[Rumor]

I was on my way to Mendocino for something work related and had to be detoured due to the road being closed. I didn't see much going southbound, however, coming back I was able to see the vehicles.

The Tercel was upside down. I'm surprised that two people actually survived at all. The top was crushed to almost 1/3 of the normal size.

I didn't see much of the truck except a piece of it was sticking up, above a parked police car in front of it, at a very odd angle.

There is a turn out lane in the middle of the road that I have seen accidents happen before. This is the second accident in about four or five months in almost the same spot. Though the first one didn't have any fatalities.

2 killed in head-on crash on Hwy. 1 near Fort Bragg | Santa Rosa Press Democrat // News for California's North Bay and Redwood Empire

Here is where the accident occured. It happened close to the center, right about where the red spot is.

Edit: I fixed the link.

[centerchannel68]

Yeah, if you read my SUV report, here:

http://chicane.myftp.org/SUVresearchpaper.pdf

I found an inverted drop test of SUVs vs Cars...it wasn't pretty. Trucks/SUVs roofs cave in very easily, in comparison to cars. They also transmit a lot more energy to their occupants.

"“For example, if the driver of a 2002 Cadillac Escalade—one of the largest SUVs on the
market—crashed into an unyielding surface at thirty-five miles an hour, he would have a 16%
chance of sustaining a life-threatening head injury and a 20% chance of receiving a life-
threatening chest injury.71 That same driver in a Ford Windstar—a large minivan with a similar
seating capacity to the Escalade—would have only a 2% chance of a life-threatening head
injury, and only a 4% chance of a life-threatening chest injury.72 Thus, the driver of the
Escalade would be five to eight times more likely to die when hitting a fixed object at a
moderate speed than the driver of the minivan.”(Case, 9)"

[ghporter]

I'm confused by the "Ft. Bragg" reference-there's a Fort Bragg in California? Your Google Maps link just goes to Google Maps for me.

That's a pretty harsh kind of wreck. I'm sorry it happened, and sorry you had to experience it too.

[Rumor]

I didn't get a good look at the truck, but they may have used the jaws of life to get the driver out, which would explain the abnormally high pieces of metal. It wasn't on it's roof though, the Tercel was. Also, it was a smalled Tacoma, not one of the newer beefy ones.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

I'm confused by the "Ft. Bragg" reference-there's a Fort Bragg in California? Your Google Maps link just goes to Google Maps for me.

That's a pretty harsh kind of wreck. I'm sorry it happened, and sorry you had to experience it too.

There is a Fort Bragg in Northern California.

How can I get a direct link to a google map? I've seen it done before.

[davesimondotcom]

I was caught up in the traffic after a fatal accident involving a motorcycle on my way to southern California in September.

I was impressed that I could get online (using my cell phone and PowerBook) to check in on the CHP's response to the accident. That's actually how I found out about the fatality.

I think what happened was the motorcycle tried to pass slower traffic and a Jetta pulled into the passing lane, not able to see the bike because of how fast it was going. I wasn't able to find out anything more about the accident in the papers or online and I've always wondered.

Very sad. I feel so sorry for the girl who was driving the Tercel. Her cousin and friend were killed and another friend injured and she walked away. I can't imagine how she feels.

The driver of the truck just threw her life away and killed two people because she had to have that drink.

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by davesimondotcom 

I was caught up in the traffic after a fatal accident involving a motorcycle on my way to southern California in September.

I was impressed that I could get online (using my cell phone and PowerBook) to check in on the CHP's response to the accident. That's actually how I found out about the fatality.

I think what happened was the motorcycle tried to pass slower traffic and a Jetta pulled into the passing lane, not able to see the bike because of how fast it was going. I wasn't able to find out anything more about the accident in the papers or online and I've always wondered.

I've heard that it's legal in California for motorcycles to pass in between vehicles, is this true? This summer I was going down the interstate next to a semi when a motorcycle going at least 90 blew right between the semi and I. Had a gust of wind or me avoiding a rock or roadkill sent me over about 8 inches, he would have been a smear on the road...absolutely stupid.

[G4ME]

Live to ride. Ride to live.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by Gossamer 

I've heard that it's legal in California for motorcycles to pass in between vehicles, is this true? This summer I was going down the interstate next to a semi when a motorcycle going at least 90 blew right between the semi and I. Had a gust of wind or me avoiding a rock or roadkill sent me over about 8 inches, he would have been a smear on the road...absolutely stupid.

Yes, lane-splitting is legal in California. Research actually shows that allowing lane-splitting improves the safety of riders because it makes it easier for them to move out of dangerous situations.

Unfortunately it also, as your experience demonstrates, allows idiots to more easily put themselves into dangerous situations...