Had My First Crash... By jofos (Read 616 times)

[jofos]

Like it says above I had my first on-road crash at speed (about 45 mph) last night. I'm talking about it because I was lucky, and a bit prepared. I hope my experience will help others who find themselves in the same situation some day.

I was in the left lane on a four lane road in a busy area. It was dark. A slow car in front of me. Checked the right mirror, clear. Went to change lanes to the right and suddenly there was a van there. I corrected but it was too late to avoid it. I hit the side of the van with the throttle handle. The scooter teetered, and fell...

Here's the part I hope you will remember:

I had thought about it a lot while riding: What would I do if I wrecked hard? I came to the conclusion that the best thing to do would be to just let it happen, and try to slide it out. (Based on tips I have heard in the past.)

That was exactly what I did. When the scooter started teetering I did not fight it. I recognized right away that I was going to crash. I just let go. It laid down in front of me and slid along the pavement at 40 mph. I was sliding right behind it, trying my best not to try and correct my posture except to keep sliding so as to avoid tumbling.

I completely walked away with minor sprains in my left hand and my right ankle. Oh, and road-rash all over my right knee, a bit on the left, also both hands and elbows.

The scooter started right up after I walked it off the road to a parking lot. I rode it home with no further incidents.

Moral of the story: Be ready to let go, not tighten up, and do your best to slide in a crash!

(And no, the driver of the van did not even stop.)

JoFoS!

[ridecheap]

Sounds like another driver with no insurance not even stopping..ehhh. Glad you stayed calm and did not tighten up. Some people ride it into something letting the scooter force do more damage to them due to its weight. Kick the scooter away when you go down or jump away from it.

[davec]

Rule #1: Dress for the crash,not the ride.
Were you wearing a helmet? I never ride without a helmet, be it a Goldwing or a scoot.

From your explaination, it appears the van was in your blind spot.
Which, to me, means, not just look in the mirror,but you gotta turn your head just to make sure.

also, I generally ride in the far Right lane, or the middle lane to give me more of an escape route.
I ride the far Left lane when passing, running wide out. But on a city road, I stay in the slow lane and let everyone pass me if I'm gonna just to the speed limit.


I've often prepred to make a lane change, but suddenly saw a vewhicle outa the corner of my eye.
Them blind spots can get ya every time.

Glad you survived with little injury to yourself.

The next thing to think about, is how you could have prevented the accident.
Not to be rude, but it sounds like this was all your fault, not the van, even tho the van driver never stopped.

Main thing is, you survived OK, I assume the scot is OK, and you learned something new.

Thanx for reporting your new life experience

Dave

[LUKE]

this should not have happened if you're only riding a trike,it's more stable. i'm just sayin'
but,heal soon mate! we don't want to loose another clinician, we lost one in the past, his name is bluefront, according to earthman he read on the local news that bluefront was hit by a truck in the city where they both live.
unconfirmed tho,but if earthman said it,i believe.

[ccprof]

I hope you're better soon. It's not a matter of if you're going down, it's when. I had mine a couple years ago. Amen to proper riding gear!

[Kaveman]

Accidents can happen at all speeds. My previous scoot was totalled just over a year ago, last december. It was my 2nd scooter related accident. In 93 I put down a aero 80 in a turn. Minor to what I got a year ago last Dec. The december accident was caused when the driver in an suv didn't look when she tried to make an illegal lane change to the left, to turn at an intersection . I was in the only lane that could turn left. End result was she cut me off completely and I had no where else to go. My scoot and I went right into the left side of her vehicle at 30mph . Luckily I was wearing a helmet ( big cudos from the ER staff about that ), padded riding jacket and levi's . My right side , knee and leg took most of the impact. I was badly bruised up for the next month. I also take coumadin . The staff didn't take any chances and had additional labwork and tests done ( inc a cat scan) . I spent almost 5 hrs in the er before finally being released. My grocerys got home ahead of me, thanks to the firemen who responded to my accident !They took them home for me ! ;D
will c.

[Bashan]

Apr 1, 2013 12:49:45 GMT -6 LUKE said:

this should not have happened if you're only riding a trike

Unless he changed rides he's on a Peace 80 and not a trike. Glad you're ok Jofos, that road rash stings a little doesn't it.?...owie. So the van just kept going....what a scumbag.

Apr 1, 2013 11:16:06 GMT -6 davec said:

Not to be rude, but it sounds like this was all your fault.

Yes, I'm afraid the police would pin this one on him. However, I strongly suspect that the SUV was going like hell and not watching. You can check the blind spots but if they're driving as fast as they do around here the visual check is cold by the time you look back up front and start to lean. If possible I try to inch over to the lane I want which puts the mirror visual field out in the lane and still check the blind spot. It's saved my butt several times.

Mar 31, 2013 22:32:18 GMT -6 jofos said:

I was sliding right behind it, trying my best not to try and correct my posture except to keep sliding so as to avoid tumbling.

My Dad rode motorcycles all of his life and he said the same thing. He also said get away from the bike and kick it away if you get too close. In retrospect it sounds like he was a stunt rider in his youth.

[ridecheap]

Yeah kicking the bike away from you is the most important part. The weight of the bike is a killer to you.

[jofos]

Thanks so much for the well-wishing!

As to the "fault:" I am of the opinion that you are at fault ANY time there is a crash. As a rider it is my responsibility to ALWAYS know what is going on all around me. It was dark, I didn't check as well as I should have, I crashed. Was the van speeding, making sudden lane changes, or otherwise doing something wrong? I have no idea, and that is my fault. It was just suddenly there. In my post I did not indicate either way whether there was more fault here or there in my crash, just that they didn't stop...

People riding in metal boxes with airbags and crumple-zones tend to not care as much as those of us riding out in the open with no protection. It is on us to avoid them if possible...

And yeah Bash, it does sting! My roommate is Chinese-Malay and she gave me some Chinese powder-stuff to put on the wounds. Worked well. I am lucky I sit in front of a computer at work!!!