GRAYPNY

I live in California and have stopped at accidents on several occasions. We aren't all worried about lawyers and at least I would have stayed there and called 911. That's the "right" thing to do!

Sorry this happened to your cousin. It sucks that this is our society and we accept that.

flamin ponyexpress

You might feel a little different if it was you that this happened to. People like you that's scared of law suits is what wrong with society. What would hurt in calling 911! Come on ,what if this was your son,daughter ,wife or some one close to you and no one helped out and they didn't make it.Understand I wish nothing bad to happen to you or your love ones, just try to put yourself in this situation. Myself,I will try to help out any time there is a accident,I don't know CPR but I do know how to use a phone to get help on the way.

bluekai

Fortunately in CA we have the "Good Samaratin Law" - immunity from lawsuit - so if you stop to help someone in obvious distress and what you do, with what you know, to help them doesn't work out (they die or whatever), it's not on you. But still, at least someone can just ask can I call someone for you!! That'll slow your commute by 1.5 minutes. Man...

bluekai

AMEN!!

06GT4RAD

Woh Woh Woh!!! Please DO NOT group us Californians together like that. We are not all like this in fact most of us do not even agree with what is being done in this state. I am so sick and tired of people saying this kind of crap. Rest assured there are more good people here but the sad fact is there is also many who run the state and make things bad for the rest of us. I am not going to make this a political thread because i hate politics. But please do not make a blanket statement like that again it really is not fair. Now there are many in this stae that i myself would love to leave on the side of the road to die but that is neither here nor there.

Sorry to hear your cousins husband was injured and truly sorry no one stopped to aide him Which by the way is a crime in many states.

Richard

xlayedoutx

I went and saw him today. This happened in the mountians about a half hour outside of town. He's really really sore as he slamed into the ground at 40MPH but other then that he's in pretty good shape besides the scrapes and bruise's. His knees look pretty bad but it could have been alot worse. I thought it was a left hand turn that he went down on but it ended up being a right hand turn and he slid across the other lane of traffic.

shwaco1967

May you cousins husband have a speedy recovery.. Sure the world is sue happy for quick money but in this day and age of the cellular phone: No excuse! And anyone could have called. I'm speechless about shelfishness like this. Folk just don't give a d*** no more. It's sad.

drakino

Wow, really sad to read this. As a fellow biker, I would have been stopped seconds after seeing this happen with my phone out calling 911 and checking to see how I can help.

I've reported a few accidents I've seen to 911, and stuck around through a serious one. Was heading to the movies with some friends when I watched someone pull around the entrance ramp a bit too fast, lost control, and rolled off the road into the ditch. Once the shock of what I saw quickly wore off, my emergency lights were on, car breaking to stop in the shoulder of the road, and cell phone dialing.

I would hope if anything bad ever happens to me on the road, others will show the same compassion towards me.

06 Slvr Bullitt

For safety reasons, I wouldn't have stopped, unless it was someone that I knew, but I would have called 9-1-1 or Highway Patrol and advised them of the accident. I think that's as far as I would go.

mrkabc

The "Good Samaritan Law" is routinely challenged on the basis that the person rendering aid is not qualified to do so and "exacerbated" the injury or situation. That's the loophole that gets "Good Samaritans" in trouble and at the wrong end of a costly lawsuit.

flamin pony express: People like ME being afraid of lawsuits is what is wrong? How about the greedy bastages and their crap-eating lawyers that MADE people like me afraid of lawsuits? Why is it not THEIR fault? THEY are the one that made our legal system the mess it is today, and people like myself unwilling to get involved.

Believe you me, if this happened to me, my family, my friends, etc, I would be angry! As it is, I am angry at the fact that I have to worry about some bottom-feeding ambulance chaser trying to steal my house to fatten his wallet, no matter if I was trying to do "the right thing" by stopping helping out, etc...

The reason I am the way I am is because I work in the insurance industry and routinely see the crap that these scum sucking lawyers pull, and the lengths they will go to in order to make a buck.

While I like my fellow man (for the most part) I don't trust him (or her) not to sue me.

theedge67

I blame the lawyers. Granted not all are bad people, but as the old saying goes, it only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch. Just think of all the commercials on TV all the time..."if you were injured in an accident, we can get you money!", or "if someone blinked their eyes wrong at you, we can get you money!"

I can only place part of the blame on the people when the lawyers make it so easy to sue someone for no good reason. No fee unless you collect means no liability if you lose, so there is no deterrent to filing a frivilous lawsuit. Rediculous.

xlayedoutx

All you people saying that you wouldn't stop, what if it was your son or daughter hit by a car after school or something of the sort and everybody just left them lieing in the road going about their day. How would you feel then?

My senior year after a football game walking back to the locker room a lady walking across the street was hit by a drunk driver doing about 60MPH. I witnessed this first hand as she landed about 10 feet from me. I was the first on scene and stayed with her untill the first officer showed up. I was only 17 at the time and scared out of my mind but I knew staying with her talking to her was THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I never once touched her. You don't have to touch somebody to get involved. I just stayed with her talking to her letting her know everything was going to be ok and that help was on the way. I went and saw her in the hospital about 2 weeks after the accident. She couldn't remember much about that night but what she did remember was someone staying with her talking to her and keeping her reassured that everything was going to be ok. It doesn't take much to help someone. A phone call and someone telling him to llie still and try not to move is all it would have taken. No one says you have to get your hands dirty.

Webba

My 2 cents. First off lets not judge mrkabc over his response. All it ends up doing is causing hurt feelings and arguements and wtf good is that going to do? Stuff like that on the net is also degrading our society. Secondly, I personally would have stopped. Im one of those guys who probably stops or calls more than I need to but Id rather be safe than sorry. If I see something suspicious in my neighborhood or wheverever I am I call and let the cops know. My wife gets irritated with me at times but I wouldnt be able to live with myself if I found out I could have done something and didnt. But I live in Maine where things are alot different than Cali and alot of other states. THANK GOD!!! But things are changing rapidly heer too and it isnt for the better. I have been in a few accidents in my time that were life threatening, includig a bad motorcycle accident, and I was fortunate enough to have bystanders who helped until emt's arrived. Anyway, best of luck to your cousin. He is very lucky he didnt break anything and didnt die. I am amazed he didnt even break his collar bone. Usually happens in a bike accident. Tell him to sell the bike and get a mustang. Alot safer and more fun

metroplex

I agree with Steve. If you're afraid of litigation (rightfully so in this day and age) just dial 911 and report the accident as you drive towards your destination.

2005mach1

Sorry if i offended you MRKABC about your family, but the law states "if you unqualified to help" Then qualifiy to use that Cell phone in your pocket, Can you do that?
I was that guy on the motorcycle, TWICE, i was hit by other motorist, with my hand ripped open and my thumb torn off. Watching motorist pass by! After being hit from behind because someone wasnt paying attention and hit me while I sitting still.
Maybe if someone would have called, stopped, helped....
They did stop, they did help, they did wait till the amulance showed up and help save my hand and thumb. I couldnt have gotten back up and road home. Thanks to all those who will help when you see an accident, and not just keep going. Use your phone if its not to much trouble!

DavidM

Three words: LAW SUIT REFORM!
I know most people including me are sick and tired of the way law suits have distorted the way most of us think and so much so that you can't live your life without having to worry about being sued for this that or the other. I hate to say it but one must get involved politically to make a change. Most states have new legislation being written for the lawsuit reform. Get involved. Contact your congressman or at the very least VOTE!! It's the only way to reverse the BS that is so previlant in todays society. In Oklahoma there are just as many "bad" people as in Cali. and it' getting worse everyday. Used to be very friendly, hardly any crime and now it's just the opposite. Tulsa imparticular has seen the murder rate more than double in the last five years as well as a massive spike in violent crime. But you must make the decision to get involved. I carry a concealed weapon with a license to do so and have made the decision that I will interject myself into a dangerous situation if it means helping someone else that may be in danger. I guess what I'm saying is you can't rely on the Gov't, police, ems, and so forth to take care of everything. You have to take matters into your own hands from time to time to ensure a certian way of life for you and generations to come. At this rate it scares the crap out of me to think how degraded society will be when my children are grown. It should scare all of us.

metroplex

The courts are also to blame in many cases. A justified shooting of a home invader/burgler results in the homeowner being imprisoned and the "bad guy" getting awarded a hefty check.

DavidM

Yep, it's rediculous! IMO if you shoot someone you better be sure to kill them! I wish we could revert back to the old west type justice system.

RobK

+1 The problem is the bulk of the politicians started life as attorneys, so it will take a very long time to see any reform with teeth. Just look at all the ridiculous lawsuits that have floated around over the years including the mother of them all, the McDonald's coffee lawsuit. Don't even get me started on healthcare. Every single time any little thing happens people immediately see dollar signs and call their attorney. The legal process is so cumbersome and outmoded that it's always easier to simply settle than it is to duke it out in front of a judge. The problem with that is it's viewed as an admission of guilt (more or less) and opens the door for more suits. A few years back I bumped a woman at an intersection at literally zero MPH. Her husband (attorney) was on the scene before the police. She refused any sort of treatment at the scene but apparently went to a "doctor" later that night for "back pain". They ended up sueing my insurance company for about $35k, litterally a hundred dollars less than the company's threshold for settlements. They did an investigation and found he had dozens of identical suits.

With regard to the original post, we don't really know that no one called 911. Since he picked up the bike and rode home it is possible that a call was placed, but that he left the scene before help arrived. Granted, you would think someone would at least stop and yell out the window that help was on the way, but who knows.

Boltzman

You can't get sued for standing there and calling on your cell phone. do the right thing and at least call..Don't be a coward. I dont mean to offend anyone,But 2 wrongs will never make a right