Rider down!

Chaosratt

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ugh... I feel humiliated for even posting this.....

Coming along a long banking overpass. Cruising along at about 55ish. I'm in the slow lane (far outside) when the truck I've been watching dives down into my lane. My instant reaction was to grab brake and jink right ..... right into the emergency lane. The emergency lane on a bridge...... The lane covered in all the gravel, grit, and sh*t.

I think you can all figure out what happens to the newbie rider from here....
I cant honestly tell you what happened.... All I know is that I felt it start to slide, tried to keep it, and all of the sudden I was sandwiched between the bike and the concrete wall. I remember distinctly looking down over the top of the wall at one nano-second and thinking "Thats a long way down".
All I can say for sure is that the only reason their still not out there trying to squeegee me off the lower level is because I was still mostly attached to the bike, and it likely pulled me off the wall as it slid back into traffic.

Next moment of consciousness I'm face first on the pavement with my right ankle stuck under the bike. I yanked it out without thinking and my first thought after realizing that all my arms and legs were still attached was my bike. I'm very out of shape, so all I can say is that adrenaline rocks. I picked the bike up in one heave from the right side, leaned over and pushed the kickstand out with my hand.

The guy in the black truck never stopped. I have no doubt in my mind that he never saw me, before or after. Several other people stopped. After about 800 "are you alright"'s I fired up the bike and left. I was OK. The asshole didn't stop, no point in fire/medical/police.

Helmet: KIA
Leather Jacket: KIA
Jeans: KIA and slightly damp.
Shoes: KIA
Right Mirror: KIA
Right Side markers: Both KIA
Lower right brake pedal: MIA

Me: Sore, Stiff, Bruised, Bloody, but not broken... I don't think, my ankle hurts like hell now.

Morel of the story, that big truck that you have your eye on; He really doesn't see you, and he is about to cut you off.


Not bad for 2 days and 120 miles on the odo huh? God damnet I pissed off right now.

Pics forthcoming as soon as I can mooch someones camera.
 
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wrightme43

Wow man, Glad your ok.
I know some random dude on the internet telling you to go to the hospitol doesnt hold alot of wieght but it really is a good idea.

Glad you were wearing gear. If not you would more than likely of been taken in a ambulance.


Again glad your ok, and sorry about your bike.

Now I am going to say what was said to me. Luckly I didnt have to wreck.

GET YOUR *** TO A PARKING LOT AND PRACTICE. YOU DO NOT BELONG IN TRAFFIC! YOU CAN DIE!

I am a very very lucky person. I followed that advice. I really really hope you do.
If I did not care about your well being I would not waste my time typing this. Please understand that.

You did two things very wrong. As you already know they came very close to costing you your life.
You must never never never swerve and brake. You will wreck.
You must always squeeze the brakes. The wieght must transfer forward, and it takes time. It is a progressive squeeze. Otherwise you will wreck.

Please heal up, fix your bike, and keep riding.
While your healing, buy David Houghs Profcient Motorcycling. Lee Parks Total Control, and Pat Hahns Ride Hard Ride Smart.

Your gear was the only thing that saved your butt today.
Your riding stratagy failed, and your riding skills failed you.

Those are the three degrees of seperation from the pavement or death.
Strategy is the most important
Skills are really only used when your strategy fails.
And when they both fail you. The gear is all that can save you.

Please I did not say anything here to make fun of you, or hurt you. I say this to hopefully get you mad, hurt, offended or just scared enough to do what will keep you safe, and keep you coming back here to ride with us more.

Steve
 

Chaosratt

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I made no assertions that I was skilled, I admitted as much.
The irony of the situation is I was scheduled to be at the MSF this weekend.
And will grab those books while I'm at it.

I take no offence to any criticism, use me as a "what not to do". I made a costly mistake, mainly, not going to MSF last week, or reading these books last week.

