Motorcyclist dies in apparent road-rage crash (Darwin Award ?)

Ventura County Star ^ | 08-10-2009 | Adam Foxman

[Amerigomag]

A motorcyclist was killed Monday in a collision with a motor home on Highway 101’s Conejo Grade after he slowed rapidly in front of the recreational vehicle in an apparent road-rage incident, authorities said.

The motorcyclist, a 57-year-old Ventura man, was killed about 12:22 p.m. on southbound Highway 101 near Camarillo Springs Road when he collided with a roughly 30-foot motor home driven by Michael Antoine, 68, of Thousand Oaks, said Officer Terry Uhrich of the California Highway Patrol’s Moorpark office.

The motorcyclist and Antoine were both traveling about 55 mph when the collision occurred in the right lane, authorities said. Witnesses and Antoine later told authorities that the motorcyclist had made obscene hand gestures, pulled in front of the motor home, then slowed down dramatically, Uhrich said.

Antoine did not have time to react and struck the back of the low-slung custom motorcycle, causing it to become stuck under the front of the RV, authorities said. The motorcyclist was thrown from the bike, run over by the motor home and dragged underneath for about 75 feet, Uhrich said. Unable to steer, Antoine continued about 500 feet and hit the center divider, Uhrich said.

[ExGeeEye]

Suicide By Camper?

[paulcissa]

One of the first rules of riding a motorcycle is to assume you are completely invisible to cars and ride appropriately. If you are putting yourself in a position where you are relying on a cage to see you and react appropriately, you are good as dead.

Congratulations on what I feel is the most important fact in this thread so far (who cares what I think!).

The fellow in the story is not a motorcyclist, he's an idiot with an attitude and (unfortunately) became his own self-fulfilling prophecy. Darwin would be proud. I feel bad for his family and the folks in the motor-home.

It's the responsibility of the motorcyclist to arrive alive. Road rage is not an excuse.

[killjoy]

launch you into a grave in a split second, and nothing can be done about it.

I don't agree. There are a lot of things that can be done. Riding with your lights on during the day, supplemental lights (PIAA), timing entering intersections so you go through at the same time as a car, moving into the outside lane when approaching an intersection to make you more visible, keeping your eyes on the driver to look for head movements indication intention, etc... It is up to you to keep yourself alive.

[woollyone]

IBDC?

[woollyone]

IBDC?

[woollyone]

snail-trail-stupidity

[dragnet2]

The sad fact is, you can be the best motorcycle rider on the planet, and play like no one can see ya, and the old lady, or anyone else can still left into your direction of travel and launch you into a grave in a split second, and nothing can be done about it.

I don't agree. There are a lot of things that can be done. It is up to you to keep yourself alive.

You're wrong...this isn't even debatable.

If your on your bike, even moving at 35 mph or so, traveling straight, and the vehicle in the left turn bay fails to see ya, and left turns in from of you, your done, and there is not a damn thing your going to do about it. ((Nothing))

Happens all the time my friend, and the rider has little or no time to even react. ...Unfortunately regardless of how great of motorcycle rider you are, you can be laid to rest in second.

[dragnet2]

Perhaps because the witnesses were IN THE MOTORHOME?

Read the ENTIRE article

I did read the article.

If there were something there that would have supported your ignorant comment above, you would have quoted it.

Vehicle occupants involved in a collision, are not listed as or considered witnesses. There occupants.

Nice try though, Mr. Don W from Canada.

[dragnet2]

To keep the spelling police away...Their

[killjoy]

the vehicle in the left turn bay fails to see ya, and left turns in from of you, your done, and there is not a damn thing your going to do about it.

My point is there are things that can be done to decrease the odds of this happening. You start riding bikes with a lot of luck and no experience. The goal is to increase your experience before your luck runs out.

[dragnet2]

In the scenario I provided, luck and experience has nothing to do with it. A vehicle blows a red light, or someone left turns from the left turn bay into your direction of travel and it's lights out, regardless of experience or luck.

The only luck involved in many MC incidents is whether you survive.

BTW, I've had over 12 bikes, both street and dirt. Last Harley was a 1941 side valve, 90 inch flathead, with the engine built by Big Daddy Roth, of the Car-toon Mag fame of the 1960s. I have had my share of experience with bikes of all types.

[dragnet2]

The flathead, (last of the Harley pig iron), was originally an 80” motor.

[Hot Tabasco]

thrown from the bike, run over by the motor home and dragged underneath for about 75 feet,

Ouch! That musta left a nasty road rash..........

[Hot Tabasco]

Yes, about 55, was that at the time of impact, or was that their constant speed? Based on what? The RV’ers’ statement? Or the skid marks? I took that into account. Read what my likely scenario says

Nobody gives a rip what your scenario says COLUMBO! Don't flatter yourself by thinking for a second that you are going to be crowned "The Internet Sleuth of the Month"..........Sheesh!

On second thought, maybe there IS a conspiracy underway to suppress the actual evidence and facts of the accident and you are the only one who has hit on it. Good work Papasmurf! Let us know what you uncover.........

[Hoffer Rand]

I’m taking a wild guess here, but the motorcyclist was probably not a physics major, right?

[dragnet2]

I didn’t have the energy to be that blunt with him.

[papasmurf]

Well, guess what? An update to the accident has been reported. I was wrong about the scenario, but I was right that it didn't happen the way it was initially reported.

At least I had the nads, and the courtesy, to outline my thoughts and defend my instinct. Most made fun of a dead man without knowing anything more than the initial (wrong) report, and others criticized me. Including you.

An independent witness told authorities he saw the motorcyclist decelerate and cause the collision, Uhrich said.

When I read that this AM, I called the reporter and spoke to him about it. He confirmed there was only one witness, and that was a phone witness. He did not say he saw Mr.Kashdan shoot the finger to the RV'r, only that he saw the MC veer in front of the RV and then a crash ensued. The witness was behind and to the left of the RV and the MC.

Robert Gray, a close friend of Kashdan’s from the Ventura Harley Owners Group, said Tuesday that the road rage allegation doesn’t square with Kashdan’s personality.


Robert Kashdan
Lifelong rider, more than 200k miles, owns 6 motorcycles. member of Ventura H.O.G. Road Captain, Safety Co-ordinator, dog lover.
“He was not the kind of guy who would flip someone off and move into the way and slow down,” Gray said. “This guy was a mellow, caring, extremely compassionate, nice person who just didn’t play those types of games.” Gray said Kashdan’s custom bike had engine trouble in the past, and he wants the CHP to investigate possible mechanical problems as a cause for the collision.

Gray said Kashdan was an intelligent, safe rider who had logged hundreds of thousands of miles on motorcycles.

“He was a character, but he was a positive character,” said Gray, 55, of Oxnard.

Kashdan rode his motorcycle every day to his job at a Holiday Inn in Goleta, said Gary Opdahl, the hotel’s general manager. Kashdan had been a food and beverage manager for the hotel for more than six years, Opdahl said.

“He’s a wonderful person,” Opdahl said. “He died doing what he loved doing.”

Road rage my azz...

[papasmurf]

NO, you only had the energy to jump to conclusions, and criticize me. As well, you proved you KNOW nothing.

Read the updated story.

[dragnet2]

I know nothing? lol...Next to you, I'm a senior scientist and brain surgeon.

Read the updated story.

Is it a secret? Why not post your link, and post quotes supporting your position?

[dragnet2]

When I read that this AM, I called the reporter and spoke to him about it.

Good God man...Call CHP, and ask them to fill you in on the collision detail. Forget the GD reporter...LOL!

You are way out of your league here. Stop making an absolute fool of yourself.