Hi,Heading home at 630pm confirmed fatality on west carriageway on A40 (westway flyover section) just after Paddington slip road before left hand bend.
Bike was Suzuki GSZR Blue/White (unknown cc), red blanket in middle lane, bike 50 metres further up the road crashed into central divider leaking fluids.
R.I.P
There was an accident in the same spot yesterday or day before but only involving cars.
Please, be careful on this flyover, people go too fast on it in cars and in my opinion it is deceptive as drivers feel they are on a motorway but the lanes are narrower and filled with city traffic.
In fact, ahead of me tonight was another biker who went for it between cars on the lane dividers, almost got wiped out by rubber neckers but even the sight of the obvious red blanket in the road didn’t slow him down.
Leaving my office in Bayswater tonight, taking a detour via the Target roundabout and the A40 Westway I notice East Bound Carriage is closed, a little further toward the West End and there’s an R1 upright with a blanket on the road.
Somebody lost their life tonight on the way home from work - take care.
I was present just as this truly terrible accident happened this evening. I’m not a biker or part of your community, so I hope you don’t mind my posting a message here. But I just wanted to take the time to say, especially to anyone who knew and cared for this man, that my thoughts are with you.
Come to think of it, now I realise what the different yellowish patches near the central divider are (before or on the long left hand bend), which seem to have sprung up over the last month.
Sand from accident clean-ups.
Please take extra care on this stretch of road, the yellow patches speak for themselves.
I was caught up in the traffic today which is of no consequence because someone has lost their life and the family members and friends will be devastated.
I have to say, that I drive in every day on the A40 and I am horrified and astounded at the way bikers weave in and out all of the time and seem to assume that all car drivers can anticipate every move.
I feel compelled to write this to perhaps save lives as I can honestly say that I totally appreciate that bikers feel car drivers should be more observant but I cannot possibly know that I am going to be overtaken on both sides of my car, at pace and be expected to see every time.
I know there are plenty of safe riders but many seem to have the same disregard for car drivers and bikers say car drivers have for them.
We have both made our choices regarding our mode of transport and should all take more care.
I am angry that an innocent life has been lost and felt compelled to write something about it.
Please don’t assume I am anti-bikes, I am totally not but if you are one of those who take the same journey in, please take care of yourselves.
I don’t drive a car Kevin but I do agree with you, sometimes car drivers get a rough ride from bikers. For the very reasons you mentioned, I do try and avoid passing on 1 side when there is already a bike on the other side, just in case the driver suddenly swerves into the other bike, probably resulting in the rider blaming the car driver for not looking.
At the end of the day, we all want to get home safely and in one piece. Seems the bridge works at gypsy corner is totally screwing up the A40 and when thats done, the traffic will move a bit better allowing more space for us all.
Seems its been a tragic week all round for motorcyclists, RIP all those who’ve paid the ultimate price.
I hate riding on Westway during the daytime as it always seems busy and it is very difficult to filter on as the lanes are so narrow, the cars are very close together. Much of the time you are relying on the goodwill of kind people like Kevin Beaconsfield (thanks for posting, Kevin), who move aside to let us through. When the traffic is very heavy it is very frustrating for both bikers and car drivers alike so I can well see how these accidents happen.
My take on that stretch of road would be that ‘most’ car drivers don’t see that section of road as a motorway at all(I know it isn’t now, although it use to be once upon a time) and therefore drive in lanes 2 and 3. I figure this is because those lanes are the Westbound lanes to continue on the A40, lane 1 is the slip road to the West Cross route. I do know how infuriating this is when cagers don’t practice lane discipline (especially when the roads are semi clear) and this will lead to the less patient of us undertaking, possibly at speed to make ‘a point’ to the driver in question. Driver suddenly realises what he/she is doing or see something in the mirror and wants to correct it…bang. Quick lane change, biker who shouldn’t have been there just as much asthe driver who shouldn’t in the first place.I know this to be the case because I’ve driven that stretch of road for the past 10yearsand I’ve been the impatient rider in the past…
I want to stress I have no idea how or why this or yesterdays accident happened…this is just my courier’s 6th sense on this perticular stretch of road as to what happened, nothing else, nothing more.
