Rider magazine author killed

[dwsdad]

Pulled this off the COG list:

"FW: I just got a phone call from a friend who co-teaches riding with Larry
Grodsky, author of the "Stayin' Safe" series in Rider magazine. My friend
told me that Grodsky was killed last night in Texas, riding a bike back from
California that he had bought. He evidently hit a deer."

I find it sadly ironic that the author of 'Stayin' Safe' was killed in a motorcycle accident.

[Vagabond]

I guess we don't know when our number is up. We have to live life to the fullest and be careful out there. I lost a friend on a Harley to a deer last year. None of us are exempt. We choose to ride over not riding and we all know the odds.
Bob Salmi
Darlington WI

[Jerrod Maguire]

That's too bad. :mad:

I currently read his articles in "Rider" Magazine and if it's true, which it sounds to be, it's a sad day for "skilled and careful" motorcyclists who nearly always do the right thing, but unfortunately still become a statistic.

I'm sorry about the news and appreciate you sharing it.

I suppose we'll read more about it in further additions of Rider.

That's a real Bummer!

[DavidTaylor]

That's really sad to hear. I always read his articles and found him to be a great resource. He'll be missed in the motorcycling community.

[VickyBeads]

Not much on the internet on his death. Here's a link to his guestbook:

http://www.legacy.com/postgazette/Guestbook.asp?Page=GuestBook&PersonID=17387267

Happened on the 8th. Guestbook closes on the 10th, today.

Beady :(

[ibbones]

Wow! It's like loosing a friend. I have read his writings for many years.

[KBandit]

sure are lots of folks getting killed by deer these days. scarey.

[Tallyho]

Why do you suppose that is? Couldn't possibly be poor game management proliferated by the anti-hunting, anti-gun crowd could it? There are just too many deer. Their natural predators have been eliminated by farmers and development continues to shrink their habitat and natural food supply. We don't see many in California and the ones we do see tend to be small but I annually hunt in PA. The road it littered with deer just driving from BWI to my brother's place in Altoona. I counted 64 one year. It's a huge safety problem and complicated political issue. There are some counties in northern PA where you can take a doe every day during the two week centerfire hunting season due to the tremendous over-population. The preponderance of deer is no accident.

[pjessen]

Very sad news. Be careful out there.

[carl_faller]

I hit an elk last September leaving the CCR before sunrise. I was going to the Jackson Hole Airport to put my daughter on a plane for San Francisco. I came over a small rise, and the road was closed due to a herd of elk crossing. I hit the brakes and almost stopped. I planted my face in the elks neck right after I hit it with the windscreen.

I have fully recovered, bike has been repaired, but I am off the road at sundown and stay off till I can see in the AM. Even with HID lights, animals sneak up on you in the dark. Winshield reflections from the GPS and instruments cut down on our night vision. I love to ride, but not at night!

[KBandit]

I love to ride, but not at night!

ditto .... only ride in high risk when i absolutely have to. that means no riding in wooded areas at night ... being especially watchful at dawn/dusk (when the critters are most actively foraging).

[dwsdad]

Again, taken from the COG list:


Lawrence "Larry" Grodsky
GRODSKY LAWRENCE "LARRY"
Age 55, of Squirrel Hill, died Saturday, April 8, 2006; beloved son of
Harold and Violet Grodsky of Monroeville; loving brother of Marcia
Grodsky of Pittsburgh. Larry is also survived by his dear friend Mary
Ann Puglisi as
well as aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. A funeral service will be
held Tuesday at 2 PM in the chapel of the BURTON L. HIRSCH FUNERAL HOME,
INC. 2704 Murray Avenue, Squirrel Hill (412) 521-2600. Visitation 1 hour
prior to service (1-2 PM). Interment Temple Sinai Memorial Park.
Memorial contributions in Larry's memory may be made to a charity of
the donor's choice. Send condolences at post-gazette.com/gb Published in
the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on 4/10/2006. Guest Book . Funeral home
info . Flowers . Gift Shop
"

[dwsdad]

Just ran across this on the COG list as well (for those that would like to attend the funeral):

