So I’m walkin’ on my way to work this morning, mindin’ my own business… I’m the first one to cross the intersection SB at Hoover & Jefferson when I hear the revving engine of a motorcycle. I look to my left and there’s this guy on his bike in the #2 lane jumping and weaving out of control…. and approaching fast. He zooms through the crosswalk at around 30 mph about five feet behind me (I’m about halfway through the street at this time) and I turn to see him collide with the front third of a guy on a bicycle going through the crosswalk/intersection. There’s a large crashing sound, debris goes flying, and lots of students gather around. I call USC DPS emergency number (lots of kids are on their cellphones too) and the dispatcher says they’ve received the call and LAFD is on the way. Some people get the motorbike and bicycle out of the intersection.  A few minutes later LAFD arrives and the two vic’s are transported in the same ambulance (a bit of an irony). Even a student fro the Daily Trojan was there (the right place at the right time?). Fortunately, even seconds after the accident both victims were up and walking about. Thankfully the driver of the motorcycle was wearing a helmet because after he slammed headlong into the bicycle he skid into the front fender of a white 4-dr. Taurus that was waiting to make a left turn. I wait for half an hour for LAPD to show up but I decide to leave and let DPS give LAPD my contact/witness info. The only one left waiting besides the few DPS officers was the poor guy in the Taurus because he needed to get a report for insurance reasons. This was my brush with if not death then most certainly severe trauma.

The driver of the motorcycle really pisses me off. He should know how to control his own vehicle. I don’t know if he lost control or was intentionally trying to make the light. My guess is that when he saw the yellow he sped up to try to make it but was too far away to get through because of the pedestrians. Either way he would’ve slammed into something. And there almost wasn’t a Phil at work today in the sound department. I’m making DAMN SURE that the intersection is safe from now on before I cross. It’s no surprise that most CHP officer fatalities occur having to do with traffic control. People don’t realize that they’re diving WEAPONS, not toys, games, or even rights. They’re a privilege and I hope that privilege gets taken away from the motorcyclist for a long time if he hasn’t learned his lesson already. What a jerk.