I was in a bad wreck

[FastDoc]

There will be no pictures of my ex-new Zong. I enjoyed it for the 25 miles I had it.

I'll be OK but here's what happened.

It was beautiful out last night. I was going to fly out to visit a pretty girl in LA this AM and was going to be gone for weekend so I wanted to take Zong for a spin.

I only was going to go for a 10 mile loop.

I was in the right lane of the 4 lane highway (2 lanes each way) at 65-70 MPH. Speed limit 70. I was the only one on the road. it way warmish, clear, little wind, great night. :(

I see a car closing VERY fast in my mirrors. I's estimate about 90. I track it, figuring it would go into the left lane and pass me. No such luck. 8O

Driver did not even realize she was going to run over a motorcycle at a 25+ MPH closing speed until last second. Dumb chick (18 years old) almost hits rear tire and swerves onto the SHOULDER, loses control starts to spin alongside me, takes me out. :evil:

5 badly dislocated fingers. Bent at 90 degrees of to the side. Discusting sight. Two bones broke out and came through the skin. Back and knee abrasions, scrapes and bruises.

The good news is that God is great and spared me permenant injury. No broken bones, a miracle. ER doc was able to review X rays and put fingers back in place. No way to describe how much that hurt. Bones then went back inside flesh and wounds were sewn up and dressed.

I'll be off line a little while. Fingers hurt a bit too much to type. I'll be 100% soon, prayers are appreciated.

I've ridden more than 200,000 miles with only one accident before this. Hopfully I get another 100,000 until my next.

Be careful guys, but keep on riding.

[Weldangrind]

Whoa. 8O

Thank the good Lord you're alive. 90 degree dislocations? Yikes!

How is the girl? Did she get hurt?

[FastDoc]

Girlfriend was safely in bed 1,000 miles away in Kalifornia. I was supposed to go visit her today. Big disapointment. :(

BTW, girl who hit me was insured, but I've not been able to contact officer who has her info, I was in bad shape to get info, then I was in ambulance.

[FastDoc]

From the newspaper:

CRASH: Kennewick motorcyclist hit on I-82
By Paula Horton, Herald staff writer
Richland -- An 18-year-old Prosser woman crashed into a motorcyclist Thursday night when she swerved back onto the highway after drifting onto the shoulder, the Washington State Patrol said.

Alexa E. Aggeler was driving west on Interstate 82 in Richland in a 2002 Chevy Cavalier when she drove onto the right shoulder, troopers said.

She corrected back onto the highway, but struck William D. Kalichman, 45, of Kennewick, who was on a 2006 Zongshen motorcycle.

Kalichman was treated at Kennewick General Hospital after the 11:15 p.m. crash.

Aggeler, who was not injured, was cited for negligent driving, troopers said.

— Paula Horton: 582-1556; phorton@tricityherald.com

[Weldangrind]

I'm glad to hear that she wasn't injured.

Still sucks though. Too bad about the Zong (not to mention your fingers).

[Jim]

Glad that you will pull through. Hopefully they take this persons license...

[MICRider]

Words escape me... You have just lived through my worst biking nightmare. Thank goodness you will recover, though the accident shouldn't have happened in the first place. I cannot even fathom how painful that would have been. I wish you all the best on a speedy and full recovery.

Sincerely,
Stew

P.S. I hope they do pull her license, she obviously doesn't know how to drive...

[Jim]

I don't think it's a matter of knowing how to drive, but not having any respect for it... Cavaliers don't even handle well at those speeds. Everyone thinks they are entitled to speed at whatever rate they feel. That probably wasn't the only problem in this case but it sounds like it was a large factor.

[SpudRider]

I thank God you are alive and well, Doc! I will certainly pray for your rapid, and complete recovery.

In regards to the young woman, she was probably talking on the cell phone as she sped along, oblivious to the safety of others. Here's another sobering fact; she is old enough to vote. Is it any wonder our country is in the shape it's in? Although she almost killed you, she will probably get off with a "slap on the wrist." :evil:

Spud

[AZ200cc]

Damn dude 8O Glad You lived! I hope You heal well and that You don't have any problems dealing with her about getting things taken care of. I can't say how much I hate hearing things like this...Which is why I am selling my DS and sticking with the dirt. Drivers are dangerous and young ones or old ones are scary......Heal well and be safe out there.

