k_atie_e - how do you figgure its a poor country?? Another country - yes. Poor ????
Also the head photo does not look real....

Wow, so if you live in a poor country and have a motorcycle accident you dont deserve the respect of people to feel bad??
I knwo a lot of motorcycle riders and only a hand full wear full gear and helmets when riding and those are the only riders I have respect for.
when Im driving and see soemone riding with just one or the other or none I almost feel bad for them knowing what could happen.

k_atie_e: Are you saying that the one cyclist who was airlifted is "brain dead" and being removed from life support? Or are you saying that his condition is improving and he will be coming off the ventilator? Either way, I will continue to keep him in my thoughts. Be safe, everyone.

katie....don't be so naive....Some person's head and body bouncing over asphalt after being thrown off of a motorcycle doing 65-70mph would look like a mess regardless of how poor the country is. I have seen plenty of pics taken in this country of people crashing without gear. Not pretty.......wear your gear......and kudos to this cop for stressing the issue.......

Pat .....that was photos from an accident in a foreign country....tottally different rules and looks like a very poor country. I myself have been to a very poor country and seen how they drive on cycles. Its like salt and pepper. No way to compare. And if you would like an update 4 of the victims have been relased and the victim who was med flighted will be taken off life support tommorow.

Hey Iamqueenb - Why the govt. agencies are at it, why don't they go one step further with mandating not only motorcyle helmets be required, but also install seat belts on all motorcycles and enforcing that as well. The govt. doesn't have anything better to do than to waste our taxpayers' money. I, for one, am against mandatory seat belt use in vehicles. I feel it should be a choice, not required, even though I know seat belts help save lives. My feeling on life is it is MY life and let me live it the way I want to as long as I am not offending or doing criminal activities. Let people alone as long as you are not harming others. There is WAY TOO much govt. agencies involved wasting millions of dollars over trivial items against common sense.

PAT: I dont think this guy would have survived even WITH a helmet!! His head actually looked like the only thing in one piece!! Looks like something out of a horror movie! Gross!!

The real issue is that self serving experts put out an opinion that is in conflict with current law.

If it is the law to wear seatbelts, then let's follow the law, or be willing to pay the consequences.

If it is the law to not wear a helmet, then don't berate me simply because I am following the law. If this helmet issue is so big of a deal to those that do not ride because of insurance etc. then change insurance companies, but stop the blame game on people who are living within the law and their rights.

Look's like we are less safe in a car being we HAVE use seat belts

Ok Pat I guess I will not wait anymore for an intelligent debate. Oh by the way when are you going to address my original stat about head injuries in auto accidents? I see that your running out of words to name call.

Your expertise on this subject is showing...

No one else should be able to tell me what to wear as long as I am obeying the speed limit and following the laws of the road.--- I predict in the next five years, it will be the law of the road that will require you to wear a helmet.

I own a motorcycle and ATV's and overall, have found the DNR, police, and all govt. agencies are sticking their noses in where it does not belong. 99% of the time, I wear a cycle helmet except if going 1-2 miles in my hometown or if it is 95 degrees out and not going too far. This is my right as a human being to NOT wear a helmet if I do not want to. No one else should be able to tell me what to wear as long as I am obeying the speed limit and following the laws of the road. This is the same as ATV riding. I normally do not wear a helmet, just goggles for eye protection and this is my body so I can wear what I feel is appropriate and comfortable. I put the govt. agencies stepping in on such items like this as being the same idiots who banned youth atv sales in the USA for fear of our kids licking the lead properties on all ATV's and getting sick and die. Everyone else just get off your high horse and let people alone. You'll live longer.

As for the Officer's comments, I am sure he is sick and tired of having to scrap biker's off the road way, clearly seeing more deaths from those without helmets. He is correct in his comments.

Another thing people should keep in mind. If you are in a accident, and lets say the other driver is ticketed you would assume that means they are at fault??? Insurance companies come in and do their own investigation and don't always find the same way the police did and thus not always pay the 'supposed victim or only pay a partial amount.. ANOTHER reason why everyone should have their own insurance and not just pray the other guy does..

I think everyone needs to be considerate on our roads , but there needs to be a law regarding helmets. Because even IF a motorist is to blame for the accident one thing a insurance company will look at is fault and degree of injury due to the rider not wearing safety equipment. They need to take responsibility for their own safety an they are not doing that if they are not wearing safety equipment. IF they are not going to protect themselves don't expect others to do it for them.

PAT, those are some bloody pics, but good

Not for the faint of heart, but here is a link to pictures from a motorcycle accident, and what happens with no helmet.

Seriously, eating lunch.. don't look.

http://www.dianna.com/motorcycles/fatal....

