Skip to main content

Tough on two wheels

Motorcyclists in Scotland have faced a tough time in recent months. One biker had the misfortune to collide with a sheep that had wandered into the road and in the resulting impact, broke his hip socket, pelvis and collarbone as well as cracking seven ribs and suffering a collapsed lung. His Honda motorcycle burst into flames and melted the surface of the road, leaving a bubbly texture. After five weeks in hospital the man returned home to find a letter from Aberdeenshire council containing an invoice for t
February 23, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Motorcyclists in Scotland have faced a tough time in recent months. One biker had the misfortune to collide with a sheep that had wandered into the road and in the resulting impact, broke his hip socket, pelvis and collarbone as well as cracking seven ribs and suffering a collapsed lung. His 2288 Honda motorcycle burst into flames and melted the surface of the road, leaving a bubbly texture. After five weeks in hospital the man returned home to find a letter from Aberdeenshire council containing an invoice for the road repair. In addition to the man’s serious injuries, his motorcycle as totally destroyed in the crash while the jaywalking sheep died. However the council said that claiming against the rider was standard practice, pointing out that he could sue the farmer, if it could be proven that the animal had been allowed to stray.

Meanwhile another Scottish biker has the dubious honour of being the country’s fastest ever speeder, clocking 265km/h (166mph) on his Suzuki as he roared past police. The hairdresser pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving and while he took an advanced driving course immediately after the incident, has since decided to sell his performance motorcycle.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Concern at high number of motorcycle deaths in US
    May 20, 2016
    Concern has been expressed at the high number of fatalities involving motorcycle users in the US during 2015. Preliminary figures from state authorities show that over 5,000 people were killed in motorcycle crashes in the US over the course of 2015. The full data has yet to be compiled and analysed but these early figures suggest an increase in motorcyclist deaths of 10% for 2014 compared with 2015, or around 450 more people killed than in the year previously. The report was released as part of the Gove
  • Seasonal spirits
    February 19, 2014
    In Poland a Santa Claus and his helper had an excessive quantity of seasonal spirit, resulting in a serious sleigh incident. The two were smiling and waving at passersby from their horse-drawn sleigh when the noise of a vehicle horn startled the animal.
  • Thailand’s dangerous roads prove risky for users
    January 4, 2016
    Late December and early January has proven to be a dangerous time to use the roads in Thailand. Official data shows that there were 3,092 road crashes, causing 3,216 injuries and 340 deaths in the period between the 29th December 2015 and the 3rd January 2016. The death toll was the highest in Nakhon Ratchasima at 15, while the number of injuries and accidents were the highest in Chiang Mai, both at 125. A total of 339 crashes occurred nationwide on 3 January 2016 with 361 injuries and 48 deaths. Among the
  • Concern at high rate of crashes in Asia
    July 5, 2017
    There is concern at the high rate of road crashes across Asia. An increase in vehicle ownership has seen congestion grow in many Asian cities.