Crashes Reported in the Media

[flyinlow]

Check out the two videos on how they make a retread vs. a new tire. Similar processes, but which tire would you trust? I'm going with the new tire, after seeing how they repair a carcass to do a retread, I'm not sure they should be allowed anymore.

How It's Made Remolded tires

MICHELIN TIRE / How a tire is made

[pkpk]

Strib article was updated this morning with more of a political slant.

http://www.startribune.com/local/east/157789085.html

[pkpk]

A helmet might have tilted the odds in her favor.

One of the more interesting ideas I learned from Motorcyclist's "Blowing the Lid Off" article a few years ago was the idea that the effect of multiple injuries can be greater than the sum the individual effects of the injuries.

I can't disagree with that generalization.  I'm really addressing this specific situation.  Being dark out and with limited vision and caught by surprise, I would be surprised if that SUV was able to scrub any speed.

But my main point was I don't see how the mom can make a solid conclusion that a helmet would have made a difference here.  She now is on record as "going on a rampage about helmet use" with little regard to the entire circumstances.  Maybe the coroner was able to separate out the injuries for this conclusion.

Either way, the attention is now on helmet laws.  Good or bad, you'll be hearing a lot more on this subject for awhile.  Maybe not a bad thing if it makes more riders wear them VOLUNTARILY.

[tk]

I doubt if a helmet would help someone RUN OVER by an SUV at highway speed. I've heard of many incidents where a motorcyclist is knocked off their bike (almost always by deer). They survive the getoff only to be killed by a motorist in a car or truck who is incapable of swerving or braking to avoid the motorcyclist. If you can't stop your vehicle in time to avoid an object in front of you perhaps you are following to close. 

[pkpk]

I don't think the SUV was behind her.  This was on 694 so she could have flew over into his lane.

[tk]

Without knowing the facts it is tough to determine how much the SUV driver was at fault. We will probably never know. Whoever left their shredded tire shard on the highway certainly shares much of the blame.

[pkpk]

He won't be ticketed (according to one story).  This leads me to believe he wasn't directly behind her (but yeah, it's all speculation.)

[Joel S]

Man involved in motorcycle crash succumbs to injuries

JACKSON — A motorcycle crash that occurred Saturday has claimed a second victim. Brian Engelkes, 35, of Sheldon, Iowa, died Wednesday, two days after his wife, Michelle, succumbed to her injuries.

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, a report of a one-vehicle motorcycle accident came into dispatch shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday. The crash happened on Jackson County 4 near 480th Street, east of Little Spirit Lake in Minneota Township. Brian and his wife, 38-year-old Michelle Engelkes, were westbound when their 2011 Harley Davidson entered the north ditch and struck a driveway embankment. Both husband and wife were ejected from the motorcycle. Neither one was wearing a helmet.

Both were taken to Lakes Regional Hospital in Spirit Lake, Iowa, via ambulance and were later airlifted to Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls. Michelle died Monday at the hospital, while Brian was still listed in critical condition as of Tuesday afternoon. He died Wednesday morning.

A joint visitation for the couple will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Friday, with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m., at Andringa Funeral Home Sheldon Funeral Service. Their service notices can be found on A2.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on the scene by Lakefield Fire and Ambulance and Lakes Regional Hospital Ambulance. The incident remains under investigation.

http://www.dglobe.com/event/article/id/57567/publisher_ID/24/

some of these are just hard to read

[beedawg]

I doubt if a helmet would help someone RUN OVER by an SUV at highway speed.

Probably right, TK, but we don't know what happened in this crash.  The article in the Strib doesn't say she was RUN OVER by an SUV.  It just says she was "was thrown into the path of a SUV," and I don't know what that means.  I know I can fit underneath pretty much any SUV, and with just a little luck someone could drive an SUV over me (i.e., RUN OVER me) at highway speed and not hurt me at all, but I'd have to be pretty still.  If I was moving at all, my chances of escaping without injury go way down.  It's also possible that in this case, thrown into the path of an SUV means making contact with the front bumper or grille.

[vince]

I have that SUV and no you would not live not even with a lot of luck.

[pkpk]

Run over, front bumper, grille.....whatever....it makes no difference at interstate speeds.  We are getting too wound up in technicalities now and none of us have a clue.  Yes, it was my fault for starting down this path in discussion.

[pkpk]

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1499195

Multi-vehicle crash on US 52 near Apache Mall


Posted: Jun 08, 2012, 3:08 pm
Updated: Jun 08, 2012, 4:30 pm
By Ken Hanson
The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN
At least two people were taken by Gold Cross Ambulances following a multi-vehicle crash on northbound U.S. 52 at 16th Street Southwest, near Apache Mall, this afternoon.

One of the people taken by ambulance was a motorcyclist.

A Minnesota State Patrol media advisory issued at 3:15 p.m. indicates that five vehicles were involved in the crash. It also says that all five drivers were alone, and that all five were males.

