Riders that've never crashed?
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 2
From: SouthEast Michigan
RE: Riders that've never crashed?
53 yrs. old, been ridin' since the late sixties with a ten year absence untill this year. I was hit once by a Police car, someone pulled out in front of me once and I laid the motorcycle down, and dropped it several times while standing still. None of it serious, thank God. Hope nothing ever happens again. It isn't inevitable that you'll go down, though.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Riders that've never crashed?
51 years old and started riding around 1975... Back then I was recklous... Loved to have one wheel off the ground as much as possible...
Loved to jump too and would take off up to 70 mph... I was a disaster waiting to happen... but I was really lucky...
I only went down making a u-turn on a brick road in Montana received a few stiches... and one time I ran out of road... Flipped it several times... Looked down at my leg and a big stick was coming straight out of my pants... It didn't hurt... so I reached down and pulled it out like it was an arrow... I was lucky... it was barely under the skin... the jeans were holding it in place!!! I started laughing... I did receive some road rash on my stomach that took all summer to heal... Finally went to the hospital and they gave me a toob of goo... it healed real soon after that....
I ride real safe now... I don't need that kind of excitement anymore to have fun...
Loved to jump too and would take off up to 70 mph... I was a disaster waiting to happen... but I was really lucky...
I only went down making a u-turn on a brick road in Montana received a few stiches... and one time I ran out of road... Flipped it several times... Looked down at my leg and a big stick was coming straight out of my pants... It didn't hurt... so I reached down and pulled it out like it was an arrow... I was lucky... it was barely under the skin... the jeans were holding it in place!!! I started laughing... I did receive some road rash on my stomach that took all summer to heal... Finally went to the hospital and they gave me a toob of goo... it healed real soon after that....
I ride real safe now... I don't need that kind of excitement anymore to have fun...
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,679
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Riders that've never crashed?
Well.... hmmm Old Timers? I have been riding off and on (literally) for 33+ years and have had some 'minor' encounters with the asphalt due to cagers and then my own ignorance... I have been lucky... no serious injuries... This last weekend I drove through a red light at a highway crossing and Thank the Good Lord there was no oncoming traffic. My wife (my favorite ridding buddy) and I were riding our bikes among the rural highways around here in South Texas and there were some quail running along the road and occasionally flying up and back down. Well I am sure everyone knows what happened next... some of these quails decided to take off and fly and one lone idiot bird decides to cut sharp and came right between my windshield and my helmet. The last thing I remember seeing was his (it got that close so I could tell!!) belly and wings flapping. Thank goodness we decided to wear our full face helmets instead of our skid lids... I am not sure if his wings or belly contacted my face shield, but it wasn't very hard impact and I closed my eyes and tensed up for the impact. When I opened my eyes I saw some small down feathers on my faced shield and shirt and the traffic light changing from yellow to red... I quickly looked both ways for any oncoming traffic, let off the throttle and coasted on the shoulder regaining my composer as my wife (who had stopped at the light) came up beside me shaking her head...
Know what really sucks? Those large chunks of gravel which seem to hit right smack in the shins or chest... Those could really screw you up if they hit you in the face!!!-
Know what really sucks? Those large chunks of gravel which seem to hit right smack in the shins or chest... Those could really screw you up if they hit you in the face!!!-
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,867
Likes: 0
From: Severna Park, Maryland 21146
RE: Riders that've never crashed?
A piece of advise I got was.......If you drive like a fool, speed, are reckless, take chances in your car and have had accidents because of it, same will apply to your riding of a motorcycle.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 569
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Riders that've never crashed?
51 years old, riding since I was 11 or 12.... Only had 2 get-offs and both were entirely my fault and both were over 25 years ago... (if we're counting dirt bikes, then increase that number about 25 times for me)
I think experience does help and I also disagree with the adage of "either has been down or will go down"... It's very possible to go your whole riding career without a crash as long as you remember how easy it is to screw up. I know a couple of old timers that made it the whole way, one that claimed never to have even dropped his bike in the driveway. He could ride like a state trooper, so I never doubted him....
I think experience does help and I also disagree with the adage of "either has been down or will go down"... It's very possible to go your whole riding career without a crash as long as you remember how easy it is to screw up. I know a couple of old timers that made it the whole way, one that claimed never to have even dropped his bike in the driveway. He could ride like a state trooper, so I never doubted him....
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 644
Likes: 0
From: Pekin, IN
RE: Riders that've never crashed?
