Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge We're Invisible

Yes, we are invisible. I've been riding for 40 years and had 3 collisions back in my "Yute". All 3 drivers said the same thing - "I didn't see him"!!! BULL! I realized after the third collision that I was invisible. No one else knew I was in the world. I thank God that He's kept me safe since then. I was 17 years old at the third wreck.

My #2 riding buddy was T-Boned by a drunk driver yesterday on his GoldWing. He was with 4 other riders and I would have been with him if I hadn't been called out to work.

The other riders noticed he was missing after a few miles and turned back to find him separated from his bike on the side of the road and unconscience.
He was flown to Huntsville Hospital in Alabama, where he was sent to the trauma ICU.

The drunk driver had been reported an hour earlier for crossing lanes and running stop signs but the police hadn't caught him yet.

Tom McCoy is his name , and he is a brother for sure. I have ridden with many riders over the years and Tom's constant grin lets you know how much he loves "The Ride".
He always stops for a waterfall, or a cluster of flowers. To Tom, it's all about the ride.
He has 75,000 miles on his 2004 Honda - so he is a rider.

Tom needs your prayers. Forget the thoughts, unless you are a regular at praying - thoughts do nothing but fuel depression, which is only anger without enthusiasm. But
prayers work. Thanks!

His injuries: Shattered left foot and ankle with compound fractures, multiple fractures of pelvis, ruptured bladder, ruptured spleen.
They performed 3 surgeries on his left foot trying to restore circulation and save it, but he continues to lose blood - he's received 27 pints of blood in the past 31 hours. The doctors are trying to find out if the blood loss is in his foot or pelvis. Hello?!?!? They've been in his lower leg already and if blood was lost there, it would show. His abdomen is severely distended. Doesn't it make sense that if he is losing blood in his abdomen, that there is not enough pressure to feed blood to his foot?

I am really worried about him.

Cell phone users we can avoid if we are vigilant, drunk drivers come out of no where.

Thanks for your support of Tom and his precious family.
I Love Ya'll - you're the best!

Mods: I wanted to post this in Safety, but subtopics weren't appropriate there.

What really sucks is this drunk will probably get off with a slap on the wrist.His defense will be "But I didn't see him," Of course not, you were sheetfaced you idiot!!And of course we are all invisable. Godspeed on your friends recovery.Keep us posted.Peace,Charlie.

I thought at first to not reply to your post I usually don't reply to posts of bad news. I am not a praying man, haven't been for many years, but I will say one for your Friend. I had a Friend like that once.

Dennis -
I will say a prayer. Please give my best to your and his family. Also, since it was a drunk driver, I am assuming that they caught him (?). If so, make sure your friend or a member of his family gets in touch with the prosecutor's office and the victim advocate for that agency and press their rights. He/they may also want to contact the local MADD chapter as they also have advocates to assist victims such as these. I don't know what your local DUI laws are, but here there would be an aggravated assault charge out of an accident like this as well.
Wish your friend a speedy recovery!
Becky

Prayers are on the Way! Send Him our Best Wishes! And hope You are doing OK also.

Dennis,

I regret hereing the news of your post. Tom is in my family's prayers. Please keep our "family" hear abreast of his recovery. God bless.

Steve B.

Sorry to hear of this, Dennis.

My thoug.....OKAY!!!

I hope you realize that this praying thing here goes against all my better judgement, BUT just for you('cuz I like ya) I'm gonna try this here thing for your friend.

(I hope it works...I REALLY DO!!!)

I am sorry to hear about your friend, I hope he can recover, I will say a prayer for him........

Prayers said, Dennis.

My best wishes to your friend Dennis. With any luck they will find alcohol in the car.

My thoughts and prayers for your friend.

Dennis,
Your friend and his family are on my prayer list. I know prayer works and he has mine. Ride safe and God bless

Give him my best wishes and a prayer for recovery from one Alabamian to another.

I must admit Dennis I do not say prayers, but I will tonight, hope your friend recovers, and the DUI gets what he deserves.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

And Tom will be there.

Thanks for making a post about your friend.I do not like the bad news of fellow biker going down,especially from being hit by a drunk driver.This unfortunate news does make us aware of this wrong doing,and prayers can't hurt.Best of luck to Tom and his family. Get well soon Tom.

Skillet,
I hope your friend makes a full recovery. I'll be praying for him and his family.

Prayers for you, with your worried mind, prayers for your friend,Tom, with his broken body. God luv ya both.

Thanks to all from Tom's wife and myself. BECKY - Thanks for the advice.

