himile14
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posted January 09, 2008 07:00 PM
Killer Smog
Hi all,
It's been a little while since I've posted a topic and I really prefer happy motorcycling topics but today I came face to face with... well a little too close to the reaper.... I work in Lakeland and live in Orlando which means that I ride I-4 every day.
Today as some know we lost 4 people due to a combination fog and Smoke and from one who has driven in very thick fog none compared to what I rode through today. I had seen about 19 of the 60+ crashes, most people walked away thank God but others looked real bad.
I know a lot of time we get on the police but today I want to pat them on the back along with the fire dept and EMT's. I got a up close and personal look at what they do and man thank God these people want to do this kind of work. It was an ugly seen and let me tell you they did the best they could and to this observer I think they did an excellent job.
It's funny to admit this but when the highway patrol asked me to move my bike so the emergency crews could get through, I parked my bike on the shoulder of the road (forgetting to leave her in gear) and my 02 VFR crashed to the ground. A rookie mistake, but considering the situation my pride was not hurting nearly as much as I expected. shit happens and after seeing what I had seen today it hardly made a blip on this kids radar.
For the record I was about 5 car lengths behind the sand truck. It's not as close a call as it sounds the group of cars I was riding with all stopped with plenty of room to spare. Also as quickly as the smog came in, it went back out (things were pretty clear) then came back in again, a strange situation but one that I could at least understand why the highway patrol did not shut down the road .
Keep it safe out there everyone.
Rob
02 VFR 103,677 miles
06 VFR 13,267 miles
  
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Tool Man
Needs a job
Posts: 4493
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posted January 10, 2008 07:28 AM
We get the huge dust storms out here in Phx. Rob...Most idiots just stay on the gas till they crash 
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stevewfl
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posted January 10, 2008 05:37 PM
 Edited By: stevewfl on 10 Jan 2008 17:37
himile, our FL 70 vehicle deadly wreck was on the national news too.
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himile14
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Posts: 424
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posted January 10, 2008 06:56 PM
Edited By: himile14 on 10 Jan 2008 18:59
You know what is worse, I have the seen going over and over in my head, Why did I not turn my bike towards the on coming traffic and flash the high beams to assist slowing people down. You know so many officials were so over welmed, and I did so little to help. I've got to change my ways.
Hind-sight is 20/20, I know at the time I did not really know how big a deal this really was until I started walking around. Then again I do remember the bus driver saying why don't they warn us there is a situation and I replied "We are the situation" I really think I was in a state of shock.
They have reported that I-4 is opened but may close if the fog gets too thick. I expect it to be closed in the morning.
Rob
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qwick
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Posts: 413
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posted January 10, 2008 08:05 PM
Rob,
Don't be hard on yourself for not trying to position your bike in an attempt to notify other drivers of the hazard... quite frankly if you did you may not be with us today. I know that it was a sudden loss of visibility out there that morning but remember that some people are just oblivious to their surroundings when they are behind the wheel, even on a sunny day. I understand that one of the Deputies had his cruiser struck twice as he arrived on the scene...and that's with blue lights flashing too. So don't feel as if you're to blame for not doing more... I'm just glad that you made it out of there alive. That is a very scary situation to be caught up in. I was standing in the median of the Interstate at a collision scene last spring when my vehicle was struck, which lead to a 4 car pileup... and it was only raining slightly, nothing close to the situation that you were in. So don't be hard on yourself, just be thankful that you are alive.
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bigdtd
Needs a job
Interceptors
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posted January 10, 2008 08:33 PM
one bike headlight wasn't going to stop the mayhem, but maybe not starting fires during foogy season........
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himile14
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posted January 12, 2008 09:26 PM
Thanks for the wise words. You know I have a real soft spot for the Police/Hwy Patrol. I think that everyone thinks they should have shut down the road but actually being in the middle of this mess there are so many angles people who were not there won't understand. The least of which that under the best situation it would take a 1/2 hour to shut down the road. The conditions were such that you could not see period, then in a matter of 5 mins it was clear only to become dense again a couple mins later.
It still bothers me but your advice will be taken. Same hold true for me, being a little too close to the seen, common sense (which should apply) is voided because of the "What If's"
Thanks again all
Rob
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qwick
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posted January 12, 2008 09:31 PM
No problem... And thank you.
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