane a car length or two behind so that the left-turner doesn't see you and pulls across just as the vehicle on your left goes by.

2. Flash your lights at cars that are waiting to make a left or pulling up to a stop sign on the right. I've found that flashing my lights sometimes wakes up the driver of the vehicle who I've noticed is either yakking on a phone, has the impatient look of someone who is late for work or has that faraway look of someone on drugs or whose mind has drifted away into another galaxy.

[Ultrashovel]

In Sacramento news just yesterday, a county motor cop with lights and siren had a 79yo man turn left into a church parking lot right in front of him, sadly the officer did not make it.

its our worst nightmare

Yep, I'm in the Sacramento area, too. I read that in our leading daily fishwrap. 

The officer was chasing a speeder with his bike. He was going at high speed on a high traffic area. I don't like to see police motorcycles used that way. It's just too dangerous. It's not worth dying over some jerk who speeds. I'd radio ahead.

[FSG]

In Sacramento news just yesterday, a county motor cop with lights and siren had a 79yo man turn left into a church parking lot right in front of him, sadly the officer did not make it.

its our worst nightmare

Yep, I'm in the Sacramento area, too. I read that in our leading daily fishwrap. 

The officer was chasing a speeder with his bike. He was going at high speed on a high traffic area. I don't like to see police motorcycles used that way. It's just too dangerous. It's not worth dying over some jerk who speeds. I'd radio ahead.

Doesn't matter where you live your not going to outrun a Motorola.   

[Harpo]

Just a point of clarification......exactly what TYPE of left hand turn are we discussing?  Could be an approaching car from the opposite direction turning left, a car on an intersecting street on your right turning left accross traffic, or a car on an intersecting street on your left turning left to merge with traffic.  I suspect it's the first one but I see all types but I was just wondering which one is THE one that comes to most peoples' minds when talking about this.

I occasionally write congressmen and state representatives about topics concerning bikers and this is one of those areas that I'm trying to get accross to these gentlemen and want to be sure of my info before I bring it up.  Thanks.

[Skullfork]

HARPO ...click on the link I provided in my previous post above. I would say that's the most common type.

[adayrider]

HAWG HOLLER

2. Flash your lights at cars that are waiting to make a left or pulling up to a stop sign on the right. I've found that flashing my lights sometimes wakes up the driver of the vehicle who I've noticed is either yakking on a phone, has the impatient look of someone who is late for work or has that faraway look of someone on drugs or whose mind has drifted away into another galaxy.

This gives me the willies from my head to my toes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I pray that someday that nobody takes that as a go ahead cause I'm in no hurry and I'm a nice guy. Flashing your lights in the trucking business means go ahead its A OK you got it. Old school ways was on and off, Now days drivers are to lazy to reach for the switch and it could be on-off, high beam-low beam, or fog lights or what ever. So be carefull that is not fool proof the way I see it.
ADAY

[fleetmechanic]

I've been running a funeral escort service using motors with red/blue lights and sirens for 29 years and the left turns in front of our guys are not the most common accidents.  Once the first rider to a controlled intersection takes control of it the people who were there all get to stay and watch us go by with the procession.  The two most common accidents that have put riders in the ER are people IN the procession deciding to turn left and go somewhere else as one of the riders is coming up from the rear to the left of the procession and drivers who are sitting at stop signs or driveways to the right side of the procession seeing enough of a gap in the line of cars for them to blow through.  Same danger to the riders passing the line on the left.  This one has gotten much worse with cell phones as drivers in the procession open large gaps while they are punching numbers or texting.

[dohmixer]

Services for Larry Canfield Thursday Nov. 20th.

http://sacbee.com/latest/story/1402590.html

[Hawg Holler]

HAWG HOLLER
2. Flash your lights at cars that are waiting to make a left or pulling up to a stop sign on the right. I've found that flashing my lights sometimes wakes up the driver of the vehicle who I've noticed is either yakking on a phone, has the impatient look of someone who is late for work or has that faraway look of someone on drugs or whose mind has drifted away into another galaxy.

This gives me the willies from my head to my toes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I pray that someday that nobody takes that as a go ahead cause I'm in no hurry and I'm a nice guy. Flashing your lights in the trucking business means go ahead its A OK you got it. Old school ways was on and off, Now days drivers are to lazy to reach for the switch and it could be on-off, high beam-low beam, or fog lights or what ever. So be carefull that is not fool proof the way I see it.
ADAY

I agree to some extent, but the context of flashing at truckers is usually putting on the bright for a second or two and then dimming again. When I flash my lights I do it quickly three or four times so the connotation is 'I'm not sure what you are doing and I'm getting very nervous about it." So far nobody has mistaken this for 'go ahead' and I've done it a thousand times. It's not a substitution for being ready for the worst. I still cover my brakes and ease off in anticipation that there's a doofus who doesn't get my drift.