kyle
Junior Member
So I was outside changing the oil in my Fazer like a good new owner when I hear a horrible racket - <screeetch....crash, crackle!>..."Ugh!". I look over the fence and see a guy laying face down in the parking lot across the street and what I thought was a bike next to him. I ran over and grabbed my phone and ran across the street.
He was still face down but had propped himself up with one arm and blood was kind of pouring from his face a bit and he had his cell phone in his hand and was dialing his wife. His motor scooter was on it's side a few feet from him (probably a 125cc, I didn't really pay much attention). An older couple had witnessed the crash and stopped to help as well. We both had our phones out to dial 911 and after she asked me where we were, I told her I'd dial.
While on the phone, I realize that the bleeding is just coming from a cut on the bridge of his nose from where his eye glasses were apparently shoved downwards by his open-faced helmet or the asphalt. It was scary there for a second, though. Other than that, he seemed to just have a little rash on his arm and hands (that in itself looked pretty painful, especially his hands, but the sight of free flowing blood draws attention much quicker).
Another few folks arrived before the ambulance - a couple were nurses and another guy had a first aid kit, so they got his nose to quit bleeding pretty quickly, although he left quite an impressive puddle in the mean time.
Oh, some other guy pulls up on a black CBR that was pretty sweet, might I add, but he was wearing shorts, so I was mainly thinking "what a squid!" I was surprised to hear that he was a nurse as well. After trying to jump in to help, proclaiming "I'm a neo trauma nurse" or something, the other lady just says "I am, too." This abundance of health professionals appearing within minutes supports my theory that the local economy is entirely backed by health care and the service industry. But I digress. CBR guy starts asking the dude his name, the year, etc. (by this time the ambulance has pulled in) and after getting a couple of smart assed responses from the "patient", he eventually hops on his bike and speeds away.
There's really no point to this story aside from it being the most exciting thing that's happened to me in a while (is this sad?) and that it was a bit ironic that this happened while I was out working on the bike. That and how potentially nasty injuries from even slow speed single vehicle accidents can be - be safe and wear that gear guys.
The guy was taking a shortcut to his house through a vacant parking lot and came across an unexpected manhole cover that was recessed due to several layers of asphalt being poured there over the years.
He said he panicked and hit the front brake as it went in the hole. From the aftermath, it appeared he locked up the front wheel and ejected himself over the bars. The scooter was laying 5 feet or so farther than he was, so I'd say it was quite a dramatic display - a scooter front flip.
I eventually left as there was really no reason for me to be there after his wife arrived and I had briefed her to the situation and the fact that he was fine (I just imagined how scared she might be on the drive over after his phone call. I'm sure he didn't sound very well), but I could see the scene from my house and luckily he was up on his feet within a few minutes and looked to be joking with the medical guys. I think one of them even took a little spin on his scooter to try it out, so looked like it was ok as well.
Oh, and as an aside, I was a bit disappointed at how 911 handles state boundaries. I live quite literally on the state line of TN and VA, and with my cell phone being a TN line, I suppose I am automagically routed to that dispatcher (or maybe this is done by the tower one is connected to, who knows). Anyways, after describing the situation and giving the operator an address I get:
"Oh, is that on the Virginia side?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Hang on and I'll connect you to Virginia."
Then I get to start all over! Totally lame.
He was still face down but had propped himself up with one arm and blood was kind of pouring from his face a bit and he had his cell phone in his hand and was dialing his wife. His motor scooter was on it's side a few feet from him (probably a 125cc, I didn't really pay much attention). An older couple had witnessed the crash and stopped to help as well. We both had our phones out to dial 911 and after she asked me where we were, I told her I'd dial.
While on the phone, I realize that the bleeding is just coming from a cut on the bridge of his nose from where his eye glasses were apparently shoved downwards by his open-faced helmet or the asphalt. It was scary there for a second, though. Other than that, he seemed to just have a little rash on his arm and hands (that in itself looked pretty painful, especially his hands, but the sight of free flowing blood draws attention much quicker).
Another few folks arrived before the ambulance - a couple were nurses and another guy had a first aid kit, so they got his nose to quit bleeding pretty quickly, although he left quite an impressive puddle in the mean time.
Oh, some other guy pulls up on a black CBR that was pretty sweet, might I add, but he was wearing shorts, so I was mainly thinking "what a squid!" I was surprised to hear that he was a nurse as well. After trying to jump in to help, proclaiming "I'm a neo trauma nurse" or something, the other lady just says "I am, too." This abundance of health professionals appearing within minutes supports my theory that the local economy is entirely backed by health care and the service industry. But I digress. CBR guy starts asking the dude his name, the year, etc. (by this time the ambulance has pulled in) and after getting a couple of smart assed responses from the "patient", he eventually hops on his bike and speeds away.
There's really no point to this story aside from it being the most exciting thing that's happened to me in a while (is this sad?) and that it was a bit ironic that this happened while I was out working on the bike. That and how potentially nasty injuries from even slow speed single vehicle accidents can be - be safe and wear that gear guys.
The guy was taking a shortcut to his house through a vacant parking lot and came across an unexpected manhole cover that was recessed due to several layers of asphalt being poured there over the years.
He said he panicked and hit the front brake as it went in the hole. From the aftermath, it appeared he locked up the front wheel and ejected himself over the bars. The scooter was laying 5 feet or so farther than he was, so I'd say it was quite a dramatic display - a scooter front flip.
I eventually left as there was really no reason for me to be there after his wife arrived and I had briefed her to the situation and the fact that he was fine (I just imagined how scared she might be on the drive over after his phone call. I'm sure he didn't sound very well), but I could see the scene from my house and luckily he was up on his feet within a few minutes and looked to be joking with the medical guys. I think one of them even took a little spin on his scooter to try it out, so looked like it was ok as well.
Oh, and as an aside, I was a bit disappointed at how 911 handles state boundaries. I live quite literally on the state line of TN and VA, and with my cell phone being a TN line, I suppose I am automagically routed to that dispatcher (or maybe this is done by the tower one is connected to, who knows). Anyways, after describing the situation and giving the operator an address I get:
"Oh, is that on the Virginia side?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Hang on and I'll connect you to Virginia."
Then I get to start all over! Totally lame.
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Guess they think they're going too slow to get hurt! :spank:
