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Bikers respond to 3-into-1 Harties crash

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<b>HORROR CRASH IN HARTIES:</b> Three bikers crashed near Hartbeespoort when a Mercedes driver swerved into their lane. <i>Image: YouTube/Demented riders SA</i>
<b>HORROR CRASH IN HARTIES:</b> Three bikers crashed near Hartbeespoort when a Mercedes driver swerved into their lane. <i>Image: YouTube/Demented riders SA</i>
Demented riders SA

CAPE TOWN - On Tuesday (July 31), Wheels24 reported and showed a video of three bikers who collided with a car near Hartbeespoort in North West province. Our readers' response has been amazing...

One of the bikers posted a shocking video online showing Mercedes driver swerving into their lane resulting in all three bikers colliding and crashing to the ground.

Wheels24 recieved dozens of comments and emails regarding the incident ranging from anger towards the Mercedes driver to readers questioning whether the bikers were travelling too fast.

'FOLLOWING DISTANCE INSUFFICIENT'

Wheels24 reader A Shamrock shared the following insights:

A few observations that I hope may help someone.
Following distance was insufficient. Both riders had object fixation. In a congested situation such as this I always try and give a bit of space to allow myself a possible exit from danger.

VIDEO: 1 Harties crash, 3 bikers down

I would not have been so close the barrier line but more in the middle of the lane. Riding a bike on the road is as much of a mental process as what it is a physical one! You need to stay alert and learn to read the traffic around you.

I always watch the driver instead of the car as you can pick up a lot of tell-tale signs as to their intention. (This is not particularly relevant here.)

When in a probable collision situation, I would do the following:

1. Brake hard, assuming that you are able to keep the bike in a straight line. This reduces eventual impact and could save your life, so practice emergency braking!

2. Pick an exit path and, if possible, use counter-steering to swerve. To do this you have to have read the traffic situation and proximity of other obstacles very well otherwise you could swerve into another vehicle, pole, pavement etc etc

The driver of the car could panic and accelerate across/into your path - hence reading the traffic all the time being so important because you cant do all of this once the threat is imminent.

I had a similar situation on Witkoppen Road but managed to swerve around the car and was lucky that the car stopped halfway across the lane.

Keep it on two wheels guys! (Occasional wheelies excluded)

More readers' email responses:

"I think people commenting are missing a vital point. The driver of the Mercedes appears to be swerving to avoid going into the back of the vehicles which stopped in front of him where one of them is turning right.

"There is another vehicle swerving to the left and the Mercedes appears to have had nowhere to go. I may be mistaken but it seems he may have hit the car just ahead of the bikes as well.

"An unfortunate incident but I don't believe the Mercedes driver deliberately swerved into their lane. My opinion is that the bikers should have slowed down approaching the intersection as a precaution."
- Ian Jones

"The Merc hit the car first and pushed it to the left. It would have been impossible for the bikers not to have crashed. Luckily they were not going too fast or it could have been fatal. Hope the driver has great insurance to cover four vehicles (including his own) and medical costs."
- Stephen Roodt

'BESIDE MYSELF WITH GUILT'

"Biker one had no chance. The Merc, for whatever reason, swerved into his lane. Bikers two and three should have observed correct following distance which could've afforded them the opportunity to either stop or avoid the collision. Get well guys!"
- Dudley Bernicchi

"The person who was driving a car was supposed to come out from the car and check if you guys were OK."
- Wandisile

"I hope the bikers were not doing their usual 160km/h+ on that strip. Still, the Merc driver was in the wrong and should have offered to help. Sue him. Did they perform a breathaliser test?"
- Brian L

"I think its disgusting what the driver and the police did. I drive a car and if I had done that to fellow road users I would be beside myself with guilt. It's drivers like that and police like those that give us all the heebie jeebies."
- Dennisvan

'PURSUED LIKE THE
ROAD RAGE CASE'

"The driver should be pursued like the 'road rage' case!"
- Charl Bloomberg

"The driver should have showed compassion.  As long as a legal case has been opened and you guys have submitted a statement, the driver's details wont be compulsory.  Just follow-up with the case because the Mercedes driver could've ended your life."
- Karenjlouw

"There was no way that the bikers could have swerved to avoid the Mercedes. It's shocking to see the bad attitude that drivers have towards other road users.

