| Author | Message | ||
     Dwolk |
What could have been a very bad accident meeting a car on a mountain twisty left me with some serious bruises but only a few fractured toes and a broken collarbone (took about 4 months to get back to almost normal---I'm 57). I've read interesting threads here and elsewhere describing what people did right and wrong in accidents. But I'm wondering about experiences of people who started riding again after a non-trivial accident. What was hard and what was easy and what helped and what didn't help. Aside from the occasional technicolor flashback, I'm not sure I can be as relaxed and focused and attentive as I was...although I'm serious about riding and think I can work that through. It would be helpful to hear experiences that others here have had. Many thanks. | ||
| Slaughter |
I don't know if you have any local roads that have low traffic that you can hit at your own pace - ? The riding really helps - just being in the saddle again. After the first crash, getting back on for me was challenging, more of an intellectual exercise where I knew that I needed to ride, I just had to make myself get out and do it. I am lucky enough to live in the Desert where there are many remote areas. If I had to ride in heavy traffic, it would take me longer to get my head back on straight, I think. Find a good, familiar, less-travelled road and ride your socks off. I now always look at EVERY vehicle as the enemy, ALWAYS assume that every car off to the right side of the road will make a U-turn right in front of me, assume that around the blind turn, there waits a truck ready to make a U-turn, that every car coming the opposite direction will cross the double yellow... that every driver will do the stupidest things (that all have taken out friends in various ways) and it's now become a mental game and helps me stay alert too. These mental games have helped me avoid a couple touchy situations. Racing is easier to just get back in the saddle than falling on the street. My only fall in the street was solo - no other vehicle involved. | ||
| Tleighbell |
If, when and how you get back into riding is a very personal thing. After my first crash many years ago I wondered for a while if I should/would ride again. Didn't take long. I have had many crashes since and never considered not riding. But you absolutely should try to learn what you can from the crash. for me it was wake up call to leave a margin of safety on the street. I like to challenge myself by cornering fast. I tried to re-direct that need to cornering well without trying to push the speed. Unfortunately I recently got carried away again and highsided at 70 mph. the other lesson which you have heard before but I can confirm from experience is wear the all the protection all the time. After my highside the sole was torn off my Alpinstar boot, the knuckle protectors on my gloves were crushed, there were holes in the back and sleeves of my rocket ballistic jacket and my Alpinstar aero pants were shredded and the liner of my Z1R helmet was cracked. I had two tiny scratches on my arm and a bruise on my hip where there was no armour. No trip in the ambulance, didn't even have to fess up to the wife what happened since the bike was conveniently stolen before I could pick it up. I would have had multiple injuries without the armour and covering. | ||
| Tleighbell |
Forgot to mention, if you want to get back but are having real problems focussing,with flashbacks etc. you may be suffering from post traumatic stress reaction which is very common and treatable. The sooner you deal with it the better the outcome. A psychologist can help. | ||
| Drfuyutsuki |
T is right on with the Post Trasumatic Stress, especially if you are having "Flashbacks." Getting back on the bike is theraputic in its own right, the whole idea of confronting your fears, but feel free to take it as slow as you are comfortable and safe. Theres an old saying "When a horse bucks you off, get up dust yourself off and get back on the horse." In the last year I have lowsided once and dropped my bike while demonstrating the U-turn box on an MSF course. Both experiences have affected the way I ride, to the good and bad. I still have trouble in fast sharp left turns and slow tight right turns, but everytime I ride through one Im a little better and a little more comfortable doing it. I learned a little about myself and the problems with my riding style from each incident; Like T I learned the value of good riding gear I walked away from both with little more then bruises. I also learned that Im not god on my motorcycle  . | ||
| Cosmo751 |
