cmantis
Junior Member
Not the first time and I am sure not the last but me and the bike met the pavement this morning. While I don't know precisely what happened I know exactly what happened...
I was on my way to work, tired and late, as I was going under the highway I was following another bike (older bike with passenger) so riding pretty tame when a big van came into my lane next to me and behind the other rider despite me laying on the horn. So now I am all pissed off at him and go next to him to let him know this. Eventually I give up on him and continue on my way but clearly am still a little pissed off. I enter onto a very busy four lane road (two each way) with lots of double parkers and intersections. As I am coming to one of these intersections I see a car coming the other direction halfway through the intersection turning but stopped and the car in from of me in the right lane turning but not fully either. So I am paying more attention to these two cars then I should have and failed to see that the light had just turned red. I went to stop and even though I wasn't going that fast must have slipped on something and went down.
Bike is more or less ok - turn signal lens on front came off, frame slider scratched, scratches on rear passenger grab rail and front fairings also leaked out some coolant. As for me my toe hurts but I was able to pick it up and push it to the sidewalk. It started up and seems ok. I did have to pick up my ego and stuff it back in my pocket.
So the lesson here is that a combination of things led up to and or contributed.
- I was tired
- I was in a rush
- I was pissed off at the guy cutting me off
- I was focused too much on the cars in the intersection rather than slowing/stopping to figure out what was happening.
- Intersections are notorious for crap in the road so even though I didn't exceed my bikes braking I did for the situation/conditions
- I have to remember that even with time & miles under my belt I can't take that for granted and remember to practice what I preach to new riders.
I was on my way to work, tired and late, as I was going under the highway I was following another bike (older bike with passenger) so riding pretty tame when a big van came into my lane next to me and behind the other rider despite me laying on the horn. So now I am all pissed off at him and go next to him to let him know this. Eventually I give up on him and continue on my way but clearly am still a little pissed off. I enter onto a very busy four lane road (two each way) with lots of double parkers and intersections. As I am coming to one of these intersections I see a car coming the other direction halfway through the intersection turning but stopped and the car in from of me in the right lane turning but not fully either. So I am paying more attention to these two cars then I should have and failed to see that the light had just turned red. I went to stop and even though I wasn't going that fast must have slipped on something and went down.
Bike is more or less ok - turn signal lens on front came off, frame slider scratched, scratches on rear passenger grab rail and front fairings also leaked out some coolant. As for me my toe hurts but I was able to pick it up and push it to the sidewalk. It started up and seems ok. I did have to pick up my ego and stuff it back in my pocket.
So the lesson here is that a combination of things led up to and or contributed.
- I was tired
- I was in a rush
- I was pissed off at the guy cutting me off
- I was focused too much on the cars in the intersection rather than slowing/stopping to figure out what was happening.
- Intersections are notorious for crap in the road so even though I didn't exceed my bikes braking I did for the situation/conditions
- I have to remember that even with time & miles under my belt I can't take that for granted and remember to practice what I preach to new riders.
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