The crash was reported at 2:59 p.m.

Follow PostBulletin.com for updates.

[vince]

Son just came home and they said on public talk radio that she was wearing just plain street clothes and flip flops and no helmet. The medical examiner said that here body was so bad that he would not let the mother see the body.
This is good also. They said the real victim was the guy that drove over her.
Yea right lets pass that helmet law so we can look at their dead bodies.

[pkpk]

Here is the Rochester incident.  It looks like the rider started the chain of events by losing control.  Does anyone know what a "Yamaha Racer" is?  (Guessing the bike was painted and all decals removed.)

All available information for
incident number 12102410.

    Incident Number:    12102410    Incident Date/Time:    6/8/2012 2:59:00 PM
    MSP District:    2100    Incident Contact:    MN STATE PATROL DISTRICT 2100 - (507) 285-7406
    Number of Individuals:    5       
    Number of Vehicles:    5    
                   
    Location:    RAMP FOR NB 52 AT 16TH ST SW    Road Type:    CONCRETE
    Milepost:    NONE RECORDED    Road Condition:    DRY
    County:    OLMSTED    Number of Lanes:    6
    Crash Type:    REAR END    Divided/Undivided:    DIVIDED ROADWAY
    Incident Classification:    PERSONAL INJURY    Hazardous Material:    NOT PRESENT
                   
    Assisting Agencies:
       
                   
     Person 1:    NGUYEN, TOM , 21 , OF ROCHESTER MN , DRIVER OF VEH 1 , Phys. Cond. : INJURY - NON LIFE THREATENING
     Person 2:    WILEY, ADAM J , 30 , OF ROCHESTER MN , DRIVER OF VEH 2 , Phys. Cond. : NO APPARENT INJURY
     Person 3:    PETTEY, ALAN D , 52 , OF DODGE CENTER MN , DRIVER OF VEH 3 , Phys. Cond. : NO APPARENT INJURY
     Person 4:    OLSON, ALAN A , 19 , OF ROCHESTER MN , DRIVER OF VEH 4 , Phys. Cond. : NO APPARENT INJURY
     Person 5:    PLEISS, ERIC R , 27 , OF PLATTEVILLE WI , DRIVER OF VEH 5 , Phys. Cond. : NOT DOCUMENTED
     

    Vehicle 1:
       2012   YAMAHA RACER 

    Vehicle 2:
       2012   TOYOTA CBS 4 DOOR S 

    Vehicle 3:
       2012   DODGE R15 

    Vehicle 4:
       1992   BUICK CENTURY 

    Vehicle 5:
       2011   CHEVY MALIBU 
     
          
    IncidentDescription:    VEHICLE 1 WAS ENTERING HWY 52 NB FROM 16TH ST RAMP. VEHICLE 1 LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED HIS BIKE. VEHICLES 2,3,4 AND 5 WERE NB ON HWY 52. VEHICLE 2 AND 3 SLOWED BECAUSE OF THE CRASH. VEHICLE 4 SLOWED AND SWERVED RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING VEHICLE 2 AND 3. VEHICLE 5 COLLIDED WITH VEHICLE 4, THEN 3 THEN 2.
            
    Information Complete:    INFORMATION IS NOT COMPLETE   
    Last Updated:    6/8/2012 6:40:09 PM
         

[pkpk]

At first glance, this appears to be a case where all car drivers involved took what evasive maneuvers possible to avoid the motorcyclist.  Makes me wonder if they had the crash from the other night in their minds.


http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1499195


Update: Local man, woman injured in 5-vehicle crash on US 52

Posted: Jun 08, 2012, 3:08 pm
Updated: Jun 08, 2012, 7:31 pm
By Ken Hanson
The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

Two people were injured in a crash involving a motorcycle and four other vehicles on U.S. 52 in southwest Rochester on Friday afternoon.

The driver of a Yamaha Racer motorcycle, Tom Nguyen, 21, of Rochester, was entering the northbound lanes of U.S. 52 from the Sixteenth Street Southwest ramp when he lost control of the motorcycle and crashed, according to a Minnesota State Patrol report.

Nguyen was taken to Saint Marys Hospital with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries.

The four other vehicles, all of them in the northbound lanes, struck each other as the drivers slowed or swerved, the report says.

A passenger in one of the vehicles, Caryn Pettey, 50, of Dodge Center, suffered serious, but not life-threatening, injuries, and was taken to Saint Marys Hospital. She was riding in a pickup driven by Alan Pettey, 52, of Dodge Center, who wasn't injured.

The other drivers, none of whom was injured, were Adam Wiley, 30, of Rochester; Ryan Olson, 19, of Rochester; and Eric Pleiss, 27, of Platteville, Wis. Pleiss had a passenger, Laura Ladzinski, 31, also of Platteville.

All the people in vehicles had their seat belts fastened, the report says. The report states that Nguyen was wearing a helmet.

The crash was reported at 2:59 p.m