A fatal motorcycle crash Saturday on northbound Interstate Highway 680 in unincorporated Contra Costa County claimed the life of a 26-year-old Nevada man, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Wayne Ziese said. The man and a second motorcyclist drove onto the freeway via the Marina Vista onramp near Martinez around 9 a.m. where he lost control while negotiating a curve. He was driving at 95 to 100 mph at the time, Ziese said. The man was ejected from his 2002 Suzuki 600 when it hit a concrete wall. He then smashed through a chain link fence, knocking down six chain posts, tumbled down a 60-foot embankment and fell down a 30-foot wall onto the freeway shoulder, according to Ziese. By the time his friend and witnesses found the man, he was already dead, Ziese said. The Contra Costa County Coroner's office has not released the man's name. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - A Texas family has filed a lawsuit over a fatal traffic accident that happened when a portable toilet fell off a truck at Custer. Michael Johnson, 34, of Grand Saline, Texas, was riding his motorcycle along Highway 16 when a portable toilet fell from a Sander Sanitation Service truck. The toilet struck Johnson as he tried to pass the truck, sending him sliding into the path of three cars, according to the accident report. Loud pipes and stinky bikes--- In a surprising report an official Swiss institute has found that a motorcycle is a far worse polluter than a car. The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research says that a typical motorcycle emits 16 times more hydrocarbons, three times more carbon monoxide and a "disproportionately high" amount of other air pollutants compared to a car. The root of the problem seems to be that western governments have never taken motorcycle pollution seriously as they form such a small proportion of total traffic, so they have never enacted strict legislation. However, it does present an interesting perspective on the London Congestion Charge. One of its justifications was lower pollution - but, as lots of car drivers have bought themselves scooters instead, is there any net benefit? Argue on----- According to 2004 crash statistics for Florida, of the 388 motorcycle riders killed in crashes, more than 51 percent were wearing safety helmets. The crash facts also demonstrate that riders wearing safety helmets were more likely to sustain injuries than nonhelmeted riders. In each of the statistical focus topics presented in the study, the percentage numbers were very close between helmeted and nonhelmeted riders, except for noninjury crashes. The study [said] nonhelmeted riders were 20 percent more likely to walk away from a crash without injuries than riders who were wearing helmets. This disparity could be due to the visual and physical limitations imposed by a helmet. Wearing a motorcycle helmet cannot keep a crash from occurring; however, riding without a helmet could allow a rider to respond more quickly or to visually recognize potential hazards, decreasing the severity of the injury sustained or avoiding injury all together. I've ridden motorcycles for 47 years, and I'm well qualified to speak on the subject whereas I think Henderson only has the qualifications to speak what he thinks. Let those who ride decide. I was interested in connecting with motorcycle accident victims to offer useful advice for helping them get them back on the road. I discovered that a blog is the ideal way to accomplish this," said Michael Padway, California Motorcycle Accident Attorney. I’ve been riding motorcycles for more than 40 years and practicing law and handling motorcycle accident cases for more than 30 years. So, the blog is a great way for me to put these two things together." Michael Padway handles motorcycle accident cases throughout California and is well known as a personal injury attorney from the San Francisco Bay Area. The new weblog is available at http://blog.michaelpadway.com A man who tried to attack a Canadian troop convoy in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar was killed when a motorcycle hit him and set off his explosives, officials said. The motorcycle driver also died.