Timely topic. I was riding an unfamiliar mountain road a few weeks ago, taking it way easy. It never fails - some f'in mountain local decides to ride my a$$ real close for a few miles. I kept looking in my rearview instead of riding my ride. Big mistake - I was looking in the mirror when a sharp curve came up. When I looked up I knew it was way too late to turn, and there was oncoming traffic, real close. So I figured (correctly) that I was better off gassing it hard enough straight ahead to clear the traffic and then dealing with the offroad excursion. As soon as I was clear of the Ford van I had just missed (sorry dude-), I laid on the brakes for the remaining 20 feet of pavement, then let up a little and looked for a landing spot. Found one too, and would not have even dropped the bike except for stopping directly over a hole too deep for me to reach the bottom. So I flopped it at zero speed. No damage to it or me save a small chafe on the left rearview mirror and a minor strawberry on my left calf. Lessons learned - Let the idiots behind me worry about themselves, and ride MY pace. And this - I was saved by riding at a safe speed, and not being afraid to bail offroad if necessary. It sure beat lowsiding into oncoming traffic.. The only hard part was getting the bike back on its feet. I had not done that in a very long time, and it took awhile to figure it out, given that it was stopped over a hole. I couldn't get a good grip either. At least 10 cars drove by and saw me, and no one stopped to help. I'm thinking of carrying a pocketful of ball bearings to share with tailgating cagers from now on.. The getting over it part had to take place immediately, since I had (was able) to ride her home. It was weird - I kept feeling all these odd vibrations and strange handling quirks. I thought it must have been from dirt packed into the tires. It went away, and since the 15 freeway is the only way home, I had to ride in closeup high speed traffic too. Talk about getting back on the horse that threw you.. (Message edited by cosmo751 on September 10, 2006) | ||
| Prof_stack |
In 2001 I did a high-side after sliding on some gravel and getting tossed off at the curb. Lucky there was no railing. Luckier was that the ground was soft damp grass and brush. The Buell was banged up but rideable home. It took me a long time to really lean in the curves again. I'm still aware of the sensation of hopelessly losing it. But getting back on was important and I'm leaning again with good confidence. I also learned that the unseen road ahead is not being swept clean for me as I approach it. | ||
| Irideabuell |
As a 19 year old I was hit on my 1983 Kawasaki KZ550 by a high school kid (whom my sister used to date) that didn't stop at a stop sign. I suffered a badly cut up foot from the metal support rod that ran through the sole on the docksiders I was wearing, but was otherwise unscathed. I vividly remember calling my parents and telling them I was taking the bike back to the dealership the next morning and would never ride a motorcycle again. I spent the night at my girlfriend's house. The thought of giving up riding lasted until about 8:00 AM the next day. I woke up and quickly realized that I was indeed fortunate, but somehow didn't see the necessity in giving up my bike. I remembered telling myself that I did nothing wrong and would have been hit just the same had I been riding by on a bicycle. I did, however, learn that I needed to be just that much more aware of what was going on around every bend, at every intersection, in front of me and behind me. My foot healed and I was just that much more knowledgeable about the hazards of riding a two-wheeled, motorized vehicle. I'm now nearly 42 and have never forgotten those lessons and try to instill them in my 7 year old son every time he takes his 50 CC Suzuki dirtbike out for a ride. | ||
| Diablobrian |
Sept 3 2003 I has hit head-on by a girl turning left out of a blind driveway in San Diego. I'd say it was a pretty substantial crash, My sciatic nerve was severed at my spine. I have some use of my quadraceps (1/3) and about 1/4 of the use of my hamstring via the femoral nerve. My pelvis was literally shattered (I crushed the tank of my GSXR like an aluminum can with my...ahem... tingly parts.) My intestines were perforated by the shards of bones. My femoral artery was also ruptured and had I not been 2 blocks from Sharp hospital I would have "assumed room temperature" right there on the pavement.        I was VERY happy to get back on a bike (after learning how to walk...kinda...again) Riding is a big part of what I do, and how I define myself. It was a driving goal for me when a doctor looked me in the eye and told me I'd NEVER walk again, and to get used to being in a wheelchair. Too many people give up too easily if there is an easy way out. Prior to the accident my friends in San Diego called me "the gear nazi" because I was always after them to wear their jackets no matter how hot it was. I'm certain that without my jacket (with spine protector), Arai quantum2, sidi boots and Alpine stars gloves I would be in FAR worse shape than I am now. Remember that the total length of the ride I was on, commuting to Mesa College, was <2 miles. I no longer have to badger my friends into wearing their gear  they do it willingly! Bottom line: no matter how aware and safety conscious you are, you can't account for what the other guy might do, but you can do your best to protect yourself...ATGATT All The Gear All The Time. That has become my crusade. It sickens me to see what some people consider "proper" riding gear. | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
