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Yesterday around 4 p.m. word came in on the newswire that there was a "motorcycle down" on, or just before, the Williamsburg Bridge—towards the Manhattan side. Shortly after an update came in saying the accident was fatal. There aren't many details beyond those available yet, but eyewitnesses say the motorcycle was actually a Vespa, and it was hit (and totaled) by a black car. The Vespa driver is the one who died, and URB Magazine reports it was deejay Josh Link (friends are confirming on Twitter). Many witnessed the scene, which has been described as bloody, and one even posted their thoughts on Craigslist, noting that late last night there were burning candles where the crash happened. UPDATE: It has been confirmed that Josh Link was the victim in this sad accident, and services will be held on Long Island tomorrow.
Williamsburg Bridge Crash Kills One
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RIP
R.I.P. Josh. I will remember the fun times we had together...
Was biking home when I saw this, sad sad sight guy was laid out, lots of blood. Reminded myself not to get a Vespa, ever.
Hit by "a black car"... let me guess, a Lincoln Continental perhaps? Belonging to a car service?
No it looked like a normal car (older toyota corolla or something similar), definitely not TLC.
sad. I feel for his friends and family.
we miss you terribly, bro. all of us - from your friends at home to those across the world.
give Mark all our love when you see him up there...
what a shit week - i can't really believe it... first Pagan, now Link [no real connection factor besides myself]... RIP Link
It's a shame that this happened, but I see people on Vespas all the time crossing the Williamsburg Bridge, weaving in and out of lanes and between cars. Bad enough that people in cars drive like maniacs on the bridge. Something like this was bound to happen eventually.
can't personally speak to any consistent bad driving/riding habits - normally i see a lot of cars drifting over the lane lines though. there are parts of the bridge that the lanes are so narrow that if there are 2 wide cars/vans/trucks/buses they can't reasonably drive side-by-side, but have to stagger instead.
You don't know the situation well enough to blame this accident on him weaving in an out of traffic. From what I understand, his Vespa stalled, the car behind him swerved out of the way, and the car behind that hit him.
Hipsters, always remember to get your derelict scooters in tune before going to play in the streets.
Many motorbikes don't have a fuel gauge. Instead they have a "reserve" fuel valve setting. During normal operation, the valve is in the main position. When the fuel level drops the bike loses power, which is the driver's cue to switch to the reserve valve setting and get more fuel soon. It could be that he wasn't able to switch to the reserve setting fast enough. Or it could be that there was a real mechanical failure.
Either way, motorists: please leave plenty of room between yourself and the motorbike in front of you. The surest way to kill a motorcyclist is to hit them from behind.
-molo
as a scooterist myself, my first instinct was that he ran out of his main fuel and stalled before he could switch to reserve. or some other type of mechanical failure. my thoughts go out to his family and friends.
Also Kim Bong, go crawl back into whatever hole you came out of. Its not funny nor will it ever be.
"From what I understand, his Vespa stalled, the car behind him swerved out of the way, and the car behind that hit him."
Bad situation if that's the case. I was once that first car. Fairly heavy traffic on an urban Interstate loop at probably 55 mph, in the middle lane of three. Suddenly I realized the car ahead of me wasn't moving. I was able to swerve into the left lane to avoid it but saw in my rear view mirror that the car that was a few lengths behind me plowed directly into it. Of course he didn't have any time to react once I was out of his line of sight to the fact that the other car was stopped.
RIP Josh :(
I've been in many a taxi crossing the Willyburg Bridge that blasts through the speed limit. It's one of those no-man stretches or road in the city where nobody monitors the speed of the drivers.
I saw the aftermath from the J train. It was a pretty gruesome sight. I seem to remember the car as a Black Chevy Malibu. Definitely not a Lincoln Towncar. I do agree, that generally drivers on the bridge have no concept of lanes.
I must ask, was he wearing a helmet? It seemed that he wasn't, based on the accident scene. I'll leave the detail out.
My thoughts go to all of his friends and family.
-e
Perhaps if there were toll booths leading up to the bridge drivers wouldn't be so reckless and we'd have better train service.
"Hipsters, always remember to get your derelict scooters in tune before going to play in the streets."
Ridiculous. How about gas guzzling monsters take it easy and respect bicyclers and other pedestrian traffic as well. I assume you drive an SUV?
