Bikers were riding at high speed before Staffordshire death smash
Two motorcyclists were seen travelling at high speed moments before they crashed into each other, killing them both, an inquest heard.
Michael Nock, aged 44 and from Featherstone, had been overtaking a van when he collided with David Harvey Smith, 49 and from Cannock, who was riding in the opposite direction.
Both motorcyclists were pronounced dead at the scene having suffered multiple injuries in the horrific crash on the single lane A5 in Stretton on the morning of July 29.
Witnesses told a hearing at Cannock Coroners Court that both riders were travelling at more than 70mph on the 60mph route.
The inquest also heard that both men had been wearing illegal visors on their helmets which had limited visibility.
Mary Aulton, who was a passenger in a Honda Jazz which was hit lightly in the collision, described the moment she saw Mr Smith's Suzuki TL1000R travelling towards them.
She said: "I saw a motorbike coming in the opposite direction. It was quite a big bike and it was wobbling. I said 'he's going to lose it, he's going too fast'.
"It was about a car length away when it flashed past looking like going twice the speed limit.
"I immediately heard a thud coming from the driver's side."
While Melanie Merchant, from West Bromwich, who is a delivery driver For Evans Halshaw in Wolverhampton, said Mr Nock's BMWmotorcycle overtook her 'like she was standing still' moments before the collision.
In the wake of the impact she performed an emergency stop and winced as a wheel from one of the bikes came hurtling towards her van among the debris.
Collision investigator Pc Simon Marshall said the force of the impact caused the Suzuki to hit a tree at a 'substantial height' on the side of the road while Mr Smith was flung into a nearby field.
While Mr Nock landed in a grass verge next to his bike and sustained major trauma to his head and right side of his body.
Pc Marshall told the court both were experienced riders and there were no issues with the motorcycles.
Pc Marshall said both were wearing illegal visors on their helmets which would have limited visibility while Mr Smith's bike had not had an MOT since June 2013.
Staffordshire Coroner Mr Andrew Haigh ruled both deaths a result of an accident.
He said: "It is an unfortunate set of circumstances."
