Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Belated, RIP Phil ?

[Carbon749]

Not sure if this is the right place, or time to do this, but feels right to me.

Fatal bike accidents are never a good topic and are difficult to discuss at home .... feels easier on line.

I live near Matlock Bath in Derbyshire and it's the type of place that on Sunday can see 300 to 500 bikes visit. It's also the type of place that if you visit on a regular basis you start to recognise a few of the same bikes and riders and you inevitably strike up the odd conversation and "friendship".

This summer I ended up making friends with a group which mostly rode R1's. They took the P*** out of my Ducati, and I gave it back about their Japanese plastic fantastics. But, they welcomed me in to their crowd and we had a very enjoyable summer.

I've just found out that "Phil" who was 50 odd and rode a new R1 as quick as anyone .... and qhicker than some .... died about 10 weeks ago in an accident on the A6 near Matlock

No one is quite sure what happened, but, coming out of a corner he lost the bike. He parted company with the bike and he hit an on coming car. Died at the scene.

Educated guess is that his tyres were cold, wound it up out of the corner and lost the back end .... but, no one knows for sure. One thing that is definite is that he knew the road like the back of his hand and he would not have been going slow.

Lot's of strange thoughts and feelings going through my mind at the moment

We all say we know the risks of riding a bike on the road and we accept those risks .... do we, or do we just lock our concerns and thoughts in a box in the back of our minds, stick our heads in the sand and think it will never happen to us

[KeefyB]

Mate if I worried about crashing every time I went out,I'd never ride again.
Been riding on the road since my 17th birthday,....now I'm a fat and old 45 yr old,....Lost a few mates through accidents on the road and racing,..aint gonna stop me riding,..........

[philthy]

We all say we know the risks of riding a bike on the road and we accept those risks .... do we, or do we just lock our concerns and thoughts in a box in the back of our minds, stick our heads in the sand and think it will never happen to us [/quote]


I think you are spot on there.

20 years ago I came in from work and my wife said '' Sit down, I've got some bad news''

Upshot was that my young brothers best friend was riding to work down a country lane and a dog ran out in front of him. He braked and because the road was muddy he lost it and hit a car head on and was killed. He was 21.

I'd watched him grow up from a 5 year old lad in short trousers into a young man with an excellent future ahead of him. We'd had a few rides out together and he was a good rider.

I saw first hand the devastation to the family and couldn't bear to go near my bike for 6 months and when I did go out I didn't enjoy it at first. But time heals even the deepest wounds.

I think you are absoloutely right to have your thoughts and feelings, but when bikes are in your blood you seem to be drawn back to them, as not many things can give you the same thrill.

I've got a young family and sometimes I think to myself '' You've got away with it up till now, pack it in while you're ahead'' and then the sun shines and I can't resist another ride...''I'll be O.K.''

Phil

[Simon Reed]

We all do know the risks,and we all know people who have died,and its always sad,and a shock when someone you know has an off,but,you could get knocked down going for a paper !,and at the end of the day,you're here once,i ride very quick,and regularley ride on the road with some seriousley quick lads,on k5's,r1's etc,and one is 56,on a k5 thou,he's the fastest of all of us !i ride alot on track also,having done around 15 this year,but wouldn't give up road riding for anything.

I'm sure if i just found out someone, i knew had been killed,the thought of throwing the towell in, would, like you,cross my mind,but give a thought to the lad whose been killed,would he want you to?,probably not,as he,like the rest of us,died,doing what he did best,riding the f**kin wheels off the bike as it was designed,not lying in bed riddled with cancer having his/my family sat round the bed !,i know which way i'd sooner go !!

How about you ?

Have a drink for phil,this xmas !!

I know he'd want you to !

[Edited on 22-12-2005 by Simon Reed]

[Edited on 22-12-2005 by Simon Reed]