Damn cagers!!
I set my jiffy stand down, and my wife got off the back, and called the 911, and asked for an ambulance and police. The women driving the SUV says I must not have seen her turn signal that she was making an illegal U-Turn to park in a spot open on the opposite side of the road. A few witnesses step forward and said she did not have her signal on, and I was not doing anything dangerous. An ambulance arrived, and EMTs started to check me out, and asked if my wife had any injuries. I had a 2 inch laceration below my nose to my upper lips, likely going to leave a scar.
Needless to say I was not happy, but did not go ballistic since my wife was OK. At one point I was expressing my displeasure with the enforcement of traffic laws(Illegal U-Turns, and basic disregard for basic safety) of our local law enforcement officers. The officer didn't even dispute, my statements, and more or less told me he didn't have time to stop people for making U-Turns in the middle of busy roads, parking illegally, or making standing U-Turns from parking spaces. Monday I plan on speaking to our local chief of police, and ask him to make his officers more aware of more than just writing tickets at easy speed traps.
I was taken via ambulance to the local emergency room. No concussion (wearing a helmet), but has a pretty nice laceration on my upper lip. ER Dr put nine small stitches in to help keep the scaring to a minimum. Today looks like I have a fat lip with stitches in it. But gonna have a scar.
I called my dealer, and they arrived with an hour to take the bike. As low speed as the collision was, the damage to the bike looks extensive. The tab for the engine guard is slightly bent. Fairing, inner fairing, lower fairing, fender, engine guard, and some things I didn't even have time to take in are damaged. Talked to the service manager, and he told me he would get the painted parts on order yesterday in order to speed up the process.
I have spoken to my insurance company, and her insurance company. The police officer told me she is being cited for the U-turn, but I didn't get the chance to press him for much else. I talked to her adjuster, and he called her saying she didn't dispute any of the facts that I presented, and was waiting on the accident report. He said he will be out to see me first thing Monday morning. Debating on calling an attorney, but not going to sign anything without speaking to one first. I know I want a rental bike since this is clearing not my fault, and this is my primary form of transportation at this time of year.
OK Here is a link for pictures. They wouldn't upload previously. http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/Jo...cle%20accident
First, as a former police officer, and current prosecutor, I can tell you this...the entire U.S. driving population has been conditioned to think that DUI and Speeding are the only 2 real dangerous things you can do on the road. Anything else any driver does is essentially ok so long as they're not drunk or exceeding the speed limit while doing it. Scads of violations go unenforced. Always have, always will. Moreover, you cite someone for speeding, maybe 1 in a 100 will challenge it. Cite them for other things, or failure to do other things they think are only basic courtesies that they can extend to other drivers on an optional basis, and they'll make complaints to the police chief, and clog the courts with "not guilty" pleas wanting a trial. Sadly, many police, and police agencies have adopted this stance too, and put speeding and DUI at the tops of their enforcement lists, which is fine, but it's normally to the exclusion of all other violations. Facts of life. More facts. If you're on a motorcycle, and someone else makes a mistake causing a wreck, chances are you'll take little comfort in the fact that you weren't at fault, nor will you get much satisfaction in them ever seeing the error of their ways.
Glad you and the wife are ok.
Edit to add: Texting has become the 3rd thing to get the political "dangerous driving" label. Dumbass drivers were dangerously distracted long before texting.
Last edited by CoachJR; Apr 16, 2013 at 01:44 PM.
Yes I have learned to not trust the other guy. I have also learned there are many plenty of people in this forum that are arm chair quarterbacks, who weren't present and enjoy passing judgement.
Yes I have learned to not trust the other guy. I have also learned there are many plenty of people in this forum that are arm chair quarterbacks, who weren't present and enjoy passing judgement.
Hang in here & hold your ground! You were the victim here! I have been a LEO for the past 25 years!
Yes I have learned to not trust the other guy. I have also learned there are many plenty of people in this forum that are arm chair quarterbacks, who weren't present and enjoy passing judgement.
Either way it was in front of a school during an event, all I was saying was passing wasn't the smartest choice you could have made. I agree the other operator was wrong, but as I said before, luckily injury was minimum, and hopefully you learned a valuable lesson.
Either way it was in front of a school during an event, all I was saying was passing wasn't the smartest choice you could have made. I agree the other operator was wrong, but as I said before, luckily injury was minimum, and hopefully you learned a valuable lesson.
Last edited by Sagido; Apr 16, 2013 at 03:29 PM.
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
She needs to be forced to take driving lessons again and have her eyes and hearing checked, which i think should me mandatory for boneheads that cause accidents.
In this case she was going to do a U turn. Obviously she knew she needed to have more room and moved to the right. The problem was she didn't check for traffic behind her. She probably looked in front but glanced once in the rear view and pulled out.
By the time she saw the bike she was already committed to the mistake and the accident happened.
Still glad you and your wife is okay.



