Why we crash. An incomplete but informative study.

Taken from the VTTI report:

Table 3. Event Descriptors for Single Vehicle Crashes and Single Vehicle Near-Crashes Precipitating Event Pre-incident Maneuver Number of Events Percentage of Single Vehicle Conflicts Subject over left lane line Negotiating a curve 18 34% Subject over left edge of road Turning right 1 2% Subject over right edge of road Going straight, but with unintentional "drifting" within lane or across lanes 1 2% Negotiating a curve 4 8% Subject over right lane line Negotiating a curve 2 4% This vehicle lost control - excessive speed Going straight, constant speed 1 2% Going straight, decelerating 3 6% Negotiating a curve 3 6% This vehicle lost control - insufficient speed Backing up (other than for parking purposes) 1 2% Entering a parking position, moving forward 1 2% Going straight, constant speed 1 2% Going straight, decelerating 2 4% Leaving a parking position, moving forward 2 4% Making U-turn 1 2% Negotiating a curve 1 2% Starting in traffic lane 1 2% Stopped in traffic lane 1 2% Turning left 1 2% Turning right 2 4% This vehicle lost control - other cause Backing up (other than for parking purposes) 1 2% Negotiating a curve 1 2% This vehicle lost control - poor road conditions Going straight, constant speed 1 2% Going straight, decelerating 1 2% Turning right 2 4%

Hard not to notice that 70% of single vehicle crashes or near-crashes occurred while in a curve or during maneuvers requiring the rider to make a turn!

ThePhoinix said:

They said, we lie about what happens and ride into the backs of cars with troubling frequency. That is, when we don't just tip over from being stopped in a parking lot

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Very Funny...you gave me a good laugh!

baadactor said:

What Virginia Tech learned about how and why we crash our motorcycles

Here's the link to the actual 20 page report. Joesmoe prompted me to add the actual study.

https://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/msf100_2016/Risk_Factors_From_MSF_100_Study_Paper.pdf

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Nice to read a report which emphasized common sense.

As to helmets, my Honda Australia Rider Training instructor's comment was, Only wear a helmet if you've got something worth protecting.

Running into back of other vehicles? Like this?

Helmet Cam Captures Crash as Motorcyclist Clings to Moving Car

EasTexRIII said:

Running into back of other vehicles? Like this?

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Both rider and driver contributed to that mess. She does seem to have jumped on the brake, but he failed to notice she arrived at traffic and had slowed. I imagine he was seeing red BEFORE the crash, and certainly after.

A bit of a 'shoe on other foot' situation. Many cage drivers hate being buzzed by a bike passing at high speed as I know none of us would ever do.
Then the dolt on the bike lost his brain, lost his situational awareness and accelerated so hard without keeping an eye on the traffic ahead. He couldn't do anything when he caught up with them anyway besides get into even more trouble and strife.

The speeding drunk car driver at least slowed for the traffic ahead without arse ending them - the bike rider NOT so smart especially as on the bike he should have been able to easily see over the top of the car he was chasing.

The best cure for all of that is stay calm and switch the classical music on, it has an amazing calming effect on me whenever I go to big city traffic hell. It is the only time I listen to it.

as a motorcycle instructor, i just try to get the point across to students that yea you can wear a skull cap, but how many people have you seen ever come off their bike and land on top of their head, usually you hit the side of your face so a skull cap wont' help you. It happened during one of the classes that a rider went down and we showed the class her helmet and it had some pretty hefty scrapes on the side and the face shield proving the point that a skull cap didn't protect much, the two people in the class who thought they were cool wearing a skull cap came back the next day with a full face helmet on. we also spend a lot of time working on slow speed maneuvers and turning and they don't understand why until they get out on the street and realize how much they end up relying on that skill.
I rode without a helmet once for about 10 minutes, and i couldn't do it i had to put a helmet back on and never ridden without since then. i dont' push anyone to wear a helmet, your a big person now, you know the risks it is your choice. for me for some crazy reason my kids seem to like having me around even when i'm not letting them do whatever they want

Guys, that dont apply to me, i have never crashed, just dont curse me saying "you will"

It's not the death that concerns me, so much as the surviving.
Having met multitudes of people who have been crippled by head injuries, ranging from fully vegetative to severely mentally compromised, I'm on the side of head-armour.
Also, it's not uncommon for these people who need total care to not have insurance. That means the State is footing the bill for their care...

ThePhoinix said:

It's not the death that concerns me, so much as the surviving.
Having met multitudes of people who have been crippled by head injuries, ranging from fully vegetative to severely mentally compromised, I'm on the side of head-armour.
Also, it's not uncommon for these people who need total care to not have insurance. That means the State is footing the bill for their care...

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That's THE Best post on this thread sir I know personally