[...] in the same spot where these types of events have been happening in the 44 years I've lived in Olivenhain..It's time to straighten this curve......................About 15 minutes ago, there was a terrible accident on Rancho [Santa] Fe Road, right at the curve in front of my house. A car and motorcycle collided. Many of us ran down there to help, calling 911 on the way. I WAS PUT ON HOLD. The biker stopped screaming and passed. People immediately started CPR until the paramedics arrived. The shocked him and were continuing CPR as they took him away in the ambulance. I pray that God sees fit to allow this young man to return.Another commenter:
[...]
This becomes the 5th death, and countless injury accidents on this bend. We knew when we moved here that the county (now the city) might take some of my land in order to straighten this dangerous 2 lane blind bend. 44 years, and thousands of daily trips later, we're still waiting.
My friend and team mate Brian Graves died there,senior year in high school. He was heading back home after going to 7-11 for ice cream. A car driving too too fast heading south crossed over the line and hit him head on. His Mom still maintains a memorial post there. White post with blue ribbons. Mustangs colors.
UPDATE: Father-son motorcycle ride ends in death of 28-year-old.
The accident happened about 10:15 a.m. as the men were riding separate motorcycles south on North Rancho Santa Fe Road, sheriff's Sgt. Joe Tomaiko said.And a commenter on the U-T corrects:
As they rounded a curve north of Peppertree Lane, a Hyundai sedan started to turn into their path and the riders steered around on each side of the car. The Hyundai collided with the younger man's motorcycle, which caught fire. The rider was thrown into a traffic lane, then struck by an Infiniti SUV, Tomaiko said.
This article is incorrect. The hyundai was waiting to turn left onto Peppertree. The motorcycles came up on that car from behind but did not stop in time. One motorcyclist passed on the right in the bike lane but the deceased hit the left rear fender and was thrown into oncoming traffic. A tragic and awful accident. My condolences to the deceased family members. Rip.Encinitas Advocate names the deceased as John Wilcsek.
There was also what appeared to be a head on collision on the New Encinitas westbound portion of Leucadia Blvd. That's all I know from driving by it going east this morning around 8am. Police had closed the westbound portion.
ReplyDeleteWeird - at approx time you left this post, there was another in Encinitas - in Leucadia East Lanes. It scared the living bejesus out of me. I was stopped at the light heading west (up the hill) at Leucadia and Garden View. Arrow turned green to go left on Garden View (GV); my light was still red. My light turned green and the arrow to GV was still green; SUV went to make the left on GV and basically t-boned a sedan that came out of no where. Sedan must have ran the red coming down the hill. I heard a slight screech as if the SUV might have been taking the turn a little too fast and looked over as I was entering the intersection to continue west and saw the accident - Horrible to see and hear.
Delete10:14, those cars that come "out of nowhere" are usually obscured by a car or truck already stopped at a red light in the parallel lane. Better visibility is an important reason less accidents happen at single lane intersections.
DeleteSlow down folks, and pay attention. Time to look at that stretch of road in Olivenhain.
ReplyDeleteYou have to be kidding? You can't straighten out every road, and you can not idiot proof the world.
ReplyDeleteThis accident like the others were drivers errors. Humans make many mistakes and may times like this mistake it ends in death.
Sad but true. Its not the road its the poor drivers. Be careful out there and drive defensively. I always do and have avoided many accidents from others wrong doings, but I am still here to live another day. Peace.
Riding motorcycles in Southern California is a death wish. And with lane splitting, it is Russian roulette. I have seen two dead motorcyclists under yellow tarps in recent history - the roads are mayhem anymore. Distractions with cell phones, impatience and rage, unskilled drivers - Mad max World is already here!
ReplyDeleteIf you stay in Encinitas you will die. I suggest leaving immediately before a curved road attacks you and your family.
Delete8:15 AM That's the best you can offer??? Lame!
Delete8:51 is right. How far do we have to go to protect people from themselves? As if giving tickets to trespassing across the railroad could prevent one less suicide and we all know over 90% are suicides. Best we can do for our roads though is "traffic calming measures". I know, I hate the coined term too, but slower speeds, adequate enforcement and the R-word are steps in the right direction - wherever, whenever possible. Pretty crazy hearing of 3 bad car accidents on the same day on this one thread. Maybe there should be a blog devoted to just local accidents reported by residents who see them. The UT never will and does the city get an accurate count? .
ReplyDeleteI support riders right to ride, but there is an assumed risk. You cannot control what other drivers in steel boxes may do. It's a tragedy, but there is a good reason why people in the medical community call them Donor-cycles.
