Ever Been Down? What Happened?
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
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RE: Ever Been Down? What Happened?
I have been down once. I have ridden for 40 years, starting out on a mini bike when I was 5. My wreck was this year. I am very careful and attentive, I try to to anticipate the other drivers actions. I have loud pipes so i can be heard. This last feb, I was going down the freeway on my way to work, I was in the carpool lane and my son in law was behind me on his bike. traffic was moving along ok. A white Ford Ranger had been travelling alongside me in the lane to my right, his window was down. He was just ahead of me, his rear bumper was just ahead of my front tire. He suddenly, with no signal, no warning pulled right into me. I swerved hard to the left, there is a cement barrier there, so I went hard back to the right. Bike went down and so did I. Bike skidded on it's side, I rolled 4 or 5 times and finally came to a stop. A 3rd bike was behind us, he and a wonderful lady in a Suburban along with my son in law all witnessed the crash. The other guy on the bike offered to go get the guy in the truck, but I was more worried about getting my bike out of traffic. I was bruised and bumped, lots of road rash, but nothing to serious.
Moral of my long story is that there was no warning, nothing much I could have done. I had to take immediate action or be struck by the truck, which probably would have been worse. The guy in the truck never slowed down. Sometimes, there is no accounting or preparing for the actions of others.
p.s. I look for that truck everyday. You'll read about me in the newspaper if I ever find him.
Moral of my long story is that there was no warning, nothing much I could have done. I had to take immediate action or be struck by the truck, which probably would have been worse. The guy in the truck never slowed down. Sometimes, there is no accounting or preparing for the actions of others.
p.s. I look for that truck everyday. You'll read about me in the newspaper if I ever find him.
Banned
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,492
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RE: Ever Been Down? What Happened?
I have been riding for about 37+- years. I have had 2-3 big ones and a couple minor ones. And too many near misses. Only one of the big ones was my fault. In the city, running a stale yellow while taxi driver jumped his stale red. We met in the middle. I could have and maybe should have stopped on the yellow, who knows?
Mostly in the 2-3 big ones I noticed that real time seems to slow to a crawl even though it is a split second. Thats weird but thats what I remember. The minor ones were like rolling flat tires or hitting sand in a corner (especially while whipping through a hole shotat an intersection turn!) or dumping in major soft dirt while in a field (don't ask).
This is me at the wheels thru time museum, I keep my hat low so you can't see the knots on my head and forehead:
[IMG]local://upfiles/47168/A3A4748293104F66A7494E9FC3D157D1.jpg[/IMG]
Mostly in the 2-3 big ones I noticed that real time seems to slow to a crawl even though it is a split second. Thats weird but thats what I remember. The minor ones were like rolling flat tires or hitting sand in a corner (especially while whipping through a hole shotat an intersection turn!) or dumping in major soft dirt while in a field (don't ask).
This is me at the wheels thru time museum, I keep my hat low so you can't see the knots on my head and forehead:
[IMG]local://upfiles/47168/A3A4748293104F66A7494E9FC3D157D1.jpg[/IMG]
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,836
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From: 2000 Softail FXST
RE: Ever Been Down? What Happened?
20 years ago I was riding a Suzuki Katana too fast and too close to a van in front of me. Something happened in front of the van (couldn't see what) causing it to brake quickly, I did the same and high centered. Broke my wrist and got some road rash but I still rode the bike home. Totally my fault and lesson learned.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 925
Likes: 56
From: Memphis, TN via NoVA
RE: Ever Been Down? What Happened?
Twice...once in '86 while at the track on a GS1150ESF when the wheelie bar strut broke while shifiting into 4th in what was to be my last pass of the day. Lots of bumps and bruises, no major injury. Last October, 1 week before my scheduled ride to Biketoberfest. I'd been riding for 4.5 hours that morning with 3 other buds to Cal Ripken Jr. stadium in Aberdeen, MD. Ridingin the #4 position (sweeper)as we were coming up to the stadium on the access road. The last corner was a decreasing radius turn that also funnelled down from 2 lanes to one as you approach up to the stadium. Got into the turn too hot, went into the median, corrected for that, got out of the median and back onto the road. As I got onto the road,started to slowly accelerate, felt a wobble on the front end, looked down, saw mud flying off rim, assumed everything ok. Looked up and the #3 with us had stoppedin the middle of the road as he saw me go into the median. I was on him and clipped the right rear bag of his RK with my mustache barand went down at 20 MPH. Cuts and scrapes, 5K damage to my SuperGlide custom, 2K damage to his RK and the damage to my ego unmeasurable. I have been riding for 25+ years and should have known better.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,364
Likes: 3
From: East TN
RE: Ever Been Down? What Happened?
Blue Ridge Parkway 4-30-08. i looked down to unzip a sleeve. when i looked up i was deep in this corner. i remember everything. i didn't panic. i countersteered started draggin board, then board support, rode for a little while in the grass. realized it wasnt happening, jumped off left side. hit butt first, then knee, then face, head, and finally arm. surgery is done. i'm shopping and trying to decide what to get. no msf course. plan on taking it as soon as i'm riding again. this one was all on me, totally my fault.
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,389
Likes: 26
From: Windham,Maine
RE: Ever Been Down? What Happened?
1981 was the last time I went down, also no more alcohol while on the road!!!! Wasriding into a long sweeping left turn approx 50 mph,with 4 wd trucks parked along inside turn.A car with 2 elderly couples was coming opposite direction,they pulled out over yellow lines forcing me up into sand.When I woke up in the hospital 2 days later, wife at side,she could not believe I was able to survive the ride I took.I remember nothing other than the sound of my tires slideing in the sand.3 months of healing,the hunt was on for parts to rebuild my bike.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: north kakalaki
RE: Ever Been Down? What Happened?
A deer wanted to take a ride with me and thought my front fender would be a good place for him to sit (can't blame him, its a nice view) but it didn't work out well for either one of us or the bike.[>:]
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