I am curious why are atv not allowed on roads, they allow motorcycles and they only have two wheels.

all you have to do is go to the d.m.v/d.o.t. site and it lists stats. Sorry 'forgot to think' they don't match your stats where ever you are finding them.. probably up your xxxx from the looks of your posts.

I've driven the Janesville-to-Madison and Janesville-to-Rockford sections of Interstate-90 hundreds of times in the past five years for work reasons. I've never ridden it or anywhere on a motorcycle; I've always been in a car. I am being honest when I state that I have never found motorcyclists to be rude in their road manners on I-90. Rather, most of them appear to be excellent defensive drivers. I wish I could say the same of my counterparts driving cars/small trucks. My condolences to all those injured in this accident.

#1 accident type of an auto vs motorcycle accident (40%) is an auto from the opposite direction turning left in front of a motorcyclist. So Pat, just how is it that a motorcyclist is to take responsibility for that?

Hey Pat, did you forget to acknowledge the stat about head injuries in auto accidents? I see by your name calling you are not able to actually defend your position with words so I guess the name calling is your defense to anything that you don't have any real information on.

What I can not stand is motorcyclists swerving in and out of traffic and speeding up when I am trying to change lanes. They think they own the frickin road. No wonder why they get hit or cause a accident, they think everyone should be watching for them. They don't like having to take responsibility for their own actions .

Pat, two things. First, many of the mortorcycle accidents are car v. motorcycle accidents caused by the car because they "didn't see the biker" (ref: Brad Griffith, I believe his name was). I've had to hit the brakes many times because of knuckleheads changing lanes without looking. Second, on what grounds do you propose they stop motorcycles and do random license checks? How would you react if the same were applied to autos where the police just randomly stopped you and did a license check. Your comment that "Quite a few don't even have coverage. Guess who pays when they don't have insurance." is also applicable to many automobile drivers. Reread your comments and apply logic and think about what you are saying before hitting the "post comment" button.

Yes displaced......god forbid the officer in question promote safe riding and wearing the proper gear! How dare he!!!!:) What he should have said was "leave the helmet and leather at home--the bandana and sunglasses offer the same amount of protection--and once you get on I90, open those bikes up and ride 'em like you stole them--cause you all are invincible!"

Seriously....some of the people leaving comments need to get a clue.....

i dont think this needs to be a helmet debate.
Wisconsin law states it is the riders choice.
What I have a problem with is the patrol mans obvious bias. It shouldnt be a factor.

The cyclist has a choice...if your head and its contents are worth saving, wear a helmet, if not, don't wear one.

Right on Woody

I am in no way bashing motorcyle riders but do have a comment to make. The rules and laws for driving are the same for all and need to be followed by all. We were at the stop light by Menards when the group of cycles was leaving Kutter and heading North. One of the members of the group stopped his bike sideways in the middle of road holding up his hand to stop traffic so the rest of the group could run a red light to continue to travel together as a group. This was not an officer out there stopping traffic for the bikers. Since when it is ok to run a traffic light because you are a group traveling together regardless if doing so in a vehicle or on a bike?

the no. 1 injury leading to death in motorcycle accidents in a head injury.. you are so stupid. the stats speak for them selves. No question about it .. like I stated before stupid and selfish not wearing a helmet when riding motorcycles. Cars also have air bags. There is no comparison. Sounds like benthinkin really has not been thinkin at all. Just is trying to defend something there is no defense for.. just his ignorance.

I mispoke the number one injury, the details are From bisociety.org..."Head injuries occur in more than two-thirds of all automobile accidents"

So it is greater than 67%...Pretty high number Pat.

Pat, the number one injury in auto accidents is head trama. Do you wear a helmet in autos, or are you just as stupid as the bikers?

Quote of the patrolman from channel 3000

"Whether it's one motorcycle or 100 motorcycles, they need to be operating responsibly on the roads and following the traffic laws by wearing the appropriate safety equipment that's available to them. None of the cyclists had helmets on."

...following the traffic laws by wearing the...

Sounds to me like judge and jury, not exactly what we are paying them to do...make up laws.

motorcyclists who do not wear helmets are just stupid, selfish people. simple. I think they should start stopping motorcyclists more often and looking to see if they are actually licensed to drive a motorcycle. LOOK at all the deaths just this last year from motorcycle crashes. They also should all be required to carry a high medical coverage, because when they are involved in a accident it is never pretty for the bike rider. Quite a few don't even have coverage. Guess who pays when they don't have insurance.