> To Larry's Friends,
>
> Many of you I have personally called in regards to
> Larry passing away
> yesterday,
> April 8, 2006. A deer jumped out in front of Larry
> while riding his
> motorcycle
> home from California in Texas Saturday around 9PM.
>
> Services will be held Tuesday April 11, 2006 at
> Burton L Hirsch Funeral
> home in
> Pittsburgh, PA. Visitation will be from 1-2PM
> followed by a service at 2PM.
> Please see below for directions.
>
> This is a hotel close by:
>
> Radisson Hotel Pittsburgh
> 101 Mall Blvd
> Monroeville, PA 15146
> 800-754-6835
>
> In lieu of flowers, Larry's family has asked that
> memorial contributions
> may be
> made to Brother's Brother Foundation in Larry's
> name. There contact
> information:
>
> Brother's Brother Foundation
> 1200 Galveston Avenue
> Pittsburgh PA 15233
> Phone: 412-321-3160
> Fax: 412-321-3325
> mail@brothersbrother.org
> https://brothersbrother.org/index.htm
>
>
> Burton L. Hirsch Funeral Home, Inc.
> 2704 Murray Avenue
> Pittsburgh, PA 15217-0507
> (412) 521-2600 or (800) 367-1152
> Fax: (412) 422-4236
> E-mail: funeralhomeinfo@yahoo.com
> www.burtonlhirschfuneralhome.com
> Directions
>
> From the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) � Travel on
> I-76 to Exit 6,
> Monroeville.
> Follow signs to Pittsburgh/I-376 west. Proceed on
> I-376 west to Exit 8,
> Squirrel Hill. Bear right and follow signs to
> Squirrel Hill. Continue to
> Forward Avenue. Turn left (north) on Forward Avenue
> and proceed to the first
> traffic signal, Murray Avenue. Turn right (south)
> onto Murray Avenue and
> continue a half block to the funeral home, which is
> located on the right
> (west)
> side of the street.
>
> From the west (airport) � Travel east on U.S.
> Highway 60 and follow the
> signs
> for Pittsburgh (the route number will change several
> times). Continue east
> through Fort Pitt Tunnels to I-376. Follow signs
> toward Monroeville. Proceed
> east on I-376 to Exit 8, Squirrel Hill. Bear right
> and follow signs to
> Squirrel
> Hill. Continue to Forward Avenue. Turn left (north)
> on Forward Avenue and
> proceed to the first traffic signal, Murray Avenue.
> Turn right (south) onto
> Murray Avenue and continue a half block to the
> funeral home, which is
> located
> on the right (west) side of the street.
>
> From the north � Travel south on I-79 to I-279
> south. Proceed over Veterans
> Bridge. Continue south on I-279 to I-376. Follow
> signs toward Monroeville.
> Continue on I-376 east to Exit 8, Squirrel Hill.
> Bear right and follow
> signs to
> Squirrel Hill. Continue to Forward Avenue. Turn left
> (north) on Forward
> Avenue
> and proceed to the first traffic signal, Murray
> Avenue. Turn right
> (south) onto
> Murray Avenue and continue a half block to the
> funeral home, which is
> located on
> the right (west) side of the street.
>
> Tom Buzas
>
> Rockville Harley-Davidson
> Battley Cycles
> 7830 Airpark Road
> Gaithersburg, MD 20879
> v 301-948-4581
> f 301-948-7510
> www.battley.com

[rixchard]

Well lets see here, in one sentence you blame the anti gun crowd and in the next sentence you blame the farmers and such for killing off the deers predators. Would that not put some blame on the pro gun crowd for the problem? Of course I am assuming the farmers used guns and are proud gun owners, but I could be wrong, maybe they were using humane traps to capture the predators and have them relocated.

[sbrooten]

I won't get into the hunting/no hunting debate, but have to say that where I live in southern NM I don't dare ride after sunset unless I have to. The deer are THICK. It is not uncommon to walk out into the yard and see any where from 10-20 deer in the yard. Understand that I live close in, where most of the houses are on about one acre lots. Even in northern MN where I came from they were not this thick! Good riding, and be safe!

[Way2Fast]

Very sadden to hear about Larry's fatal accident. I have been a subscriber to Rider for over 20 yrs and have always read his articles. Another reminder to live every day like it may be your last.

[rixchard]

I don't care about hunting one way or the other. If someone wants to shoot and eat something go for it, just don't drag the damn thing into my living room :). But to stay on topic , I am lucky in that I don't drive at night unless the road is well lit(lousy nigh vision) and I live in the city so I rarely come across the little bastards, but if I visit my sister inlaw in Georgetown, Tx, they wander all over her neighborhood and I have my head swivelling like some damn radar when driving into her area. You gotta be on your toes at all times. If it ain't the deer, it's the cellphones. If it ain't the cellphones, it's the red light runners.

[jayz9705]

Actually, Dick, the predators are usually killed off using poisoned bait set by the farmers, which, BTW, also get eaten by domestic animals, like dogs and cats, you know, someone's beloved PET!!
Additionally, the farmers had been given all sorts of extra consideration to allow them to trap/hunt/poison endangered species, like the wolf, cougar, etc.
The pork barrel philosophy was that the rich farmer would then support the politician who helped him minimize his operating losses to wild predators.
This, presumably, no longer happens.

[rixchard]

Shows what I know about farming.