Brian....maybe a THANKS is in order here. I crashed a couple of weeks ago while in new york. With what gear I do own.....I received no marks or bruises. (full face helmet, leather jacket w/ armor, and gloves w/ hard shell armor). parts with no protection...HURT!!! foot got smashed pretty good(not broke)only had on regular work boots,(still swollen and hurts!) and hip all different colors. (new timax pants were in the mail.) i was glad to have the gear i did...only recently got some gear. jacket was only couple weeks old. well worth the money spent. sidi boots soon to come once the money is saved up. sooooooooo.......thanks for pushing the word! As far as ridding goes I have only been a couple times since the crash. Ridding hard in the corner took me by surprise the other day ridding a familiar road. Went in the corner, lean hard, my body did the leaning and my mind was trying to get out of leaning in the corner. weird feeling. It was scary! purely mental as i love ridding! | ||
| Sarodude |
3 or 4 years back I had the closest of close calls. In summary, a drunk, illegal, uninsured, unlicensed sphincter of a human decided to run a red light - FROM A STOP. I was his cross traffic. The rider and passenger footpegs, the brake pedal, and the heat shield(s?) on my BRAND NEW FXD dragged across his front bumper (the guy was stopping and going as I was trying to take off speed and decide what HE was gonna do) and accordioned his license plate. My better half (riding passenger) and I both felt the footpegs slap up under our feet. Wow.... The bike didn't even go down. What followed is less important. For MONTHS after this I had images of cars doing stupid things in front of me - only while I was riding. I had NO trouble getting back on the bike, splitting lanes, cranking it over in a turn, etc - but I obviously had SOME kind of head issues constantly haunting me. They weren't hallucinations - as in confusing me into believing they were real. However, I kept visualizing all sorts of people pulling u-turns, crossing the double yellow, etc. Time healed that bunch of stuff. -Saro (Message edited by sarodude on September 12, 2006) | ||
| Tunes |
Glad to hear you weren't serious hurt. I'm 53. Started riding when I was 12. Crashed a whole bunch in the dirt. I've been in several accidents, all of which were the car drivers fault, but I blame myself for not being more attentive. I agree with all of the previous statements; wear proper gear, be attentive, and treat all vehicles like they're trying to kill you. It's been awhile since the last, but I'm still very "wide-eyed" when it comes to riding... and I enjoy riding and ride at every opportunity. Consider taking an MSF course as a refresher. They're alot of fun too. The advanced course is great. I learned this in the class... Scan left - right - behind you. Do not focus too much on one thing that distracts you from looking where you are going. Always have an "out." Relax but be alert. Always be in proper riding position, hands and feet also. If you have bad habits, the instructors will see it and help you correct it. I can't say enough about the course. One time I was way outa state when I went down... I HAD to get back on the bike. At least in my mind. I was travelling on a bike cross-country and damn-it, I was going to finish it. Got the bike fixed, dealt with the bruises, and kept going. My "gear" saved my butt. Riding is therapy to me. Winter in NH is really tough to deal with... so I work on bikes instead. If ya like to ride, then take the steps you feel right for you and ride. | ||
| Luckydevil |
sorry for the length. I have been in a couple of significant accidents. i started riding at about 11... 30 years ago. and i think i know what you mean about "flashbacks"... In 1994 i was riding my FXR in Indiana. i passed a semi, and my glasses were blown from my head. in the ensuing seconds, i throttled down, and tried to pull off the road on the passing lane side. Truck decided to change lanes too. i wound up landing the bike against a guardrail to keep out from under 7 of the 18 wheels. my wife was on the back. we hit a paver and she flew up and off the back. landing on her hands. she broke both hands, collarbone and ribs, punctured a lung. My left leg pinned between the rail and the bike, almost took it completely off. in order to get free of the rail i pitched the bike to the right, and stepped off. split the right ankle in two, and i straight-armed the ground to keep my head up. snapped the upper arm right at the edge of a metal plate installed from a previous accident that shattered my elbow. my head never touched the ground. 