Motorcycle Accidents

[Dave66]

When I used to have my 125 (was used for communiting in all weathers) I came off a few times on icy mornings. I rode the thing in all weather.

Also got hit side on by a car while I was going round a roundabout (their fault). Catapulted me off but was low speed impact and I just slid along the ground on my back. Lucky enough there was no other vehicles on the road at that time. Had a nasty friction burn and learned my lesson about protective clothing **dont buy the cheap stuff **.

 

[Hellgate]

If by SVA you mean crashing; low side or high side, I've crashed 10 or so times over the years I suppose.

 

[TampaFZ6]

I've only had one mishap that did not involve another vehicle but it's what has convinced me that wearing a helmet is critical. I was turning around in the median of the highway and lost my front wheel going down hard with my helmet impacting the ground.

I can appreciate the superstition of accidents because sometimes it's just bad luck. On the other hand many motorcycle accidents can be prevented by playing the percentages of being in the best place with the best speed at the best time. Positive attitude or the right attitude plays a huge factor in keeping one from having the misfortune of being involved in a mishap. Serious focus using a wide field of view and always expecting the unexpected is huge in keeping one out of harms way. I seriously believe that if car drivers drove like a serious riders do there would be a huge decline in auto accidents.

Continuing to upgrade your riding skills is another major factor in keeping one from having an accident. That is why I want to go to the track at least once in my riding time.

 

[Tailgate]

(btw, video wouldn't work for me).

I recently was criticized by a Harley rider (says my Yamaha is junk) for wearing a full-face helmet. He bragged that he only wears a beanie cap helmet. He said, "I'll bet you wear a full-face helmet, huh."
The implication is that I am a panzy, a woose or something. Huh? Well, this was a first for me. I've been criticized for not riding a Harley, but, now, for not wearing a beanie helmet?

 

[Bram]

(btw, video wouldn't work for me).

I recently was criticized by a Harley rider (says my Yamaha is junk) for wearing a full-face helmet. He bragged that he only wears a beanie cap helmet. He said, "I'll bet you wear a full-face helmet, huh."
The implication is that I am a panzy, a woose or something. Huh? Well, this was a first for me. I've been criticized for not riding a Harley, but, now, for not wearing a beanie helmet?

You should have reply'd "Yeah it's necessary for riding at the speed of light, nothing you have to worry about, huh"

HD-riders demeaning sportsbike-riders must be an patriotic proud-thing or something, I don't get it. Here in Belgium every bikerider is treated equally. (except for scooters, those are just loud bicycles )

on topic: I wonder what the lady in the car was doing, that she didn't notice the biker or car slowing down...

 

[aziebell]

Obviously not paying attention to the road! Between fiddling with the radio, dialing or texting on the cell phone, or eating a meal while attempting to drive, the possibilities are endless! I think I personally have become a better driver after I started to ride my motorcycle. Always on the lookout for something to go wrong. Just the other day driving my car, I saw a guy pull up to a stop sign with an intent to turn onto the road I was currently on. Once I saw him pull up, I never even saw him turn his head to check traffic in my direction. I immediately felt he was going to pull out directly in front of me, so I just slowed. Yup, he did. Sure, once he started pulling out he finally saw me, and stopped in the middle of the road, forcing another car coming the other way to have to stop too. It is really easy to get into an accident. The moment you stop paying attention, things can go wrong very quickly.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

My incident happened during a group ride. A lot of back country roads that I was unfamiliar with and those in the group were much more experienced than myself. I did the typical, I am not going to make this corner, and you know the rest. I learned a valuable lesson that day.

I hope the lessoned learned here is that you have to ride your own ride. Nothing more worse than trying to keep up with faster riders. Rookie mistake.

Whatever the reasons are, most crashes are preventable. Remember, 90% riding is mental. You have to use your eyes and mind to anticipate all the hazards. Being able to identify what these hazards are depends on how much experience the rider has since some hazards may not be indentified what others already have. Then what is your corrective action? Usually not being able to identify the hazard and then doing nothing ends with a bad result.

I constantly find myself adjusting my speed in traffic so that I am never in anyone's blindspot. Also adjusting my position within my lane, from left to right then right to left again. It appears to some drivers that I'm riding recklessly but I'm not. I'm making myself more visible as the traffic condition changes and I could be avoiding hazards such as road debris or a manhole cover that may not be considered a hazard for a car, but for a bike, absolutely!

I also leave plenty of space behind another vehicle whenever I come to a stop. The biggest mistake I commonly see from other riders when they come to a stop is that they are too close. They have left themselves with no outs! I like options, that's why I leave about a car length in front of me. Believe it or not, in general, most drivers who stop behind me give me extra space, or they won't even que behind me at all, they pick another lane.

 

[aziebell]

I hope the lessoned learned here is that you have to ride your own ride.

That is exactly what I took away from that experience.