Heart goes out to friends and family.
Do you always express your disapproval with straw-man epithets?
Must take a toll on your friendships.
This is a terrible tragedy. Josh was a great guy.
I'm glad some of you folks are sitting here believing the driver is laughing with glee and scratching another notch on the side of his car door.
-_-
in response to any speculation on Josh's responsibility as a motorist:
1) In my decade of knowing him and having been his roommate back in the day I can say he's practiced the utmost diligence in maintaining the condition of his belongings--especially those of value, like his dj equipment and computer. I'm sure the scooter was not "derelict."
2) I've never ridden on a bike with him but have been a passenger in a car he was driving--he was considerably cautious and was annoyed at witnessing the reckless driving of others due to the risk they posed to everyone else. He's not the type to swerve in and out of lanes.
3) According to friends who'd seen him earlier he was wearing a helmet--we're guessing it got knocked off during the collision.
As for the "hipster" comment. Josh had a hip sense of style, was a DJ and hung out at some venues known to be full of hipsters. However, as that word can infer that he might've been snobby, arrogant or spoiled I want to make something clear about Josh. He was a warm, affable guy who had friends from all walks of life and only judged people by their actions and not how they looked. Not only was he a hard-working DJ, he worked to help the community. Before going full-time playing gigs he worked at a non-profit that helped people with disabilities find work and get job training. His calling was to play music and so he wasn't able to maintain both careers--however, his eagerness to help others was always a prominent part of who he was.
The eye-witness accounts have been much appreciated by all us friends who are trying to piece things together. It's amazing how these strangers have posted such sympathetic words here and on other websites. There's no one more deserving of this than Josh.
Amen Jacky. Thanks for telling it like it is.
Thanks Jacky, I could not have said it better myself.
We're all mourning the sudden loss of a wonderful friend, so if those of you above could stop judging him for his fashion choices and try to act like decent human beings, we'd really appreciate it. He was an amazing person and one of the most lovable people on the planet and we are truly devastated.
Thanks.
Okay, maybe he wasn't a hipster, but Josh's sense of style is one reason he's dead.
A proper-fitting helmet will not come off your head in a crash. And an old Vespa, hip as it may be, is not a safe vehicle for high-speed roadways.
(Lest people misunderstand the other comments, a motorcycle that runs out of gas doesn't suddenly come to a screeching halt, and a well-maintained bike with a knowledgeable rider will need fuel at predictable intervals.)
RIP Josh, and for those of you still with us, ride safe, not hip.
I agree. A proper helmet would stay on your head.
Also, to assume that his driving habits are as safe as they are when he's with someone does not necessarily mean he's as safe when he's riding on his own. I tend to me much more cautious when I am with other people because their lives are more or less in my hands. When I ride my motorcycle alone, I take more chances. It's the truth.
Also, when riding a motorcycle/scooter, the rider needs to remember that a tee-shirt, shorts and Chuck Taylor's aren't going to provide any protection in the event of a fall. I don't know what Josh was wearing but I'd be willing to bet the farm that he wasn't wearing an armored jacket (chest plates, back plate, elbow/shoulder plates). Not saying that it would have saved his life, but things like that can only help.
A full-face helmet (DOT approved), armored gloves, armored jacket, long pants, leather boots. Even in hot weather, I wear an armored jacket, armored gloves and long pants (usually denim jeans).
Safety first.
I recall reading a while ago that Vespas were illegal in NYC but a google search couldn't confirm that. So are they legal or illegal? Supporting link?
That's because what you read was wrong. If a Vespa (or any scooter) has a NYS title, it can be registered and driven on the streets of New York.
The only exception is motorcycles and scooters which are under 50cc. These are considered mopeds, do not require a motorcycle endorsement on your license, and may not be allowed on freeways.
(Strictly speaking, mopeds are not allowed on roadways where bicycles are not permitted, although enforcement of this is spotty).
Really? You guys are actually going to make assumptions and jokes about the guy cuz he looked like a hipster? It's not like he was wasted out of his mind driving a bunch of kids like a bat out of hell and killed a bunch of people. The guy died in an accident. Just because you didn't know him doesn't make it cool to basically say he died because he was an idiot because his helmet didn't fit right or because he had an old busted Vespa. FYI, you can buy a brand new Vespa in Brooklyn off Park Ave. I didn't know the guy, never knew he existed, but a friend of mine was close with him, and his death is taking it's toll on his friends and family. Have some F'n respect. How would you like it if someone close to you died and some asshat was saying if they weren't a hipster they'd still be alive?