70 to 0mph in a couple of seconds and 120 feet. the full face helmet my wife was wearing saved fer face. the front was gouged so deeply. The hard part now is that i still get moments of unexpected memory, or anxiety that wells up sometimes. not a loss of reality, but a "haunting".an emotional flashback. you ride through it. I don't think i have ever felt the total freedom i did back in the day, but that's part of getting older, seeing mortality up close. i guess i figured out that i am NOT immortal. every time i get on the bike i stop, an think for a second about how i am going to get there safely. nothing dramatic, but i make a deal with me to ride like i should, not like i want to. back to the story... i crawled about 40 feet back to my wife before the pain got to be too much, then i took my jacket off and flagged at traffic with my left arm (the only one that wasnt broken) I didn't worry about me. I didn't know how badly she was hurt. That scared me to death, it still does. i don't know how to put this, but i try to pay my wife back for the fear that my continued riding must cause her, by being the best rider i can. it has changed how i ride. But i still ride. i always will. | ||
| Macbuell |
Jeez, some of these stories scare the crap out of me. And I think that is a good thing. I've only had one get off and I was only going about 25MPH and I didn't hit anything so I consider myself lucky, especially considering that I have been riding 18 years and have put many miles on a bunch if different bikes. I like to think that I am a smart, prepared rider but there have been a number of close calls where I tell myself to get my head out of my ass. I always ride geared up but not always with the best gear. By that I mean I wear a mesh jacket in Atlanta in the summer because it is just too hot for the leather jacket but I know that if I end up sliding down the pavement in the mesh jacket I will probably wish I had the leather one on. I might have to reconsider that. Beyond that it is always riding boots, riding gloves and leather pants, although occasionally I head out in some jeans. I think I am going to buy some draggin jeans for those occasions really soon. (Message edited by MACBuell on September 12, 2006) | ||
| Jackbequick |
This editorial was in today's Bangor (Maine) Daily News. The writer is a doctor who is a self professed "wing nut" (aviation buff) and who appears to have a hankering for a motorcycle. The statistics he quotes on how many people are getting hurt on bikes and the age brackets of those who are paying the highest price is interesting. I post this here because it seem appropriate to the thread and interesting. http://www.bangordailynews.com/news/t/viewpoints.aspx?articleid=140292&zoneid=57 I'm riding at 64 and would not be doing it if I did not love it. Thanks to all for your stories and sharing the details of the bad times. I read them with interest and sincere sympathy for your sufferings. I think the reminders of the bad things that can happen are good things for riders who read them. Jack | ||
| Yohinan |
Wow, all these stories and were all still riding. Goes to show how much riding really means to us. It is my own personal opinion that each of us have our own personalities and that imparts on us how nervous or not nervous we will be after a wreck. If your a daredevil at heart and wreck your not going to be timid getting back on the bike as much as a cautious driver would be and that in essence effects how much your ability to drive a bike again after a wreck will be. Does that last paragraph makes sense to anyone besides me? I have had more than my fair share of wrecks. My most recent one and one from the past caused most that saw the accident to think I would at least be in a hospital for a long time to as severe as not getting up from the wreck. In 98 or 99 I was on a ride in Angela's Crest, CA (for those that know the road this is by far my favorite places to ride). Due to some obviously unforeseen circumstances I low sided and went over one of the many cliff's this mountain has. After flying through the air I descended about 30' before landing with all my weight directly on my back. Pretty safe to say I didn't get back up. Me being that idiot youngster decided I didn't need any help and I just laid there for I would guess about half an hour in some bad pain. So what did I do? I forced myself to get up, crawl up the mountain side to find my bike still at the edge of the road (it got caught on a berm). After building up the nerve and still in extreme pain I hopped back on the bike and road back to home to Tustin where I went straight to bed instead of going to the ER like I should have. I am not sure if my most recent wreck was worse than that first one or not. I don't think so because