There will come a day when motor cycle helmets will required. It will just take time. But it will happen. People never thought it would be a law regarding wearing your seat belt, and here we are.

mickie did you not read my post. You are wrong. I work in insurance for a living, and the stats are what they are. If people were following the speed limit, and back proper distance there would have been no problem. But people get on the interstate and think its a race track and are just plan careless. We had this stupid woman call our office one day. She said'' Your insured was involved in a accident and because of them I hit them. " Well what she hit was a police cruiser who was already at the accident, this woman was not paying attention , going to fast, on the freeway, and some how did not see the red&blue's and hit the cruiser. She thought we should pay for her repairs and give her a rental. She wanted to blame our insured, but she caused a entirely different accident out of stupidity and speed. We did not pay her a dime, and guess what she had no insurance.. So inattentive driver, and stupid woman with no insurance wanting to blame someone else.

I just watched the video of Lt Altman about the cycle crash, and he did not say that safety equipment was required by law, what he said was the cyclists should have been following traffic laws and also wearing proper safety equipment. Sort of a misquote.

Benthinking.....I think that it's ridiculous that you would say that the troopers statement regarding the rider's lack of helmets was ridiculous.....He was simply reminding people to ride safe and wear the proper gear so that they don't end up having to clean up another corpse on the side of I90. Their job is to protect and serve.........

The cyclist has a choice...if your head and its contents are worth saving, wear a helmet, if not, don't wear one.

Wisconsin law requires seatbelts, Wisconsin law does not require helmets. So for a patrol officer to make that statement is ridiculous...

They are not all sober either from first hand knowledge. Some of them are really nice people but not all sober

"None of the cyclists had helmets on."

Yet as part of another budget provision the gov. slipped into the disgrace of a budget, motorists can now be pulled over solely for not wearing a seatbelt. Yet cyclists can ride the highways with no required helmet. Make sense? It does if you've lived in Wisconsin for any length of time.

iamqueen- obviously you have not had much defensive driving skills.. You are not suppose to swerve for anything if you cant..Stopping on an interstate is just stupid. I am sure the statistics would show that trying to avoid hitting the deer or animal causes more harm then hitting it.

This is typical bash the biker stuff. Wisconsin safety equipment is for eye protection and a helmet if under 18 years of age.

Wisconsin law also allows for motorcyclist who consent to ride side by side, two to a lane. Based on the partolmans own bias in his statements you can pretty much assume that he did not know of the speed also.

Excessive speed is always a factor in any accident, otherwise you could safely stop to avoid the accident. There was no mention of what the speed was and the statement from the patrolman was blatent and biased.

It also makes you wonder how many were licensed to drive a motorcycle.. Not just in this situation but all over. You can't just hop on a motorcycle and ride..

The motorcyclists should be wearing helmets, unlike the ARM guy I saw on the interstate yesterday with his helmet strapped to the back of his bike. Wisconsin loses millions of federal highway money each year because we do not have a helmet law. It is ridiculous!!!

displaced worker you are the one with no credibility. Any one with common sense knows you are better off with a helmet than with out and the stats show it.

said Lt. Brad Altman, of the Wisconsin State Patrol. "Whether it's one motorcycle or 100 motorcycles, they need to be operating responsibly on the roads and following the traffic laws by wearing the appropriate safety equipment that's available to them. None of the cyclists had helmets on."

There are NO traffic laws requiring saftey equipment.. who gave this guy a badge?? his whole analysis of the crash has just been discredited.

Can we please quit talking about DUCKS! Different accident! Different county!

mickie, I work insurance and have seen more injuries from people hitting deer, than from swerving to avoid one. If these motorcyclists had been paying attention and not going so fast, and traveling so closely they would have had time to slow down. I hope everyone recovers and my prays go out to all, but come on. They need to take responsibility for the fact they were going to fast, to stop in time. It does not matter where you are a city street or interstate you need to be traveling at a rate of speed and far enough back that you can stop without hitting someone no matter the reason for the stop.

mickie: You must be crazy ... you would purposely hit a deer because you think that would be safer than slowing down? People need to not tailgate my vehicle.

No one seams upset at the people talking on their cell phones, tailgating and not paying attention to whats ahead of them. I hope everyone will be ok.

Iamquen- you are kidding right? Slow down for ducks on an interstate? Hey- I love all animals, but to be a defensive driver you must make sure YOU and YOUR passengers are safe, then the others around you.. So duck, or deer-if its in my path on an interstate or any other road and its busy traffic-then its road kill.
I dont care who these motorcyclists are- I hope they will all be ok.. Terrible way to spend a Holiday weekend!

My previous comment on there training and following the rules of the road, I was referring to the people I know who are associated w/ARMS and they were ahead of this group and I was not aware of this at the time. This group of people no matter how this happened still do not deserve negative comments.

iamq...it is absolute stupidity to stop for ducks on the Interstate anytime, especially with the heavy holiday traffic. Signs clearly indicate "Emergency Stopping Only".
Ducks crossing the road do not constitute an emergency.
I sure hope I'm not following you when you pull something like that.