I'd be too depressed and angry at my dead hipster friend for not being serious about safety to worry about what some asshat is saying on the internet.
Regarding Josh's driving habits: as other witnesses said, his bike stalled and he was neither seen weaving nor committing reckless behavior of any kind. Therefore, it's logical to affirm that he was NOT driving in a dangerous manner. Sure you can speculate how he may have driven on other days with or without a passenger, but no one has said anything different about yesterday's events, which is when this accident occurred. So let's just leave it at that.
As for the rest, no one can prove whether his helmet came off because: a) it didn't fit right;
b) because it was defective; or, c) merely because the impact of the collision was just that intense. Likewise, no one can prove that wearing armor mentioned in above posts would've saved his life in this severe of a collision. Remember, the Vespa was reported to have been completely totaled--sounds like a lot of force for any human body (even armored with helmet in-tact) to handle. If anyone feels the need to argue that it could've, then I invite you to go ahead and recreate the accident yourself to prove it.
...Honestly though, I don't care to get into this debate any longer. I just want an accurate picture painted of my old friend.
I understand the usefulness of picking apart what went wrong--it helps those of us who are still alive to take necessary precautions to avoid repeating tragic history. But the dead should be remembered for who they were and not what they weren't--and some of the above posts have crossed the line of precautionary to treacherously accusatory.
I wrote my previous post to attest to Josh's upstanding character and to his respect for the safety of himself and others. Now I also want to add that he valued his life and the lives of those around him, which he exhibited in how he took care of himself and everyone else (including strangers and others on the road).
We can go back and forth trying to figure out what he could've done differently, why he didn't do it differently, or if any of that would've even made a difference at all--but it sounds like we've covered every possible factor. Dunno if you guys have any intention of continuing the minutiae of this debate but at this point I'd like to request that we all respect the dead and stop asking questions for which no one has an answer.
There is no concrete proof that he was some sort of reckless hipster that would sacrifice safety with the shallow intention of looking cool. He has eye witness accounts and character testimonials that contradict such accusations. What does the other side have? Libelous speculation from armchair commentors with no 1st, 2nd or even 3rd degree connection to this situation.
Those of you who find no harm in such speculation should take a minute to step in our shoes....
ok, maybe you take every precaution to prevent accidents like his from happening--but maybe you can relate to this:
We all live in New York City (I'm assuming since we're posting on Gothamist). How many random ways are there for us to die? A shooting on a seemingly safe street, brick falling off a building, terrorist attack, etc...
Are you going to find it a productive use of time to ask: if your friend could've somehow avoided the bullet, why your friend never made it a habit to look up and check for falling objects, why your friend hasn't moved to a quiet suburb that has low risk outside attack?
No matter how truly random there's going to be at least one know-it-all on the Internet blaming the victim. How's it going to feel when you're on the other side?
Still don't get it? Then I invite you to step out from behind your screen names and make your arguments in person.
All the "would haves" and "should haves" have been covered. None of us can go back in time and change what happened. All we're left with is 1 less decent human being on this earth and many broken hearts. Have some decency and let us move on.
It's a thoughtful post, and one that renders my glib observations indefensible.
Don't get me wrong, as a fellow rider and fellow human being, you and the rest of your friend's friends and family have my sympathy.
It's particularly painful after an incident like this to think "if only x and y", but it _is_ important to do so, if only to help us avoid doing foolish things before they get the better of us.
What happened in your life that has made you such a sad person? You've really got nothing better to do than bash a dead guy on the internet?
Methinks a long, hard look in the mirror would do yourself good.
It's particularly painful after an incident like this to think "if only x and y", but it _is_ important to do so, if only to help us avoid doing foolish things before they get the better of us.
Yes, definitely. Like I said, I understand the use of that exercise but it just felt like it had been exhausted. Of course, I will say I learned some important information about scooter mechanics and safety here in this one thread that will stay with me forever--and I'm sure others can say the same. Hopefully this awareness will spread and prevent accidents like this from happening again. The expertise of riders like you is much appreciated.
