Female motorcyclist killed on Skyline Boulevard

By the Daily Post staff

A female motorcyclist was killed this afternoon (May 8) in a crash on Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35) in Palo Alto, according to the California Highway Patrol.

It was the third fatal motorcycle crash in the hills west of Palo Alto in the past three weeks, said CHP spokesman Art Montiel.

The crash was reported at about 4:40 p.m. about 150 feet south of Page Mill/Alpine Road. Montiel said no other vehicle was involved in the crash. He said a ranger discovered the woman’s body. The motorcyclist’s name hasn’t been released, but she’s between the age of 20 and 25. The woman was riding a Ducati motorcycle.

While much of Skyline is in unincorporated areas of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, this accident occurred in a portion within Palo Alto’s city limits. Montiel referred a reporter to Palo Alto police for more information. Police said they would issue a statement Thursday.

 

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22 Comments

  1. Thank you for checking the facts and getting the details right. Another news website is saying, incorrectly, that this was a bicycle accident. Of the two papers, the Post is always more accurate. Thanks.

    • Tickets don’t slow people down. There needs to be a better rider licensing scheme in California. We need to stop letting anyone buy a 200 horsepower machine with no experience. Every year, this time of year, people go out and buy some expensive fast toy without knowing how to ride and die. It needs to stop.

      • Nathan,please tell me how do you see administration of motorcycle purchases based on what skill evaluation in relation to horsepower of the vehicle. Would it apply to car purchases also? Love to see the response of all the rich nimrods that purchased Ferraris, Lambos, and GT3 that have no idea how to drive them. What about all the people that collect fast bikes and barely ride them? Would these owners be exempt?

        • Why would a collector need to be exempt? Someone with a hobby like you’re describing can afford to be trained properly. His comment is accurate. And do you equate motorcycles to fast cars? These are completely different worlds. If you ride motorcycles, you’d understand.
          This is a tragedy and the rider community needs to have more training.

      • You have no idea how fast she was going or if she was cut off by a car, took action to avoid a dear…
        Get off your high horse.

      • I think in many European countries this is done. You cannot buy more than a certain cc in the initial years after your license. I think the CA motorcycle training need to be made more robust with mandatory freeway speeds merges.

    • Kevin, this is 100 percent an inaccurate statement. If you ride a motorcycle, you’d know. What this is, is a lack of training. Motorcycling has inherent dangers that need to be addressed with a higher level of training for a decrease in fatalities. Auto drivers need to also take classes on riders as well.

    • Sounds like an unfounded assumption to me, Kevin.
      Skyline can be tricky – especially the stretch where this latest accident happened.

  2. I wouldn’t want to come off the road on a bike or a car on skyline. You’ll smack into a tree and then fall 100 feet.

  3. Also need to stop letting motorcycles lane split. A lot of riders are extremely aggressive and ride way too fast when lane splitting.

    • Lane splitting has nothing to do with these types of accidents. Speeding is pervasive throughout our roads and highways so the people being irresponsible need to be fined, but that’s a stupid statement. Lots of data has shown splitting is effective and safe when the law is followed.

    • Lane-sharing has got NOTHING to do with this incident and speed has not been determined as a factor. It’s unfortunate we have to suffer the ignorant, knee-jerk comments from individuals who have no what they’re talking about, nor do they really care.

    • Nonya, You just need to mind your own business and pay attention when you’re driving. You put that cell phone down, you’re driving would be a lot better.

  4. Skyline is a nice road to kill yourself on while enjoying your sports car or sports bike. Hopefully not crashing into others while trying to be a MotoGP rider.

  5. This is the land of the free and home of the brave guys. Live and let live. You can’t just go putting restrictions on everything because of a few incidents.

  6. I think in many European countries this is done. You cannot buy more than a certain cc in the initial years after your license. I think the CA motorcycle training need to be made more robust with mandatory freeway speeds merges.

  7. Sad news. Indeed, restrictions exist in the EU to limit the motorcycle power for the first few years (~50HP or about 650cc). I ride year round for commuting purposes and see many new/inexperienced riders comes Springtime. They are as dangerous to themselves as they are to me… Skyline is a very dangerous place to ride as false sense of security – lots of driveways, cars, bicycles, and technical corners to properly manage…

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