Wisconsin surgeon isn't immune to motorcycle crash
A motorcycle last month collided with a deer, causing serious injuries. The accident occurred north of Coon Valley, about 110 miles northwest of Madison in Vernon County.
DR. CRAIG A. DOPF
The recent fatal motorcycle crash on Highway 14 near Cross Plains in western Dane County compelled me to share my perspective shaped by both passion and experience. The rider could have been participating in the Crud Run, the longstanding motorcycle ride between Pine Bluff and Leland, though the Dane
County Sheriff’s Office has not answered that question.
I have ridden motorcycles for 25 years without an accident. As a retired orthopedic surgeon, I also treated roughly 100 motorcycle injuries during my career. Both experiences have taught me a great deal about the joy and risks of riding.
Years ago, my young son and I were driving to the Rocky Mountains when an interstate was closed following a motorcycle crash. From an overpass, we could see the scene below. The rider was dead, and his friends parked their motorcycles nearby, sitting quietly along the highway, heads bowed. It was a sobering sight neither of us has forgotten.
During my career, I repeatedly encountered familiar contributors to motorcycle crashes and injuries:
■ No helmet.
■ Alcohol.
■ Speeding.
■ Entering curves too fast.
■ Gravel, leaves, nuts, wet tar or pavement reducing traction.
■ Riding country roads at night during deer season.
■ Inexperienced riders whose confidence exceeds their skills.
■ Following too closely.
■ Assuming other drivers can see you.
I never ride in another driver’s blind spot. I never assume someone backing out of a driveway, crossing an intersection or changing lanes sees me. I ride as though invisible to other drivers and approach tight turns expecting gravel around the bend.
I love riding — the acceleration, wind, unobstructed view and camaraderie. But 25 accident-free years do not make me immune to a crash. I have been fortunate and tried to learn from others' tragedies.
People still rely on me. For them, I need to be responsible. For myself, I also need to enjoy life. Motorcycling demands a balance of risk and enjoyment, experience and caution — and never assuming experience makes us invulnerable.
After writing this, I shared it with a friend who serves as chief of emergency medicine at a Midwestern university hospital. His response was a sobering reminder:
"Of course, the folks who made it to you for care were the lucky ones," he said. "At least 25% of the people that I see never make it that far."
His observation underscores a reality every motorcyclist should remember: Not every rider involved in a serious crash survives long enough to receive orthopedic care.
Dopf lives in Verona.
