HWY 17 Accident rider down.

from the SJ Merc:

Hwy. 17 crash injures motorcyclist
By Deborah Lohse
Mercury News
An unidentified motorcyclist, approximately 40 years old, was airlifted to Valley Medical Center early Saturday evening after an accident in which his bike collided with a blue Ford Escort on Highway 17 just south of Redwood Estates.

Although the motorcyclist initially complained of having no feeling in his lower extremities, doctors reported later in the evening that he was regaining feeling, according to a California Highway Patrol spokesman.

The accident occurred at about 6 p.m., when an unidentified driver of the Escort, driving at an unsafe speed, rear-ended a white Chevy Suburban going northbound on Highway 17. The Escort's driver lost control, hit the highway's center divide and caused the motorcyclist, driving a Honda motorcycle, to crash into the Escort, according to CHP public affairs officer Steve Perea.

The driver of the Suburban, also unidentified, was able to regain control of his or her car. There were no other injuries, no arrests, and no suspicion of alcohol involvement, Perea said.

Highway 17 was closed briefly at 6:18 p.m. during the helicopter transport. The lanes were re-opened at 7:07 p.m.


:finger To the Escort driver.
 
There was no helicopter unless the ambulance drove him to one, but I'm fairly certain that they called the chopper off because the ambulance was going to get there sooner. I thought there was one more car involved, but I could be mistaken. The driver of the Escort didn't speak English, and only had a permit.

Regardless, I'm glad he was regaining his feeling last night.
 
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From what I understand the rider was taken by ambulance to a point where a helicopter could be reached. This would only make sense to me. However, I am unsure.
 
I say I dont think they used a helicopter because I thought I heard one of the CHP officers conversing with the fire department guy say it was unnecessary because it was 9 mins away from getting airborne. Given that, I won't deny the possibility a chopper was used. VMC would be around 20 minutes away from the accident.
 
damn...that's scary.

What's the probability that some permit driver, causes an accident, which in turn happens to take out a rider? Seems like an event of low probability and yet, it happened.

Hope the guy comes out alrite.

stupid punk ass kids. :mad



froride1 said:
from the SJ Merc:

Hwy. 17 crash injures motorcyclist
By Deborah Lohse
Mercury News
An unidentified motorcyclist, approximately 40 years old, was airlifted to Valley Medical Center early Saturday evening after an accident in which his bike collided with a blue Ford Escort on Highway 17 just south of Redwood Estates.

Although the motorcyclist initially complained of having no feeling in his lower extremities, doctors reported later in the evening that he was regaining feeling, according to a California Highway Patrol spokesman.

The accident occurred at about 6 p.m., when an unidentified driver of the Escort, driving at an unsafe speed, rear-ended a white Chevy Suburban going northbound on Highway 17. The Escort's driver lost control, hit the highway's center divide and caused the motorcyclist, driving a Honda motorcycle, to crash into the Escort, according to CHP public affairs officer Steve Perea.

The driver of the Suburban, also unidentified, was able to regain control of his or her car. There were no other injuries, no arrests, and no suspicion of alcohol involvement, Perea said.

Highway 17 was closed briefly at 6:18 p.m. during the helicopter transport. The lanes were re-opened at 7:07 p.m.


:finger To the Escort driver.
Click to expand...
 
I have to drive 17 everyday. And I've been commuting on it since 1996 minus the time I lived in the Bay Area.

Me: speed limit, chill speed.

90% of the other drivers: Fuckin' retards, talking on cellphones, speeding, tailgating in the rain, etc.

I hate that road. Unfortunately it's the quickest connection between Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. I've chilled a TON on that road, simply because I see stupidity at it's finest when I drive it.

...geez, just thinking about driving that road makes my blood pressure rise. Unfortunately, there's a bazillion other drivers just like that Escort driver. I see at least one everyday.

Didn't go to the EBR Fight Party because of that accident.
 

...
But splitting on 17 when cars are moving fast enough for one to lose control and spin? :wtf
...
[/B]
Click to expand...


that speed is ~>0.

I split the 17 all the time. less so now that I live in Oakland, but still.

1) I dont recall any mention the rider lanesplitting, and

2) if so, so what. I have lanesplit 17 more times than I can remember. I also lanesplit the Bay Bridge, and lots of other places. Lanesplitting is normal, and even on 17, you are way more likely to get rear ended (like the expedition?!) than to have lanesplitting problems.

I know its hard to imagine for people who dont split alot.
 
Best wishes to the rider.

I actually like Hwy 17. The problem is the idiots who are unfamiliar with it and cause huge accidents.

I used to commute from Aptos to Menlo Park everyday, and I learned to love that road, but I would be on the road at 4;30am, so I miss all of the heavy traffic.

Also, the real problem is the Bay Area Beachgoers who are tired/drunk then drive like morons back over the hill.

PS- Why wasn't that stupid kid with the permit arrested?
Is it legal for them to be on the freeway with passengers?
If you can't speak English, you cannot read road signs.....?

