Rubber Pants
Zone Head
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posted February 28, 2005 07:42 PM
Police Cracking Down in San Diego!!
Articial From North County Times in San Diego: (Long ............ but interesting)
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Patrols cracking down on extreme motorcyclists
By: EDWARD GRAHAM - Staff Writer
NORTH COUNTY ---- An increase in dangerous and often deadly motorcycle riding on the region's roads and highways has California Highway Patrol officers stepping up efforts to stop the reckless behavior.
"We have additional resources and we will use them to stop and prevent this unsafe and illegal riding on Palomar Mountain, the 5, the 15 and the 78," said Officer Tom Kerns, of the Highway Patrol's Oceanside office. "Too many people are crashing, dying and badly injuring themselves in the North County."
Statistics gathered by the Highway Patrol's Oceanside office show that from January 2000 through February this year, there were 281 motorcyclists injured in accidents caused by the motorcyclist. Of that figure, 170 occurred during the last two years.
The average number of riders injured in 2000, 2001 and 2002 was in the mid-30s, but that figure doubled to 64 in 2003 and jumped again to 106 in 2004. Officers said the number could grow more by the end of 2005.
"Over the last two or three years, officers, including myself, have been responding to more and more deadly ... motorcycle accidents caused by extremely fast and dangerous riding behavior," Kerns said.
Extreme riding at speeds approaching 100 miles per hour, which most concerns officers, seems to occur primarily at hotspots such as Palomar Mountain and along Interstate 5 near Camp Pendleton, but North County's other major freeways are involved, Kerns said.
Motorcycle riders can suffer severe or fatal injuries during two phases of a crash, Kerns said. A rider can be badly hurt, or sometimes uninjured in the initial crash, but then faces the danger of being hit by other vehicles driving on the roadway.
"There is a big mess to clean up after a lot of high-speed motorcycle crashes," Kerns said. "Sometimes, there are miles of body parts that need to be picked up."
Locals, Marines
The highway patrol has identified two groups that it says are primarily responsible for the increase in motorcycle crashes and extreme riding: local riders, who officers say are usually well trained but drive recklessly for thrills, and Camp Pendleton Marines, many of whom have too little experience to ride at high speeds.
Kerns said that law enforcement officers know many of the Marine riders that crash are inexperienced because they have motorcycle licenses that have been recently obtained.
Officers say that local riders have gotten so extreme that in moving traffic they sometimes have friends on motorcycles block cars so that other riders can perform high-speed stunts such as wheelies.
The stunts are filmed by cameramen driving in nearby cars and posted on motorcycle racing websites, along with detailed maps and information on how and when to avoid law enforcement when participating in extreme riding, said Officer Micky Daley, a 27-year motorcycle veteran of the Oceanside CHP office.
"There has really been an amazing increase in bad riding behavior and attitudes in the last year or two," said Daley. "There are lots of great people out there riding motorcycles, but then there are a handful that don't care about anybody and are even really rude and unpleasant when they are pulled over.
"Having fun is one thing," Daley said, "but once you become a danger to yourself or the public, we have to stop it and more enforcement is the best way."
Penalties for speeding over 100 mph include a minimum $400 fine and a license suspension. Kerns said that if someone else is hurt in an accident at that speed, or the rider has a series of unpaid tickets, the rider can be arrested.
Hotspots
Both Kerns and Daley said that racers' favorite spot is Palomar Mountain because its steep and curvy road makes it a great place to ride a motorcycle ---- and to evade traffic officers.
"We are now using aircraft, along with teams of officers, to catch riders on Palomar," Kerns said. "The aircraft can spot the bike and relay the color of the bike and helmet to several officers waiting at various points along the road," Kerns said.
Daley said that riders are also ruining the serenity of Palomar Mountain because their motorcycles usually have modified exhaust systems to maximize noise as well as speed.
"I was recently out at Palomar talking to local residents about the problem and they are getting fed up with the noise, the danger and the bad attitude of the bikers," Daley said. "With their modified exhaust, it sounds like they are doing 100 mph even if they are only doing 50."
Daley gave as an example a recent incident on Interstate 5 in which, he said, he pulled a biker over for having no license plate, a modified exhaust system and for traveling at 80 mph.
"When I approached his bike, I saw it was all scratched up on the side and when I asked him where he had crashed, he said Palomar."
Avoiding some areas
Gary Andrews, a local motorcycle rider for over 30 years and a member of the Oceanside Chapter of the Goldwing Road Riders Association, says that his club now avoids riding at places like Palomar Mountain.
"On our rides we won't go up to places like Palomar Mountain where sport bikes congregate," Andrews said. "It's scary to have riders coming down at such fast speeds, it would be easy for one of them to try and pass us and have an accident."
Andrews said that he has also observed riders doing wheelies at very high speeds on local freeways.