I agree. I always stop, completely at stop signs, always use turn signals, regardless of whether there is traffic or not. Never in a big enough hurry to try and beat a yellow light, never tailgate. Always expect the car/truck/motorcycle to pull out/turn in front of me.
In 28 years of driving/riding have never had a moving violation or at fault accident. Live in a rural area with lots of deer and other wildlife. Often have to brake for them, but ride with the knowledge that they are there and may enter my path at anytime.
I certainly don't think I am immune to accidents and at anytime something could cause me to go down and be completely unavoidable. I do however believe you can expotenially reduce that risk by treating driving/riding with the same respect you give a loaded gun. I've handled guns since I was 8 years old, I've never accidently shot anyone or been accidently shot by my own gun. Of course if a stray bullet comes my way, and hits me by accident, there is nothing I can do to prevent it, but the chances of that are slim. The mark of a pro rider is his/her level of awareness.
BTW, in an ealier post on this thread, there is a link to an article about a KIA crossing the center line and taking out three of six bikers. That was a stray bullet. To the two that died. RIP.
Steve[sm=icon_rock.gif]
In 28 years of driving/riding have never had a moving violation or at fault accident. Live in a rural area with lots of deer and other wildlife. Often have to brake for them, but ride with the knowledge that they are there and may enter my path at anytime.
I certainly don't think I am immune to accidents and at anytime something could cause me to go down and be completely unavoidable. I do however believe you can expotenially reduce that risk by treating driving/riding with the same respect you give a loaded gun. I've handled guns since I was 8 years old, I've never accidently shot anyone or been accidently shot by my own gun. Of course if a stray bullet comes my way, and hits me by accident, there is nothing I can do to prevent it, but the chances of that are slim. The mark of a pro rider is his/her level of awareness.
BTW, in an ealier post on this thread, there is a link to an article about a KIA crossing the center line and taking out three of six bikers. That was a stray bullet. To the two that died. RIP.
Steve[sm=icon_rock.gif]
ORIGINAL: Fandango6
A piece of advise I got was.......If you drive like a fool, speed, are reckless, take chances in your car and have had accidents because of it, same will apply to your riding of a motorcycle.
A piece of advise I got was.......If you drive like a fool, speed, are reckless, take chances in your car and have had accidents because of it, same will apply to your riding of a motorcycle.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Riders that've never crashed?
I assume you are talking about the street; I have been riding 40 yrs and have never had an accident on the street. I have had many many close calls, dead or alive within a few inches. I feel a lot to do with my surviving, is the fact that I raced the dirt for many, many years. Also a lot of luck. Thanks George
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,187
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Riders that've never crashed?
Been on street bikes on and off for 20 years.... been off hard twice, both times a combo of too much speed, and too little road and skill. Nowadays, I take it easy and consider every car on the road to be driven by a dork. First time, helmet flipped up at 80 mph, got the bike slowed down but still went in a ditch blind. Knocked the wind out of me.. The next time going too fast, could not negociate a curve, went through a board fence, broke three fingers, cracked 4 ribs, and 18 stitches. Totalled the bike. The way to survive the street is to never trust the cagers, and to realize that even though you might think you are a great rider, TAKE IT EASY>>>> Ride like a Pro vids, safety courses, and practice. Saturday night I went out and within 20 minutes, could have been killed twice. Drunks and traffic. Luckily since I did not trust the folks that almost ran over me, they did not...
You may not go down, but every piece of skill you have WILL get tested. So the better rider you are, the longer you live. Luck runs out.
You may not go down, but every piece of skill you have WILL get tested. So the better rider you are, the longer you live. Luck runs out.
Banned
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 17,265
Likes: 21
From: Los Angeles, CA
RE: Riders that've never crashed?
I've beeen down about 4 or 5 times here. # times were cagers fault, and it happened so quick that it was faster than snapping your finger. I used to ride as a motorcyle messenger for 10 years, so I got some miles. All day everyday will teach you a thing or two about riding safely. If were estimating miles i'd say over 200,000 easy. Anyway ego aside trust no car, and pay attention to the road ahead of you and next to you. I never broke a bone, thank god, but have had some nasty accidents. Asphault from a sped of 35 is enough to mess up a person pretty bad. I am just grateful that I can still walk and am able to ride a motorcycle. My new philosophy is to ride a bit slower and louder. My harley helps with this. In my mind, if you havent crahsed and you ride, you will. Just a fact. If your cautious, it might not happen, but there are so many people who ride nowadays without a clue as to how to be safe. Ride careful.
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