This week we had a motorcycle fatality near Helena. We also had an accident last week where a guy broke his neck but lived (haven't had an update in the news recently). Both failed to negotiated a curve, and hit a guardrail. In both cases speed was not a factor. The guy who survived was 40 years old, on a 72 Harley, drunk, and no gear to speak of, certainly no helmet. The guy who died was 54 years old, wearing a helmet and sober (no idea what kind of bike).
After work I rode down that road where the fatality happened. I didn't see the other location but I believe the difference between the two is that he hit the guardrail head-on, where it turned a corner and stopped at a private driveway. I believe the other one merely bounced off the guardrail. The head-on bent the guardrail quite a bit. You can see right where he hit (regardless of the memorial bits that have since been placed there).
I don't really have a conclusion or a punchline. Just be careful out there, kids.
