rider crashes, then falls 40 ft off of a bridge in Austin

[sweatmachine]

Don't do this:

http://www.kvue.com/news/Motorcycle-accident-shuts-down-lane-of-MoPac-144248705.html

 

[jphickory]

Wow - 40 feet uncontrolled fall to concrete/asphalt surface with live traffic and already listed in good condition. He owes his guardian angel a big raise.

 

[Jimbon]

Was he wearing a magic helmet or is this just like crashing into the ground at what speed (I'm assuming he landed on his head)?

 

[jphickory]

Unlikely he landed directly on his head. More likely his helmet hit the ground as a secondary impact after his body. He would have hit the pavement with a velocity of about 35 mph. Hitting a non yielding surface at that speed would often be lethal. This is entirely different than crashing on a motorcycle at speed and sliding down the road. He went from 35 mph to zero in a fraction of a second. The sudden deceleration is what kills.

 

[loxpump]

It's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop at the end.

 

[Flaco]

Interesting... Not...