hit at 30 mph yesterday

monkeyboy · 07-07-2009, 06:07 PM

Lady was looking into the back seat at her kids over her right shoulder while crossing the double yellows to turn left into a gas station, right in front of me. If it didn't happe to me I would believe it but this is what happened from there:

I locked up hoping she would lock up too but she never did look forward and smashed her bumper into the side of my bike without braking. At the last second I got my leg out of there and of course me and the bike flew through the air. I did a complete 360 and landed on my feet running!! Scraped the skin down my left shin and sprained my left thumb which was the last thing I was hanging on with through the air.

Here's the kicker. For about 20 seconds I didn't even look back at the bike cause I knew I would see a mangle mess and a sea of debris. I later rode away on it. She squarely shattered the rear peg and bracket bending the weld holding it to the frame. The other 10% of the energy broke chaingaurds and bending up those mounts. Some scratching from sliding across the ground. Otherwise not a shim or even a bulb out!

Oh you thought that was it? My gas cap which has always fit wobbly and leaked snaps down another notch now and makes a perfect seal!

WHAT A DAY!!

katoranger · 07-07-2009, 06:21 PM

At least you walk away. This is why motorcyclists need to be prepared for anything. People don't pay attention and don't look for bikes.

Allen

suprf1y · 07-07-2009, 07:07 PM

Was she charged?
Are you going through insurance?

AZ200cc · 07-07-2009, 08:01 PM

Right, I hope You nail her to the wall for being an idiot.

TeamCheap · 07-07-2009, 08:52 PM

Glad your alright.

I'd have been charged if she hit me because I'd have come unglued on her.
At the very least she'd have been looking for her keys in the direction I'd throw them.(give her something else to look at!)

Jim · 07-07-2009, 10:15 PM

Glad to hear your not too banged up. If you had gunned it, do you think you'd have been able to get just out of the way? Just curious, it was obviously her fault still...

TheRealWorld · 07-07-2009, 10:26 PM

You know what I hate about riding a bike? You have to pay so much attention to what you are doing, and what others are doing you don't have time to enjoy the scenery.

katoranger · 07-07-2009, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealWorld

You know what I hate about riding a bike? You have to pay so much attention to what you are doing, and what others are doing you don't have time to enjoy the scenery.

I am actually starting to no longer enjoy riding on the street. I have plans to convert my bike to dirt only real soon. Probably leave the tag on it until it expires, but I won't ride much on the street anymore. I live in a high traffic area and it is starting to become a chore.

Allen

knothead · 07-07-2009, 10:37 PM

Glad you weren't hurt! That could have really made for a bad day.

Those left hand turners kill more motorcyclists than any other cager.

Sometimes weaving back and forth in your lane helps them see you and judge your speed. I always slow down and start picking escape routes too.

Hope you got a police report. Frame damage almost always means a totalled bike, her insurance should buy you another one.

TheRealWorld · 07-07-2009, 11:26 PM

Last week I had a guy pass me in my lane, when I was turning right. He did give me at least three feet, but he had no reason not to give me 15 feet of space. I had slowed in the center of my lane and moved a bit right before the turn. I suspect he was a fool or hated those crazy bikers. There was no oncoming traffic and it was straight road.

monkeyboy · 07-07-2009, 11:38 PM

You guys will hate me for this but I did not nail her to the wall and have her charged. Though what she did could have killed me she was hugely remorseful, two kids in car seats (which I also have), called the police on herself and told them flat out she just plowed a motorcycle. Almost miraculously I was standing there with nothing more than a sore thumb and a broken rear peg...which has been used once in two years. They said if I consent she can give me insurance info and be on our way. I consented (maybe stupidly). She did sign a statement that she hit me. Her insurance card, license plate, I.D. and signature, name spellings, employment business card, personal check and phone number (which I called right there) all coincided. She wrote a blank check if I need to fix the bike. If a certain amount, then I'll submit a claim to her insurance. Better get my frame checked.

To be honest I didn't even yell at her. Think I was just too elated that I was fine and the bike wasn't even thrashed...the whole thing was surreal. I won't stop riding street (I enjoy some parts of it) but I probably won't ride for a few days, anyway.

Jim, great point! I've been rerunning that in my head. I think if I had gunned it at the instant she started her turn I might have been able to clear her but the human brain is an amazing thing in a situation like that. A miscalculation in that direction would have meant she would have clipped the rear tire at a speed of maybe 40 and I would have flown for many, many feet. In realtime this all happened inside of 1 full second. In my low rpms I bet half of that second would be eaten up by throttle linkage. It was pretty bang bang.

