Tougher Penalties for Bad Drivers Motorcycle Safety Discuss Tougher Penalties for Bad Drivers in the Other Topics forums; Since the laws toughened up a bit for Monkeys that dont know how to ride in their cages.... I wonder if this bad driver is going to get the max. ...

[JCourneyaP]

Since the laws toughened up a bit for Monkeys that dont know how to ride in their cages.... I wonder if this bad driver is going to get the max.

Sheriff's Deputy Charged In Fatal Accident
HASTINGS, Minn. (AP) ― Hennepin County prosecutors have charged a Dakota County sheriff's deputy who was in a fatal accident with careless driving.

The careless driving ticket was filed Friday against Deputy Joshua J. Williams of Hastings. He was involved in the crash that killed 58-year-old motorcyclist Bill J. Wallace of Farmington.

The State Patrol said it appeared both vehicles were going south on Highway 3 when the squad car made a left turn from the right lane, cutting off the motorcycle.

Williams joined the department in February 2005 and was in the final phase of his field training at the time of the August crash in Empire Township.

The Hennepin County attorney's office handled the case because Dakota County prosecutors had a conflict of interest in prosecuting a Dakota County deputy.

Williams will be arraigned Feb. 20.

[botzman]

Will be interesting to see the outcome of this one. We had a very similiar incident here where a biker traveling south on a 2 laner was cut off by an old man who was parked at the curb facing south. Seems the old man decided to make a left turn from the curb and pulled out directly in front of motorcyclist. Biker is in bad shape with head injuries. The cager driving was around 89YO. These old timers need to be removed from the road. They are a hazard. Botz

The civil end of this incident is what will really matter the most as it sounds like speed and alcohol was not a factor for the officer who caused the crash. I'm sure he would have been charged accordingly if speed or alcohol or something else was a factor. Journey, I sure he will get the max of a careless driving ticket which is what he was charged with. No winners in this one as usual. Ride safe.

[HotRodad1]

Officer will likely be suspended with pay pending an investigation and then determine the biker was somehow in the wrong...it's always one sided it seems.

If this would have happened in PA the motorcyclists would some how found to be at fault. Our State police are never guilty of anything. Last winter in a near white out a friend of mine had his company van rearended by a marked State police car. The cop got out and asked the driver "What in the blankety blank did you stop for?" The driver said because the three people in front of me stopped. To make a long story short the cops charged the first stopped guy with the accident. Funny. In Pa you are to have control of your vehicle at all times. If you rearend someone,which I did one time, you are charged with the accident, which I was. This does not apply to the Staties though. They have their own set of rules. Very sad.

[hotrodsporty]

Here in Utah the smokey in charge of drunk driving catagorie, was arrested for driving under the influence (in his patrol car, if my memory serves me) and plead not guilty. He kept walking away from the officer trying to conduct the field sobriety test. If joe public had done that he would have ate the book.

Originally Posted by botzman

Will be interesting to see the outcome of this one. We had a very similiar incident here where a biker traveling south on a 2 laner was cut off by an old man who was parked at the curb facing south. Seems the old man decided to make a left turn from the curb and pulled out directly in front of motorcyclist. Biker is in bad shape with head injuries. The cager driving was around 89YO. These old timers need to be removed from the road. They are a hazard. Botz

I disagree with taking the old timers off of the road. Young drivers and everybody in between make the same mistakes as the old timers. Also someday we all will be considered old timers. That is why we are told to drive defensively.

[jmk713]

There are bad drivers in every age group.
Here in Illinois there is a program that requires drivers to be retested more frequently as they age.
Personally I feel that we do need restrictions on various "distractions" that are allowed in cars (and sometimes on bikes). IE: Cell phones, stereos, headsets, TVs, etc. With responsible use; none of these items would pose a threat; but the "responsibility" is the problem. People tend to use these items in inappropriate situations as they get used to using them. For example with cell phones...at first people either pulled over or waited for a red light to dial...now they dial anytime, text any time, etc.
Faniliarity breeds contempt as they say.
Your best bet is to ride aware and always have an "escape route" in your mind...and even that is not a guarantee.
Personally I feel that stiffer fines would help as nothing gets a drivers attention quicker than the possibility of a large fine.

This past June I was coming off an exit ramp which another exit ramp exits on to. I had the right of way the other driver has the yield sign. The other driver did not even yield , slow down, look to see if any one was coming, nothing. Until I was beside his rear drivers side door. When he heard the pipes the car did a nose dive as he applied the brakes very hard. Who was this road hog? It was a PA state trooper in his marked car. If this would have been reversed I would have recieved a ticket for failing to yield the right of way. It happen fast. When we go to the end of the ramp he was beside me and would not make eye contact.

[botzman]

Haugster,

Nothing personal against old timers driving. Anyone is capable of making mistakes including myself. I have personally seen some old timers pull some real good moves which could prove costly like the one who cut across two lanes of traffic so as to not miss an exit ramp. Only problem was I was in one of those lanes he decided to cut across with no clue. A mistake is a mistake period. I guess my point is some of these senior drivers should be re-tested occasionally including myself when I reach that age. Im gonna guess reaction time slows down to a crawl the older you get. I have also dealt with young drivers who think they own the road too. Another issue which we have to deal with as motorcyclists. Being told to drive defensively and actually doing it are two things I dont see much of anymore. I think we as riders are probably a bit more cautious because we know what can happen if a mistake is made. The guy that left turned me this Spring was my age and eating a cheeseburger when he almost killed me. In a big hurry to pull into his friends driveway. Incidentally, yesterday, while at a wake a 75 YO priest mistook the gas for brakes and missed myself and my van by about 1foot. Smashed into the curb, went airborne, crashed through a 6' high chainlink fence, then tried to back out before gunning the car forward destroying whatever was left of his car. I'll stand by my statement SOME old timers need to pack it in IMHO. Botz