I wasn't hurt from this one (this is why some people believe in God because I still don't know how I made it through this one). Basically I was following to fast/closely to another Bueller into a corner and had no other choice but to ditch it or to crash into the other rider. No way would I take crashing into someone else as a way out so I low sided into a guard rail. Not sure how fast I was going maybe 40mph give or take. Some of the riders took a picture of the wooded 12X12 post that is cemented into the ground which was pretty much shattered to pieces. After coming to a stop I instantly got up to my see quite a few of my fellow Badwebbers/Bueller's stopped looking as if something was seriously wrong. I wasn't supposed to get up that quickly not without injury after a spill like that. I am not sure how I walked away with no injuries but I sure did. I am not sure how some of us make it through accidents such as these alive much less without injuries however I do know one thing. Just like Diablobrian I have never, and I mean NEVER gone riding without every piece of gear I own. I never will and I just with I could impart this belief into those I see everyday on the 15 freeway with shorts and a t-shirt riding along between 70-85 mph. It not only disgusts me but I genuinely feel sorry for these riders that they would put not only themselves in such as compromising position but also those that love them. Truly sad but hopefully one day they run into someone like Diablobrian or myself that will STEP UP and convince them that riding like this may just one day cost them their lives. Sorry for my long rant but just thought I would throw my stories and belief's out there. | ||
| Buelleghoulie |
Reading that article, I noticed a trend, obvious..but still post worthy..30 states allow you to ride with out a helmet. As well as the 'once u have a licence, your set for life" part..well Ok, so if yer 19 and u get a licence, wait 40 years, then get one of them there 50K plus crommed out H/D fatboys..and have an after work drink, wearing yer Armani shoes, and sam Abohasaan suit yer OK to ride a bike..no wonder. I may be noob, but I wanna live long enough to Have Eric personally hand over his estate to me..AYGATT seems Fundamental. I have good gear,Suomi Helmet, Alpine Stars gloves, Redwing booties, Alpine stars mesh jacket. I think I want more..after guy with the silver dollar hole in his knee..maybe some under armor Cheers for all your stories...heres my crappy bottom scraping of a story. 1st hour out on my own I had a dude tail gate me..it was only a brand spankin new Ford F-350 Super duty dually with a lift kit, driven by a kid...with a new licence..it was still unnerving. MINOR i know..i got nothing else...yet. | ||
| Pounder |
well all this talk about gear has opened my eyes to the importance of gear i only have jacket now whats a good site to order boots and other stuff | ||
| Buelleghoulie |
I think your local Harley dealership is the absolute best place to get anything..and everything.. LOL just kidding. Seriously, check out your local bike shop and try stuff on. Just cuz its expensve doesnt mean its good. | ||
| Luckydevil |
Yohinan, the paragraph makes sense. lots of people would just stop riding, it's common sense. Cautious people might think twice about getting back up on after they heal. And some of us don't think twice about riding, we know we are going to jump back on as soon as the bones heal. i can remember telling people that yes i was going to ride again after about a month in a hospital bed. i couldn't walk, i had a broken right arm, but i could still pop wheelies in the wheelchair. i'm sure my wife thinks i'm stupid, and maybe i am, but that isn't going to change. and of course i ride with all the gear. I gotta admit i use shorty gloves, but my knuckles are already a mass of scars. Plus i can take off my helmet without taking off my gloves. i had a guy at the local harley shop ask my why i wore all that gear, since colorado had no helmet law. I showed him my scars and he said yep, i can see why, and promptly got on his bike, helmetless, leather vest, and tennis shoes, and took off. Guess it isn't going to happen to him. i hope he is right, woldn't wish it on anyone, even me. | ||
| Macbuell |
Pounder, try Newenough.com. The sell last years gear so they usually have pretty good prices. There is also usually a right up about how the gear works, fit, etc. http://www.newenough.com/index2.htm | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
