I went down
Today was my lucky day... NOT! Or maybe it actually was.
I told my wife this afternoon that I was going to ride over to ACE Hardware to get a little something that I needed. The ride over, no problems. When I came out, it was pouring rain. Went and got my rain gear off the bike and put it on. It had been raining there for about 15 minutes I was told, so I figured that roads were clear of crap so I mounted up and started on the 5 mile ride home. Traffic was heavy so I decided to take back streets to avoid it. I was over by our local university (still on wet pavement in a drizzle) doing about 20-25 mph when the car two cars ahead of me did a panic stop. The car behind him slammed on his brakes as well. I had been following allowing about a 4 second interval and had traffic behind me as well as traffic in the other side of the road coming toward me. I started to pull the front brake then BAM! I was down on my left side in a low side. The bike went one way while I went another. Thank God I had learned to ride on the dirt as I didn't go stiff and just flopped around on the road. All the traffic managed to avoid both me and the bike. I was a little addled when I got up but headed for the bike. A couple of college students came running over and helped me get the bike upright. I was going to restart the bike and ride it to the side of the road when I discovered the clutch lever was just flopping around from the cable. Managed to work the transmission and got it into neutral so we could push it out of the road. About then, I discovered I was hurt. Thought my left foot/ankle might be broken and my right hand was very swollen. Both were very painful. A gentleman about my age (older guy) came out of a house and helped me over to his porch. I told everyone I didn't need an ambulance and called my wife, AMA towing, and the police.
The officer came and took the accident report. He was obviously thrilled that I was wearing ATGATA. Said when he got the call, he expected to find another biker dead or severely injured. And here I was pretty much intact. Told him that I was glad for my gear and that all of it paid for itself today. Yes, I trashed my helmet, my raingear has road rash through it and my gloves are not accounted for (I think my right one came off in the accident but I remember taking the left one off after). My left boot looks like someone tried to rip the toe off of it and has road rash on the upper leather. But after going to the ER with my wife and getting X-rays I have no broken bones. It is all soft tissue injury. I expect I will be sore tomarrow (know my left foot and ankle are going to hurt and my right hand will still hurt as well). But miraculously I seem to be not otherwise injured.
Now to the bike... It was the broken clutch lever that I already mentioned. It has road rash to my left Givi hard bag. It has a bent mirror. My son says he found a small scratch to the left side paint although I couldn't find it after we got home. That is the extent of the damage. I had put frame sliders on the bike about 3 weeks ago and they did their job today. They kept the rest of the bike off of the pavement. Again, money well spent.
I expect that I will be hobbling around here for the next couple of weeks and I will have to wait until payday next Friday to put the bike back on the road but that is okay. I am one very, very lucky man. No one ran over me, no one ran over the bike. The bike is not hurt badly and best of all, I am not hurt badly.
If you live in a helmet optional state, just remember this post. I smacked my helmet pretty good today - ruined it. That would have been my head if I hadn't had it on. Without the rest of the gear, I would have been dealing with a lot of road rash. Without the boots I might have really screwed my left foot up. And so on...
Be safe out there people. Remember, the outcome of a motorcycle accident can mean a lot more than just skill - I have been riding for about 45 years. That gear serves a real purpose.
Thanks for reading,
Doug
I told my wife this afternoon that I was going to ride over to ACE Hardware to get a little something that I needed. The ride over, no problems. When I came out, it was pouring rain. Went and got my rain gear off the bike and put it on. It had been raining there for about 15 minutes I was told, so I figured that roads were clear of crap so I mounted up and started on the 5 mile ride home. Traffic was heavy so I decided to take back streets to avoid it. I was over by our local university (still on wet pavement in a drizzle) doing about 20-25 mph when the car two cars ahead of me did a panic stop. The car behind him slammed on his brakes as well. I had been following allowing about a 4 second interval and had traffic behind me as well as traffic in the other side of the road coming toward me. I started to pull the front brake then BAM! I was down on my left side in a low side. The bike went one way while I went another. Thank God I had learned to ride on the dirt as I didn't go stiff and just flopped around on the road. All the traffic managed to avoid both me and the bike. I was a little addled when I got up but headed for the bike. A couple of college students came running over and helped me get the bike upright. I was going to restart the bike and ride it to the side of the road when I discovered the clutch lever was just flopping around from the cable. Managed to work the transmission and got it into neutral so we could push it out of the road. About then, I discovered I was hurt. Thought my left foot/ankle might be broken and my right hand was very swollen. Both were very painful. A gentleman about my age (older guy) came out of a house and helped me over to his porch. I told everyone I didn't need an ambulance and called my wife, AMA towing, and the police.