UPDATE: Tom's swelling is going down and has had to take no more blood since late Tuesday morning. They found a pulse in his left foot, but his doctor thinks it's too little too late. They reduced his sedation drugs and allowed him to respond to stimuli, which he has done by sqeezing hands, facial expressions, etc. The doctors even tried to remove his ventilator, but had to keep him on it for now because of the morphine. His pelvic fractures are the step and may reduce those fractures tomorrow or Friday. His color is getting better, and the black is turning purple and blue.

His wife asked the insurance agent where the bike was, so they could get personal belongings out of the saddlebags. The insurance agent said "there are no saddlebags. this is not a totalled motorcycle - it is demolished".
Kim and I talked about Tom's mental state during his long and brutal recovery - She said she believes Tom will want to ride again. Or at least hopes he can. He is 49 years old and his working days are now over.

Thanks Again!

Dennis -
Glad to hear that there is marked improvement!!!! PM sent.
If you need any thing let me know.
Becky

Dennis, I am so sorry to hear about Tom. Prayers are said and I hope his improvement countinues.

Dave

Continuing my prayers, Dennis.

Dennis, Tom is now in my families prayers as well as all that have been touched by this event.

Thanks Brother!
Please be vigilant in the saddle!!!

Skillet,

I hope your friend makes a speedy recovery.
What a bummer!

heads up,powder dry! i'm glad he is getting better. may god be with him and his family.. ride safe! joe

UPDATE:
Tom's been off the ventilator for over a day now and doing very well, other than constant excruciating pain. He recognizes everyone and can move all his limbs. He told his Mom last night, "I wish I was riding my bike tonight".
He will have his pelvis operated on tomorrow (Monday) and probably another attempt to fix his foot, which is still on, but the surgeon says he has nothing to work with. He does have a pulse in his foot, but may be too little too late.
Ya'll Ride Real Safe!

Please let your friend know that he's got alot of people
pulling for him that he hasn't met yet!
Uncle Charlie

Just saw this...
Prayers and say Hi to him ...
he's got lots of people pulling for him!
Mary

A note from Tom's wife Kim:

September 18, 2007 at 07:49 PM CDT
Tom had blood clots in the bladder today with serious pain. They were able to get this under control this afternoon. He will have the front pelvic surgery sometime Thursday. They will hold off on the back pelvic surgery due to breakage of the skin and deep bruising. After discussions of the seriousness of the left leg and foot with the Orthopedic surgeons, Tom has decided to have the amputation, which will be from below the left knee. This area and the foot had turned black due to dying tissue. He said the chronic pain and risk factors of the situation were too great for a productive life.
Continue to pray for Tom & I. Thanks so much for the visits, cards and gifts, money donations and prayers.
Kim

I am proud of my friend and brother TOM. He is courageously looking at the long term effects and what will get him riding again as soon as possible. He's great! I wish ya'll could see his smile when he rides.

Went to see Tom McCoy last Wednesday, and he is out of the woods except for having his left foot amputated midway down the shin last Thursday along with initial pelvic fracture reduction. They will finish his pelvis surgery next Tuesday and then move him to a regular room for a couple weeks, while he's fitted with a prosthesis. Then he may go home. Yesterday, we talked a little about his wreck and though he had lost that part of his memory, he's recently been reminded by a few nightmares. He has a long road to rehab, but I promised I'd be with him. He wants me to go motorcycle shopping with him after Christmas, asking if he should get an automatic or electric shifter on another Gold Wing. I told him to wait and see what was most comfortable. I can't wait to see that grin on his face again.
Thanks to all of you for your concerns and prayers.
Remember to be watchful.

Dennis-
I am SO GLAD that things have gone so well for Tom!!!! This is great news!

I don't mean to hijack this, but this event and a couple others have made me think of my own mortality while out on the bike. I won't give it up thats for sure, but I suppose I should make sure "my house is in order" in case something really bad happens. I don't want to leave my family with a mess to sort out, and not knowing what I want in that event.

So take care out there, all of you!!!!
Becky

Hmmmmm. So the guy's talkin' about gettin' an automatic or electric shifter on a new Gold Wing while he's still in the hospital, huh?!

People! You can forget these threads that occassionally pop up around here about what constitutes a "real biker"...a "1%er", or "I can ride better/faster than you" types, or "You can't be a biker unless you ride this certain brand of motorcycle", OR any other variations on the theme.

Dennis here knows a real biker, folks!

My prayers to him and wish him the best. I'm sure he is getting good medical care and let him know the motorcycle community cares.

Although this will do nothing for Tom, today an Austin jury sent a drunk driver to jail for 30 years for killing a woman. They are common criminals and should be treated as such.