Accident caused by lighter

Everyone knows smoking can be deadly. Last weekend, a group of Akron motorcyclists found out that even a dropped lighter can be dangerous.

[Use Common Sense]

Wow what a disaster, this proves that all distractions cannot be avoided while driving. It's a shame that the woman lost her leg. Get well all.

[Rider]

I've been riding 35 years. I stay away from the center line to avoid oncoming traffic. But I see a lot of bikers riding in groups hugging the center line and since they're riding too close together they can't make emergency manuvers that could save their life. On the other hand, to me it seems some bikers have a death wish and that's why they ride without helmets.

[Former Akronite]

I dont think wearing a helmet could have saved that womans leg. Chaps maybe, but not a helmet. Other drivers need to be more cautious of bikers.

[Something Wicked]

All of the blame goes to Daniel Masterson, the SUV driver. The road deserves your undivided attention. He could have waited for that dammn cigarette a few minutes, and pulled over to retrieve his lighter. Now, look what he caused; selfish badturd.

To the drivers and passengers on the bikes:
Thank heavens it wasn't worse. Wishing you all a quick recovery.

[Jules]

How incredibly stupid of that SUV driver. Once again, we see the tragic results of someone's inability to use common sense and stay focused while driving. It's not your living room, people, it's a two or three ton moving vehicle. Get off the phone, put away your makeup, forget the thing that fell on the floor, and pay attention to the road, for heaven's sake!

[Yikes]

keyword: Accident

[Green Crime Fighter]

I agree with Rider above. I have ben riding motrcycles since I was 18, some, ahem, years ago. I never rode near the center line, that is suicide. Riding side by side is not a good idea. You can't hear each other and it leaves the left hand driver little options in case a car does swerve.

I had more than one driver force me off the road but as the years have gone by, it seems to be a safer ride than it was back in the old days.

I, as a fellow biker, pray for the injured. Get back on the road as soon as you can. We will miss you.

[Green Crime Fighter]

We are all prone to do something stupid. To those who are ready to lynch the SUV driver, I bet you have done a few stupid things, but for the Grace of God, nobody was around when it happened.

Reaching for things. Yup, I have done it. Trying to get something from the glove box. Yup. Yelling at the kids. Yup.

I am human through and through. I hope the driver will find peace in his heart. A bad mistake has injured many innocent bikers. Can you live with that. Boy, it would be hard. If he is truly sorry, the help him live with it.

From a biker who has been riding 40 years

[Darwin Had A Point]

God loves stupid people. He made so many of them.

There is an urban legend about a motorcycle rider in California who was stopped years ago because he was not wearing a motorcycle helmet (on his head). He had strapped it to his knee and argued that the law only required him to wear it, but didn't say where he had to wear it.

The state patrol officer agreed not to issue a citation if the rider wore the helmet on his head. A few miles down the road, the cyclist was involved in an accident. He managed to survive the accident because he was wearing his helmet!

But he suffered severe injuries to his knee.

[Ricola]

Accident caused by lighter ?
I don't think so.

Blame should be placed on the driver who went left of center
no matter what they were doing while driving.

[Rachel]

''Based on the driver's own statement, there is no factual evidence to support he was using his cell phone.''

They're taking the drivers word for it?
A simple check of cell phone records would prove if driver was or wasnt texting.
Way to go trooper taking the drivers word as we all know how honest everyone is .
Has the driver of SUV even been cited for anything? His failure to control vehicle,while driving outside of marked lanes and weaving was the cause of all these people being injured.
So why no mention of cites for driver? hmmmm.

[Cowboys kill The Browns]

Rachel I'm sure he was cited

[kathyd]

There are alot more people on bikes these days. First of all, it's summer. Also, maybe the bikers are trying to save on gas. I've seen bikers ride too close together on the rode. I just feel sorry for the woman that lost her leg, and now has to go through therapy and a whole new way of life. I hope she can go on and make the best of her new life. I feel so sorry for her. Cell, cig lighter, kids, they're all distractions. I'll be more careful from now on when driving in my car!

[marieb]

Darwin Had A Point wrote:

God loves stupid people. He made so many of them.
There is an urban legend about a motorcycle rider in California who was stopped years ago because he was not wearing a motorcycle helmet (on his head). He had strapped it to his knee and argued that the law only required him to wear it, but didn't say where he had to wear it.
The state patrol officer agreed not to issue a citation if the rider wore the helmet on his head. A few miles down the road, the cyclist was involved in an accident. He managed to survive the accident because he was wearing his helmet!
But he suffered severe injuries to his knee.

This one is not a legend. When Calif first enacted the helmet law, there was a lot of resistance. A motorcycle rider was cited for not wearing a helmet, he claimed he couldn't see or hear well with it on. Later, he went out for ride in his Corvette wearing a helmet. He was stopped and cited for wearing a helmet while driving a car. The law claimed his vision and hearing was obstructed. Go figure.

[CuddyTheFlash]

This discussion about helmets got me curious.

According to the Ohio BMV, helmets are REQUIRED if you are operating a motorcycle or moped and under the age of 18.

http://www.bmv.ohio.gov/misc/traffic_rules.ht...

That's if I understand it right.

[For What Its Worth]

For all those injured on the motorcycles ... my prayers will remain with you.

For the SUV driver ... I will keep you in my prayers as well. It was an ACCIDENT caused by something I am sure we are all guilty of. I'm sure comments posted here have little effect on you compared to that which you are bringing upon yourself. Remember .. it was an accident.

I recently had a conversation with staff members of an ER. They have seen so many motorcycle accidents lately. More people are driving motorcycles because of gas prices and drivers (most often younger drivers) are not "seeing" them coming down the road.(This would pertain to single bike riders - not those riding in a group)

This should be a lesson to ALL of us to be a little more cautious of what we do behind the wheel of a vehicle and be more aware of all other vehicles on the road.

Again, for ALL those involved, I will keep you in my prayers.

[sue is stupid]

How hard is it to check his phone or records for whether he was dialing or texting at the moment of the crash?????????? sheeeesh

[Gain Some Reality]

Use Common Sense wrote:

Wow what a disaster, this proves that all distractions cannot be avoided while driving. It's a shame that the woman lost her leg. Get well all.

Why cannot it be avoided? Do you need a light to drive now?

[dawg]

No brain buckets -- pretty dumb

[cableguy802]

dawg wrote:

No brain buckets -- pretty dumb

lighter, texting, whatever it was. thats what was stupid. he's the one who caused the accident. he's the one who broke the law