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Johnson City Tenn accident

PostPosted: Apr 11, 2008 6:35 pm
by e-doc

Re: Johnson City Tenn accident

PostPosted: Apr 11, 2008 6:38 pm
by Ralph E. Powers
Glad he's okay... lucky really.

You'd think a fence would've been warning enough... but obviously not.

Re: Johnson City Tenn accident

PostPosted: Apr 12, 2008 10:11 am
by Squirrel Girl
Ralph E. Powers wrote:Glad he's okay... lucky really.

You'd think a fence would've been warning enough... but obviously not.

Yesterday, I wound up by accident at the spot where a newbie mtber rode off a 40' cliff. The trail had a fork. The left fork was the main way. The right fork went down to a big flat spot on top of a big cliff. There was a big railroad timber across the trail which was badly eroding. That should have slowed or stopped most people, and 20-30' beyond that was the cliff. I'm not sure, but I guess the guy just rode over the cliff, assuming there was trail just below the lip.

I'm sorry the guy was hurt and now, about 5 months later, he's much better. But it's curious what newbs think is reasonable behavior. I always dismount and check something out before going for something I can't see. Usually I wait till the next time to attempt things like that. But blithefully riding over a cliff? I don't get it.

Re: Johnson City Tenn accident

PostPosted: Apr 12, 2008 7:20 pm
by Ralph E. Powers
Squirrel Girl wrote:
Ralph E. Powers wrote:Glad he's okay... lucky really.

You'd think a fence would've been warning enough... but obviously not.

Yesterday, I wound up by accident at the spot where a newbie mtber rode off a 40' cliff. The trail had a fork. The left fork was the main way. The right fork went down to a big flat spot on top of a big cliff. There was a big railroad timber across the trail which was badly eroding. That should have slowed or stopped most people, and 20-30' beyond that was the cliff. I'm not sure, but I guess the guy just rode over the cliff, assuming there was trail just below the lip.

I'm sorry the guy was hurt and now, about 5 months later, he's much better. But it's curious what newbs think is reasonable behavior. I always dismount and check something out before going for something I can't see. Usually I wait till the next time to attempt things like that. But blithefully riding over a cliff? I don't get it.

http://www.darwinawards dot com should give you a clue. In Utah there were a group of snowmobilers out having fun on the side of a mountain. Nestled in the trees is a cave with a 130' deep entrance pit big enough to swallow a snowmobile. Why those guys decided slaloming in and out of those trees thought it would be fun is a mystery as well. One of them nearly went down in said pit (which was at the time surrounded by 7-9 feet of snow, the machine got stuck at the lip and the rider/driver managed to jump off in time. I'd say that fella was lucky, stupid, but lucky.