Two wheels and conditions awareness

Let me preface this post with the comment that I hope this guy has a full and speedy recovery. But c’mon. What was he thinking?
I fully appreciate the need to get back up on two wheels as soon as possible once spring is in the air, but this accident was almost guaranteed to happen:

• The temperature in Ottawa this morning was –13C (8F) with a wind chill of –25C (-13F).
• We have had successive thaw-freeze cycles over the past few days, so ice patches are common on the roads. And at those temperatures, black ice is also common, especially at intersections.
• Even without ice, tires simply do not grip as well on very cold pavement – a particular problem for motorcycles with small contact patches.
• Finally, at 7:30 in the morning, it is barely light out as the sun has just crested the horizon.

We don’t yet know who was ‘at fault’, whether ice was a factor, the rising sun blinded one of the drivers, or the 41-year-old rider simply froze (literally) at the controls. But regardless, this accident would not have happened, and two people would not be in the hospital, if he had only applied some common sense and left his scooter in the garage for another week.

We are all fighting the urge to get out there, but let’s do so safely.

(Photo: Wayne Cuddington, The Ottawa Citizen)