The officer came and took the accident report. He was obviously thrilled that I was wearing ATGATA. Said when he got the call, he expected to find another biker dead or severely injured. And here I was pretty much intact. Told him that I was glad for my gear and that all of it paid for itself today. Yes, I trashed my helmet, my raingear has road rash through it and my gloves are not accounted for (I think my right one came off in the accident but I remember taking the left one off after). My left boot looks like someone tried to rip the toe off of it and has road rash on the upper leather. But after going to the ER with my wife and getting X-rays I have no broken bones. It is all soft tissue injury. I expect I will be sore tomarrow (know my left foot and ankle are going to hurt and my right hand will still hurt as well). But miraculously I seem to be not otherwise injured.
Now to the bike... It was the broken clutch lever that I already mentioned. It has road rash to my left Givi hard bag. It has a bent mirror. My son says he found a small scratch to the left side paint although I couldn't find it after we got home. That is the extent of the damage. I had put frame sliders on the bike about 3 weeks ago and they did their job today. They kept the rest of the bike off of the pavement. Again, money well spent.
I expect that I will be hobbling around here for the next couple of weeks and I will have to wait until payday next Friday to put the bike back on the road but that is okay. I am one very, very lucky man. No one ran over me, no one ran over the bike. The bike is not hurt badly and best of all, I am not hurt badly.
If you live in a helmet optional state, just remember this post. I smacked my helmet pretty good today - ruined it. That would have been my head if I hadn't had it on. Without the rest of the gear, I would have been dealing with a lot of road rash. Without the boots I might have really screwed my left foot up. And so on...
Be safe out there people. Remember, the outcome of a motorcycle accident can mean a lot more than just skill - I have been riding for about 45 years. That gear serves a real purpose.
Thanks for reading,
Doug
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I tried to talk my son into buying an ABS Wee when he bought this bike. It seems as if he had a MSF instructor who was really opposed to ABS so he didn't get it. Still wish he had listened to his "old man" instead of his MSF instructor this one time. Then I would have had it too as I bought his bike.
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some people ride well enough that they don't have to worry about gear, helmets or abs.
Not me! :iamwithstupid:
Not me! :iamwithstupid:
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5,434 Posts
Sorry to hear about the crash. Glad all the injuries sound like they will heal completely. Soft tissue damage does take some time.
I've learned a new respect for wet roads this spring. There is even less traction than I realized.
Take time, relax and heal. Happy the cop's prediction was wrong.
I've learned a new respect for wet roads this spring. There is even less traction than I realized.
Take time, relax and heal. Happy the cop's prediction was wrong.
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1,262 Posts
Woke at 3:30 hurting. Finding that I can't hardly walk even with the air splint on the ankle that they gave me at the hospital. Very very painful. I think my pain pills are going to me my best friends for the next couple of days. Wished I had asked for crutches.
Grrrr...
At least the hand seems better this morning.
Grrrr...
At least the hand seems better this morning.
Sorry to hear of your mishap..
I don't know if road paint was involved.
I think there is NEW road paint around. I suspect the EPA screwing things up again. About 5 years ago I was in the Catskill mountains and the road was damp. The center line paint was REALLY like ice. I played with it a little and the tire would just move sideways across it like it was frictionless. Until it hit the black top on the other side. Two weeks ago I found it here in Connecticut so it is probably all over. IT is SO bad I am sure it will initiate skids in cars and trucks.
