Quad vs. Chevy

[killerbeez 75]

Yesterday or saturday I was at ocotillo over by shell reef with a bunch of highway patrol,park rangers and ambulence.A quad and a lifted chevy truck had hit each other at a pretty high rate of speed.the rider of the quad did not make it and had died at the scene next to the tangled mess.It was a humbling experience and made me think of my own well being.I could not imagine leaving my wife and one year old son due to a fatality accident.Needless to say my group and I were alot more aware of our sourroundings on our way back to camp.While on our way back we almost got hit by a ford f-150 with the driver haulin a$$ over a hill with total disregard to what was comming up the other side(my group).Then we almost got hit by a manx with the same scenario.My group and I were traveling at a very light pace since seeing what happend earlier.The careless drivers of trucks and buggies we encountered made me angree,but all of the other riders on bikes and quads seem very considerate to each other.I guess it's easier to drink and drive rather than drink and ride.
Next time I am out there I will be very aware of my sourroundings and be on the best deffencive of rideing.Next time,if I encounter another driver that puts my group and I in danger because they are not paying attention and are being careless, my group and I will chase them down and have a very stern discussion(it probably wont be nice).I love going to ocotillo and the other riders there are considerate and are willing to help you out in almost any situation.It's the combination of alcohol and driving or riding that not only putts you in danger but also endangers the lives of everybody around you,and it's not fair to the people that are alert and aware of there sorroundings and some drunk jacka$$ has to spoil it for everyone.Thanks to reading my opinion. :ride:
LETS RIDE.........................................

 

[killerbeez 75]

Sorry,my bust it was a Ford not a chevy.

 

[Boodac]

Good topic Killerbeez. My buddy and I were out at Hodge Road last weekend heading up Hodge Road after a long ride. Some idiot on a quad ended up flying around a corner tapped out and swung all the way toward the oncoming traffic shoulder and almost wiped out my buddy. Luckily my buddy was up against the dirt side berm and stopped but he still missed him by maybe a foot while going 70 or 80 mph. I didnt get a look at the rider or his quad otherwise I would of hunt his a_ _ down.

It's funny you should mention this topic because my biggest fear is not crashing but rather having me, my kids or a bud hit by another rider. Ive seen what happend to two bike when the collide out at Stoddard and it was a sobering experience. El Mirage and Gorman (in the flat lands) is lined with crazy riders. I hate riding in either place unless you either get away from the dry lake bed or get up in the mountains of Frazier Park.

 

[killerbeez 75]

Riding out to these popular places is fun but equally as dangerous.It's fun to watch the fools do stupid stuff like as if they have something to proove to there buddies like they are the craziest gut.Who cares,we are all out there to have a good time and look out for and help our buddies as well as other rider's.It is fun to get a little crazy just dont do at someone elses expence to the point that you put other people in danger.I like to ride to less populated area's where you can let it hang out a little more but still you gotta use your head and good judgement.That is one reason I like riding at tracks because the terrain is consistant and everybody is going the same dirrection.My 2 cents..... :cool:

 

[Ol'89r]

.It is fun to get a little crazy just dont do at someone elses expence to the point that you put other people in danger.I like to ride to less populated area's where you can let it hang out a little more but still you gotta use your head and good judgement.QUOTE]


beez.

This is the main reason that I don't like to go to places like Ocotillo and Glamis. Last time I was there a guy in a truggy was jumping a hill with no spotter. On the other side of the hill was a single track trail. He was landing on the single track. We sat on top of the hill to warn oncoming riders about this guy just in case.

He thought we were watching him so, he kept jumping farther and farther until he just about nosed in in. When he was done, we rode over to him and his buddys in a 4WD and told them what they were doing without a spotter was dangerous. We suggested they park the 4WD on top of the hill to warn the motorcycles on the single track. They just laughed at us and went about drinking more beer.

On the way back to camp, we saw the truggy on its side in a sand wash with the guy sitting next to it holding his head. He had his little group from the 4WD standing around wondering what to do.

It was a bad combination. An $80,000.00 truck, $30.00 worth of beer and a $2.00 brain. Seeing the truck on it's side, PRICELESS.

We laughed our arses off. :yeehaw: :yeehaw:

 

[a454elk]

It's happening way too often now, and the more it does, the more ammunition the greenies have to shut it down. "Hell, forget about the wildlife and plants, they can't even take care of themselves!" Damn this stuff, at a loss of words right now....

 

[Tinkrides]

What makes me even angrier about some of this is all too often it's people in my own camp going out and doing stupid stuff after 3 or 25 beers. :| :bang: I love Ocotillo Wells and I love my friends, but I can't abide by overwhelming STUPIDITY. I'm glad you brought this up, Killer. Of course, those of us who respond and consider these things are not riding around like idiots, and the idiots would never think we're talking to them. I'm so depressed. :ugg:

 

[killerbeez 75]

It's really sad to see these kind of things happen but there is only so much one can do for him or herself to protect the ones around you and help make judgement calls to the people who are drinking heavily.It's just sad to watch these kind of people become statistics of alcohol related accidents.It not only affects the people dirrectly involved,but also puts a damper on everybody elses weekend that may drive by and witness it.These kind of things never really bothered me as much before but now that I had a chance to witness personnaly the effects of carelessness and to see some poor soul have to pay the ultimate price,it really had an effect on me and it makes me realize all the things that I have to loose. :think:

 

[Boodac]

The one thing that intrigues me the most are the quad parents that are buzzing around camp with no helmet with their kid on the front of the quad. Or worse, the parent that has a helmet but the kid is riding in front with no helmet. They aren’t exactly putting around either.
I went riding at Stoddard Saturday and saw a dad ripping around camp on a quad with no helmet while his young kids looked onwards. What in the heck is this parent thinking? Doesn’t he realize that ignorance breeds more ignorance? :|

 

[Mike_socal]

Two places to avoid in Ocotillo are Shell Reef and Blowsand. Devil's slide use to be pretty bad also when the dune had more of a razor back to it and people use to jump in and out of it. That end of the park seems to attract the crazies. Hidden Valley is a better place to camp and ride. It's not as crowded and the riding areas around there aren't as congested.