It was, and still is difficult for me to get behind the wheel of a car/truck. In 2002 I was T-Boned by someone who fell asleep at the wheel. In 2005 I was thrown over the bars of my XB and suffered roadrash that ground off the lower part of the upper bone in my right arm, resulting in the need to have my right elbow "rebuilt". In the car wreck, the passenger door was pushed to within 6 inches of the gear shift. It took the EMT's an hour and a half with the Jaws of Life to get me out. In the bike wreck, no one knew until they went to put me on the backboard that my arm had turned into a compound fracture and I was bleeding out. I had to put up with a 45 minute ride to the trauma center. They couldn't wait for LifeFlight. Part of that drive was done with the EMT putting his body between my right arm and the cabinets as they had to drive down the unpaved center median due to blocked traffic on I-17. The car wreck messed me up WAY more then the bike wreck. I have no fear of getting back on a bike. I have done rides just to feel the wind again but nothing substantial. I to this day still feel 'safer' on a motorcycle then I EVER will in a cage. It took another 2 months after I got out of the wheelchair from the bike wreck to even THINK about getting behind the wheel, and I had done absolutely nothing wrong what so ever. The motorcycle, that was my fault, I didn't keep a good enough eye on a new clamp set up and a poor decision to use a spring retained canister instead of a solid welded one. But I still remember and can vividly recall the veiw from thru my eyes as I went over the bars, then into the road. I can still remember laying on my back, and feeling the roadsurface thru the palm of my gloved right hand, sitting flat to the road over my right shoulder. I can even remember the look on my friend's face when he came back to see what happened. My philosophy...much like a horseman's, once you have been thrown, you have to get back on, or the horse wins... | ||
| Perry |
I usually wear all my gear, but last year I needed to run a couple blocks to look at something and come back - so I only wore my helmet. Around a corner I hit pea gravel that had been dumped on the road and lost all traction - low sided and hit the pavement hard. I slid about 75 feet - luckily the bike went into the curb pretty hard but for some reason I slid a different direction and stayed on the smooth part. I'll never forgot how long it took to come to a stop and the sound of my full-face helmet grinding along the asphalt. Unbelievably, the T-shirt I was wearing had kind of wadded up from dragging along and protected me - although it wore a huge hole in the T-shirt my skin was untouched except on my arms and knee, which were road rashed in a big way. There was nobody around and I forgot my phone, so I had to pick up the bike and ride home. My memory of that ride is very fuzzy because I had a concussion as well. I do remember I was halfway back before I realized my mirror, footpegs, rear brake and right side controls were mostly ground off. I ended up with two surgeries to install plates on my my broken collar bone and wrist, and BOTH arms bandaged up to the elbows so they were useless. After months of healing and bike repair it was really tough to get on again. The first ride was around the block, nice and slow. It felt like it was the first time I ever rode. I bought pants and boots to go with the jacket and gloves I owned but didn't wear that day, and now I definitely wear it all, all the time. Just over a year now, and I can ride comfortably again, though I think about it every ride... and so does my wife. It changed the way I ride, and that's a good thing. Hopefully I will die of old age and not from a motorcycle accident. Reading these stories helps me remember the responsibility I have and the seriousness of the commitment. Thanks all for sharing. | ||
| Djkaplan |
"Sept 3 2003 I has hit head-on by a girl turning left out of a blind driveway in San Diego." HOLY CRAP! ...shudder... HOLY CRAP! | ||
| Diablobrian |
To add even more color to my story: the reason this girl (in her first car: 300 mi on the odometer) was in such a hurry? She wanted to get to the beach to take a walk.... distraction due to high volume of the car stereo was listed in the police report as a contributing factor. My share of the fault? 0% The last thing that went through my mind before I came-to 2 days later was "that doesn't belong there" referring, of course, to the headlight that had appeared in front of me seemingly from nowhere. I am fond of saying that if my crusading for riding in proper gear will save just 1 person from injury than it is all worth it! (Message edited by diablobrian on September 13, 2006) | ||
| Tunes |
For many years, I rode without a helmet... but an event changed my mind. A very close friend of mine died when he just clipped the bumper of a van. Hit the back of his un-helmeted head on the pavement. He had been riding for over 30 years without an accident and was a very good, safe, and conservative rider. I always wore (and wear) the rest of the kit, just sans the helmet... but no more. Speculating whether my friend would be alive with a helmet is moot, but, it certainly couldn't have hurt and probably would have helped. Seeing other people injured or killed is just as tramatic as experiencing it yourself, just in a differen't way. There is one fatal bike accident I saw when still in Jr High that sticks with me... I echo Diablobrian's call for wearing a proper riding kit. | ||
