Woman gets 10 years for killing Harley rider while driving drunk
#21
01-10-2013, 11:28 PM
Road Warrior
This is not something I would normally post to, but my reaction was that almost always, the driver who hits a motorcyclist gets off. I believe the only way to focus drivers to see motorcyclists is to make hitting and killing someone because you are texting, putting on your lipstick, shaving, failed to wash your windows or replace your windshield wipers, drinking alcohol or doing any drug including pot, guilty with serious consequences.
Far too often on this forum we see posts about someone being hit, forced off the road, and never see any serious consequences for the driver who "couldn't see because the sun was in their eyes". Well, they should have slowed down, cleaned their own window, wore polarized sunglasses or some how taken care of the fact that they were not safe. It is not an excuse to say, I did not see him in that lane, or I was in a hurray so I pulled right in front of him, or I just got a text from my girlfriend telling me she was leaving me. Pull over, take care of that situation, have somebody else drive, but if you do drive, I'd like to know that there are real consequences.
Killing someone, maiming someone, just running someone off the road and just because they did not die are all similarly serious crimes in my eyes. This is assuming that the motorcyclist is driving legally.
It is not about being sorry, it is about being responsible and alert when driving.
I feel very sorry for her, but she had other choices.
This is not a motorcycle issue. You see the same distracted, aggressive, and intoxicated driving, cage to cage everyday.
Far too often on this forum we see posts about someone being hit, forced off the road, and never see any serious consequences for the driver who "couldn't see because the sun was in their eyes". Well, they should have slowed down, cleaned their own window, wore polarized sunglasses or some how taken care of the fact that they were not safe. It is not an excuse to say, I did not see him in that lane, or I was in a hurray so I pulled right in front of him, or I just got a text from my girlfriend telling me she was leaving me. Pull over, take care of that situation, have somebody else drive, but if you do drive, I'd like to know that there are real consequences.
Killing someone, maiming someone, just running someone off the road and just because they did not die are all similarly serious crimes in my eyes. This is assuming that the motorcyclist is driving legally.
It is not about being sorry, it is about being responsible and alert when driving.
I feel very sorry for her, but she had other choices.
This is not a motorcycle issue. You see the same distracted, aggressive, and intoxicated driving, cage to cage everyday.
RIP Michael.
#22
01-11-2013, 12:04 AM
Road Warrior
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: París, TX
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Because of riding, we are exposed to this kind of tragedy more than most drivers. I am relieved to have quit drinking years ago, so I don't have to live with the guilt of killing or maiming someone because of my own stupidity. May his family and friends find some comfort in the man he was.
#23
01-11-2013, 08:51 AM
Road Master
Riders death equals a 10 years sentence of which she will probably only do 3, seems kinda out of balance to me. But heck we are governed by a judicial system that will arrest you for having expired tags on your vehicle, but not for being in this country illegally.
#24
01-11-2013, 08:55 AM
Road Master
This is not something I would normally post to, but my reaction was that almost always, the driver who hits a motorcyclist gets off. I believe the only way to focus drivers to see motorcyclists is to make hitting and killing someone because you are texting, putting on your lipstick, shaving, failed to wash your windows or replace your windshield wipers, drinking alcohol or doing any drug including pot, guilty with serious consequences.
Far too often on this forum we see posts about someone being hit, forced off the road, and never see any serious consequences for the driver who "couldn't see because the sun was in their eyes". Well, they should have slowed down, cleaned their own window, wore polarized sunglasses or some how taken care of the fact that they were not safe. It is not an excuse to say, I did not see him in that lane, or I was in a hurray so I pulled right in front of him, or I just got a text from my girlfriend telling me she was leaving me. Pull over, take care of that situation, have somebody else drive, but if you do drive, I'd like to know that there are real consequences.
Killing someone, maiming someone, just running someone off the road and just because they did not die are all similarly serious crimes in my eyes. This is assuming that the motorcyclist is driving legally.
It is not about being sorry, it is about being responsible and alert when driving.
I feel very sorry for her, but she had other choices.