If it wasn't for the broken mirror (don't think its street legal with one?) and my ankle, I'd ride it to work tomorrow. I don't quit :mad:. At this rate, i'll not be at work tomarrow, and possibly at the doctor just for a checkup, just to see whats up.
 
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wrightme43

Good deal man. I promise I want more than anything for you to have a ton of fun, and ride alot.
I was in your shoes exactly one year and a day ago. I got my first motorcycle on Jul 24th of 2006.
I heard the exact same things I just told you from a much older and wiser rider. He was no where near as nice though. LOL
Its ok though. He cared enough to tell me, instead of just watching me wreck and get hurt, then sell my bike, or die.
If you can ride the freaking tires off in a parking lot.
 

gmickey2001

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Not bad for 2 days and 120 miles on the odo huh?

I hear ya man. That second day is a bitch!

From someone who knows, be glad day 2 didn't get you a smashed bike AND and broken collar bone.

I'm glad you're not seriously injured.

You will now probably do what I did. Spend the time and effort to learn as much as possible to prevent this from happening again, and fix your bike.

Here is the silver lining - you will now be much more accepting of the fact that bad things can happen at any time on a motorcycle. In retrospect, this really was the blessing in disguise for me. OK, I am not dead, but now I really understand and believe that I could be!

Jonac posted how boring the highway was for him. It's not for me, because even when I am riding in a straight line down a boring highway, I am acutely aware of the fact that I am traveling at high speed with limited protection, and anything is possible at any time.

This is the fun and excitement of riding!

Hope your ankle is just a minor injury, don't be discouraged, instead be enlightened! :thumbup:
 

Bren

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Wow, good to hear that you got away with seemingly small damages. But I do recommend that you visit a doctor. Take care.
 

Limey

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Thats No Fun..

I am sorry to hear about your unfortunate incident.

I hope that your ankle gets better soon and the fixes to the bike go well.

I too am a very new rider as I picked up my fz6 july 7th.

I have been fortunate to find a good parking lot close to my home where I practice the techniques from my riding course for at least a half hour before every ride.
I already have had several occasions where the drivers of other vehicles seemed to look me right in the eye and then pull out right in front of me.
Luckily I was in residential areas so travelling at reasonaly low speeds and able to use my "sudden braking", and "swerve and avoid" techniques to find escape routes.

I try to stay away from heavier traffic right now and choose less congested routes wherever possible.

I hope this does not reduce your love of the sport and when you get back in the saddle remember you are invisible not invincible
 

pchbreeze

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Sounds like you're lucky to be able to walk away...being able to ride away is even more amazing. Someone once said, and I always keep this in mind..."ride like you're invisible".
Heal quick and ride again, bro.
 

Nelly

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Hi mate, we have all made mistakes, it happens. wrightme43 probably enforces all of the thoughts of us all. Im glad you are ok. I have 15 years riding experience but had not owned my own bike for three years prior to my FZ6. I went to a parking lot and practiced, I looked like a bit of a twat on my own, braking and turning doing emergency stops. I didn't care though as I learnt some valuable info about the feel of the brakes, how much weight was needed to counter steer ect. I also practiced walking the bike as one of my biggest fears is dropping it whilst trying to park. I’m vertically challenged you see 5'6" or 5'7" with thick socks and boots. Take it easy, valuable lesson learnt. Ride on.
 

Botch

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Quite a testimony to the safety gear that you're basically OK after crashing at that speed. Glad you're OK!
 

re-pete

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Glad you are still alive and kicking.
I avoid trucks on the highway, when I come up behind one I pass quickly and safely, When I first started riding ( 20 years ago) I was behind an 18 wheeler when one of the tires blew, total luck that i wasn't hit by a big peice of flying rubber.
When a big truck approches me, going the other way I always turn my head away from it. Lots of stuff fly off trucks , rocks, bits of metal and assorted ****.
I may be over cautious but I figure if something comes off the truck I'd rather have it hit me in the side of the helmet and not the face sheild, sheilds won't stop a rock.
 

jamesfz6

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Dont let this inccident get you down. Ride with the knowledge you have gained from this experience.


