I hate roundabouts and stupid people behind steering wheel

[brico]

Saturday afternoon around 1:00 pm riding to my buddy to see his new BBQ he has built. Closing in onto a roundabout and intended on turning left, shifted from 3rd to 2nd gear and slowed down to 35kph and perhaps even more entered roundabout and leaned to left to make a turn when i saw a brand spanking new Honda Civic and a chick closing in from my right side and no intention to slow down or stop. I was leaned over so my solutions were gun it?? (edges of a roundabout are sloping up to curbed islands) Straighten the bike and break (that would have brought me closer to her or caused me to hit her os she hitting me)?? Break while leaned over, which i did but somewhat overdoing it and skidded with bike falling over my left leg and as a result cracking smaller bone on my left calf which I discovered only 24 hours later when visited ER.

She stopped for a brief moment (perhaps wondering what is this idiot doing falling in front of me) and when I picked up my bike (with the help of a witness) she left the scene?? Guy was even more upset than I was and wanted to jump into his pickup and chase her to get her to return and face the consequences. I said never mind. I am OK (sort of) and bike is not that badly damaged and insurance will cover all except $300 deductible since it is as per ICBC "phantom hit and run" (no contact made but caused someone to crash). Boots saved my feet and gote slightly scratched, jacket small scratch, Helmet not even touched the pavement, gloves OK nothing. Fairing cracked on left side and instrument console slightly bent to right, Tank slightly bent and scratched, Clutch lever scrapped, left handle end cap scrathed, engine cover (with "Yamaha" embodied on it) scratched.

All in all not bad considering the potential. That I will be more of a chicken when i ride again in two to three weeks is for sure especially around streets of Vancouver. Roundabouts are new concept here and people do not have a clue what are they supposed to do when they approach one and what are they to do when they see someone in it. It works well in UK, Australia and New Zealand reducing the number of traffic light opated intersections moving the traffic faster but with these ****s here light controlled or Four Way Stop intersection is the best. I am sure **** would have slowed down or stopped if she saw the pickup truck in it though ;-)

regards
"Hurt but Determined to go back riding"

 

[xgrafcorex]

That sucks! Glad to hear you are alright for the most part, as well as the bike. I too just took a spill and though I'm alright for the most part, my bike is in a questionable state. Can't blame it on anyone but myself though.

Good to hear you are still wanting to get back out on the road on two wheels. It's been driving me crazy to see people riding bikes now that mine is not going anywhere for a while..

 

[racebrooks]

The first time I went down on a street bike was in a roundabout in Long Beach CA called the traffic circle. Legend has it that the guy who designed it lost his son in a traffic accident in the circle.

It was in 1982 and I was riding my first bike..a Honda 1980 CB750F. I was coming down hill on PCH and it was clear all around. I leaned left into the turn, drifting to the outside. The out side lane was a clear shot to the street, Los Coyotes Diagonal, and that's was my direction. I slid in behind a lady who should have driven straight through. She stopped, not slowed but stopped. I crumpled under her car bending the forks and denting the tank. As I lay in the busy roundabout, she just kept on driving and I never saw her again.

My fault.....yep. I was bruised and sore for a couple of weeks but my helmet saved me from serious injury.

I bought new forks,handlebars and fixed the tank and it was a good as new.

Even now when I go into the Traffic Circle, I see it as challenge to see if I will come out alive.

The lesson is be careful because you can only control yourself and no one else.