| Mesafirebolt |
Saturday marks 4 weeks after my accident, I havn't ridden again (except for up and down the street to make sure it still ran) since my left hand was in a cast and I cant retract the clutch. I had to plug a small hole in my primary and wait for my new handle bar, shift linkage, clutch lever and clutch to arrive. Everything is semi fixed or repaired and I still need to put it all back together but being an old cowboy, I cant wait to get back on my "horse". I've never let a horse throw me and not get back on and spur the dadgum CRAP out of it. I've been psyking myself up for my first "post accident" ride, I hope it goes well. Bless you all and ALWAYS wear your gear! | ||
| Hdbobwithabuell |
I was hit almost two years ago by a car that turned left into me in the middle of an intersection. That accident left me with a lot of hardware in the left side of my body but absolutely didn't deter me from wanting to ride. I was more pissed that I couldn't ride for almost a year. (And then theres the time I melted my brand new leg brace to the pipe thinking I could somehow ride after getting out of the cast...) I have to ride through that same intersection every day. At times I still get a cold chill whenever a car is there waiting to turn left. This chill is not all a bad thing as I've had to take evasive action on two more occasions there. | ||
| Mattwhite |
I had someone start a left in front of me today. I was lucky, though. It was pretty obvious what was about to happen. She was stopped waiting for the traffic in front of me to clear. She started a u-turn in a parking lot that had the minivan angled away from me, I could see her looking the other direction so I got on the brakes before she started to pull out. When she started moving I hit the horn too. I had enough room to stop safely. She got about halfway in the lane then stopped. I might have been able to stop after she started pulling out, but I would have at least needed new underwear. | ||
| Sakuc |
I've had over 25 crashes by now, multiple low sides and failed wheelies, only one traffic related tho (Got nailed by old geezer doing U turn from behind a delivery truck) but i've never had problems getting back on the bike again. Guess i'm short of self-preservation instinct when i ride bikes.  But friends of mine who have gotten 'The fear' got past it best by riding on track to get confidence back. | ||
| Dwolk |
Can't possibly begin to thank you all for your comments, wishes, advice and experience. Practical, positive, painful, honest, intelligent, helpful, sharing real questions and short on knowing all answers. A real community. Profoundly touched. Thank you sincerely. | ||
| Aka_dark_lord |
Brian and Tunes are dead on. It's been a year since mine. I was new to the biking scene and highsided in gravel. Luckily I got out with only a good gravel rash, but the fear had done set in. I was close to selling my newly purchased bike, because it scared the crap out of me. I thought about orphaning my girls and what they would do with out dad. The importance of gear cannot be underestimated which I did not have (stupid me)and paid for it. This should be of course your last line of defense. After several months of the bike just sitting there I reconsidered selling it. I enrolled in a MSF and attended the class with enthusiasm. It was more that I had hoped for and expected and upon completion I mounted up and have never felt more comfortable on it. I have taken several safety driving courses for both vehicles and motorcycles. And here are some highlights. 1. Always leave an OUT - do not allow yourself to be boxed in or ride side by side as you never know when you have to take an evasive action. Always take the inside lane when possible - this will allow you a better angle to see snipers (vehicles in adjacent streets) that could potentially interfere with your line of travel. If tailgaters are an issue and speeding up is undesirable, pull off and let them by, as it is much safer when looking ahead rather than looking behind. 2. Make sure they see you - Make eye contact with every driver on the road - if you can't, then honk if necessary. Sounds corny but better than being a hood ornament. Wear bright and/or reflective clothes. I saw a goldwing last week that had an oscillating headlight, illegal has hell, but he was seen. 3. Get the big picture - keep your eyes moving, do not let your eyes linger to long in one place; no matter how good looking she is. 4. Aim high in steering - look up ahead at least 10 sec and get a feel for what's going on. Look through the turns and corners. If you come upon a green light that is stale (you did not see it turn green) then you must assume it will change before you get there. 5. Always have a plan - Know what you are going to do and every instance. This of course needs re-evaluating constantly as situations develop}. Remember no one will look out for your safety better than you will! I am amazed everytime I drive my 7000 lb 4WD truck and how stupid people are. If they would pull out in front of something that weighs twice what their vehicle does how can I not expect them to do the same when I am on a motorcycle. I have thought about cosmo's idea of ball bearings, but after cracking a windshield you better be on the gas or play chicken with something 4 times your weight, but then I found Christ and learned to relax my dark nature .... somewhat! Still working on that though. Drive safely Drive for life! Or -  | ||