Ohh yeah....Adrenaline Rocks!:rockon:
 
S

sportrider

I noticed you said "shoes" was that figuratively or literally? glad you were able to walk away!!! ;)
 

Chaosratt

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Yea "shoes". Proper ridding boots, gloves, and an a tinted visor were next paycheck, ie, today(friday).

Also, anyone else who feels like being as much of an Idiot as I was needs to add up the following:
Helmet, Jacket, shoes/boots, Mirror, replacement signals, new pegs, new fairing, right-side handlebar end cap, rear plastics (the passenger hand-holds).
Two days of lost work. $40 in basic first-aird gear, and countless hours of pain (think hydrogen peroxide on roadrash)

Meh, im not going to be ridding again for over a month.
 
S

sportrider

your lucky!!! I won't ride with shoes on. I don't own "riding" boots but I wear steel toe boots that cover the ankle. I would recommend work boots at least, bare minimum. ok enough brow beating you, will just chalk this one up to live and learn!!
:Sport:
 
W

wrightme43

Glad to hear nothing is majorly damaged on you.

Here is one thing I forgot to tell you that was told me.

Each riders starts out with a bag full of luck, and a empty bag of experince.
The trick is to fill that bag of experince up, before the bag of luck empties.

You know as well as I do, that you took a big withdrawl from your bag of luck the other day.

Again glad your ok, the bike is just a thing and it can always be fixed or replaced. You are a one shot deal. I hope you stick around with us, and this time next year you are the guy telling people to go practice, buy this book, and to keep coming back. LOL
Steve
 

VEGASRIDER

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As soon as I sat down in this poker game this evening, there was this guy who had a cast on his hand who immediately asked me if I rode a bike. He asked because he saw me wearing a mesh riding jacket. I replied yes. He said "look what happened to me the other day". He told me that he was from LA and that some lady made a bad lane change on him on the freeway. Just Like Chaosratt this week, similar type of wreck and he too was able to walk away. He was very lucky, he said he went head first onto the pavement, only wearing a helmet and gloves. All he got was a broken hand and two scraped up bloody arms which were bandaged up. The arms would have been saved if he was wearing a jacket, but he said his jacket wasn't mesh so it would have been too hot for him to wear. I told him he was very lucky. I also told him that I always prefer riding in the fast lane on the freeways since I would only have to worry about a bad lane change from one side. He said that she came over from the car pool lane, which I believe in California, motorcycles are allowed to travel as well. Is that right Sportsrider? Like I mentioned before, I think blind spots on freeways is a very big hazard. From my conversation, I think a very experienced rider could have avoided this collision, and again, maybe not. Tonight, on the way home, I practiced how quickly I could honk my horn and cover the clutch. Maybe a good honk could have save him, and again, maybe not. Oh by the way, I went All In and lost all my money.:(
 
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wrightme43

Horn usually does no good. The only real answer is to not be there.
I had a lady come over on my as I was passing, I laid on the horn, squeezed the brake, let up as I cleared her rear, sholder check, cut right, come up along side of her passanger door, passed turned around and looked at her, waving my hand.
Right up untill I took my hand off to wave, I had the horn held down. Its a Fiam Freeway blaster 129 db horn.
She did not even notice, nor did she understand she had almost killed me. She thought I was a friend saying hi.
At the next stoplight she was smiling and waving. I was thinking, jump off the bike, set her van on fire, ride off.
 

JONAC

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Sorry to hear about that incident Chaos !! glad you posted it though ... and more importantly glad you're ok :thumbup:

Every post like this hammers home the fact that I constantly need to be on the lookout.. I am also a Very new rider with only 400 miles on my FZ6 so far..

Concentration and also a good choice of protective riding gear is a must :Flash:

Take care mate and get well soon...

:Sport:
 
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