I also leave plenty of space behind another vehicle whenever I come to a stop. The biggest mistake I commonly see from other riders when they come to a stop is that they are too close. I like options, that's why I leave about a car length in front of me.

This is a good point. I never really thought about that. Whenever I get out again, that is something that I will have to remember.

 

[Tailgate]

The biggest mistake I commonly see from other riders when they come to a stop is that they are too close

I like the license plate frame that reads: If you can read this, you're following too closely."

 

[granda080]

My dumping went like this:

Chipotle Burrito -> food coma -> 50 mph unfamiliar strip -> 10 mph 90 degree right turn -> high-siding -> realizing I wasn't dead or seriously maimed -> picking up bike -> bending handlebars -> riding home 50 miles -> returning later to pick up broken fairing pieces stashed away -> pride got mailed back to me some point the next summer -> lots of lessons learned :thumbup:

 

[oogie]

'71 a lady turned in front of me while I was "assuming" she had pulled off the road into a driveway and would not be cutting back across the road into the opposite driveway after checking her mailbox. Lesson learned: Assume that the worst will happen, the cager will not see me and pull out in front, will come into my lane without looking,will hit me from behind while distracted, that there will be a terrified flatlander virtually stopped in the blind curve on the mountain I would like to take at a much higher speed etc. etc. If you lose focus you become more vulnerable!

 

[CdnMedic]

Non on the street yet. Been very close a few times.
Closest is being on the 401 here in Ontario (majoy highway) was in the right hand lane, coming up to a wall of traffic from a previous accident. To my right opened an off ramp for a service station. Guy in the left hand lane about 10 feet in front of me decides to slam the brakes and turn across my lane to get to the off ramp.
Hard brake application and a swerve to the right, I stopped right at his front bumper as he squeeled to a stop. I was so close to going over his hood, and the guy gave ME the finger!

I give credit to my off road riding/racing for quick reactions... I've crashed at least 100 times doing that, lowsides, highsides, over the front, over the back, rocks, trees, mid air collisions with other bikes, misjudged block passes and everything else great about the sport!

 

[Botch]

I voted "Never had a crash", but I did drop her once.

That eliminates the jinx, right?

Right?

Um, right???

 

[Tailgate]

Hey, how come the video was removed? Don't want to jinx people?

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Hey, how come the video was removed? Don't want to jinx people?

Maybe it's a Youtube thing or by the original poster.

On a side note, for those who saw the video. The rider had to apply a quick stop to avoid rear ending the vehicle in front of him.

We all have gone through this expereince. However, I'm not sure with the rest of you, but whenever I have to apply my brakes hard in traffic, I have an automatic tendancy to look in my mirror to see if the vehicle behind me will stop. If not, you should always be aware of your escape lanes, so swerving and going around the vehicle could have prevented himself from getting rear ended.

 

[Wolfman]

Maybe it's a Youtube thing or by the original poster.

On a side note, for those who saw the video. The rider had to apply a quick stop to avoid rear ending the vehicle in front of him.

We all have gone through this expereince. However, I'm not sure with the rest of you, but whenever I have to apply my brakes hard in traffic, I have an automatic tendancy to look in my mirror to see if the vehicle behind me will stop. If not, you should always be aware of your escape lanes, so swerving and going around the vehicle could have prevented himself from getting rear ended.

My biggest fear when having to perform a hard braking job in the middle of heavy traffic, is being taken out from behind, by a felow road user, who was not quite "on the ball"....my mirrors are always full of me looking hard behind me in this situation...a rear ender is the accident i fear the most!

 

[Tailgate]

Yeah, maybe some day ejection seats will be available on motorcycles that could be activated in those situations where there's no way out of getting severly rear-ended (front ended, too).

 

[aziebell]

Looks like the original poster removed the video so it is no longer available.

 

[motojoe122]

I voted "Never had a crash", but I did drop her once.

That eliminates the jinx, right?

Right?

Um, right???

Me too! I put her down hard in the kitchen....good thing the clutch lever caught the plastic trash can!:Flip:

 

[Nelly]

Hey everyone. While we all know that motorcycles can be dangerous, and it's the risk we all take as riders, I was curious to know how many of you guys have been involved in an accident of some type on the street, not including the track.

Single Vehicle Accident
Accident Involving Another Motor Vehicle
Single and Another Vehicle Accidents
Never Been in an Accident

Also, just wanted to share with you guys this video involving a bike getting rear ended at a stop sign. Looks like he got lucky in terms of his health, not so much the bike, however.

YouTube - biker lands on feet after crash.flv

You need to add how many times lol, I have had 5 decent crashes over 60 mph and about 12 flop and drops since I was sixteen years-old.

All of the fast crashes were my own fault, excessive speed, cold tyres and a self determining belief that testosterone made me invincible..(true right)

One accident happened when a drain in the road collapsed under me.