ROCKLAND, Maine — Police Chief Bruce Boucher acknowledged Monday afternoon he was a lucky man.
The chief was at the scene of a motorcycle crash on New County Road in Rockland shortly before 2 p.m. when lightning struck a utility pole that was a few feet from where he was standing.
“There was this loud blast and I was ready to hit the ground,” Boucher said.
Fire Chief Charles Jordan Jr., who was about 90 feet away from the pole, said he heard the booming thunderclap almost simultaneous with the bolt of lightning.
“You should go out and buy a lottery ticket,” Jordan told Boucher.
Details on the crash were not available Monday afternoon. The motorcyclist was heading east on New County Road during the height of the storm, which brought torrential rains, when a pickup truck pulling a trailer made a left turn in front of the motorcyclist, Boucher said.
The impact threw the motorcycle operator about 90 feet and he was found under a large storage trailer at a nearby business. The man’s name was not immediately available. Boucher said the man suffered injuries but he could not speculate on whether they were life-threatening.
Deputy Police Chief Wally Tower said he expected he would be able to provide information with names of those involved on Tuesday morning.
Central Maine Power Co. crews were called to repair damage to the utility pole.
**Details on the crash were not available Monday afternoon.** The
motorcyclist was heading east on New County Road during the height of
the storm, which brought torrential rains, when a pickup truck pulling a
trailer made a left turn in front of the motorcyclist, Boucher said.
The impact threw the motorcycle operator about 90 feet and he was
found under a large storage trailer at a nearby business. The man’s name
was not immediately available. Boucher said the man suffered injuries
but he could not speculate on whether they were life-threatening.
Are you SURE details were not available Monday afternoon? (Hint: It’s Monday afternoon.)
Hot tub time machine
“The man’s name was not immediately available. Boucher said the man suffered injuries but he could not speculate on whether they were life-threatening.Deputy Police Chief Wally Tower said he expected he would be able to provide information with names of those involved on Tuesday morning.”
Suppose those could be the details?
What is it about cars and trucks making last minute left turns in front of motorcycles? Is it just that they are stupid, distracted, or unconscious?
Seen it 1000’s of times…no signal or only one blink of the signal and on-coming traffic watch out! Neither Loud pipes or bright lights seems to make any difference.
Motorcycles are invisible.
They are NOT invisible, but must work at being visible.
Wear a reflective/bright vest, not black leather; headlight on all times; be on the lookout for ALL other drivers first, you are NOT inside a steel cage, etc.
Everyone has obligations out on the road, but if it was MY life, I am inside a steel cage, just saying…
What part of “during the height of the storm, which brought torrential rains,” don’t you get ???
Maybe the prudent thing is for cyclists to pull over, under shelter during a storm?
Regardless of the driver in front any operator of any vehicle is responsible to follow only at a safe distance by which they can react to the unexpected. Me thinks speed may have been a factor? Thrown 185′ on a 30 MPH street? Doesn’t add up.
Trucks towing a boat, etc. trailer ‘swing wide’ to make the turn; often it looks like they are turning right and then they turn left.
I’d bet the cycle was following too close or driving to fast—185′ is going pretty damn fast…..it’s also a Maine reflex to put on your turn signal 2 ft. before the intersection.
Agreed, LOTS of people do not signal, truckers, motorcyclists, even police cruisers.
But also a lot of people (car drivers, truckers, motorcyclists) do not focus on the road ahead and reduce their speed to fit conditions, and reduce maneuvers to assume the worst?
A stopped vehicle might mean a left turn, can you outrun them? Possibly, in good weather, but not in a storm…
If it were me I would take the hint.