[SpudRider]

Once again, Doc, I am so very happy that you were not seriously injured! Thank you for sharing your accident with us, so we can learn from your experience.

Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned from your accident is this: Stay off high-speed, limited-access freeways with small displacement motorcycles. Doc, if you had been riding your Gold Wing, or another, large-displacement motorcycle, you could have easily accelerated away from danger. However, your 200cc Zong was being pushed to its absolute limit, and it did not have any reserve power to move you quickly away from danger. :(

I enjoy using my Zong as a small-displacement, adventure bike. I frequently ride my Zong hundreds of miles away from home, but I ride exclusively on secondary, and tertiary roads. Based upon your unfortunate accident, I intend to keep this policy. Many automobile drivers travel faster than the speed limit. Also, the higher the speed limit, the faster they speed. It might seem trite, but the old aphorism is true: Speed kills. :(

As motorcycle riders we are vulnerable. Without a steel cage to protect us, we must rely upon superior maneuverability, and superior acceleration, to help us avoid danger. Therefore, we must always have some reserve power available to help speed us away from danger.

Because of the high speeds, limited-access freeways are dangerous places for low-displacement motorcycles. I think a good rule of thumb is this: If you can’t easily cruise at the speed limit, with some reserve power available, you should not be riding that road on your motorcycle.

I thank God that you were not seriously injured, or killed, Doc! I will pray for your rapid, and complete recovery.

Spud

[Weldangrind]

Well said Spud. Thanks again for your thoughtful comments.

[FastDoc]

Therefore, we must always have some reserve power available to help speed us away from danger.

That was my mistake.

Learn from it everybody, maybe my mistake will help others here.

Spud, I always monitor my mirrors. If I saw her and I was on my Wing a flick of the wrist and I'd have been over 100 and would have dropped her like a bad habit by eliminating the closure.

The poor Zong was tapped out.

It's still all her fault, but my mistake. She's pain free right now, I'm not.

The good news (?)

I spoke with the trooper. She IS insured, my same company no less, and she was found 100% at fault, and he said the Zong was almost compleatly unscathed, the only damage he saw was the mirror!

Glad I could take the hit for the little bike. Not. :?

I'm healing up already.

My pain is less, and I only took one pain pill 11 hours ago. The swelling is a little better too. I hope to ride a motorcycle to work on Monday. I won't let this stop me!

Also, the medics, cops, and doctors all said it was a miricle I was not killed or more severely injured. I believe, and I believe in miricles.

I even had a chance to witness to the doctors and staff and cops and medics.

They were amazed at how calm I was and how well I took the pain under the circumstances.

Fellow believers would all understand.

[FastDoc]

Originally Posted by AZ200cc

Damn dude 8O Glad You lived! I hope You heal well and that You don't have any problems dealing with her about getting things taken care of. I can't say how much I hate hearing things like this...Which is why I am selling my DS and sticking with the dirt. Drivers are dangerous and young ones or old ones are scary......Heal well and be safe out there.

Consider keeping the DS. I love all types of riding, on and off road. You can minimize the risks, but with enough exposure occasionally there will be a bad outcome. For me, as an individual, it's worth the risk for the joy it brings me.

Also, like I said, I've had 2 accidents in over 200,000 miles, not too bad a record. The first one was my fault, and pretty minor (broken fibula and sprained wrist). That one would not have happened if I was better focused at a stop sign. I was aggravated with problems with my (ex) wife and not focused on the ride.

The last inciden you know.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

…Also, the medics, cops, and doctors all said it was a miricle I was not killed or more severely injured. I believe, and I believe in miricles…

I also believe in miracles, Doc. I have no doubt whatsoever that God protected you from serious injury, or death. Praise the Lord!

Originally Posted by FastDoc

…I even had a chance to witness to the doctors and staff and cops and medics…

Good for you, brother!

Originally Posted by FastDoc

…They were amazed at how calm I was and how well I took the pain under the circumstances.

Fellow believers would all understand.

Amen. We understand.

The Zong is a great little motorcycle, Doc. However, as we all know, it was not designed to travel the U.S. Interstate System. I hope you will enjoy riding your Zong for many years, and many miles, on the secondary roads, and trails. I am so very glad to hear you are healing well. I will continue to pray for your rapid, and complete recovery.

Spud