[cyberhippie]

Just heard the tragic news that two friends from Scotland were involved in a bike accident near to Palolem. One of whom died on the spot.

Please if you are going to ride a bike in Goa ride carefully and slowly, it only takes a cow, chicken, stray dog or in this case a truck at night to turn a wonderful trip into a tradgedy!!!

My thoughts go out to all the families involved in Mallaig, where they both came from.

[dzibead]

My condolences to you and your friend's family.  

[Ray kelleher]

Sad news indeed Cyberhippy. But sadly it's becoming an all to frequent thing these days One of the lads from Coventry got killed on his bike the other year in Goa, such a sad waste of life, and my heart go's out to the folks back home in Scotland .....

[YETI]

I'm sorry to hear about your friends, CH, and my thoughts go out to their families too

As you've said, the Goan roads can be pretty hairy at the best of times.

Please be careful, everyone.

[Judi]

What sad news, cyber     My heart goes out to the families ...... it's never good at any time, but at this time of year (certainly in the UK) the Christmas 'jollity' is relentless, and suffering such a great loss now must be a nightmare.

[cyberhippie]

Both had spent upwards of 4 years in Goa over the last ten, so knew the roads.

The whole village wil be in shock as it's a tight knit community and at least 40 of them have been to Palolem and know the two lads well.

Tragic is the only word I can use!!

[Shilpaks]

this is v saddening news my heart goes out to the family and everyone in the community.

Edited by Shilpaks, 07 December 2006 - 09:57 AM.

[jyotirmoy]

My heart goes out to the family too. Two wheelers are risky. So many die every year in Delhi.

[Sudheer Poppa]

Very upsetting news indeed.

While I have rode mobike in many places over the last 12 years, there is someting quite different about driving in Goa. I always tend to get carried away, no clue why. Especially in the winding roads, I am not too sure if it is personal or does everyone feel different while driving in Goa ?

[Judi]

I'd feel a lot happier if our own Goan motorcyclist (aka Howie) checked in here every now and then  

[jyoti]

I'm so sorry to hear that.  What an awful thing.

[YETI]

sudheer, on Dec 7 2006, 12:33 PM, said:

While I have rode mobike in many places over the last 12 years, there is someting quite different about driving in Goa. I always tend to get carried away, no clue why. Especially in the winding roads, I am not too sure if it is personal or does everyone feel different while driving in Goa ?

I know what you mean, sudheer.

My driving's pretty atrocious in Goa, too. I think it's a combination of things - the usual pretty scary Indian roads / style of driving, foreigners getting onto bikes and heading off without really knowing how to ride one properly and - an important one this - those great long, windy bits of road you get in the South.

Approaching Palolem, there's a beautiful well-tarmacced bit on NH-17 heading up into the Western Ghats  that just begs you to open your bike up. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't succumbed to the temptation to fly along like a lunatic more times than I'd care to admit.

But even if you're a safe rider and know the roads like CH's mates you could still be unlucky and come across a truck driver who's been trying to keep himself awake for too long. They're dangerous roads and this thread's been pretty sobering for me.

Edited by Dr Funkenstein, 07 December 2006 - 06:15 PM.

[priya]

Tragic news indeed, CH. Sadly, at this time of the year, many families will be in mourning.

Take care out there, everyone, especially those on two wheels.

[vandy]

Sad news, condolences to everyone affected.

motor bikes can be dangerous anywhere, take care all you bikers.

rgds, paul vandy  

[digital drifter]

CH,

That's tragic.

it's always those who least deserve to get their tickets punched, get it, isn't it these days?

[torryquine]

I'm very sorry to hear your news CH, their families must be devastated.

Be careful on the raods all of you, wherever you are.

[cyberhippie]

Thanks for all the kind words!

In a Indian exercise in expediency, my mate will be with his family tonight.

My other friend is stable but pretty smashed up.

Sad Christmas for some   

[captmahajan]

Sad news. Heres hoping the families stay strong.

[HowieUK]

Real bad news!

Being a biker myself I know the dangers only too well as some of you remember.

The habit in Goa is to ride helmetless either because of the heat or to look 'cool'
I assure you all it's not cool to land on your head on the road even at a slow speed as one thirty something guy found out a month or two back here in Arambol. He went down a pot hole on his front wheel, came off the bike and died a few days later in hospital leaving a widow and child.

Take extra care out there.

Howie

[Mervin]

Hello people..

it is rather sad to hear that. But two wheeler in India is a very common means of transport these days. We shoudl educate people os proper riding tips may be we cannot stop disasters but rather stop them.
I wonder how some people even get license for the kind of riding I have seen. not being political but its a fact and I guess you guys agree with it.