I was involved in a fatal today (update with pictures)

I'm high on oxy so I'll try and explain what happend...
Meet another rider a few weekends ago, Triumph 675, he ask if we could ride sometime, sure.
He called me last night around 11pm and we made arrangements to meet this morning, cool guy in his 30's, works a pizza joint with his family...that's all I know, oh, names Jason.
We had a great ride, no stupid stuff just smooth twists up in the mountains. At the end of the ride we pull into a gas station and meet 3 young guys, 675, CBR, Harley, don't know them, got talking, it's cool...
I live on the 321 around Watuaga Lake TN...if you went to Ricks you would know it.
I said I was going home, said good bye to Jason and the guys, that's when Jason said " what the hell, I'll ride with you" they others asked if they could tag along and the 4 of them would follow it to the 421.
I took the lead, I just wanted to keep a nice steady pace, just like the ride earlier.
There was lots of traffic so we just ran with them until we got to the 321, coming down a straight stretch of road with a decreasing right hand bend, I know that bends bad so I slowed down a little bit slower than when I'm on my own.
Just then I see Jason fly by at god only knows what speed(well over a ton).
As soon as I see him I know he won't make it, no way in hell.
He must have seen the pick up truck and grabbed a handful of front, so hard the back end went straight up in the air and he hit the pick up head on followed by the bike hitting him. I've already slowed down but Iv just watch a guy die and his bike bounces back and I slam straight into it.
My Tiger ends up on top of his bike and I land 5-6 feet away. I remember waking up to hear a women say she thought I was dead.
I'm lucky, two Busted ribs, hands hurt really bad, shoulders not to good either. I'm pissed, wtf was he doing! He was a nice guy and showed no sign of aggressive riding all day...his poor family...fuck!!!!!!

link to the news

The bikes a right off, that hasn't sunk in yet....

Take care of yourself!!

Wow, man I hate to read this. After a good day of riding and then this to happen.

Sorry is all that I can say.

Jesus, I'm sorry for your and his family's loss.

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Wow that's intense. I've been on a fatal before, they are one of the most intense experiences of our lives. Take time to process it, Good luck man.

You know, the only way I can find out about the guy now is by reading his obituary.

I'm an old rider now, 50 years of riding behind me, still riding and have hours of tales. First on the scene, and involved in 2 fatals, To cope for years, when the scenes come back into my mind, I switch forcefully to thinking of the most pleasant riding experience in my lifetime, ---riding my DR down the beaches chasing the surf in Baja. Or my 2 year old Granddaughter busy in the backyard.

Right now for about a month you have to mentally digest it. Then start pushing it in a dark room with an off switch and a door, in the basement of your brain. Otherwise Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome will ruin your sleep and nerves.
I also say the Lord's Prayer, as a way to sleep,---It works for me. Non believers in the Mental Health Field call it chanting....OK....and told me nevertheless..... excellent way to meditate and drift off to sleep.

You have and will find a pleasant set of thoughts to switch to, the pain at this early stage is an open wound, it has to heal and close for a while.

Peace young brother.

Love and gentle hugs to ya Paul.

Sorry to hear about this and glad that you are ok. Prayers out to your friends family.

There are many reasons why I ride alone.

Man that sucks. Sometimes there is no explanation. Sometimes people just make mistakes, bad decisions, caught up in the moment. The same thing may have happened even if you weren't with him. Try not to dwell on it too much.
Best Regards....just jeff

My condolences to his friends and family. And best wishes to you as well in your healing process. His crash was not your fault.....

OMG man... fuck, really sorry to hear this, wow, all my best.

A little bit in the news...linky

Oh Jesus paul. I'm so sorry about the whole thing!! Your bike, your body, your buddy!!! Shit that's a lot to digest. I highly recommend getting a good therapist who is familiar with trauma. Keep reaching out here...it'll never go away, never. But you have to get it out. Fuck. That just flat out sucks!! Godspeed Jason.

Whoa. Intense is an understatement.

Condolences and prayers, Paul.

--Bill

Well, let me try this again....

I have scrapped my response twice but here goes number three....

Learn from it.

I came up on a fatal a few weeks ago just a few miles from home and every time I go by the analytical part of me tries to glean a little more info, learn from it, and move forward.

Nice lady, owner of an antique store pulled out of her driveway, pretty clear line of sight. Looks like the bike caught her by surprise and she stopped mid turn.

Bike rider, probably going a little faster than he should... lays down a really, really, really long rear wheel skid mark forming a lazy arcing S up to the point of impact.

I have panic braked from the start of the skid mark on every bike I ride and can stop in less than half the distance on the 990Adv with ABS. On the Dakar with rear brake only I passed the point of impact around 25mph with the rear wheel singing but not locked. Using both brakes I had more than enough time to stop.

The skid mark has faded away, but the orange marker paint is still there. It is now starting to fade as well. I suspect the oil spot will linger the longest. Eventually it will just be a memory. Hopefully a memory that sticks with me and makes me a better rider.




For you, the equation changed at the gas station. He was comfortable to follow your lead till the other riders came along. Testosterone levels went up, poor decisions followed, he died, you became collateral damage.

Sucks.

Heal up, glean from it what you can, move forward.

Sorry to hear this Paul, tough situation.

Hope you heal well and look forward to seeing you this fall !


Mike

He was a good guy and I would have ridden with him again.
Can't sleep, just keep running the crash thru my head. I'm torn...I'm sad because of what happened and pissed that I lost my bike thru no fault of my own. I'm worried his parents may blame me, I know....but the truck driver some how blames hisself. I'm going to have to miss work, can't use my hands, just a whole lot to take in.

Edit: I'm getting another bike, if I had one I would be out on it today if I could use the hands.
Edit: on a lighter note...I hope I don't need to take a dumb, my hands are fucked.

Three years ago I had a similar experience. A few of my riding friends met for a ride and a guy we didn't know showed up. I watched him in the morning on the first twisty section and he was riding fine and not doing anything stupid. On the next twisty section we told him we usually spread out because its a tight, technical, and narrow road. At the end we waited and he never showed up. We went back and found him at the end of the only straight stretch. His tracks showed he left the road just before the left hand corner at the end of the straight and then into a barb wire fence which caught him in the throat. He was gone instantly. Why he went off will never go known.

We didn't know him or his family but over the next couple days we met with them to let them know from us what happened. We had no idea if they would blame us, or hate us, or if they wanted to know about his last day. It ended up we told them about everything about the couple hours that we knew him. And they told us about Chris's life and how adventureous he was. It helped both the family and us heal from the situation. Meeting them for the first time was one of the hardest things I have ever done, and in time it was also one of the most rewarding.

I'm sorry Bollocks that you had to experience something like that. Hang tough.