Odd report of Spyder Accident in SA Newspaper

[TonyMac]

This story caught my eye in the local San Antonio newspaper this morning involving a Spyder accident. The blurb printed in the paper was different than the one on-line with the printed version going into the fact that it is a Can Am motorcycle like vehicle with two wheels in front and one in the rear.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/60087712.html

The fact that they reported a Spyder accident was interesting enough, but read the article. There was a 13 year old girl driving her 45 year old mom's Spyder :yikes: with mom on the back no less!

Although the Spyder is easier to drive than most motorcycles, it is far from a toy. That's mighty irresponsible of that parent.

 

[Bersquack]

This is very sad news, but the woman letting her 13 year old drive is terrible. There should be a license to be a parent.

 

[3wheeldemon]

This is very sad news, but the woman letting her 13 year old drive is terrible. There should be a license to be a parent.

...There was a 13 year old girl driving her 45 year old mom's Spyder :yikes: with mom on the back no less!

Although the Spyder is easier to drive than most motorcycles, it is far from a toy. That's mighty irresponsible of that parent.

:agree:

 

[BumbleBee]

I hope they take the mother's license away. Letting your 13 year old drive:wrong:

 

[Tom in NM]

The report omitted . . . . .

. . . . . being Texas, they just glossed over the fact that all the parties involved were also driving ATGATT (All The Guns All The Time) ala' Delonte West. http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=144151&postcount=1

Tom

 

[one50npump]

Ok, maybe they shouldnt have been driving on a busy road, but whos parents didnt let them drive when they were 13? My dad let me drive all the time around the block, country roads, etc.. Ya'all must be city people.

 

[NancysToy]

Ok, maybe they shouldnt have been driving on a busy road, but whos parents didnt let them drive when they were 13? My dad let me drive all the time around the block, country roads, etc.. Ya'all must be city people.

:agree:

 

[3wheeldemon]

good point

Ok, maybe they shouldnt have been driving on a busy road, but whos parents didnt let them drive when they were 13? My dad let me drive all the time around the block, country roads, etc.. Ya'all must be city people.

:roflblack::roflblack: Now that I think about it, you are right. But we were expendable when we were kids. I rode bikes, drove cars, played with Mercury, washed my hands with Benzene, played around asbestoes, launched fireworks from my hands and hunted alone with a 22.

So don't be surprised if I am damaged goods...

3WD

 

[Mo Lee]

Ok, maybe they shouldnt have been driving on a busy road, but whos parents didnt let them drive when they were 13? My dad let me drive all the time around the block, country roads, etc.. Ya'all must be city people.

Yup I have a picture of me around here someplace with the developing date 1958 printed on the side of me driving a hay truck in the field. You do the math I was born in 1953, all you can see is the top of my hat between the dash and the top of the steering wheel.

 

[Tom in NM]

That explains a lot!

:roflblack::roflblack: Now that I think about it, you are right. But we were expendable when we were kids. I rode bikes, drove cars, played with Mercury, washed my hands with Benzene, played around asbestoes, launched fireworks from my hands and hunted alone with a 22.

So don't be surprised if I am damaged goods...

3WD

Proves two things;

• That that old saying; "Only the good die young." is true.
• It qualified you for your current job.

Tom

 

[mrfilovirus]

It also looks like a family member is disputing who was actually driving. Since both of them are in critical condition, I am betting they were speculating on who was driving by the landing positions - or taking the driver of the car's word (who I would bet wasn't quite as honest as they could be given that it was their fault - perhaps trying to deflect some responsibility).

:shemademe_smilie:

 

[chris56]

have a big problem with this report
..my son is a 13years old spyderlovers.. he heard this unbelievable story when i told it to my wife .. so his new idea is now to start riding by himselve !! ( if a GIRL is able to drive with thirteen..)
chris

 

[NancysToy]

have a big problem with this report
..my son is a 13years old spyderlovers.. he heard this unbelievable story when i told it to my wife .. so his new idea is now to start riding by himselve !! ( if a GIRL is able to drive with thirteen..)
chris

:roflblack: Only a teenager could see this kind of report as encouragement. Glad my kids are finally grown. Wish the gray hair they left behind would go too.

 

[bone crusher]

Simply put...pathetic...licenses are for a reason...

 

[Tom in NM]

Yes, but . . . .

Simply put...pathetic...licenses are for a reason...

:agree:

. . . . . I would also add that even if they had been on bicycles, on foot, or even in a car, they probably would have still "crashed".

All joking aside, I lived in Texas for quite a while. Exit Ramps are a general concept there and if you notice, there are lots of paths where Texans drive down embankments and off the roadways to get where they want to go or to avoid traffic - especially at exit ramps. Not everybody, but I have never driven in any other state where so many people drive across Medians or off-the-road as a convenience or take it as a right. The rule seems to be, if there is not a fence or guardrail, it is open to drive on. According to this report, the car left the expressway and the ramp and drove over a median where it collided with the Spyder.

My first reaction to this article was the typical, "What an idiot - letting her 13 year old drive.", but then I realized that was exactly the response that the reporter was after. Physically, most 13 year olds are capable of driving a Spyder. They don't have the "road/traffic" experience to be good drivers, nor do they have the emotional or Action/Consequences make-up to be considered responsible, but the Spyder does offer the chance for very direct supervision by an adult. Like one50npump said above; "Ok, maybe they shouldnt have been driving on a busy road, but whos parents didnt let them drive when they were 13? My dad let me drive all the time around the block, country roads, etc.. Ya'all must be city people." Yes, this could have been the case of a mother spending some quality time with her daughter, building skills and enjoying each other, when from out of nowhere, this car . . . . .

This accident was a terrible thing to have had happened. There were at least 3 people who's lives were dramatically altered with lots of pain and anguish. But none of us were there or know the people involved or KNOW what happened. We can only wish them all the best outcome and be careful ourselves.

Tom

 

[Bersquack]

I'm sorry! It's one thing to let a 13 year old drive on a country road and another to let them drive on the freeway. This was pure and simply dumb.

I guess they are now spending quality time together in the hospital.

This accident should have never happened. I hope they get better soon.

 

[Tom in NM]

Dumb?

I'm sorry! It's one thing to let a 13 year old drive on a country road and another to let them drive on the freeway. This was pure and simply dumb.

I guess they are now spending quality time together in the hospital.

This accident should have never happened. I hope they get better soon.

The Spyder was not on the expressway. The Spyder was on a the access road to the express way. The car exited from the express way, then drove off the Off Ramp, cut across a median and struck them. The car was trying to take a short cut to get on a street before where the exit ramp merged into traffic.

I am pretty sure this is WHERE it happened, with the car going South and the Spyder on the access road.

You can see the end of the Exit Ramp is well beyond the turn-in for the housing development.

And, this happens to be about a block ( a TEXAS block ) away from Sea World.

I know this sounds crazy - who in their right mind would DRIVE their car off an Off Ramp - which was the point of my email - it is not considered especially crazy in Texas. Most likely, the people on the Spyder could have been in a car, horseback, on bicycles, on foot and still have been hit by the car.

Tom