A comment that my MSF instructor said sparked some interesting conversation among some of my rider friends last night. When I took the MSF class in the springtime the instructor said “There is no such thing as motorcycle accidents, only motorcycle mistakes.” He then said that every motorcycle accident you hear about could have been avoided if the rider reacted differently.

I ride with a diverse group of people. Some have 30+ years riding experience while others are just learning. It seems the veteran riders (that have never had an accident) agree with the MSF instructor’s statement. Most of the other riders don’t. I don’t agree with the statement.

Do you agree that every motorcycle accident could be avoided if the rider reacted differently or do you believe that some accidents can’t be avoided?

 

There are no absolutes but probably 99 percent can be avoided. I've been riding 25+ years and only had to lay my bike down one time. It was totally unavoidable ( IMHO ). Always be vigilant, make eye contact with cages, and expect the worst and you will have plenty of safe miles.

 

I pretty much agree with that. Not that they're easy to avoid (which is why they actually happen), but most accidents are the result of human factors. Look at aircraft accident statistics, every one of which is studied and reported. Most of them are down to pilot error of some kind.

The other thing to remember is that no accident is ever the result of just one thing. It is usually the last in a series of little things that, in and of themselves, would each be harmless but, when put together in the right order and time, end up causing a problem.

Whatever the reality, it's a good way to look at things because it sharpens your focus on your responsibility for your own safety and makes you just that little more cautious or judicious.

 

I use the same line ("no such thing as an accident") when teaching Hunter Education. If you think about it, you'll see that in almost every instance, someone (not necessarily the victim) screwed up, somehow.

Combining the two, about the only time I can see anything being an accident is when a deer (or other creature) runs out into you, or in front of you. Since deer are not human, they can't be held to the same accountability.

 

I agree with the statement that there are almost no motorcycle (or motor vehicle) accidents, but you're only looking at half of the equation by looking at the rider. You have to take the other vehicle into account. Even if you as the rider didn't make a mistake, chances are the other vehicle did.

 

“There is no such thing as motorcycle accidents, only motorcycle mistakes.”

I strongly disagree. A human has a built in reaction time. There's nothing you can actually do during that time. If the cage next to you wants to suddenly whip into your lane without warning you may be humanly unable to take action. Even if being careful to stay out of blind spots, even if doing everything you can, if someone wants you badly enough, he'll get you.

$.02

 

But you're assuming that the car that whips into your lane is an accident. I agree that there might not be anything YOU can do about it, but the fact that the driver changed lanes without looking first, or not using turn signals, or was talking on his cell phone, was human error, not an unavoidable accident.

 

In your example, the cage screwed up. Hence, it's not an accident. More like Negligence.

 

There are some unavoidable accidents. To issue a statement like there isn't that is dumb. I went down while going under the speed limit when a racoon darted out of the bushes. Didn't see him till I hit him. outside of a force shield I don't see what I could have done. Got rear ended at a stop light once too. got sandwiched between two cages, I agree most accidents can be avoided. but nowere near 99%

 

Read the post! he said it's the motorcycle rider that could have done something to prevent it.