"He is most  probably one of their buddies or one of the locals for the police not wanting to share the drivers info with the bikers.

"Just shows what an a**hole the driver of the Mercedes is.  To have no compassion towards fellow road users. It shows that he has no conscience at all."
- James Clarke

"Just saw your article. I'm Zane on the blue Kawasaki ZX6r. I had an operation. If you guys want any further info don't hesitate to ask."
- Zane

"There was absolutely nothing the bikers could do except for driving a little bit slower for they were nearing a crossing with many cars.

"Unfortunately there are people in this country that just do not have any respect for live nor for their own and not for other road users. Wondering if he wasn't busy on cellphone?"
- Janet Coertzen

"Waarheen wou die persoon met die kar gaan? Hy het oor n perstreep gegaan en as hy wou regs draai, was hy ver van die afdraai af en daars voertuie voor hom?? Het n voertuig hom van agter gestamp? Ongeduldig?"
- Gdkotzee

"I drive past that spot almost every day on my way to and from work. The bikers riding on that stretch of the road are exposed to great danger as the road is narrow and there are few drinking holes nearby.

"I think there should be more road signage on that particular stretch of the road to warn drivers/riders and pedestrians of the dangers and to exercise more caution when riding/driving/walking past as there's always a crash there and at the 90% curve past the Total Garage towards Pecanwood Country and Golf Estate."

"I hope my call is heeded."
- Rocky Xander

"It seems the driver was totally in the wrong. He could have caused a fatal injury to innocent and law obiding motor cycle riders. This driver should be sent to do community duty to wash and scrub the morque for six months.

"His drivers licence should be suspended.  He can be glad I am not the judge that will sentence him.
- Deon Oberholtster

"For once bikers were not at fault. The driver of the Mercedes is an idiot."
- Rayaan2904

"What the hell was the Mercedes driver doing in the bikers lane? Drivers don't have respect for bikers anymore. They're getting just as bad as taxi drivers! Make sure you get the details of that driver or he will use your lane again."
- May

"One cannot really make out the speed of the bikes, and it looks like the bike in front pulled up and reduced speed before going up the slight hill.

"It appears that the Merc driver wanted to make a u-turn or swerved into the biker's lane at the moment the bikes came over the hill."
Francois

'HOW COULD POLICE DO THAT?'

"How on earth could the police do such a thing? This only means it's one of the high South Africa politicians or maybe he promised them a bribe as you know that's their specialty. I'm disappointed in them."
- Munukhadavid

"As a biker you are always on the lookout whats going on around you. From the video you can see the merc hitting the car in front of the biker before the biker makes contacts. Nothing could've avoided the impact. Merc driver was being an A****** yeah!
- Little Biker Man

"I think the driver is a well known someone to this country that's why he refused to give details n he got help from our corrupt officers as they also refused to give details n he was the one at fault here not the bikers."
- Lesiba Gadebe

"I read the article on Wheels24 and saw the video clip. I was wondering, did anyone see that the Mercedes hit the car in front of the first bike also? The guy in the Merc was blindly making a turn while there was another car still in its way, let alone the bikers."
- Bruce Black

"Why is it that our bike riders are always guilty? If the crash involved cars it would have been a total different scene for the Mercedes driver. Bike crashes should be treated equal to car crash scenes."
- Doc Delport

"Number one thing to do, make the video viral on Facebook, Twitter and sent it to 702 fm. He could have taken three lives for something as dumb as a ten second wait for bikers to pass. Those channels should filter him out and get his details. Bikers should claim from road accident fund."
- Zuko Nkgage

Could the bikers have swerved to avoid the collision? What should the driver have done and why did the police act as they did?  Email us and we'll publish your thoughts or use the Readers' Comments section below...

Top 6 points on the Harties rider crash

'Both bikers could have avoided this collision,' writes Wheels24 reader ROBERT CHANDLER, who analysed the footage from the shocking video involving three bikers in a collision with a Mercedes.

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