The temptation to be snarky is especially easy on Gothamist so thanks for expressing your sympathy. Positivity is most needed in sad times like this.
Kind Regards
It was great seeing you today, Jacky (and everyone else). To the rest of you who talk about safety, etc, I'm a former road racer who has seen people die on the track, and almost died in 2001 from a crash during a race...and I was wearing full race-leathers, a top-of-the-line Arai helmet, a back protector, gloves, race boots, there was no traffic and nothing to hit, and there were two ambulances on standby as I crashed. Wake up--25mph can kill you even with all of this safety gear. If you can accept that, feel free to keep riding...I completely understand. But don't try to fool yourself--bikes are dangerous whether or not you're riding like an idiot. I've dragged my knee through countless turns and feel that I know the limits of my bike pretty well, but there's nothing I can do if/when a car cuts me off or just doesn't see me. Sorry to say, but your helmet won't do sh*t if you collide with a car.
Josh was a great person who was extremely loving...please don't soil that memory by trying to place blame when there is no evidence of any wrongdoing.
On that note, after seeing the pain that all of this has caused, I have decided to sell my motorcycle. This is not a result of fearing death, since I'm lucky to be alive anyway. This is because I NEVER want to put my family and friends through something like this, and so I will avoid unnecessarily dangerous things. The pain and anguish I saw today was more than I could handle. I only hope that when I'm gone, people will love and respect me even half as much as they do Josh. He was a great man, and someone who I strive to be like. Rest in peace, friend...
How much are you selling your motorcycle for?
So I shouldn't wear a helmet, because it doesn't matter? I know as a road racer you probably don't have much experience, but...
Wearing proper gear and knowing the limits of your bike are only some of the elements of the margin of safety and prevention experienced motorcyclists try to maintain.
Another important aspect consists of scanning for potential hazards in front of you, behind you, and to the sides.
Never be complacent, even/especially on roads you frequent where your vigilance might be tested. Always assume the other guy can't see you or doesn't care.
This way you will hopefully have time to react if/when a car cuts you off or doesn't see you.
And wear a helmet, whether cycling or riding. Most fatalities are caused by head injuries, and are avoidable.
There has been a memorial site set up for Josh at Legacy.com
Please leave your thoughts and share your fond memories about our lost friend.
http://memorialwebsites.legacy.com/joshlink/Homepage.aspx
Hey Howard,
It was great seeing you, too.
I tip my hat to everything you just posted and am glad I won't have to worry about the same kind of tragedy happening to yet another friend.
What a powerful and overwhelming few days this has been. Rest in peace, Josh Link.
horrible horrible accident, my extended sympathies to josh's family and friends.
as a brooklyn/manhattan commuter scooterist myself i wanted to add my two cents...
gear really does make a difference- full-face helmet, gloves, jacket, boots. i haven't been involved in any major accidents (knock on wood) but i've tumbled off the bike a few times as has my boyfriend. my boyfriend would be missing half his face and probably an eye from a low-speed pothole crash, and i would probaby have had a broken foot/leg/many many more abrasions than a little bruise on my knee. i obviously couldn't predict the outcome in a nastier accident situation, but gear keeps minor accidents minor. please wear your helmet.
i also see the lane-splitting bikes every time i take a bridge into manhattan. i'm a lanesplitter if it comes to it, but only for red lights or blocked traffic- NEVER on a bridge! i always see the chicks riding their little auto twisty vespas in high heels going thru traffic, and for a second i feel jealous i'm not freewheeling thru a crowded bridge in in a little black dress and pumps... but then i think about any crash i've ever known about. just this past summer my bf spotted an overturned vespa in gramercy, the guy driver was geared up and fine, but the girl was wearing sandals... it wasn't a pretty sight.
anyway. sorry to preach. fellow bikers, be safe out there. gear up.
josh, rest in peace.
a long time ago in my past life (college) a friend of mine was hit from behind while on his motorcycle. the impact of him landing on the ground chest-first killed him instantly... considering the condition of josh's vespa after-the-fact, i can't believe so many people are submitting comments to the effect of 'wear your helmet properly, losers' - helmet or no helmet, i think in this case it's irrelevant. car @ 50mph versus anything on two wheels - guess what - the car's going to prevail.