What should i have done?

You did right in my book. Everyone has assumed that the kid was a squid not wearing gear. He could have been killed wearing gear and riding responsibly. Not all kids are irresponsible squids without gear. But he is dead all the same and you can sleep better at night knowing that you helped ease the pain of a fellow bikers' family
 
You did the right thing.

Its a shitty world we live in lately, there are so many scammers now. I was in Edmonton a couple weeks ago, at an Arby's, this guy walks from truck to truck, 50+ yrs old, and I saw it coming. He said with a big tear in his eye, that he is supposed to start work tomorrow, but someone broke into his hotel room, stole his wallet, his clothes, his FALSE TEETH, and that he only needed enough to stay at the YMCA that night, god bless us all. I asked where he was going to work, and in the city of 800,000 plus, he mentions Bartle Gibson on Fort road, I said "oh for my Uncle Ron!". He turns, walks away, muttering heartless #######, etc.
I would have gladly given him the burger I bought had he told the truth, but thats too much of a stretch.
Dont beat yourself up about it. No good deed goes unpunished. err .............ya that works.
 
My gut feeling is that it's all said and done now, the kid's gone and his family needs the help...I don't think I'd try to figure out all the what-ifs and base a donation on that...

I lost someone close to me that did a series of dumb things on a bike (drinking, speeding, running from the cops) and he paid for his mistakes with his life 4 years ago this month...just shy of turning 24...he was a great guy, just did some stupid things...

I guess you just go with your gut and if you feel that helping out his family with what's been left behind was a good thing at the time, why worry about it past that?  Everyone makes mistakes and this poor kid is now gone...another unfortunate poster child for why not to start riding a bike like that when you're just not ready...

The best you can hope for in all of this would be that his friends and fellow riders learned a very valuable lesson that might save their own lives...

Just my $.02
+1 well said
 
YOu did the right thing bro. We are all brothers and sisters when it comes to 2 wheels, no matter how much of a squid he may have been, his family doesn't deserve to bear the burden of any wrongdoing. I look at it as Karma.
 
I went to bike night last night - first time this year. Met up with some guys - looking at new bikes, mods, yadda, yadda.

A couple of young people step up to the group and are collecting money for the family of a 21 yr old who was killed in a bike accident earlier in the week. (We had another one less than 36 hours later, but that is not part of this story)

As I said, 21 years old - 1st bike, 2006 Yamaha R6, family is on the hook for the bike loan. They are collecting to help pay off the bike. I didn't know much about the accident, but I popped for a $20 on the spur of the moment, and the other guys in the group kicked in a little as well.

Here is my issue. Should I have donated?

I have done a little research and found that the kid was speeding at 2:15 AM, with no lid, and 1 weeks experience. Cops say he was going "very, very fast". Newspapers say the bike sideswiped the bridge abutment (too much speed for a slight bend in the road) and ended up 400 feet away. Kid died next day of head trauma, and the paper says alcohol tests aren't back yet. I would have no problem donating for flowers, or for his kids (if he has 'em), but I'm feeling stupid for donating to pay for a bike that this putz didn't insure. The more I think about it, the more I wish I had done things a little differently:

A) asked if he was wearing any gear and why the bike wasn't insured
B) asked if the family on the hook was his wife and kids, or his parents
C) asked if he even had a motorcycle license
D) taken the opportunity to preach a little gear and insurance gospel to the group of young guys standing around

Based on the answers to A, B, and C, I might have changed my mind about donating.

What say you?
Lemme put it to you this way. My kid rides. If he got stupid one night and rode without gear, then crashed and got himself killed, and then someone made a comment that I heard to the effect that he deserved it because he wasn't wearing gear, they'd be in the hospital next, and it wouldn't be because of a bike accident. That's just plain ignorant.
 
I went to bike night last night - first time this year. Met up with some guys - looking at new bikes, mods, yadda, yadda.

A couple of young people step up to the group and are collecting money for the family of a 21 yr old who was killed in a bike accident earlier in the week. (We had another one less than 36 hours later, but that is not part of this story)

As I said, 21 years old - 1st bike, 2006 Yamaha R6, family is on the hook for the bike loan. They are collecting to help pay off the bike. I didn't know much about the accident, but I popped for a $20 on the spur of the moment, and the other guys in the group kicked in a little as well.

Here is my issue. Should I have donated?

I have done a little research and found that the kid was speeding at 2:15 AM, with no lid, and 1 weeks experience. Cops say he was going "very, very fast". Newspapers say the bike sideswiped the bridge abutment (too much speed for a slight bend in the road) and ended up 400 feet away. Kid died next day of head trauma, and the paper says alcohol tests aren't back yet. I would have no problem donating for flowers, or for his kids (if he has 'em), but I'm feeling stupid for donating to pay for a bike that this putz didn't insure. The more I think about it, the more I wish I had done things a little differently:

A) asked if he was wearing any gear and why the bike wasn't insured
B) asked if the family on the hook was his wife and kids, or his parents
C) asked if he even had a motorcycle license
D) taken the opportunity to preach a little gear and insurance gospel to the group of young guys standing around

Based on the answers to A, B, and C, I might have changed my mind about donating.

What say you?
Lemme put it to you this way. My kid rides. If he got stupid one night and rode without gear, then crashed and got himself killed, and then someone made a comment that I heard to the effect that he deserved it because he wasn't wearing gear, they'd be in the hospital next, and it wouldn't be because of a bike accident. That's just plain ignorant.
Easy there partner. I think you are reading a little more into this that is really there. I NEVER said, nor did I imply, that he deserved to die becuase he wasn't wearing gear. Nor that he deserved to die because he and/or the bike wasn't insured.

He did not deserve to die. His family does not deserve to have to pay for his stupidity, either.

I DID say that I MIGHT have declined to donate money to pay for his bike had I know more of the details. That's all. The end.

I am angry that people don't take stuff like this into consideration when buying a new bike.

By the way, is your son insured?

Ride safe.
 
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