This is not a motorcycle issue. You see the same distracted, aggressive, and intoxicated driving, cage to cage everyday.
Far too often on this forum we see posts about someone being hit, forced off the road, and never see any serious consequences for the driver who "couldn't see because the sun was in their eyes". Well, they should have slowed down, cleaned their own window, wore polarized sunglasses or some how taken care of the fact that they were not safe. It is not an excuse to say, I did not see him in that lane, or I was in a hurray so I pulled right in front of him, or I just got a text from my girlfriend telling me she was leaving me. Pull over, take care of that situation, have somebody else drive, but if you do drive, I'd like to know that there are real consequences.
Killing someone, maiming someone, just running someone off the road and just because they did not die are all similarly serious crimes in my eyes. This is assuming that the motorcyclist is driving legally.
It is not about being sorry, it is about being responsible and alert when driving.
I feel very sorry for her, but she had other choices.
This is not a motorcycle issue. You see the same distracted, aggressive, and intoxicated driving, cage to cage everyday.
#25
01-11-2013, 09:08 AM
Ultimate HDF Member
seems like a fair sentence to me. no, she probably will not do the full ten years. the courts should also take her life savings, house, and all earthly goods and give those to the victim's family.
my question is...what about the bar she had been going to 5 days a week for years...did they share in the blame and have to make restitution to the victim's family?
my question is...what about the bar she had been going to 5 days a week for years...did they share in the blame and have to make restitution to the victim's family?
#27
01-11-2013, 12:36 PM
I'm glad that woman, who is old enough to know better, got what could be a life sentence. I have to believe that before sentencing this woman, the judge in this case thought of the drugged-out punk who ran into that group of Michigan bikers in northern Wisconsin last year. Wisconsin is a popular destination for Michigan bikers, and I think the people of Wisconsin would like to keep it that way.
#29
01-11-2013, 08:02 PM
This is not something I would normally post to, but my reaction was that almost always, the driver who hits a motorcyclist gets off. I believe the only way to focus drivers to see motorcyclists is to make hitting and killing someone because you are texting, putting on your lipstick, shaving, failed to wash your windows or replace your windshield wipers, drinking alcohol or doing any drug including pot, guilty with serious consequences.
Far too often on this forum we see posts about someone being hit, forced off the road, and never see any serious consequences for the driver who "couldn't see because the sun was in their eyes". Well, they should have slowed down, cleaned their own window, wore polarized sunglasses or some how taken care of the fact that they were not safe. It is not an excuse to say, I did not see him in that lane, or I was in a hurray so I pulled right in front of him, or I just got a text from my girlfriend telling me she was leaving me. Pull over, take care of that situation, have somebody else drive, but if you do drive, I'd like to know that there are real consequences.
Killing someone, maiming someone, just running someone off the road and just because they did not die are all similarly serious crimes in my eyes. This is assuming that the motorcyclist is driving legally.
It is not about being sorry, it is about being responsible and alert when driving.
I feel very sorry for her, but she had other choices.
This is not a motorcycle issue. You see the same distracted, aggressive, and intoxicated driving, cage to cage everyday.
Far too often on this forum we see posts about someone being hit, forced off the road, and never see any serious consequences for the driver who "couldn't see because the sun was in their eyes". Well, they should have slowed down, cleaned their own window, wore polarized sunglasses or some how taken care of the fact that they were not safe. It is not an excuse to say, I did not see him in that lane, or I was in a hurray so I pulled right in front of him, or I just got a text from my girlfriend telling me she was leaving me. Pull over, take care of that situation, have somebody else drive, but if you do drive, I'd like to know that there are real consequences.
Killing someone, maiming someone, just running someone off the road and just because they did not die are all similarly serious crimes in my eyes. This is assuming that the motorcyclist is driving legally.
It is not about being sorry, it is about being responsible and alert when driving.
I feel very sorry for her, but she had other choices.
This is not a motorcycle issue. You see the same distracted, aggressive, and intoxicated driving, cage to cage everyday.
