First off, I'm fine. Cracked a bone in my shoulder, cracked a rib, and a slight concussion, (no I wasn't wearing a helmet). We were East of Bristow, Oklahoma on Route 66, braked harder than I thought, lost the rear end, tried to lay it down but bike caught and threw me highside.
I post this for two reasons, the main reason is I want to THANK the people who stopped to help. I was laying on the pavement, pretty beat up, my poor wife, who was riding beside me, was zoned in on me to notice anyone else. A nurse and her friend stopped and held a rain coat over me for shade. An Army medic stopped and did some field damage control while we waited for the ambulance, and the man who literally gave my wife the shirt off his back to help stop the blood from my head. Restores my faith in mankind and a HUGE thank you to the good people of Oklahoma.
My huge complaint is the $256 ticket I received from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for excessive speed. We were not doing more than 20-25 mph when I wrecked. He went totally by the skid mark. He DID NOT talk to any off the 6 people I was riding with, or any of the other people in their cars who witnessed the accident. He also kept the ambulance waiting for 20 minutes, me inside busted up and bleeding, just to write the ticket. I was 100% coherent and totally upfront and helpful in answering his questions. I could fight it, but its a 3 hour drive, and a day off work. I'm planning on a letter to send with the check to tell them what I think.
I'm sorry for the long rant, but I wanted to thank all the good people who helped and bitch about the BS ticket from the OHP.
Be safe, have fun, and we'll see you all on the road.

 

$256 dollar ticket is better than death. Deal with it and learn from your mistake. Glad you're okay! What's the next bike gonna be?

 

Glad you're OK. Is the bike a total?

 

You are basically healthy.
and, got a speeding ticket..

Let's think about that:
Could have been hurt much worse.
and the ticket could have legitimately been Careless and Imprudent, or Reckless.

Pay the ticket and be thankful it wasn't worse.

 

In CA you can request to have the ticket transferred to a closer court. Somehow many of the tickets get lost in the system and you'll never hear from them again. Do some checking of the local laws and good luck.

 

The waiting for the ticket in the ambulance is disturbing.


As a retired policeman from Texas I encourage you not to send the ticket and complaint together.
Look up the OHP website and you can send a complaint via email or they have an address where you can mail it. Keep the ticket and complaint on different levels.


I don't know how they do it there but you may be sending your ticket/payment off to a different address and they only want your payment.


Based on what your posting the Trooper may just need his supervisor to speak to him and evaluate his common sense skills.


I wont preach on "when I was a cop I would have don't this or that blah blah blah" but no way would I have made an injured party wait for a stupid ticket!
Just my 2c on that...

 

So, if you were only doing 20-25mph, what was the posted speed limit? Did he witness you speeding, or did he just assume speed was a factor? I agree with others about just being thankful to be alive, but the ticket sounds like bullshit.

 

Glad you're okay, OP. I highly suggest ABS on the replacement bike.

 

Glad you are ok...

How long could the skid mark have even been at 20-25mph?

 

That is what I am wondering.
At 25 mph, once the back tire locks up long enough to create a skid mark, it is scrubbing speed and inertia very fast.
Yet he states he skidded it long enough to show the police and yet had enough speed and momentum to high-side it when he released the back brake.