It was a winter morning with rain and a bike crossed center line looking for the reserve valve and clipped a 18 wheeler coming the other way. He lived but lost a leg. It was dark but the scene was very ugly. My secretary at the time had a relative who worked at the hospital and gave me the complete story. I had a son on the way and decided to sell my 1980 CB 750 Custom. Always kept my endorsement and a friend let me ride his Shadow back in 2004 and the bug bit again.
On the way back from bike week a few years ago, it was raining (again) and about mile marker 53 in Georgia we came upon a massive accident that killed 5 bikers on their way home. It shook my wife pretty bad. Harley parts were on the highway--in the woods and scattered everywhere. She couldn't drive after that and suggested I sell out---again. I learned my lesson the first time and that wasn't happening again.
July 15th, 2011 was the worst day of my life to date. My son in law was killed on the same I 95, 60 miles further south leaving my daughter and 2 sons--9 and 4 years old. He owned an ATV and my wife was sure he was going to end up in a wheelchair from that. She was wrong and it was his pickup truck that did him in. I still hate I 95 but drive it when I have to. I had a cousin killed at 18 on a borrowed bike. Yes he was riding over his head at night being a fool.
Here is the way I look at it. Riding a bike is more dangerous that driving a car. People die in cars, too. Sitting on your couch is safe, but you can choke on popcorn sitting there watching a movie. I refuse to sit on a couch and watch life pass by just because...................
Life is precious and meant to be enjoyed. I don't do foolhardy things and stack the odds whenever I can.
Driver, I can't even imaging what it is like to bury a daughter. Doesn't matter how long ago it has been---my heart goes out to you.
BTW--my daughter has an R6.