As an avid motorcyclist, I have to let people know of things like this...

May 4, 2009 (WAUKEGAN, Ill.) (WLS) -- A motorcycle driver was killed when she was rear-ended by a driver who was allegedly painting her nails.

The distracted driver ran a red light and crashed into the bike, according to police, just before 6 p.m. Saturday in northwest suburban Lake Zurich.

The crash happened in unincorporated Lake County at Route 12 and Old McHenry Road.

The victim, Anita Zaffke, was wearing a helmet, but it did not save her life.

No criminal charges have been filed against the driver responsible for striking and killing Zaffke, 56, who was a Lake Zurich resident.

Prosecutors are waiting for blood and urine test results as well as the report from crash scene investigators before they decide to file criminal charges.

According to Zaffke's family, she was leaving her son's apartment. He lives in Waukegan, and she was heading back to her home. They had been there talking about plans for the upcoming Mother's Day.

Relatives say Anita Zaffke had a passion for the open road and motorcycles.

"It was pretty much disbelief at first. We went up to the intersection, just went up and down, to try to see how this could possibly have happened," said Greg Zaffke, son of Anita Zaffke...

Rest in peace Anita...



and another story, with video http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sectio ... le-6795601

The motorcyclist waiting at the red light could have been our member LadyRider72472; or Willow650; or ChopperChick355; or MotoMichelle; or chick-in-the-hat; or SouthBeachSass; or me.

wow. just wow. i cannot believe what some people think they can do while they are driving. criminal charges haven't been made yet?!?!

I've been riding a tricycle (an unmotorized 3 wheeled bicycle) recently. I did read a story where a distracted driver hit a guy on a tricycle although he lived but months and months of hospital, rehab, etc. I always try to be cautious when driving!

Painting your nails! wow! I once saw a lady behind me putting on mascara, that freaked me out.

No criminal charges as of yet, though they are being 'mulled' I am following the story closely, and have already emailed the Prosecutor's Office to voice my opinion.

I am glad you are cautious one has to be vigilant always!

The list of what people have been seen doing, while driving, is UNbelieveable. Using a curling iron READING A BOOK , using two hands to eat/dip McNuggets while steering with knees

A couple weeks ago I was behind a woman who was using left hand to smoke her cigarette, and right hand applying eyeliner.

It is dangerous for anyone on the road but especially for those who do not have 2,000 pounds of metal around them, those of us on two wheels, motorized or leg-powered. And I just can't get the image of Anita waiting, legally and properly, at that red light and getting slammed and thrown 200 feet and dying less than an hour later

My friend Sally was in an motorcycle accident on Sunday. A lady crossed the yellow line and in order to avoid a collision Sally took defensive measures still ended up in surgery yesterday fixing her knee and surgery tomorrow for to reconstruct her hips. Her partner was 30 m behind her and now has a vivid memory etched in his brain. No news of charges here either. Police are pretty quiet about details.

That is tragic indeed! It is such a shame that people are so careless behind the wheel.

It is definitely a shame but unfortunately you really can't teach selfish stupid people to pay attention. Their need to get somewhere seems to outweigh everyone else's right to be safe. I drive a school bus for a living. It is a very large transit type bus that weighs over 26000 pounds. You wouldn't believe the idiots out there who would do anything to cut me off. I am so afraid that one day I will just plow right over some little car that darts in on me. This wouldn't do much damage to my bus but it would crush a car.

I am so sorry to hear that!! I am glad she is alive, and that she had the skills to take evasive measures, props to her for that! and now her summer of riding is ruined...****, her summer of walking is ruined. Best wishes to her from a Vermont rider!

Its no fun out there for cyclists, either. My DH bicycled across the nation from coast to coast a few summers ago. ALMOST got hit a number of times. Actually got PEGGED by a rear-view mirror on a delivery truck.
I ride an ebike, but it looks like a scooter, and I get a bit of distance, but I have both eyes firmly planted on the rear view mirrors when I'm stopped at a light, and when changing lanes. It is scary out there.
Kira

I am so sorry to hear of this. We lost a lady here in our area on a scooter when a person turned right into her.

My brother has walked with a very painful smashed up leg with an ankle fused for the last 34 years, since he was 19, when a truck took him out making a turn, ran right into him. He was just driving straight down the road. Every single day...every second...he feels the pain.

We lose a lot of servicemen around here with the Marine and Navy bases But most of the time, with them, it is their own fault.

People just don't see motorcycles, I guess. I grew up in a motorcycle family. Traveled from California to Illinois in 1967 on a BSA 650 with my dad when I was 13. Rode for years, not anymore. Mom and dad were always out on their '74 then '80...good times.

I stopped at a stop light on a 4-lane highway the other day. This is a road where the speed limit is 60 mph. The lady next to me had a paperback book opened in her left hand. At the stop light she changed the page, then moved her hand back down where it would be out of sight but I could tell that she was actually reading as she was driving. She would glance up and down between the book and the road. Scary.

I travel the freeways all the time in southern California...someone reading a book or newspaper or doing computer work while they are driving no longer surprises me....or putting on make-up and shaving...once saw a guy trying to tie his tie...at least he was trying one-handed...but still looking in the mirror..on the freeway..NOT...stop and go.

We are a big Motorcyle family and this freaks me out. So many people aren't aware or care about motorcyclists. Many people cut them off to short, use their wipers to clean their windows, not realizing that the wash can spray behind the vehicle and onto the motorcylcists facemask etc. Carelessness. If you can't focus on the road, don't drive on it.
I've seen my fare share of STUPID people... the make-up, the paying attention to the radio and not the road, changing clothes, turning around to see what is going on in the backseat while on a highway, etc. CRAZINESS!

I hope that the lady who wasn't paying attention gets a life sentence... she deserves it, IMHO.