I hope the rider recovers soon.
 
I try to stay off 17 on the weekends, but I'm on it every day during the week. The regulars are pretty good, never had a problem with anyone...it's definately better the last couple of months imop. Had friends coming over that got stuck 1 mile before our exit (Summit) and cost them 40 minutes..but glad to hear the rider is doing better.
 
froride1 said:
from the SJ Merc:

Hwy. 17 crash injures motorcyclist
By Deborah Lohse
Mercury News
An unidentified motorcyclist, approximately 40 years old, was airlifted to Valley Medical Center early Saturday evening after an accident in which his bike collided with a blue Ford Escort on Highway 17 just south of Redwood Estates.

Although the motorcyclist initially complained of having no feeling in his lower extremities, doctors reported later in the evening that he was regaining feeling, according to a California Highway Patrol spokesman.

The accident occurred at about 6 p.m., when an unidentified driver of the Escort, driving at an unsafe speed, rear-ended a white Chevy Suburban going northbound on Highway 17. The Escort's driver lost control, hit the highway's center divide and caused the motorcyclist, driving a Honda motorcycle, to crash into the Escort, according to CHP public affairs officer Steve Perea.

The driver of the Suburban, also unidentified, was able to regain control of his or her car. There were no other injuries, no arrests, and no suspicion of alcohol involvement, Perea said.

Highway 17 was closed briefly at 6:18 p.m. during the helicopter transport. The lanes were re-opened at 7:07 p.m.


:finger To the Escort driver.
Click to expand...

WHEW!!!
 
dogtownmax said:
that speed is ~>0.

I split the 17 all the time. less so now that I live in Oakland, but still.

1) I dont recall any mention the rider lanesplitting, and

2) if so, so what. I have lanesplit 17 more times than I can remember. I also lanesplit the Bay Bridge, and lots of other places. Lanesplitting is normal, and even on 17, you are way more likely to get rear ended (like the expedition?!) than to have lanesplitting problems.

I know its hard to imagine for people who dont split alot.
Click to expand...
I guess you missed this:
Originally posted by odyss3y
...
the rider was the second of two who were splitting lanes. one car lost control (the driver only had a permit and 2 passengers) spun and hit one car and then hit the motorcyclist. ...
Click to expand...
I split alot across the Bay Bridge, but it is almost completely straight and even there the drivers are generally more in control than I've experienced (on the weekend) on 17. I also don't split at speed more than a crawl on a windy road.
 
I was on 17 yesterday at about 5pm, heading toward SJ, and all you see are people doing 55-60mph (45mph is limit), and I saw 5 people talking on cell phones and driving with 1 hand...

They need to address that road. Maybe by having tons of those speed limit signs that are solar that tell you your speed.

Start with SOMETHING, that road is crazy!
 
NorCal_SV650S said:
I was on 17 yesterday at about 5pm, heading toward SJ, and all you see are people doing 55-60mph (45mph is limit), and I saw 5 people talking on cell phones and driving with 1 hand...

They need to address that road. Maybe by having tons of those speed limit signs that are solar that tell you your speed.

Start with SOMETHING, that road is crazy!
Click to expand...

only on the weekend. Most of us that drive it everyday are reasonable...I've never had a problem during the week.
 
Unless you have a cop in the area or a camera, those speed limit signs that are solar are useless. Hell, some people will even go faster to see their speed light up.
 
wsmc831 said:
only on the weekend. Most of us that drive it everyday are reasonable...I've never had a problem during the week.
Click to expand...

No way. Having rode to Santa Cruz and back to San Jose during the week, there is the same shit just less of it.

Cell phones
Yelling at the kids
Couples arguing
Looking at maps

This is all on top of escessive speeding and tailgating on a highway with lots of tight turns and steep banks.

Risky business to lane split in those conditions. Too many factors that can trip you up.

I don't avoid 17, but I don't look forward to it either.
 
The speed limit on 17 is 50 mph.

Some of the corners are posted for 45mph.

I got a ticket for doing 90mph on 17 about two years ago, I've since learned to slow down.
 
Wannaduck said:
Unless you have a cop in the area or a camera, those speed limit signs that are solar are useless. Hell, some people will even go faster to see their speed light up.
Click to expand...

:blush
 
Dang...driving on the 17 with a permit?? Sheesh...that road ain't a good place to be learning how to drive a car.
 
silverbelt said:
No way. Having rode to Santa Cruz and back to San Jose during the week, there is the same shit just less of it.

Cell phones
Yelling at the kids
Couples arguing
Looking at maps

This is all on top of escessive speeding and tailgating on a highway with lots of tight turns and steep banks.

Risky business to lane split in those conditions. Too many factors that can trip you up.

I don't avoid 17, but I don't look forward to it either.
Click to expand...

So, you are saying I'm wrong?

As I said, I'm on it every day, during the week I find traffic no problems at all, weekend is another story.
 
Speedy recovery for the rider.

Glad to know there are still good people out there who are not afraid to help others. :)
 
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