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Crash Report In California

4K views 20 replies 15 participants last post by  rootdude 
#1 ·
TLDR: I was hit, I wear atgatt, it saved my butt, my bike is trashed you please do so also :)

After 500 smiling miles in two months of ownership on the Vstrom it happened. I was hit by a car on my less than 2 mile commute from home to work during lunch hours. The collision is very simple to recount. I stop at a four way stop, as I begin to inch forward to see if its clear I am rear ended into the intersection. I was lucky enough to have been wearing all the gear, Helmet, ce2 spine protector, olympia full textile suit with hip, shoulder,back, and knee protection, Leather gauntlet racing gloves, and leather full boots with fancy pucks and ce ratings. The hitter was a 4 door toyota sedan and the offender is on probation, said the car is stolen, seemed high, no insurance, and trafficking "the bad kinda drugs"... (his words) was taken into custody at the scene.

Let me say this to anyone who cares to listen, or is wondering what the worst is like. I have a bruise on my lower calf from where the foot peg hit me as the bike was shunted by the car and I have a bruise on my arm. THAT'S IT! After getting thrown from the bike onto my back I am maybe the luckiest guy around when you step back to look at the big picture. The bikes trashed and insurance isn't covering it, but I went to the hospital and took a leg xray and nothing is broken. :) I looked at my boot and it has a nasty gash in the leather which would have been my foot if I wasn't wearing them, and the spine protector and back of the olympia suit have seen better days and are scuffed. The guy hit the bike so hard I wrecked his steering and broke that connecting rod, he couldn't turn the car. The firemen were, so happy to see I was wearing the gear and had no apparent trauma(very cool guys btw) Also, I want to thank the very nice day laborers who immediately helped me out of the street and eyed the fool down who hit me, so he wouldn't run. (thank you Jimmy!)

You guys be safe on that vstrom, that blindspot directly behind you is tough and even if you make the right moves there are ppl making bad choices and they are gambling with your life. I really miss the bike it was such a great experience. I hope my story inspires you to ride safer, wear the gear on every ride! (short or long), and have fun.

Bikeless in California. (but safe and healthy!):thumbup: :patriot:

Doug.
 
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#2 ·
thanks for posting

Glad you're ok.
I think that you were also very fortunate not to have any other injuries. Your story is more proof that good crash gear helps.

I'm curious about the details.
Were that any skid marks?
Did the Toyota driver even see you?
Might the driver have just run the stop sing anyway?
 
#3 ·
Glad you're ok.
I think that you were also very fortunate not to have any other injuries. Your story is more proof that good crash gear helps. I was also fortunate that he squarely hit the tail of the motor first and I didn't spin or anything the bike absorbed alot of the car :)

I'm curious about the details.
Were that any skid marks?

None

Did the Toyota driver even see you?

He didn't say anything like that, his cell phone was dead, so I don't think it was that. He was acting odd and must have hit me somehow combination of stoned and running the sign probably :(

Might the driver have just run the stop sign anyway?

Probably. As I was sitting there waiting for triple A and the cops were arresting him, imagine 5 cop cars parked around this intersection. I saw a truck runthe intersection completely and I'm like son of a bitch!
 
#11 ·
Very glad to hear you are OK !! It's all of our nightmares, but I think I'm a better car driver due to my MC paranoid perspective. Also, I agree with ATGATT: If you don't have 2 minutes to put on protective gear, how are you going to have 3 months in the skin transplant ward? As another biker said " I don't wear gear to survive a crash; I wear it in case I survive."

Heal quickly, Dakar
 
#7 ·
The bikes trashed and insurance isn't covering it

Doug.
You uninsured motorist should cover the bike. Why is the insurance not paying for the bike?

I'm glad to hear you are OK. Good thing you had no backrest.... nasty if rear ended.

I ride with full gear all the time. Knee braces/pads, city guard with spine, chest, shoulders and elbows, race gauntlets, leathers, serious boots and airbag vest.
I also have a strong brake light modulator. Red very bright LEDS. They flash when my brakes are on.

I also always get out of lane whenever I have to stop.
 
#8 · (Edited)
You uninsured motorist should cover the bike. Why is the insurance not paying for the bike?
Unfortunately, uninsured motorist coverage generally only covers medical, and you have to add uninsured motorist property damage (or collision) to cover your vehicle. -Many folks don't realize this.
 
#13 ·
glad to read that you are well.

scary to read.

i gear up all the time and every jacket and helmet i wear is hi-viz but still...

i have thought about installing a modulating brake light system but i'm not much of a wrench and don't know any places i can really trust.

that said, i really should do more to make myself visible.

once again, thank you for sharing.

be well.

rob
 
#19 ·
Good to hear you're ok, I had a similar incident in 2010 where I ended up riding a hood after some one pushed the bike out from under me. Prior to that I had considered putting on a back rest but if i had one i likely would have ended up under the car with my bike instead of on it.
 
#21 ·
Thanks for the story. Just calling my insurance company now to up my coverages. Safe to say if this ever happens to me, I'm at least going to look forward to a brand spanking new ride.
 
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