ReplyDeleteRight you are, 3:14. A friend of mine was in 3 motorcycle crashes. The worst of which was a drunk who hit her from behind on the freeway at well over 60 mph. She slid on her back scores of feet on asphalt and miraculously was able to stand up and walk away with only part of her ass scraped. (Leather win, Levi's fail). Another old adage is: "There are two kinds of people who ride motorcycles. The kind who've been in an accident and the kind who are going to get into an accident."
ReplyDeleteAnother truism:
Delete"There are bold riders and there are old riders, but there are no old, bold riders."
The bottom line is the lack of protection with a bike. Even if the other driver is at fault, you lose..
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that some one has lost their life and people have lost a family member you some of you are talking about how they shouldn't be riding a motorcycle. If a road is dangerous even if your are driving in a car than something should be done. Some of you should be ashamed of yourself for even passing judgment on someone who chooses to drive a motorcycle for pleasure. You can be in a car and lose your life. There are motorcycles everywhere and some states don't even make you wear helmets. Yes they choose to ride them but shouldn't be blamed for them wanting to enjoy themselves. There is no reason you should be so cold hearted and make such harsh accusations. People in this family could see this and they just lost their Son, Brother, Nephew, Uncle, Grandson. If you want to make comments like that keep it to yourself and let this family grieve.
ReplyDelete1:34, With all respect to the man's family and friends, I think all comments here so far are on behalf of safety and prevention. Yes, there are steps that can be taken to make roads safer, but I can't think of any innovation to make motorcycles safer. Nothing can be done to undo this tragedy, but if anyone can gleen an ounce of prevention from these comments it may do someone else some good.
ReplyDelete1:34,
DeleteI agree with 2:18. No one denies the family tragedy. And road improvement is a continuous process that should be considered on this and other problem areas.
But let's not ignore the object lesson of the lack of protection available on a motorcycle. Yes, one can get killed in a car too. One can also get killed using a seatbelt, an airbag, ABS brakes, or a properly mounted car seat. Safety is never about a guarantee, but rather about probability. And probability doesn't favor motorcycle riders. I support their right to make the choice, but let's not pretend the choice comes without risk.
When I was a kid, I grew up playing and working on boats. I learned the rules about which boat has the right of way in all circumstances. I learned that a sailboat on port tack must yield to a boat on starboard tack. When they get close, the skipper of the starboard tack boat yells "Starboard" as a reminder to the other helmsman that it's his job to change course to avoid a collision. We had a joke that sometimes the port tack crew might yell back "Tonnage." Tonnage isn't a right of way rule, it simply refers to the relative size and mass of the two boats. The joke was, if these boats collide, the big boat will have relatively little damage, and the smaller boat might be destroyed, irrespective of who was right or wrong. The little anecdote was a reminder that human rules in the end are not as important as the laws of physics, when it comes to matters of safety.
That's all people are saying here. No road design can rule out the assumed risk of riding a motorcycle, because drivers of automobiles are often unpredictable, irrational, and dangerous. When we meet these people on the roads, we are better off with crumple zones, airbags, Mass, and all the features of a modern automobile.
4:32 PM Well said. RIP.......
ReplyDeleteI have sent emails to three city council members regarding this section of road and they forwarded it to the traffic commissioner for that area (Glenn Prium) who responded saying they are waiting on a Sheriff's investigation. The officer in charge of the investigation of this last weekends motorcycle accident is Brenda Sipley (brenda.sipely@sdsheriff.org) The problem at this section of road are numerous starting with the fact there is no speed limit posted. Also, the left turn lane for traffic going west and turning toward RSF is way too short that constantly results in backed up traffic. Drivers resort to swinging out into the oncoming traffic lane (in spite of double yellow lines) on the blind curve. It's just a matter of time before there is a head on accident. The unfriendliness of this area to pedestrians is epic, meaning there is no worse spot for people to walk. The community needs to get behind an effort to make this better. Some things that aren't that expensive to consider is beefier yellow lines; better speed limit postings, flashing yellow lights, and increase the length of the left turn lane. There is an ongoing pedestrian study and that represents another layer of the problems in this area.
ReplyDelete2:08, Good report.
ReplyDeleteGood report, now sit back and wait while city wheels grind and subcommittees form.
DeleteEncinitas Traffic Commission meeting Monday June 8th at city council chambers 5:30PM. Concerned citizens encouraged to voice concern of the subject road in three minute presentation. The more people there the more likely that Traffic Engineering will take some action.
ReplyDelete