Watch Out For Motorcycles

I don't know how many different times or ways we can say this, but people are not listening.  We've had a couple bad motorcycle wrecks in just the past week or so.

Nearly ever motorcycle wreck happens the same way, a car turns in front of a motorcycle. That's it, that's all. You'd think it would be people merging into bikes, but it's not. It's simple, it's people not paying attention, so they don't see a slightly smaller than normal vehicle coming their way.  It's ridiculous.This same lack of attention could get you killed if it was a car or truck that you didn't see, instead, you are taking a chance on becoming a killer by not focusing on the road ahead.

To my biker friends, I'll give you the same advice that I gave my daughter when I taught her how to drive: in Lubbock, be prepared for the driver near you to do the most ridiculous thing imaginable. If you don't think they'll back up in an intersection, they will. If you don't think they'll turn around and go the wrong way on a one way, they will. If you don't think they'll cross four lanes to turn, they will. They will do the stupidest things possible. A large amount of the Lubbock population is made up of people who lived in smaller towns that didn't have a lot of traffic rules. They are ignorant (and I'm not saying that to be mean) of how traffic works.  Now, nearly every case of a bike/car collision is the car's fault, but it's better to be alive than be in the right.

Other than inconsiderate a-holes, Lubbock's geography should make it an ideal place for motorcycles. Let's embrace that and watch out for them.