"I think the trend towards unsafe riding has really picked up over the last few years especially due to movies being made by the racers," Andrews said.
Little experience
Kerns said that many Camp Pendleton Marines buy motorcycles with little or no experience riding them.
"The problem that leads to the greatest number of motorcycle crashes is far and away inexperience," Kerns said. "Many Marines go out and buy motorcycles after just obtaining a motorcycle license or even without one. Camp Pendleton has a required course, and Marines have to wear reflective vests, but there are still too many Marines crashing on I-5."
Kerns said the relative ease with which a person can get a motorcycle license is also a problem.
He said the only requirements are an "easy" written test and successful completion of a driving course in the parking lot of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
"There is not a ride-along portion of the test like there is with a car license," said Kerns. "The process catches some of the most uncoordinated, but a lot of people who need more training get through."
Kerns said that motorcycles are popular with Marines because they cost less than a car to buy and operate and are easy to store while a Marine is deployed. Also, Kerns said that the majority of Marines are young men with some money to spend, who want to enjoy their free time.
"We are very supportive and appreciative of the Marines and the military," Kerns said. "However, we find it ironic and tragic that soldiers who fought and risked their lives for freedom come back and risk their lives and the lives of others on the freeway."
Dangerous combinations
A particularly dangerous combination occurs when groups of Marines of different skill levels ride together, Kerns said. The situation often leads to the less skilled riders trying to keep up with the others, only to have it end in an accident.
"All riders have a skill level that they have to know and respect," Kerns said. "Even with all of the protective gear possible, if you go at an unsafe speed for your skill level in unsafe conditions, you will crash, and the road does not give to flesh and bone."
Kerns said drugs and alcohol also contribute to a number of motorcycle accidents.
From January 2000 to February this year, 19 at-fault DUI motorcycle accidents with injuries were recorded in Oceanside by the California Highway Patrol. Six of those injury accidents came in 2004, the most in any year since 2000.
Motorists responsible too
Kerns said another way to reduce motorcycle accidents is for drivers of cars and other vehicles to be more aware. Of 434 collisions involving motorcycles recorded by the Highway Patrol's Oceanside office between January 2000 and February this year, 303 were the fault of motorcyclists and 131 were caused by other vehicles.
Something that drivers need to remember is that it is legal for motorcycle riders to ride between traffic lanes as long as conditions are reasonably safe, said Kerns. Drivers should make sure to check their mirrors for motorcycles coming up from behind in traffic, he said.
Overall, though, both Kerns and Daley said that more enforcement and resources directed at irresponsible motorcycle riders is the best way to reduce death and injury statistics.
"Palomar Mountain will see a big increase in our presence, but overall we need more officers in the field and planes in the air to stop this rise in dangerous riding and serious crashes," Daley said.
Contact staff writer Edward Graham at (760) 761-4414 or egraham@nctimes.com.
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frEEk
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posted February 28, 2005 08:13 PM
quote:
local riders, who officers say are usually well trained but drive recklessly for thrills
i really hate it when statements like this are made so... well, recklessly. the way the write it, it's like every experienced rider is going out to kill themselves. how about pointing out that only a few will be truly reckless, and the majority are just riding fast, beyond the understanding of non-riders. of course reading this article and taking ti to mean all bikers on palomar are reckless, disrespecful, hooligans would be stupid, but people are stupid and countless will take it that way.
i can appreciate the actual problem that is at the root of the issue, which is to say the dicks that really go and get in the way of other drivers and zoom past residents houses at 110db, but u just know that in these crackdowns they just end up going after everyoen that isnt riding by the book, instead of just the real problem. have to fund all those extra resources somehow right?
quote:
"However, we find it ironic and tragic that soldiers who fought and risked their lives for freedom come back and risk their lives and the lives of others on the freeway."
oh i just love the double irony dripping off this one. wonder if Kerns even realized what he was saying?
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worm~hole
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posted March 01, 2005 09:57 AM
...frEEK...I get the gist of what Kerns is saying...and perhaps he should've/could've said "some experienced riders...." to be more accurate with the assessments, because you and I and the rest of us know that "us" experienced riders sometimes pull knucklehead moves ourselves, right?...but overall, I think he's right on the money as far as cause and effect...
...don't be too suprised if Camp Pendleton's and Miramar Commandants put Palomar Mt. and other motorcycle meccas off-limits to the Navy and Marines...I believe that they can do that...it has been done in other cities and location where the powers that be have determined that it is detrimental to the safety of their "human resources"....
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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D
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posted March 01, 2005 10:13 AM
Looks like track time is gettin cheaper and cheaper.
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worm~hole
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posted March 01, 2005 10:38 AM
...weekday riding up Palomar is best...mega-weekends are akin to russian roulette...you're right, D...trackdays are looking better and better for all concerned...its the "unconcerned" that we have to worry about, huh?...