I heard the exact same thing, badgerboy

It would appear that in this case those riders did not ride in the manner a previous poster suggested.

Clipped from www.channel3000.com:

The Wisconsin State Patrol said five people were injured, one of them critically, in the crash that developed when traffic in front of the cyclists slowed down.

One of those injured, a 47-year-old from Denmark, suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported by Med Flight helicopter.

The State Patrol said that 60 members of an international motorcycle group were traveling on the interstate. The State Patrol said the bikers were speeding and following too closely in their group.

"They were traveling in excess of the speed limit and they were following way too closely. Traffic had slowed a little in front of them due to heavy traffic volume, (and) they weren't able to react in time to that," said Lt. Brad Altman, of the Wisconsin State Patrol. "Whether it's one motorcycle or 100 motorcycles, they need to be operating responsibly on the roads and following the traffic laws by wearing the appropriate safety equipment that's available to them. None of the cyclists had helmets on."

I stopped for ducks a few days ago. Don't blame the driver who stopped, blame those who were not paying attention to what was in front of them. Geez.. Slow down people and pay attention.

Typical illinois idiot driver.

MEGABUS has double deckers out on the highway and I think the capacity is about that, 80.
Normal 45ft buses are 55 or 56. Doesn't make sense. Although the reports at Madison.com say the passengers were being taken by city bus to the greyhound station in Madison. Anyone see pics on the news? Megabus buses are blue with yellow lettering.

It's been a long time since I've been on a Greyhound bus, but 80 passengers sounds like an overloaded bus to me. I checked Greyhound's web site and the maximum number of seats in their listed fleet buses is 55 passengers http://www.greyhound.com/HOME/en/About/F...
.
Anyone happen to know if Greyhound has some extra-capacity vehicles? I've ridden in double-decker and articulated buses in Europe, but those were city buses with metro-type seating like the Janesville Transit System, not coach-type seats.

Ducks were involved in a different crash. Arm members from Denmark were hurt, don't know if any local members are hurt. They left Kutter's this AM. Can't seem to get any info. Prayers for all.

Hence the reason why I have a self-imposed curfew of about 8 pm for 4th of July weekend and New Year's Eve. I'm also on lookout as if it were the first snowfalls of the season AND the first good rainfall in a while.

Then for the icing on that cake at 3:30pm the Wisconsin State Patrol said a Greyhound bus with 80 passengers left Interstate 39-90-94 northeast of Madison and plowed through a fence and into some trees Friday afternoon.

http://www.channel3000.com/news/19942130...

Kinda glad I'm staying home!

yes! i'm very familure with ARM. super nice people. i'v done security for them during a poker run a few years back. had a good time and met very, very nice people. i hope and pray that they are going to be fine. will enclude them in my prayers!!!!!

I'm serious.

""Making way for ducklings leads to six-car pile-up near Madison""
By Georgia Pabst of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: July 3, 2009 3:18 p.m.

An Illinois man stopped on I-90/94/39 near Arlington on Friday morning to let some ducks cross the road and caused a pileup involving at least six cars, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol.

The accident occurred at about 10 a.m. near the 122-mile road marker, said Sgt. Greg Jenswold, of the patrol's DeForest Post. No serious injuries were reported.

It's not clear if the ducks got across the road, he said, because officers were kept busy with because of another accident involving a pileup of five motorcycles that occurred at about 10:30 a.m.

EMMO: Are you serious? I've never seen ducks trying to cross an interstate road.

The motorcyclists are part of an organization called ARM: Association Recovering Motorcyclists. According to its website, ARM is the world's largest clean and sober motorcycle association.

The pile-up of 6 cars was caused by some idiot who stopped to let some ducks cross the Interstate.
SAVE THE DUCKS!
To heck with all the people who were injured and could have been killed.
Stupidity is rampant.

They are all wonderful people who are part of a group called ARM's (Associate for Recovering Motorcyclist's) people who changed there life and for last few decades get together every summer for a picnic. They follow the rules of the road stay good distance from one another and have a lead car to avoid accidents. They did not deserve this!!! And they dont deserve negative comments.

From the Wisconsin State Journal: The crash came on the heels of a six-car collision about 10 a.m. that blocked the left and center lanes of westbound I-39/90/94 near mile marker 124 at the border of Dane and Columbia counties. (People need to slow down and leave more spacing between vehicles!)

I was there...a quarter mile back from the accident.
At 2PM it was still very very slow traffic going west bound, on my way home from Madison.
I'll be staying home the rest of the weekend...it's all not worth it!

Stay safe all!

The video is on NBC 15 my guess no helmets looked like hard core riders with club leathers

Are you kidding?

Hopefully they were all wearing helmets and proper riding gear(leather jackets/gloves)