 

[xsnrg]

It is worth it when you can to take a day of vacation and ride during the week. You usually have the place to yourselves. Or, if your job allows, offer to work the weekend in exchange for a few weekdays off.

 

[Tony Williams]

I vowed to my son never to ride these popular spots on peak periods (Xmas, Tday, New Years), but I did for the first time in my life on Jan 1. Ran into a quad, screwed up foot that will haunt me until the day I die (3 pins, 5 screws, plate), plus arthritis in the multiple screwed up joints. Thank goodness for the Asterisks knee braces... just some good bruising under them. My son was right behind me.

My son's cousin was hit by a 16 year old in a pickup at night at Glamis. The cousin was on a quad, with my son right behind him. I don't remember how long he was in the hospital.

So, I like tracks, and my son has been pretty lucky... until last Sunday. He screwed up a jump on his YZ450F, and planted his head in the ground at LACR. He can't even spell his name now, thanks to a hematoma on his brain. Some of you have ridden with him.

I'd switch to boating, but I've seen the crazy, drunk a**holes on the water. Motorhome and mountain bikes on trails? Canoeing? River rafting (well, I can think of quite a few deaths doing that).

I think I like aerobatic flying... at least when you drill it in, it's for keeps.

 

[killerbeez 75]

Tony

Im very sorry to hear about your son and I hope he has a speedy recovery.I vouch for track riding myself because everybody is going the same direction (most of the time) and your not dodgeing big trucks or quads for that matter either.

 

[Boodac]

Tony: Sorry to hear about the son and hope for a speedy recovery.

 

[a454elk]

Ditto here, we are thinking about you guys for sure.

It seems to be in the headlines alot lately now, they are on a pitbull hunt again. We've had a few stories in the Register this past week about deaths on quads and dirt riding. It has the attention of the news, bad attention is not what we need. Unfortunately, there is no stopping this stuff, morons will still fill the riding areas. Stories like these only hurt our riding areas and our sport. I figure the next headline wil read something about a pitbull attacking a quad rider in glamis with no helmet.....

 

[ocotillowellsrider]

fun and fun

I am glad we are bringing this up. I love going to Oco (hence the name) and love having a good time out there. I get pissed when I see people do stupid things like buzz my camping area when there is miles of open area around. Why come within 50 feet of someone's area? Why haul ass while doing so? I was also out at Shell Reef on Saturday. I didn't see the incident and I'm glad I didn't. It would have put a damper on an otherwise great weekend. I love throwing down a few cold ones in the desert but I make sure that I am not riding and noone in my group is either. Basically what I am saying is we have to police our own and watch out for the other guy. It is too bad it takes an unfortunate accident like this to make people take notice.

 

[kelsorat]

Why bother even going to these crowded spots on the weekend. There are lots of other riding spots with few people.

 

[ktmboy]

This is exactly why I like riding singletrack: if I hit another bike the survival odds are much better than getting nailed by a quad/truck/buggy.
Tony, your son will be in our prayers.

 

[Ol'89r]

but I did for the first time in my life on Jan 1. Ran into a quad, screwed up foot that will haunt me until the day I die (3 pins, 5 screws, plate), plus arthritis in the multiple screwed up joints.

until last Sunday. He screwed up a jump on his YZ450F, and planted his head in the ground at LACR. He can't even spell his name now, thanks to a hematoma on his brain. Some of you have ridden with him.
QUOTE]

Dang Tony. Sorry to hear that. :(

Hoping for a speedy recovery for both of you.

Ol'89r

 

[JPIVEY]

Tony, sorry to hear about your boy, keep us posted on how he's doing and He's in our prayers.

Think this is why I fell in love with the desert, it's so open, once you're away from the pits you're alone.

I have gone to spots,where I sit there and wonder if I was the only one who has sat in this spot in the last couple hundred years or longer or look down in the Valley and see a single dust trail or better yet, see a wall of dust the likes of a Sahara sand storm and the thunder of 100 bikes scoot'n across the dez.

It don't get better than that

 

[Tony Williams]

My son is going to miss the rest of 10th grade, and I have him enrolled in a summer class for learning disabled.

Unfortunately, he can't learn anything until his short term memory comes back. And since he's lost a lot of long term memory, he doesn't have a lot to build on.

There is one weird thing that he can do. If you tell him a sentence, he can type it !!! He just can't read it, or recognize any of the letters (it's a different part of the brain that makes typing fluid, since you're not thinking about the actual letters).

The swelling is completely gone around his face, and he looks "normal". Terrible headaches, though.

 

[killerbeez 75]

Hey Tony

Im sure I speak for everyone on this one and all of our prayer's are with ya.We all hope for a speedy recovery for your son and family.

 

[holeshot]

Tony - speedy recoveries for both you and your son.

 

[Tony Williams]

Tony - speedy recoveries for both you and your son.

Thanks Ron, et al. I took my first steps on my foot today !!

 

[thumbs]

Sorry to hear of your situation Tony.

I hope for a speedy recovery for you and your son.