After the accident at the intersection of Nīcgales and Dzelzavas streets in Riga, the injured motorcyclist publicly shared his version of what happened for the first time. The man disagrees with the BMW driver's claim about high speed and believes that the collision could have been avoided.
The motorcyclist injured in the accident involving a BMW in Purvciems has presented his own version of the incident after a segment aired on the show Degpunktā (TV3). The man is currently continuing treatment in the hospital and says that many publications about the 'terrifying speed' of the motorcycle do not correspond to reality.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Nīcgales and Dzelzavas streets in Riga. After the collision, the motorcyclist sustained moderate injuries and was taken to the hospital.
In the first report, the BMW driver, Elena, stated that she was making a left turn and saw the motorcyclist allegedly moving at a very high speed.
"As soon as I could, I hit the brakes, but it was already too late," she claimed.
However, the motorcyclist himself, Juris, says that the situation looked different.
"I have already received various publications in the media saying that I was supposedly flying at a terrifying speed," he said.
According to the man, after the impact, he was thrown only a few meters, which, in his opinion, does not align with the version of high speed.
"If the speed had been high — where would I have been and where would the motorcycle be?" — says Juris.
He explained that he was riding in the right lane, and another vehicle was moving next to him. At some point, he accelerated slightly to maneuver ahead of the car, and then he noticed the BMW beginning to turn.
The motorcyclist claims that he immediately started to brake and tried to move to the right to avoid the collision.
"I was already moving to the right to give the person a chance to realize and hit the brakes," he recalls.
Nevertheless, the collision occurred roughly in the center of the intersection.
Juris admits that the consequences could have been much worse. According to him, protective gear helped significantly.
"Thank God I was on a large motorcycle, and the car hit not my leg but directly into the engine part," the man said.
After the impact, he lost consciousness for a short time.
"Then there was one black moment, then I opened my eyes and saw a clear blue sky," Juris recalls.
He specifically thanked the manufacturers of the gear and urged other motorcyclists not to neglect protection. He stated that a helmet, gloves, and a motorcycle jacket are especially important, as well as specialized boots and pants.
In conclusion, the man addressed both drivers and motorcyclists.
He urged car drivers to be more attentive at intersections and reminded motorcyclists that they often remain poorly visible to other road users.
The story of the accident in Purvciems has once again sparked debates about how difficult it is for car drivers to accurately assess the speed of motorcycles and how quickly a normal road situation can end in a serious collision.
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