Motorcycle Safety Expert Dies in Motorcycle Accident

A world-renowned motorcycle safety expert from Squirrel Hill was killed over the weekend in a motorcycle accident in Texas.

Larry Grodsky, 55, owner of Stayin' Safe Motorcycle Training, died after a deer ran in front of his motorcycle Saturday night in Fort Stockton, Texas.

Grodsky, a Gateway High School graduate, had a decades-long love affair with motorcycles and trained celebrities including Ted Koppel and Mike Tyson on safe-driving techniques.

He was the nephew of Myron Cope, the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers announcer who retired last year.

His mother, Violet Grodsky, also 85, said her son began riding motorcycles while attending Ohio University, where he graduated with an English degree in 1968.

He spent a few years teaching in Ohio schools and doing freelance writing for several magazines before returning to Pittsburgh and opening his training center, Violet Grodsky said.

Grodsky, who was single, traveled the country attending training and safety seminars and was returning from a conference in California when the accident happened. An officer with the Texas Department of Public Safety said he did not know whether Grodsky was wearing a helmet or what kind of motorcycle he was driving.

Grodsky had many friends and valued the work he did for charity, his father said.

He participated in charity motorcycle events and did other volunteer work, Harold Grodsky said.

"That was typical of Larry to always be helping other people and thinking about those who had less or were suffering," he said.

Luke Hingson, president of the Brother's Brother Foundation in the North Side, said Grodsky helped the organization raise money for the victims of the December 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia and for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Divorce At 65 MPH

A married couple is driving along a highway doing a steady forty miles per hour. The wife is behind the wheel. Her husband, a divorce lawyer, suddenly looks across at her and speaks in a clear voice, "Darling," he says. "I know we've been married for twenty years, but I want a divorce."

The wife says nothing, keeps looking at the road ahead but slowly increases her speed to 45 mph.

"I don't want you to try and talk me out of it", he says, "because I've been having an affair with your best friend, and she's a far better lover than you are."

Again the wife stays quiet, but grips the steering wheel more tightly and slowly increases the speed to 55.

The husband confidently says, "I want the house." The wife knows he has the skill to get the upper hand in a divorce proceeding. Up to 60.

"I want the car, too," he continues. 65 mph.

"And," he says, "I want the bank accounts, all the credit cards and the boat."

The car veers towards a massive concrete bridge. This makes the husband nervous, so he asks her: "Is there anything you want?"

The wife at last replies - in a quiet and controlled voice. "No, I've got everything I need" she says.

"Oh, really?" he says with derision. "So what have you got?"

Just before they slam into the wall at 65 mph, the wife turns to him and smiles. "The airbag."

I really don't need a report,as I was in a situation to see all that needed to be seen.It was very gruesome,and I don't blame the driver of the van in any way.Where the accident was,approx.25 miles south of Ft.Stockton,the only things between there and Marathon[approx.55 miles]further south is a large gas plant and ranches with large gates not open to the public.A somewhat long stretch of desolate area.I have been riding for a long time myself and,being dark,it was almost impossible to tell what kind of motorcycle it was.It happened to be a 97 Police model Kawasaki.I believe he was a good rider,but he may have underestimated the area he was riding in.West Texas country can be unforgivable if taken for granted.There was a saying we had in the service.Be aware of your surroundings so you can control them,otherwise they control you.I do not believe he was familiar with the territory,so to speak.I do not believe it would have made a difference either way what may or may not have hit him after he struck the deer.The initial impact was the deciding factor.He hit so hard,it tore his helmet off.He also was in somewhat of a blind spot,so being struck after the fact was almost unavoidable.No matter how good you may be as far as riding,everyone knows one simple fact,that any rider will agree upon,sometimes it does not take much to have your world rocked.Even a small stone at a high speed is all it takes.I was riding in Pa.one night with three friends.We had left upstate NY.on a spur of the moment ride.We just kept going.While traveling at a good clip at night,I saw two deer leap out of nowhere over the top of my two friends as I followed behind.It was almost surreal.We pulled over right away as we all composed ourselves.The ride home was much slower,as we had an instant respect for the wild life hanging around at night.When you drive through West Texas during the day,you see very little wildlife,so little in fact you wonder if there is any at all.At night is a whole different world.If I am not mistaken,he was from Pa.,but he had Cal.plates.I don't believe it was his fault,just he and the deer were going the same way.

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