Also once on a group event I watched 18 bikes go down. When the cop got there he said a pick up had flipped and dumped its crankcase on the road. I was the only one blessed to stay up but road across a lawn for like 80 feet...Thanks God.
I don't know if road paint was involved.
I think there is NEW road paint around. I suspect the EPA screwing things up again. About 5 years ago I was in the Catskill mountains and the road was damp. The center line paint was REALLY like ice. I played with it a little and the tire would just move sideways across it like it was frictionless. Until it hit the black top on the other side. Two weeks ago I found it here in Connecticut so it is probably all over. IT is SO bad I am sure it will initiate skids in cars and trucks.
Also once on a group event I watched 18 bikes go down. When the cop got there he said a pick up had flipped and dumped its crankcase on the road. I was the only one blessed to stay up but road across a lawn for like 80 feet...Thanks God.
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1,872 Posts
Not trying to shove ABS down anyone's throat, but I have to totally agree with GW... ABS would have surely prevented your "get off".... I am starting to miss my Wee already. Not just because it had ABS, but it was the "keeper" bike... However, that is another thread for another time... Glad you're still with us...
Richard
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759 Posts
Thank you for sharing... I am glad you are (relatively) okay as this could have turned out very different. I can't express enough about ATGATT. I've only been riding two full seasons, but I've done 15,000 miles so far and every single one of them have been in complete and proper gear.
My snobby coworker was watching me get all suited up the other day and half-laughing he asked me if I was planning on wrecking... I looked at him and said "yes". He looked at me for a few more seconds and than walked off quietly.
Thanks for sharing, hope you heal up quickly, and get some replacement gear. I think you are 'living' testimony to it's worth.
My snobby coworker was watching me get all suited up the other day and half-laughing he asked me if I was planning on wrecking... I looked at him and said "yes". He looked at me for a few more seconds and than walked off quietly.
Thanks for sharing, hope you heal up quickly, and get some replacement gear. I think you are 'living' testimony to it's worth.
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sorry about the get-off. about the injuries, my niece tripped/slipped on wet stairs several years ago. ER said no broken bones. follow-up with private dr. found broken bone. 2 surgeries later... get a second opinion and more x rays.
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Me neither, those people usually become highway department statistics.
DougInKY, glad that you are going to be ok!
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49 Posts
Thanks for sharing your story & testimony about riding gear. Glad you're o.k. I haven't been down but over the past few years I've started being more conscientious about wearing my gear even in hot weather. This time of year around K.C. all the bike "owners" pull their bikes out of their garages to putt around town & go to their weekly bike nights. I never paid much attention before but have started looking at other riders to see what kind of "gear" they wear. I'm amazed at what people will wear (or not) while riding the streets & highways while dodging distracted cagers. I saw a young guy on a naked standard just yesterday waiting to pull out of a side street into moderate traffic on a busy 4-lane street; no helmet, no shirt, short pants, tennis shoes.
Whenver I'm tempted on a hot day to leave the gear behind, I think about what asphalt, concrete, &/or gravel feels like on bare skin. :yikes:
Whenver I'm tempted on a hot day to leave the gear behind, I think about what asphalt, concrete, &/or gravel feels like on bare skin. :yikes:
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729 Posts
D:
Take it easy. You have all the time you need to heal. I was on crutches for almost four weeks and they were real hard to deal with and very tiring. I couldn't have made it around without them but I hated them before I was able to walk without them.
Glad your didn't break any bones and your bike only have minimal damage. Thank goodness for ATGATT.
Take it easy. You have all the time you need to heal. I was on crutches for almost four weeks and they were real hard to deal with and very tiring. I couldn't have made it around without them but I hated them before I was able to walk without them.
Glad your didn't break any bones and your bike only have minimal damage. Thank goodness for ATGATT.
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5,932 Posts
Thanks for swallowing your pride and sharing your story! We all need a reminder that we are mortal. You have reinforced my desire to own only ABS bikes and comfirmed once again that wearing gear IS worth the hassle. Especially as we get older. Just don't heal as quickly! I hope the next couple days show improvement in your leg. If not, I would have it looked at again.
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