Why I don't ride in the rain...
- Thread starter romr
- Start date
Hail
Moderator
RIP. What a sad story. A motorcycle safety instructor and U.S. Marine. From the comments it sounds as though he was a very responsible rider who spread motorcycle safety through the community. He was loved by the community. Wish we had more like him. So sad....
Dustin
Moderator
Very sad story indeed. Anything can happen, wet or dry. 
This shouldn't discourage you from riding in the rain as it has its own charm too! Sometimes it's great to be alone on a rainy highway on a summer day
This shouldn't discourage you from riding in the rain as it has its own charm too! Sometimes it's great to be alone on a rainy highway on a summer day
up_on1
Well-Known Member
Sad story.
Living is dangerous. I wouldn't get out of bed if I let this sort of stuff bother me.
Living is dangerous. I wouldn't get out of bed if I let this sort of stuff bother me.
NJFZ1
Moderator
Sad story indeed. Sounds like he was just a victim of the circumstances. I guess it's the old being in the wrong place at the wrong time...RIP
OneSizeFitsAll
Wizard
I don't think it was the rain as much as riding on a California freeway. I just hate slabs, but then again I live in Bambi country so the risk may be just as high in another way.
Be a perpared as we can and go have a good time cause when it is your time there isn't anything we can do about it.
Be a perpared as we can and go have a good time cause when it is your time there isn't anything we can do about it.
romr
Wizard
Yup, that's my take too. When it's your time to go it's your time to go, you can slip in the bathtub or you can be out riding
I do disagree with you with regards to the rain though, you see, people here do not understand how to drive in the rain, they think that just because they have the supped up SUV with stability control, antilock brakes, etc etc, they can still drive like morons and boy do they! I've seen plenty of these morons do 180's in the freeway. I am sure that riding in the rain is great but around here is just another risk. Every time I see someone ridding in the rain I try to drive behind them, sort of being a guardian cage if you will
I do disagree with you with regards to the rain though, you see, people here do not understand how to drive in the rain, they think that just because they have the supped up SUV with stability control, antilock brakes, etc etc, they can still drive like morons and boy do they! I've seen plenty of these morons do 180's in the freeway. I am sure that riding in the rain is great but around here is just another risk. Every time I see someone ridding in the rain I try to drive behind them, sort of being a guardian cage if you will
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Missyl1713
Wizard
Nothing wrong with riding in the rain. He was just a victim of circumstance. At least he passed doing what he loved. RIP
FZ1inTX
Adminstrator
To reiterate others, he was a victim of circumstance for sure. Riding in the rain isn't a problem with proper gear and good wet-rated tires on the bike. They race in the rain....
He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and it could have been day, night, rain, dry, sunny, cloudy.... whatever. The best option is to do all you can to avoid certain situations.
I ride in the rain, but I don't ride in a total downpour. Overspray from vehicles can QUICKLY hide a motorcycle and the rider. I pull over and let the rain subside a bit then take off, or, find back roads to travel where there's not a a lot of traffic and spray from the tires.
Sad that it happened at all. He was quite a person based on all the comments. Sorry and prayers go out to those grieving his loss.
He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and it could have been day, night, rain, dry, sunny, cloudy.... whatever. The best option is to do all you can to avoid certain situations.
I ride in the rain, but I don't ride in a total downpour. Overspray from vehicles can QUICKLY hide a motorcycle and the rider. I pull over and let the rain subside a bit then take off, or, find back roads to travel where there's not a a lot of traffic and spray from the tires.
Sad that it happened at all. He was quite a person based on all the comments. Sorry and prayers go out to those grieving his loss.
romr
Wizard
See I guess the point that I am trying to make here is not that riding in the rain is unsafe or undoable or that people shouldn't do it. If we're all honest we know that ridding is riskier than driving, my point is that wet weather (for me) is just one of the risks I am not willing to take. Being that we don't get that many rainy days here, is a risk I just plain don't see worth taking. I'm sure I'd feel different if there was more rain here. I know this guy was ridding well, heck he was an instructor, but the problem was the rain was one too many risks IMO. And it was raining hard Monday. Just plain visibility would have been a problem. But like I said, when it's time to go it's time to go, rain or shine.
OneSizeFitsAll
Wizard
Just saw this on another forum. He (Paul Palika) was a well known instructor with MSF & StreetMasters and from what I have read a great guy.
R.I.P Streetmasters Instructor Paul Palika - Pashnit Motorcycle Forum
Did the cage driver ever get charged with anything??
R.I.P Streetmasters Instructor Paul Palika - Pashnit Motorcycle Forum
Did the cage driver ever get charged with anything??
Drinky
Well-Known Member
I'd hope so. going 80 in hard rain when appearently traffic suddenly slows down and losing control so bad you end up on the wrong side on the road should have that idiot lose his license for life.