...and kudos to Kerns for bringing up the responsibilities of the cage drivers as well...we all share the road and we all need to do our part to get to our destination in one piece (some faster than others...obviously  )
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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k bryant
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posted March 01, 2005 12:17 PM
Just another reason to stay away from Palomar on the weekends. Just not worth the ride down there. Ortega is bad enough. And the Crest is hardly worth it either.
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frEEk
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posted March 01, 2005 12:37 PM
re Kern, i was talking about that one sentence i quoted. the point was that while he was trying to say that it's ironic that they risked their lives overseas to keep home safe only to come home and risk their lives there on the bikes, the equally obvious interpretation of the sentence is that it's ironic that they went overseas to fight for freedom only to come back and have their freedom limited even more. overall tho, he did a reasonably good job, esp in mentioning the cages as u pointed out.
and certainly ur right that even the most experienced rider will pull a bad move once in a while despite being respectful to other traffic and non-reckless, but as usual the issue is stated in such a way that your average reader will take it to mean it applies across the board.
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worm~hole
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posted March 01, 2005 01:03 PM
 Edited By: worm~hole on 1 Mar 2005 13:10
...I think it obvious that the servicemen put their lives in harm's way in combat (its their job, what they're trained to do), but they at least have some chance of survival and coming out alive or in one piece due to proper training and proper equipment...
...these servicemen can also ride their hi-perf motorcycles over their heads with little or no "proper training and proper equipment" and also put their lives (as well as other citizens' lives) in harm's way as well...but they sometimes don't come out it as well as they do in combat...plus, its not their "job" to go out there and be foolish and reckless amongst the general citizenry...
...freedom vs safety...peaches vs bad apples...they are two completely different issues...we are free to ride almost any place the general public are allowed to drive...that's the freedom...we are not, however, allowed to drive/ride recklessly in those places (even on race-tracks!...you get booted for shit like that, too!)...that's the safety issue...no real irony there...more of a common sense issue imho...let's hope that the average reader is smarter than assuming the worse...
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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JNM
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posted March 01, 2005 02:19 PM
Edited By: JNM on 1 Mar 2005 14:27
Pick your spots much more judiciously, and if you know that the pace will be "above normal", best to do the ride during the week. Even here in New England, law enforcement has cracked down big time. New Hampshire is not even worth the trip on weekends, and now Vermont is cracking down. I still enjoy the freedom that street riding offers, but man it's not what it used to be. Weekends are tough. That North County piece was fairly well written, but methinks it is just a matter of time before the media sensationalizes our sport to the point of being a public scourge. I have noticed over the last few years that there are some cagers who will go out of their way to mess with you just because you are on a sportbike. I hope this trend doesn't continue, but there are alot of angry losers out there who project their own miserable failures on sportbikes as they feel bigger in their cages. Be aware of your surroundings. Cheers.
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CCS #428
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frEEk
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posted March 01, 2005 02:45 PM
worm, i understand and appreciate what Kern meant, i was just pointing out the rather heavy double irony in the quote, and saying it could have been expressed more accurately. of course i'm a picky sumbitch when it comes to these things so it may be just me. i just hope for hte sake of all the riders that enjoy palomar that the crackdown is carried out in a sensible fashion, targeting only those that are the real problems, and not the standard practice of cracking down on everyone in an effort to get them to move on.
quote:
let's hope that the average reader is smarter than assuming the worse...
yeah, that'll happen 
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worm~hole
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posted March 01, 2005 03:51 PM
...if the media wanted to sensationalize the sportbike, they would've done already, what with the Fast and Furious movies and such...sometimes it appears that the law enforcement community are slow to react (compared to how quickly the general public thinks LEOs should react to something) to an issue, but when it reality its budget driven....
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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bovinespongiformencephalo
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posted March 02, 2005 09:09 PM
It's already happening. I can't wait till porky's cash runs out and we can go back to having our way with S6. The chippies got some grant $ to do this enforcement thing, so hopefully it's not enough to last all summer.
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JNM
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posted March 02, 2005 09:34 PM
Why even reply? Spend the money on arresting muslim scum(terror) and leave the rest to us. Wake up boys! Listen to Savage or the hell with ya!! BBAA BYYEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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CCS #428
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Rubber Pants
Zone Head
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posted March 03, 2005 07:51 AM
Anyone ridin around the San Diego area will just have to stay away from the popular roads around Palomar etc. One of my fav's is the S2 which eventually hooks up to the I8. Iv'e seen maybe 2 cops around there in maybe 20 rides through there. You do get a little lonely (desolate) thou so you may have to bring some friends. 
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"Ya Gotta Have Big Ones!"
speeddemons.com
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