TexasCHLforum.com

As a motorcyclist I prefer consistency. Consistent traffic flow, consistent breaking, consistent lane following and signals when changing, and consistency in road surface (not really another driver's fault - but it did cause a broken foot.) When someone violates these consistencies it makes it difficult at best, life threatening at worst. For someone to stop in the middle of a freeway is extremely dangerous since no one expects anyone else to do this, and that is what makes this dangerous and neglectful.

But, as a motorcyclist I try to always be prepared for the inconsistencies. I expect that person sitting in a left turn lane with a green circle (not arrow - we both have a green circle) to pull out in front of me - and I am right about 1% of the time. I expect that car in the next lane to move into mine, and I am right about 1% of the time. I expect that person to stop for no reason and I am right about 1% of the time. So far I have managed to be prepared for all but two of them, and those were painful lessons. Now if I see someone in a left turn lane I turn on my bright, it irritates the heck out of them but I just smile and go on - one ride over a hood is enough.

Just a fraction of a second not paying attention and someone can do something unexpected and you're DRT. This woman created an inconsistent departure from the normal and caused theses deaths, the motorcyclist may have had a fraction of a second inattention, maybe longer, but had the woman not departed from normal conditions this would not have happened.

Prison for trying to save baby ducks? No.

Prison for creating a hazard and causing the deaths of two innocent people? Yep.

Oh yeah, the rule I learned in my Motorcycle Safety Class was, "If you can eat it in one sitting - go ahead and run over it." Baby ducks - no problem.