| Angelwild327 |
Well, today wasn't my day....but I was still there. We went out on what was to be an awesome group ride, here in South Florida. We met up at our usual gas station and headed out to our destination, all 50 or so of us, on sportbikes and one cruiser with us. GREAT group of riders...different levels of experience, but everyone keeps a calm head. I missed seeing the actual accident take place, I'm a back of the group rider...but I saw Billy waving his hand to signal a panic stop...and thank goodness I knew enough to read his sign language. I slowed down, looked all over for a safe place to pull off the highway and stopped, hopped off my bike and saw billy running over to a man lying sprawled out in the road. I'm a new rider, but I'm by no means new to accidents, and emergency situations. The short of the story is, this guy lying on the ground was on a Honda cruiser, riding alone. Along comes our group of 50 or so, and somehow, this cruiser and one of our riders clipped one another, causing, in turn, 2 other of our bikes to wreck as well...so 4 bikes total. Our riders ALL wear helmets, and 99% of them have on full gear, jackets, boots, gloves, full pants. Our guys, after a couple ambulance rides, are all home safely, several hours after the incident. The cruiser, however...was not so lucky, no helmet, no jacket, no pants (jean shorts) and sneakers. When I got to him, he was all alone, bleeding like a madman, and I will not go into detail, suffice it to say he was in BAD BAD shape. Several of our group, including me, with emergency experience, stepped up to the plate and helped this guy as best we could, until the ambulance and eventually life-flight arrived. I still do not know whether he lived or not, the stories vary, and if he is alive, he's got a lot of recovering to do, if that's even an option for him. This man, changed all our lives forever, in big ways and in subtle ways. I have compassion for him, because he is a human being, and I don't like seeing humans suffer. Another part of me is angry, because if he'd been wearing AT LEAST a helmet, the massive hole in the back of his skull, would likely not be there, and I might have been able to actually talk to him, and tell him he was going to be ok. I went into rescue mode, but after we were relieved of the duty of caring for him, I was stressed and thought...DAMN, I have to ride home now??? I put all my gear back on, got on my bike, took a deep breath, and made it home safe and sound. I thought to myself, do I really need to ride anymore. Nope..said self...but self, you aren't immortal, so, you don't need to ride, but do you WANT to ride... YES, I said to myself...I want to ride, I like to ride, I enjoy riding. Riding has intrinsic value to me, this life is not forever, but what I make of it, while I am here is what counts. Living happily yet as safely as possible, but not in a boring plastic bubble, is what "living" truly means. | ||
| Irideabuell |
I can only imagine what it was like to be in that situation. I am truly interested to know if that person survived and, if so, how is he doing. Your emotion and clarity made me feel like I had been there too. | ||
| Angelwild327 |
So far, he's alive...we thought he was gone shortly after the air-ambulance took him away, the highway patrol officer told us he didn't make it. Now the news, per the hospital and newspaper has him in critical condition, but alive. So we shall see how he progesses. I think what dumbfounded me above all else, was a guy in a pick-up truck, driving by the scene, just after they let the traffic flow past again, SCREAMING at us and calling us a$$holes...I was just incredulous. | ||
| Irideabuell |
Nothing like a clueless cager to make a terrible situation that much worse. I'm sure he was a Davie native. I saw the article in the Sun Sentinel this morning on-line. It surely didn't paint as grim an outlook as you painted in your post. It's ashame. I think if the newspaper reported more factual information the general public could benefit from reading about such a tragedy and perhaps be a little bit more aware of motorcycles. The article also said it was still under investigation according to the FHP. |
