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Local man missing on his bike

2K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  steventhechef 
#1 ·
This morning my wife and myself were down town in our local area of Sandgate and we were driving past the Sandgate Police station and a news crew were filiming, tonight on the news it was about a local man age 66 went for a ride on his motorcycle on Monday out to Esk a popular motorcycle ride lots of good back roads through the hills with tight twisty corners, in fact I was out there on Sunday, he hasn't been seen since, his phone is turned off, his debit and credit cards haven't been used and its not normal something has happen.
The police have traced most of the motorcycle roads that go out that way with no sign of him, but there are so many different ways to go out to Esk and all back roads that are great for motorcycles and a lot of places where you could go over the side a steep hill or drop off with out anyone knowing and some corners come up quickly that can catch you out even knowing the road well.
Hope he is ok, I don't know him but I might go out the way I go to Esk tomorrow, never know worth a look just in case as well its a good ride and come home another way, all up about 250km round trip or a tank of fuel.

Ashley
 
#4 ·
Wasn't sure what bike he was riding, but really it don't matter to me what anyone rides he is a missing rider, just hope he has wondered off somewhere but its unlikely and hope everyone who ride these roads keep a good look out for him, blue should be able to be seen or look for any brake marks on the side of the road.
Over the years I have come across a few fallen riders off the road, but the last one a few months ago was a death involved, the police was there and all I could see was the back wheel off the road in the bush.
Back in 91 I came across a bike on its side in the middle of a long straight section of road but no rider, we found him in the bushes on the side of the road unconsises he was in a bad way, they ended with a medic helichopper with a doctor on board and I was holding the 2 fluid bottles while they worked on him before flying him out, 3 hours I was there while they worked on him and with the police helping them work out what had happened.

Ashley
 
#5 ·
The Three Twisted Sisters in the Texas Hill country was like that. There were a lot of areas where you could slide right off the road and never be found. Nothing down there but rock, cactus, and snakes.

For that very reason I only rode at 50% to 75% around those corners... particularly on light traffic days. These were not there kind of roads on which you needed to try and set a "personal best" to get around.
 
#8 ·
No its not looking good I haven't been down to the police station yet to ask about it, whether they will tell me anything or not, yes so many different ways to go and could be anywhere, yes Esk and Hampton way is a good ride but getting a bit hit by the fun police now same as most popular rides.
Aparently he turns his phone off when he rides, not sure why he would do that.

Ashley
 
#9 ·
Just watching 7 news and police are appealing to anyone who seen him last Monday and showed a pic of his bike that he was riding, there are 21 different ways he could have gone from Sandgate to Esk and the police have so far checked 18 ways so he is still missing, I am sure there are a few other back ways as well, and who knows he could have gone somewhere else at a last minute change of direction as there are so many great road and could end up anywhere.
So not looking good for him.

Ashley
 
#10 ·
Thanks Ashley

I missed that news, yes it's not looking good, could have hit a Roo or another animal and left the road, could have had a medical event and left the road.

I had a very lucky close call 2 weeks ago on my Daytona 955i hit a medium-sized Roo in the head with my leg at 100kph on Mt Mee. Very luckily all was ok, my well armoured Tiger Angel leathers and a very lucky head hit only, it could have easily ended with me off the road in bad shape. I like most have had some scary close calls with both Deer and large Roo's further out in the country. For this reason, I never travel at night outside the city on my bikes.

Whenever I ride solo I always have my phone charged and on me, in part for this very reason, the authorities can locate your phone and hopefully help you.

cheers
Dave
 
#12 · (Edited)
Hi Ashley yes it has been a bit long now, it's unlikely he is ok.

I have had 2 very similar experiences to you mate, where I was first on scene one as it happens also on the Neurum road, probably the same corner. I also stayed with this young VFR rider till two ambulances came and eventually a chopper, I also helped the ambo's with their kit.

That guy had a punctured lung from a rib in his back I think.

The second was a guy that crashed just before I got to this area he got out of control on another unnamed mountain road, that was when I was on my older '04 Sprint ST, when it was new.
It appeared from tree damage that his very large BMW cartwheeled 3-4m high in the air through the trees, he hit a tree. I also sat with him till the ambos & cops came, broken knee or leg and I have no idea what else.

Both of these were years ago now. It's not nice being first on the scene but I hope both riders appreciated it.

cheers
Dave
 
#13 · (Edited)
Man Found

Hi all, not good news.

just after the last post I was on a Facebook page for road conditions at Mt Mee and other areas and this is what I cut and pasted from the forum Administrators post, I ride that road all the time and have done for many years:

"Just to bring everyone up to speed ......The missing rider was found in a single-vehicle accident on the Stanley River road. Another motorcyclist this morning had an off and left the road too. He found the missing rider near where he had fallen himself.

It's incredible the amount of effort and concern that I have witnessed this week as fellow riders have searched not only his believed route but gone further afield in their searches. One group was almost to the area where he was found last night when they ran out of light.

I am saddened by the loss of this rider and extend condolences to his family and friends on behalf of the entire motorcycling community.

I am heartened that so many people who have never known or met the man took time and made the effort to search high and low for him.

Motorcycling is a unique community and sadly we have lost one of our own this week.

Thanks again to everyone involved."
 
#15 ·
Hi Ashley
Yes very sad. The posted speed limit is indeed 80kph and has been for a few years now.
It used to be 100kph like the others. I will not be surprised if the limit is reduced further but I hope not.
It is never good when any rider is lost, no other vehicles involved apparently.
And you were right it was an ST 1050, in dark blue not a GT as I had thought.

Cheers
DaveM

Sent from my Nokia 8.1 using Tapatalk
 
#17 ·
I am sorry to hear about the solo rider's fatal accident. We all have been in places where this could happen, and have been through situations that came 'that close' to being our last ride. RIP fellow rider.

A decade or so back there was a BMW rider missing in NW Colorado - the place was combed for weeks by amateur and professional searchers. He was finally found in a rocky ravine off a curve; you had to search from below, the side was too steep to lean over and look down from. Teams had looked from the top several times. If there was any silver lining, the ME said it appeared he died in the initial impact, not from bleeding or dehydration.

My wife pestered me for quite a while to get a cell phone. My misguided response was why? I'm either out having a great time or lying dead in a ditch, in which case there's no hurry. I cavalierly ignored the part about being able to call for help when either the bike or me is unable to proceed [I've had both situations, and also people have advised to have the phone in your jacket, not on a RAM mount, so you don't get separated from it]. Needless to say I have a cell phone now, even though there are still lots of areas where it gets no service.
 
#18 ·
Y'all get one of these and carry it with you. When I had my accident, there were plenty of people around, and I could talk, but when the cops asked who I should contact? ...I had no freaking idea. I use my cell phone so much that I had not memorized the contact numbers of anyone...and my phone got smashed in the accident so it couldn't be used.

So, if you go down, and either you are unconscious or your phone is dead, this will come in very handy.

I carry it now.

https://www.ice-gear.com/products/ice-in-case-of-emergency-card
 
#19 ·
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