Don't use the fifth floor of a parking garage for the first lesson.



A novice motorcyclist died when he plunged from the fifth floor of a parking garage near downtown after his motorcycle hit a low wall and he was thrown over it.

The death happened at 2929 Allen Parkway near Waugh about 5:50 p.m. Friday, according to the Houston Police Department.

Police said the 27-year-old man, whose name has not been released, died at the scene.

No other injuries were reported.

Police said the man was on the fifth floor of the parking structure learning to ride a motorcycle. His friend was walking alongside the man as he rode the motorcycle and teaching him how to operate it. At some point, the friend told the man to put on the brakes, but the man apparently accidentally hit the accelerator. The motorcycle slammed into a nearby wall and he was thrown over the wall and out of the parking garage.

Police are investigating the case.

Ouch. This makes me think of the training exercises I did with Yun while teaching him to ride. To get out of the baking sun we would use a parking garage but by that point he had control of the motorcycle. But it does make you pause to think.