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| The Paddock Welcome to the forums! Come in, introduce yourself. Talk about motorcycles and riding here! |
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05-16-2005, 01:00 PM
| #1 (permalink) |
| BATtery Filler   Join Date: Oct 2004
Bike: 2002 Kawasaki ZX-6R
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 510
|  US Marine Dies...not from Combat
For those of you who dont know me, I am a US Marine stationed in Washington DC. As you may guess the roads in the DC tri-state area are not the best to ride on, but with a little bit of practice and a keen eye, one can get by with little to no problem. However...there are those out there who do not do the research before they buy a bike and buy something to big and powerful for them. Those are the ones who are the most likely to fall victim to the poor roads here in DC. A Marine stationed here at my unit is one such casualty. This Marine had two weeks riding experience under his belt. He went out and bought a new 2004 GSXR-750 and was out parading it around on Saturday. Apparently he had not taken the MSF, which the military is very strict about. Every person who operates a motorcycle on a DOD installation must complete the MSF before they can receive their Base decals. This Marine had not completed the course and had somehow gotten out of the parking garage with his new toy that he had no idea how to ride. Who's oversight was this? Its pointless to point fingers at anyone now. Well he took that bike out on Saturday monring...he never returned Saturday night. Come to find out that he was out riding, hit a pot hole, grabbed his front brake while (I'm assuming) rolling on that touchy throttle, and flew straight over his handlebars...into the awaiting pavement. The force of the impact shattered his helmet. He suffered a broken neck, and died on impact. That Marine was only 19 years old. I urge anyone who is thinking about buying a bike to talk to someone who rides first...I also urge those that read this to speak to the interested and really try and relay the seriousness of the lifestyle that we choose. Do the research...buy whats in your skill zone and dont try and ride outside your abilities...that Marine was a valued member of the Commandant's Own, the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, and a son to two parents. Everyone feels the ramifications of this guy's loss here at my unit. There will now be an endless number of safety briefs and lectures from various personnel about the dangers of riding. Read and heed...because you dont want this to be you or a loved one. |