Horrific. RIP to the rider.In terms of this road, up until this week, I’ve ridden every day on this road and I’ve only seen one bike down until this week in about 6 months of riding, its wierd that its been this week we’ve seen two riders down. Could it be the fact that we’ve had more riders on the road as the weather improves and people are riding harder in the better conditions and perhaps are a bit rusty?
This week, I’ve commuted in the car rather than on the bike and I think that the number of ar$e-holes in cars on this road far far outweigh the number of ar$e-hole bikers (of which there certainly are a few I’m not denying that)… There is absolutely no discipline on this road from cars, I was actually saying to a mate of mine who I was driving home on Wednesday that I might mount a camera on my dashboard and send it to the police, people undertaking because people in the outside lane dont use their mirrors, people changing lanes and in many cases multiple lanes without indicating, its unreal. It’s frightening. However, not to just bash car drivers, the dick head bikers who are undertaking cars and weaving in a out of traffic at 50, 60, 70 and 80mph are nuts. And then there is the issue of speed on this stretch of road. It’s a 50, which is a fair speed on that road in my opinion, what isnt a fair speed is 60,70 or 80mph on the road. The surface isnt the best, there are lots of “joint’s” in the road, some as the road bends which affects both cars and bikes I think…
I must admit, when i ride on this section of road, I ride probably the most defensivly I do in all of london. I work as hard as I can to try to ensure I know whats going on in front, to my side and behind me. I will rarely sit in the middle lane, rather, I would be in the inside lane, or the outside lane to try to reduce the number of opportunities for me to be taken out by a car or another bike.
I’m anti speed camera, but i’m starting to think that installing an average speed, speed camera or a series of them could be a wise move?
I think anyone riding that stretch of road in the next few weeks should expect to see police presence and possibly cameras… look out for the unmarked focus’s and mondeo’s
I used this road every working day for 3 years in the late 80’s and now for the last 4 years and never saw anything until I had to stare at an uncovered body for nearly an hour last Wed. Whats going on? What caused these deaths? Agreed that drivers/riders go too fast on this stretch - but even so…
My wife and I were one of the first cars to arrive on the scene of this accident on Friday afternoon last-it happened at c 17.42 as that is the time we tried to call the emergency services. We offered assistance but a very competant gentleman already on the scene who was a doctor confirmed that there was nothing we could do. I have unfortunately seen a number of accidents over the years but my wife who is a nurse (hence our reason for stopping) was very shaken. We would like to acknowledge the poor mans passing and extend our sympathy and condolences to his family and friends.
We are now back in Dublin but have been thinking and reflecting on this experience and we are both absolutely convinced that the man who died had a very real presence as there was an amazing air of stillness and calm just after the accident and it seemed as if time had just taken a breadth.-even the manic Friday evening traffic seemed suspended in time.
He is in our prayers-Ar Dheis De go raibh a ainim:
RIP to this poor rider and all involved - I am certain the images will stay with all involved for a while to come .
How do all these " non riding " commuters know about London Bikers then to be able to post these messages ? - Are we to assume that there may have been LB stickers on the stricken bike and it maybe one of our members ?
Or is it just that we are the home of all things motorcycling in our fair capital and a natural place for people to come to to vent their ( understandable ) concerns ?
I have to admit that this has made me think a little more about my ride to BMM on a Weds as I quite often go a little faster than necessary on that stretch of the westway for no other reason than " it feels good " - REALLY makes you think doesn’t it !
I was at the scene on last weeks crash. It was horrific and as a result of this and my best pal dying from a bike accident seven years ago (he hit some brand new, unpainted speed bumps at a regular speed and wrapped himself round a lampost.) I’ve decided to sell my bike. Its not worth it for me and i dont want my family finding out that they’ve lost a father because I wanted to get home quicker or some twat wanted to overtake me. i was there when my friend died in hospital, along with his mum, dad and wife.
The incident on the Westway was terrible and just shows that no matter how good a rider you are, there is always a car or a lorry that will lane swerve or brake heavy for no reason.
RIP bikers last week and good luck to the rest of you
