Bump on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Picked this up from a local paper.

https://pilotonline.com/news/nation...cle_e1f71031-6e65-581d-ae32-cb9d5c4b2621.html

I'll be the first: he shoulda layed er down.

Happens a lot more than you think.

https://www.roadrunner.travel/magazine/read/july-august-2006/page/62/

Mostly it's from riders far more focused on the scenery than the road. The BRP is fantastically scenic and beautiful, and riders often just can't help it.. to their fault. The turns come up constantly, so there's no time for rubber-necking and sight seeing. Newbies and posers sadly mistake it for a "twisties" racetrack, and wipe out or crash quickly... or get thrown out. Thankfully, it's very rare - most riders here are very respectful, and knowledgeable.

They actually have signs showing a rider and bike flying off the road, as a warning. If you've ever been on the BRP, you'd notice that for the most part, the vast majority of bikes on the road are being handled by good, skilled riders.

Here's yet another crash:



This one sort of defies explanation.. still...



Got to be careful out there.

Hopefully, this guy doesn't win that lawsuit, or motorcycles may very well be banned from State Parks, etc. Likely, the guy will lose though... the Government has an abundance of Lawyers and tax money to put up a solid defense. This guy is NOT doing us any favors.

I for one would like to see the bump in question.

Man, there is a lot of fail in that video.

Still trying to figure out how you hit a bump and flip a motorcycle - especially given the Parkway's speed limit. All this on a "bump" that countless others have successfully negotiated.

IMO, likely just another twunt who looks to profit incredibly from his own dumb mistake. On any road, anywhere, there are "bumps' and potholes, and cracks, and debris, and....... what makes this road any different?

If the jerk wins, watch what happens next - no more bikes on the BRP. Likely not though, as there are ton's of warning signs everywhere on the parkway road.

Seems like any popular, decent road attracts many very inexperienced riders who merely want to get through it so they can say they did. We see this all the time.

Maybe they should have an advanced MSF course, and only those that take the course - and pass - would be allowed to ride on these more popular, more challenging roads. Although the Speed Limit(s) on the Parkway are painfully low. Note in these videos how fast the pre-crash riders are going.

Actual sign at the BRP:



Any explanation needed? ...

Got more detail from the Charlotte paper:

In 2016, Dallas Fisher and his friends were among them. In his own hand and on the day of the accident, Fisher described the crash in terse terms that any rider would recognize.

“Going down mountain 40-45. Right before I wrecked saw bump in road sign,” he wrote, according to a copy of the statement included with his lawsuit. “Hit bump and turn me off to the side. On front brake. Hit dirt and it was all over.”

As his Harley flipped, Fisher slammed into the handlebars and he landed on his right hand, the lawsuit says. His injuries would not have occurred, he says, “if it wouldn’t have been for hump in road.”

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article218154650.html

I'm thinking he put the front wheel on the shoulder, grabbed a handful of front brake and high sided.

Problem with these Lawsuits is - the Law Firm gets 33% + costs, and his insurance Company by law should be paid back 100% for covering his injuries. What is left over goes to the Plaintiff, assuming the jury goes for it.That's why the $1.7 demand. The Law Firm makes out the best, then the Insurance Company, then the plaintiff.

Also in the article is a Forest Law Enforcement Officer agreeing that the "Bump" did NOT have sufficient warning, and that he himself had noticed the bump. NOT good for the BRP!

We have absolutely, positively zero idea about what did or didn't, or might have, or could have happened. We also have zero idea right now around the actual experience or skill levelof the rider. Boy racers can go on for weeks about how "they" would have handled it.

You are right we have no idea about the rider and everyone loves to armchair quarterback. What we do know though is a huge number of bikes ride over that bump without issue every single day.

unbelievable. canoeguy is right on. heck, even I was able to negotiate over or around that bump.

is there going to be an effort to identify bumps, potholes, cracks, tarsnakes, leaves, gravel, and roadkill by signage to further distract riders like the plaintiff who probably need to go back to a fisher price version of their shiny prize?

going....

None of those people have any business on a motorcycle.

Agree. Another reason why I believe and support the idea of "L" plates for learners, and <250 CC bikes for learners, etc. It would save a LOT of injuries and lives, as well as Insurance Premiums. Hey, we ALL had to learn how to ride (with obviously a few exceptions on this forum!!), but I for one never thought for a moment about riding in large groups in tight formation, or riding the Dragon, or other popular areas, until I had enough seat time, and felt very confident in my abilities. There were also much, much fewer riders, and bikes, back n' the day (1960's).

Many of these riders in these videos look like it's their first day. Having said all that, in the end you've got to respect peoples rights, including the one to kill themselves in their pursuit of happiness.

He said he used the front brake. Of course he crashed!

Could you be unbiased on the jury? :)

I was in the Black Hills the Friday before Labor Day weekend.

Did you know SD puts signs up that say THINK! WHY DIE! at every fatal motorcycle crash from Spearfish to Pringle? Including the ever so technical (not) high speed (35mph) Spearfish Canyon Highway. At Damn near every curve for hours those signs were in 2 to 7 groups.

Near Rushmore I rode 16 Alt from the side of the mountain to Needles Highway and saw no less than 5 guys in the ditch, one dude couldn't handle a spiral bridge and hit the piling, another somehow managed to ride a trike up a tree on the wrong side of the road, and two more who left nice long hockey stick marks and highsided over slight kinks.

.....world class riding my ass, I beat feet for Colorado as fast as possible, which was far more rewarding.

Suffice it to say the Black Hills are off my list of possible destinations, even without the traffic the roads weren't that good, there is far better in Wyoming, without a bar every 15 feet.

I used to work for a medium-sized municipality in the street department. We were told that once we are made aware of a problem like that, from that point until it is corrected, we accept some of the liability. Obviously, they are aware of the problem. Perhaps the legal question will be, "was the warning adequate?"

well, doesn't matter. the whole BRP will be washed out for years with hurricane florence.

Don't forget the downed trees as well. It will likely be a mess.