I like my bike as much as the next biker. I like to break the rules sometimes. I twist the throttle more than I should, and it feels good. Then once in a while, we get eye openers like the one this morning on the N1.
I went past there about 20 - 30 minutes before it happened. On my bike.
Here is a note from the guy that was riding behind him.
“OK, I think this might help other bikers or at least just remind everyone of the basic rules of biking.
This is what happened this morning
I was riding behind him from about Samrand and was about 50-80m behind him at the time of the accident. I have been commuting to JHB for 14 years now of which the last 2 months by bike so I know where the traffic normally suddenly stops, etc. Around the New Road bridge is one of these places so I tend to slow down and make sure I can see what is going on in front of me.
For some reason this guy sat directly behind the car and being a low bike he had no way of seeing what's going on in front. The car in front of the car he went into suddenly slammed brakes. The biker was unable to swerve or stop in time and went into the car at about 90 - 100km/h. Before the bike hit the ground it burst into flames and the guy was trapped underneath also engulfed in flames. I could grab his hand for a split second before burning myself but was unable to move him away. He was not moving so I think he was unconscious or I hope for his sake, already dead. The risk was also there that the bike might explode.
Not one of the first emergency service cars on the scene had a working fire extinguisher and we managed to get a couple of small ones from cars which didn't really help.
So my lessons learned:
- Slow down where you know cars tend to stop suddenly, this also helps when cars changes lanes suddenly in these situations
- Make sure you can always see what's going on in front of you and have an unobstructed view
- When you do find yourself directly behind a car, keep an extra safe following distance
Hope this helps
//Callie”
I went past there about 20 - 30 minutes before it happened. On my bike.
Here is a note from the guy that was riding behind him.
“OK, I think this might help other bikers or at least just remind everyone of the basic rules of biking.
This is what happened this morning
I was riding behind him from about Samrand and was about 50-80m behind him at the time of the accident. I have been commuting to JHB for 14 years now of which the last 2 months by bike so I know where the traffic normally suddenly stops, etc. Around the New Road bridge is one of these places so I tend to slow down and make sure I can see what is going on in front of me.
For some reason this guy sat directly behind the car and being a low bike he had no way of seeing what's going on in front. The car in front of the car he went into suddenly slammed brakes. The biker was unable to swerve or stop in time and went into the car at about 90 - 100km/h. Before the bike hit the ground it burst into flames and the guy was trapped underneath also engulfed in flames. I could grab his hand for a split second before burning myself but was unable to move him away. He was not moving so I think he was unconscious or I hope for his sake, already dead. The risk was also there that the bike might explode.
Not one of the first emergency service cars on the scene had a working fire extinguisher and we managed to get a couple of small ones from cars which didn't really help.
So my lessons learned:
- Slow down where you know cars tend to stop suddenly, this also helps when cars changes lanes suddenly in these situations
- Make sure you can always see what's going on in front of you and have an unobstructed view
- When you do find yourself directly behind a car, keep an extra safe following distance
Hope this helps
//Callie”
