Post by Langers on Jan 31, 2013 22:03:38 GMT 10
I guess some day every biker has to pay for his or her fun and Monday past was my day. I was heading home from a mates shack at Clayton Bay SA after a weekend of canoeing and BBQing and generally chilling. Only 700 metres into the trip when a dear old biddy in her Mazda 2 decided to drive out of her driveway (not back out) just as I was approaching from her right. She kept coming out until stopping pretty much in the middle of the road, looking to her left. I came over a slight crest only doing about 40 - 45 and there she was coming to a stop. By the time I realised that there was going to be a collision and she wasn't going to do anything to get out of the way it was too late.
So, I assessed my options, while hitting the brakes hard on a wet road. T bone the middle and possibly go over the handle bars or drop the bike and slide into the car. Having ridden & raced dirt bikes in another life I opted for dropping the bike.
Thank God I was wearing full leathers - the bitumin had particularly large aggregate in the mix and would have shredded most other material - as it was, only a few nicks.
The downside was that my right hip & upper thigh took the 235kg of the bike as we hit and slid along the road. The upside - not a scratch on the bike except for one exhaust heat shield coming off and breaking the straps on the bag on the parcel rack - the bag on the RHS wasn't marked (thanks to me).
Ended up connecting with the driverside rear door doing a bit of damage (sorry - hopeless at attaching pics) but would only have hit at 5 or so kph (these little cars afford only marginally more protection than our bikes).
Without going into too much detail, the hip and thigh hurt lots and I'm just getting over the stiffness. The quack thinks I might have fractured my iliac crest (top of your hip - big wide bone just below your waist) - if it is, nothing can be done, nature takes its course.
Said to the wife - I might have to sell the bike ---- and buy a Honda Fury with ABS. Apparently a new POSSIBLE SPAM POST - PLEASE REPORT kitchen takes precedent over my safety.
The most important lesson I learnt from the whole experience is - I aint riding anywhere without leather. It really was an accident on the very low end of the spectrum but without leathers I'd be in sooo much pain in a hospital bed right now.
Cheers & ride safe to the Meet
Mark
So, I assessed my options, while hitting the brakes hard on a wet road. T bone the middle and possibly go over the handle bars or drop the bike and slide into the car. Having ridden & raced dirt bikes in another life I opted for dropping the bike.
Thank God I was wearing full leathers - the bitumin had particularly large aggregate in the mix and would have shredded most other material - as it was, only a few nicks.
The downside was that my right hip & upper thigh took the 235kg of the bike as we hit and slid along the road. The upside - not a scratch on the bike except for one exhaust heat shield coming off and breaking the straps on the bag on the parcel rack - the bag on the RHS wasn't marked (thanks to me).
Ended up connecting with the driverside rear door doing a bit of damage (sorry - hopeless at attaching pics) but would only have hit at 5 or so kph (these little cars afford only marginally more protection than our bikes).
Without going into too much detail, the hip and thigh hurt lots and I'm just getting over the stiffness. The quack thinks I might have fractured my iliac crest (top of your hip - big wide bone just below your waist) - if it is, nothing can be done, nature takes its course.
Said to the wife - I might have to sell the bike ---- and buy a Honda Fury with ABS. Apparently a new POSSIBLE SPAM POST - PLEASE REPORT kitchen takes precedent over my safety.
The most important lesson I learnt from the whole experience is - I aint riding anywhere without leather. It really was an accident on the very low end of the spectrum but without leathers I'd be in sooo much pain in a hospital bed right now.
Cheers & ride safe to the Meet
Mark
Attachments:
