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Motorcyclists crash and fall from bridges

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 6:55 am
by SmotPoker
There's a good reason Pittsburgh is called the city of bridges: They're everywhere! Some being so close together it defies logic.
Image

The Veterans Bridge is especially tricky if you've never riden it on a bike. Many riders tend to lean in way to early on the curve. It's a blind bend that gets sharper and sharper. If you're going to fast early in the curve there's no time to correct your angle, and over the far edge you go!!
30 mph speed limit ignored on bridge ramp
Amazingly one man who fell more that 120 feet survived to talk about it. Others weren't so lucky.
Penndot conducted a study due to the high number of accidents that occur on that ramp:
Motorcyclist thrown from Veterans Bridge in crash

Since the section opened in 1989, there have been six such motorcycle accidents and a number of serious car and truck accidents, said Todd Kravits, PennDOT District 11 traffic engineer.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05159/517485.stm

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 7:26 am
by Keyoke
Cheers for the post, Smotpoker - hopefully someone who uses that bridge will read it, and you may have just saved a life.

It's areas like that that actually agree with speed cameras/traps. There has to be some way to slow people down.

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 8:56 am
by Gadjet
maybe they should put a speedbump or two in the curve. that would get people to slow down.

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 9:09 am
by oldnslo
A detour around Pittsburgh sounds like a good idea.

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 9:16 am
by Keyoke
WhyteGryphon wrote:maybe they should put a speedbump or two in the curve. that would get people to slow down.
or at least get greater altitude as they fly off the edge.. :twisted: