Crashed

Jonnyallover · Aug 12, 2009

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]A couple of months ago, I was coming home in the evening after enjoying a film. Turning a corner, I accelerated, joining traffic flowing in my direction in an adjacent lane. I was in an area dense with high end apartments to my right and it was dark. Suddenly, to my complete disbelief (Isn't that so often the way m.c. accidents occur?) a car that had been stopped at an exit to an apartment complex pulls out in front of me with very little distance between us. No time to brake, so I have to make a decision: anticipate the trajectory and run behind the vehicle or move to my left, the adjacent lane.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I remembered a vehicle or three in this lane but I quickly decided not to attempt to go behind the car in case it stopped before fully clearing the curb. I grit my teeth and split the lanes as the car completely stopped fully, but not clear of the curb:drool. I snapped a look with that high adrenalin resolution of fateful moments and it was a young woman dressed to party, with a cell phone still inserted in her right ear looking at me with not the least bit of concern. I could have wound up with my bike T-boning her car and, at best, doing a belly slide over her roof or trunk.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]So, I didn't tell my wife because she worries enough already, but, a few weeks later, I was watching a movie, “Stuck” where a woman hit a pedestrian and drove away with the guy right in her window, parking the car in the garage. My wife walked by and snorted, “That would never happen in real life.”

In fact, it did: in Texas the year before. The film was loosely based on this. I told her and she still didn't believe me, so I whipped out the article below of another, similar incident which I had clipped and intended to send in to one of our cycling magazines.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Here is, cut from the L.A. (California) Times for your to witness first. Be careful out there boys and girls![/FONT]

shvlheadwolf · Aug 12, 2009

I want to scream at those party ******* with their cel phones glued to their ear and I want to freakin' SHOOT the ones that are texting as they drive... Nearly been taken out a couple of times in the last week. I'm just going to start reaching into the cars and grabbing the &$^%*$$%& phone and heaving under the wheels of oncoming traffic!!

Chunkylad · Aug 13, 2009

A close call there Jon. Glad you were ok mate. I'd have given the young lady a mouthful at least though.

There was a cyclist killed in Victoria I think, a couple of years ago, by a young woman texting while driving. Her defense? "I didn't see him".:banghead

It really stirs my anger when I see this occurring, and who are the culprits? Most I see are women 17-35.

Jonnyallover · Aug 13, 2009

Shvlheadwolf;

My youngest son, a passionate person and motorcyclist, rides like his cycle was attached to him at birth. He is just an amazing, instinctual rider, and I am generally entertained following behind him, envying his skills and enthusiasm. Sometimes, on longer rides, he just moves around on his Suzuki SV 650 and stretches, looks behind him or gets about on his bike like these stunt, dirt bike riders . . . only at high speed . . . maybe while splitting traffic lanes. He has one solution I've seen him exert on at least one occasion.

We were leaving a play, Wicked, in crowded Hollywood, CA when, I in the lead, was almost tagged by a big black SUV pulling out next to me in an an arc much to wide. My son, pissed and following behind, stood up on his pegs and launched a substantial kick into the side of this guys car. As a dad, I was very appreciative of his display of loyalty and understood his frustration, but had to give the boy a word later at a stop. Talented as he is and a much faster thinker than his old man, I told him I just wanted him to focus on riding defensively and, not to put "out there" something in the universe that he would regret upon its ultimate return, to him. Cheers, big guy!

Dave;

I was really shook, blood ice cold and I putted along at a reduced speed for a distance. The female driver did deserve a word, but she passed me like I was standing still just moments later. Go figure!

Batfastard · Aug 13, 2009

I was once in the opposite circumstance.

I was driving onto a pharmaceutical plant near to where I live to visit a project I was involved with. As I swung my Landrover Discovery into the entrance to stop at the gatehouse a Peugot speedflight moped came whizzing out and the rider ran straight into the front of my (now) stationary vehicle. By US standards a Disco is a small SUV (4x4) but I used it for launching and recovering our diving boat, and it had a bull (roo) bar on the front with a winch fitted, a pretty large and solid object.

It goes without saying that the moped was pretty knocked up and the teenager riding it was a bit bruised and battered. Luckily the young girl riding the bike suffered no serious damage, and the bike was still ridable, but her mobile phone, on which she was texting her friend as she rode into me was scattered across the tarmac.

Typically as this technically happened on the Pharma plant and was recorded on their security CCTV I had to report it, and fill out all the forms. It almost cost me my job as it ruined our company's safety record on the plant, at one point I actually wished I run the stupid ***** over. I don't work for them any more but at the time it caused me a shitload of grief.

Jonnyallover · Aug 13, 2009

Paul;

I once had a mentor who was very concerned that I rode a motorcycle and wished I would give it up. I said that I had ridden a bicycle all my life and still do without any big crack-up. She said, "People see bicycles; they don't see motorcycles". I don't get it. Our cycles are bigger and louder, but I feel she is right. Re; your "shitload of grief", it seems to me like, maybe, 5% of the people out there actually let out the clutch and engage themselves and their consciousness in what they are doing. The rest of us pay for that mentality in so many ways.

Years ago, there was a call out of our congregation at a small country church (which was meeting in a barn), for volunteers to help build a new and substantial building. The ladies would make pot-luck meals and the guys (this was long ago) would do the construction. You know, maybe a handful . . . at best, ever would show up consistently for the project, and most never.

So, get out there on the water and enjoy. You've got some nice toys and you've probably earned them with hard work, or you've been blessed. Just remember, the zombies out there are just mindlessly set to slog along, killing and destroying.

Nobist · Aug 13, 2009

Bloody ell boys BE carefull out their. Doesn't matter if we are carefull though does it?
The texter tw@ts, boy racers and coffin dodgers never see bikes. They drive like they're sat on the couch at home.
A car came at me once,over the white line and speeding like crazy, on a bend on a country lane and the best avasive action I thought I could take was to get off. So I did. The bike went one way, I went another. We both slid for what seemed like hours and we both ended up in a ditch about a foot deep and full of nasty stuff.
I came to my senses and realising I was ok looked for my bike[a Falco]. I could see it about 20 yards up the road looking pretty much in one piece.
It was a pretty close thing and I reckon I was lucky nothing else was coming along the road or I'd probably be :dunno.
I looked for the car to see if they were ok because they must of **** em selves.
GONE.
Ironic thing is I have been at the hospital today to see a specialist about an injury I got that day from dragging the bloody Falco out of the ditch. And this happened about 4 years ago.

Nobist · Aug 13, 2009

Can't believe I just re'lived that :bawling . Cheer me up :thumbup

Jonnyallover · Aug 13, 2009

Geez, Nobist! Really sorry to hear about that. It so-o-o sucks, and the perpetrator drives off either without a clue or totally callused, leaving you totally on your own to drag the bike out and cause additional harm.

We're all glad you made it through and are here with us today to share. I guess your arse never formed a good, hard callus after its sanding that day, or your weekend excursion wouldn't have you saving up for some gel riding shorts or a new saddle.

Somebody up there wants you to slog on, mate.

Hey! Here's a practical cheer-up. Go see the film, "The Hurt Locker". Bloody macho yet caring Iraqi war drama about a bomb detonation squad. Stiff upper lip and all that. Cheers!

Nobist · Aug 13, 2009

The 'Hurt Locker'. Thats where the misses puts me when I'm naughty.:thumbup

Tell you what though. Wild Hogs makes me pish every time I see it. Its so lame but it makes me chuckle.

Chunkylad · Aug 13, 2009

Nobist said:
The 'Hurt Locker'. Thats where the misses puts me when I'm naughty.:thumbup

Tell you what though. Wild Hogs makes me pish every time I see it. Its so lame but it makes me chuckle.

Wow, I've never heard the boardroom/workbench/bedroom called that before.:eek2:eek2:eek2

You must be a kinky bugger Nobist, injuries and all aside mate.

Nobist · Aug 13, 2009

Getting to that time of night again eh?
Or is it morning where you are ?
Nearly bowby time for me.

Nobist · Aug 13, 2009

Injury's are a figment of the imagination or is it an imagination of the figment ????
Or is it an inflamation of the figmation?
Night night.

Chunkylad · Aug 13, 2009

G'night Nobist.

I'm off to work for my morning shift mate.

Don't let that fermenting figmentation keep you awake.

Ozzie · Aug 13, 2009

Having served Queen and Country, I return to civvie street with dreams of no more stressful holidays around the world. Left work at 2:45pm and headed of home, as you do. I approached a set of traffic lights on red and stopped at the bridge. I looked ahead and saw the cars on the opposite side of the road move off.

I waited for them to pass and watched as set of cars, on the opposite side of the road stopped. I looked up, lights to amber, first gear and green for go. Initially I could see two cars stopped on the opposite side at the traffic lights. I pulled off and began banking left and then bang! I woke up on the road. I think I had gone 20 feet, max 20 mph.

75 yr old had come from the opposite direction, overtook the cars on her side of the road stopped at the traffic lights.

Dead, pelvis shattered, left forearm snapped, internal injuries, etc. Jump started, and rebuilt.

Get these moron's off our roads, bikes were here first.

Chunkylad · Aug 13, 2009

Ozzie said:
Having served Queen and Country, I return to civvie street with dreams of no more stressful holidays around the world. Left work at 2:45pm and headed of home, as you do. I approached a set of traffic lights on red and stopped at the bridge. I looked ahead and saw the cars on the opposite side of the road move off.

I waited for them to pass and watched as set of cars, on the opposite side of the road stopped. I looked up, lights to amber, first gear and green for go. Initially I could see two cars stopped on the opposite side at the traffic lights. I pulled off and began banking left and then bang! I woke up on the road. I think I had gone 20 feet, max 20 mph.

75 yr old had come from the opposite direction, overtook the cars on her side of the road stopped at the traffic lights.

Dead, pelvis shattered, left forearm snapped, internal injuries, etc. Jump started, and rebuilt.

Get these moron's off our roads, bikes were here first.

Holy smokes Ozzie!

How long ago was that? What's your current 'status' - are you riding again? (I would presume so, what with your avatar and this being a motorcycle forum 'n' all..)

Some oldies just don't know when it's time to hang up the keys. In this state, after a certain age, drivers are tested yearly for their license renewals.

We had a guy have some sort of seizure (or so he reckons) last year, about 3km from my home. He ran a red light after knocking a mate off his fireblade and leaving him splattered on the ground, then he proceeded to cross the centre of the road where he plowed into a group of pedestrians on the opposite side, killing two teenage girls. An absobloodylute tragedy. My mate only suffered bruising and abrasions, and his 'blade was written off - he was the lucky one.

Dave

Jonnyallover · Aug 14, 2009

That's absolutely horrible, Ozzie. Deeply sorry for the pain and suffering you are going through, not to mention the loss of your bike. It just doesn't seem to make any sense and it's swollen with unfairness.

In your tour of duty, either directly or through antidotes, you must have come across this bewildering situation that just doesn't make sense. There's the anger, the broken parts of man and machine and, at least for some of us, the haunting question of where responsibility lies for the incident.

One may ask, "Did I offend the universe in some way? God? --somehow setting in motion this huge force smacking me down like I was nothing? I know than many of us tend to ask detailed questions about such an incident as if there is something we can learn; take away of value a clue, so that we might be smarter, more cautious, more observant and sensitive to conditions.

But that wasn't the case for you and we're all left cold and sad. Yet, you stand right now after coming through the other end. You're here on the forum and that implies whatever it was that did happen, you are still a walking, talking motorcyclist getting back up on his feet.

Two, maybe three years ago, an old coot like the one Dave heard about in Australia, an old coot in Santa Monica, CA plowed through a farmer's market killing multiple men, women and children with his out of control auto. He said he thought he was hitting the break, not the throttle. He's still locked up despite no remorse. Felt he couldn't help it.

My local postal clerk lost her 18 year old son on a motorcycle last December right here in downtown Tustin, CA when someone ran a red light.
Last week and 1/2, I was at a bus stop on route to picking up my bike at the shop. An old girl ran right through a red light 100 yards from me ramming a young man half a city block right past me as she veered and swerved, now on the opposite side of the divided street. Amazingly, no one seriously hurt. On a cycle, the pilot would have been eviscerated.

Get them off the road? You betcha! Myself, after many decades of driving, I struggle to focus; like, remembering constantly what I'm doing really makes a difference: Not just for me, but for the other poor sucker out there. I don't want to be that driver that hurts. I'm starting my 62nd year now, and it is my strategy that cycling makes me sharper and more present when driving a cage.

Heal quickly and tell some more stories, pal.

Ozzie · Aug 14, 2009

It was 6 years ago and initially I kept away from two wheels but that good old magnetism came back in 2007. I missed it and agreed with myself that it was a freak accident. Regardless of the idiotic drivers on the road, I still ride like I used to, maybe a little more cautious but I guess that's old age.

More titanium than the terminator and he came back

This is my first Aprilia Tuono and I must admit that I am smitten. I crashed on the Honda SP1 and that was only 2 months old. In 2007 I tried a cruiser but it lacked the "ride" and the UK is nothing like the USA for open roads. I then bought a Suzuki Bandit but again it lacked the flair. I needed to go back to a twin and I had two options R or Factory. So I opted for the R as it did what it said and it there wasn't much in comparison for me.

So, to all of us over the age of 40 years keep on biking.

Ozzie

Chunkylad · Aug 14, 2009

Ozzie said:
So, to all of us over the age of 40 years keep on biking.

Ozzie

Cheers to that boys:cheers

I thought long and hard before I considered buying another big bike, for these very same reasons. Growing older and all that entails, the thought of having a major stack, plus the desire to watch my kids grow up weighed heavily on my mind. If it weren't for the support of my loving wife, I would not have even thrown a leg over such a monster. After test riding many, many bikes over 3 or so months, the Tuono was really the only choice. I knew I was in for the ride of my life. The way it handles makes me a better rider and instills confidence, where there had been doubt. I don't mean false confidence either, but the kind you know of deep within. It sets you free to explore limits you thought were beyond you at this age. It has given something back to me I thought I'd lost.

I hope I'm not getting off the track of the thread too far here, but I must relate the story of a ride I had on Sunday:

I rode with a group who are all over 40, most pushing 50-60, and a couple over 70 on Sunday. Boy, what an eye opener. These guys are all still sharp as tacks, and fast as all hell. We rode 350km through cane farming areas here in North Queensland, with some highway stints as well. Once off the highway, the shackles were off, and so were we!:roost All were disciplined as well as fast. I kept a wary distance for the first hour, before deciding that I could actually trust these guys and their abilities. Then the Tuono stretched its legs. Woohooooo.............

It really proved to me that (within reasonable limits) it's not necessarily age which is the limiter on riding/driving abilities, but what you are actually doing on the road which determines whether abilities and skills are kept sharp, or wither on the vine. It seems like anything in life: use it, or lose it.

Notwithstanding, I see some really appalling drivers here. A very high percentage of those are elderly. And I do feel for you Ozzie, and would understand if you had a very low opinion of senior citizen drivers. I agree: get 'em off the road. just as long as those who still 'have it' aren't placed in the same bin.

Dave

mpgscott · Aug 23, 2009

V60Paul said:
I was once in the opposite circumstance.

I was driving onto a pharmaceutical plant near to where I live to visit a project I was involved with. As I swung my Landrover Discovery into the entrance to stop at the gatehouse a Peugot speedflight moped came whizzing out and the rider ran straight into the front of my (now) stationary vehicle. By US standards a Disco is a small SUV (4x4) but I used it for launching and recovering our diving boat, and it had a bull (roo) bar on the front with a winch fitted, a pretty large and solid object.

It goes without saying that the moped was pretty knocked up and the teenager riding it was a bit bruised and battered. Luckily the young girl riding the bike suffered no serious damage, and the bike was still ridable, but her mobile phone, on which she was texting her friend as she rode into me was scattered across the tarmac.

Typically as this technically happened on the Pharma plant and was recorded on their security CCTV I had to report it, and fill out all the forms. It almost cost me my job as it ruined our company's safety record on the plant, at one point I actually wished I run the stupid ***** over. I don't work for them any more but at the time it caused me a shitload of grief.

This is another case of health and safety gone mad!

How is this your fault if its caught on camera?? If they can clearly see that the lassy was txt'ing then how does your company drop its browny points??

It totally defeats the purpose for what these bloody accident prevention schemes aim to do. If there its clearly the fault of someone then something should be done about it, it annoys me that you basically ended up loosing your job because your management team lost there points.

They are a total waste of time if nothing is done to prevent this happening again.

Rant over

:cheers

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