Floridamax
08-12-2009, 12:13 PM
Hey folks, Joined back in april when I bought my 89 VMax. I was stoked and called my "big" brother to chat about bikes. Bill was an avid member of xjbikes.com forum and was becoming the "go to" guy for their bikes. He fully restored his xj 650 to show room and rode it every chance he got. So involved in his passion for motorcycles he had already purchased/rescued his next project bike he was going to restore to ride with his son. Bill was an average guy, safe rider and always their to help. He said' " VMAX, hmmm that is a sweet bike, alot of power too, you'll enjoy it just becareful" The situation is ironic. You see I was pushing 125 mph 12 hours before Bill was putting along at 45 and he had his accident. He knew my love for speed and we had a chat about the risks of riding. Bill said " be confident on where you are going in lfe and in death and all will be good, So get right with GOD Dave and leave the rest to HIM".
The massive support from the biking community, both local riders and from around the world, brings me back to vmaxforum.net with a new respect and desire to be apart of the community.
What happened? The story is tragic with some surreal twist. He was driving to work , less than a mile from home. A driver was turning into the drive a a close family friend of Bill. She said she didn't see him. Well I reviewed the accident site and the sun is shining right down the road making visibility hard, but she was also distracted by the fact she had missed the drive two other times. She was their to pick up Bills family friends children for school. One of the girls witnessed the event and the driver had a 12 year old in the rear passenger seat (the impact site).
I give the back ground to show that not all accidents are due to major malfunctions. Some are cumulative and result in horrific endings. My brother is gone, his children and wife are devasted, Bills friends are struggling with the (what ifs) and their daughter stands at the end of their driveway for hours, the driver is a basket case and her child won't leave the house. The impact is wide and deep in these events.
I fear that with the increase in mobile technologies that we will see more of these evnets crossing the spectrum of 4 & 2 wheelers.
Thanks for letting me vent. I have several rides that I wanted to take with Bill here in Fl if any want to join give me a shout. Bill also had put together a ride in NC with his fellow XJers that was scheduled for the day we had his memorial. I have requested they complete the ride and I again extend an invite to my new riding comunity of vmaxforum to join us.
Bills Obituary
William “Bill” Schmitt, 52, passed away Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at Wake Medical Center. He was born in Trenton, New Jersey, the son of Loretta Bendel Schmitt and George Schmitt. Mr. Schmitt had been employed for thirty years with IBM as a software engineer manager. He was a member of Wakeminster Baptist church where he served as a Sunday school teacher and as a deacon; he was a ham radio operator and enjoyed fishing and riding motorcycles. A memorial service will be held at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon, August 8, 2009 at Wakeminster Baptist Church with Rev. Merle Martin and Rev. Ed Hall officiating. Friends may visit with the family following the service in the church fellowship hall, all other time at the Schmitt home, Raleigh. Mr. Schmitt is survived by his wife of 24 years, Sandra Deal Schmitt; children, Beth Schmitt and Steven Schmitt; parents, George and Loretta Schmitt of Inverness, FL; brothers, Rick Schmitt and wife, Marie of Charlotte, David Schmitt and wife, Marcene of Crystal River, FL. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Wakeminster Baptist Church Building Fund, 13221 Old Creedmoor Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613.
The massive support from the biking community, both local riders and from around the world, brings me back to vmaxforum.net with a new respect and desire to be apart of the community.
What happened? The story is tragic with some surreal twist. He was driving to work , less than a mile from home. A driver was turning into the drive a a close family friend of Bill. She said she didn't see him. Well I reviewed the accident site and the sun is shining right down the road making visibility hard, but she was also distracted by the fact she had missed the drive two other times. She was their to pick up Bills family friends children for school. One of the girls witnessed the event and the driver had a 12 year old in the rear passenger seat (the impact site).
I give the back ground to show that not all accidents are due to major malfunctions. Some are cumulative and result in horrific endings. My brother is gone, his children and wife are devasted, Bills friends are struggling with the (what ifs) and their daughter stands at the end of their driveway for hours, the driver is a basket case and her child won't leave the house. The impact is wide and deep in these events.
I fear that with the increase in mobile technologies that we will see more of these evnets crossing the spectrum of 4 & 2 wheelers.
Thanks for letting me vent. I have several rides that I wanted to take with Bill here in Fl if any want to join give me a shout. Bill also had put together a ride in NC with his fellow XJers that was scheduled for the day we had his memorial. I have requested they complete the ride and I again extend an invite to my new riding comunity of vmaxforum to join us.
Bills Obituary
William “Bill” Schmitt, 52, passed away Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at Wake Medical Center. He was born in Trenton, New Jersey, the son of Loretta Bendel Schmitt and George Schmitt. Mr. Schmitt had been employed for thirty years with IBM as a software engineer manager. He was a member of Wakeminster Baptist church where he served as a Sunday school teacher and as a deacon; he was a ham radio operator and enjoyed fishing and riding motorcycles. A memorial service will be held at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon, August 8, 2009 at Wakeminster Baptist Church with Rev. Merle Martin and Rev. Ed Hall officiating. Friends may visit with the family following the service in the church fellowship hall, all other time at the Schmitt home, Raleigh. Mr. Schmitt is survived by his wife of 24 years, Sandra Deal Schmitt; children, Beth Schmitt and Steven Schmitt; parents, George and Loretta Schmitt of Inverness, FL; brothers, Rick Schmitt and wife, Marie of Charlotte, David Schmitt and wife, Marcene of Crystal River, FL. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Wakeminster Baptist Church Building Fund, 13221 Old Creedmoor Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613.