TheRealWorld · 07-08-2009, 12:00 AM

I think she learned a lesson, and I hate to punish people for being stupid. We need to spend money on education rather than incarceration. I think you did the right thing, it will cost her a bunch any how. I love the compassion on your part here. Glad you are OK.

Jim · 07-08-2009, 12:11 AM

Yes, things do happen very quickly, and it sounds like you fared pretty well, considering... I was only wondering, from your description of the scenario it sounded like it may have worked, but like you said things happen fast.

monkeyboy · 07-08-2009, 12:24 AM

I am O.K., thanks alot guys. Just wanted to share in the hopes it helps keep you guys alert on the streets. I've always cringed at the left turners. Maybe keeping rpms up when passing them is a good idea, in case you need a quick burst to blip by them.

The bummer is good defense isn't always enough. This happened at the height of my awareness, cruising at low speeds and seeing her come from the start.

SpudRider · 07-08-2009, 01:06 AM

I am very glad to hear you were not seriously injured!

Things happen very quickly on the street.

Spud

07-07-2009, 06:07 PM	#1
monkeyboy Join Date: May 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 74	hit at 30 mph yesterday Lady was looking into the back seat at her kids over her right shoulder while crossing the double yellows to turn left into a gas station, right in front of me. If it didn't happe to me I would believe it but this is what happened from there: I locked up hoping she would lock up too but she never did look forward and smashed her bumper into the side of my bike without braking. At the last second I got my leg out of there and of course me and the bike flew through the air. I did a complete 360 and landed on my feet running!! Scraped the skin down my left shin and sprained my left thumb which was the last thing I was hanging on with through the air. Here's the kicker. For about 20 seconds I didn't even look back at the bike cause I knew I would see a mangle mess and a sea of debris. I later rode away on it. She squarely shattered the rear peg and bracket bending the weld holding it to the frame. The other 10% of the energy broke chaingaurds and bending up those mounts. Some scratching from sliding across the ground. Otherwise not a shim or even a bulb out! Oh you thought that was it? My gas cap which has always fit wobbly and leaked snaps down another notch now and makes a perfect seal! WHAT A DAY!! __________________ 2005 Diamo LS200 2009 WR250R 2010 Motobike Hyper
	1

07-07-2009, 06:21 PM	#2
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	At least you walk away. This is why motorcyclists need to be prepared for anything. People don't pay attention and don't look for bikes. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

07-07-2009, 08:01 PM	#4
AZ200cc Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Show Low Arizona Posts: 2,889	Right, I hope You nail her to the wall for being an idiot. __________________ <br />2001 Suzuki DR200SE<br />1997 Suzuki RM250 YIKES<br />1995 Yamaha Breeze 125 daughters<br />1991 Honda XR80r Restored<br />maybe a 2003 Yamaha TTR90
	0

07-07-2009, 10:15 PM	#6
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	Glad to hear your not too banged up. If you had gunned it, do you think you'd have been able to get just out of the way? Just curious, it was obviously her fault still... __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	1

07-07-2009, 11:38 PM	#11
monkeyboy Join Date: May 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 74	You guys will hate me for this but I did not nail her to the wall and have her charged. Though what she did could have killed me she was hugely remorseful, two kids in car seats (which I also have), called the police on herself and told them flat out she just plowed a motorcycle. Almost miraculously I was standing there with nothing more than a sore thumb and a broken rear peg...which has been used once in two years. They said if I consent she can give me insurance info and be on our way. I consented (maybe stupidly). She did sign a statement that she hit me. Her insurance card, license plate, I.D. and signature, name spellings, employment business card, personal check and phone number (which I called right there) all coincided. She wrote a blank check if I need to fix the bike. If a certain amount, then I'll submit a claim to her insurance. Better get my frame checked. To be honest I didn't even yell at her. Think I was just too elated that I was fine and the bike wasn't even thrashed...the whole thing was surreal. I won't stop riding street (I enjoy some parts of it) but I probably won't ride for a few days, anyway. Jim, great point! I've been rerunning that in my head. I think if I had gunned it at the instant she started her turn I might have been able to clear her but the human brain is an amazing thing in a situation like that. A miscalculation in that direction would have meant she would have clipped the rear tire at a speed of maybe 40 and I would have flown for many, many feet. In realtime this all happened inside of 1 full second. In my low rpms I bet half of that second would be eaten up by throttle linkage. It was pretty bang bang. __________________ 2005 Diamo LS200 2009 WR250R 2010 Motobike Hyper
	1

07-07-2009, 07:07 PM	#3
suprf1y Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: SW Ontario Posts: 408	Was she charged? Are you going through insurance?
	0

07-07-2009, 08:52 PM	#5
TeamCheap Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: directly under the earths sun............NOW Posts: 2,302	Glad your alright. I'd have been charged if she hit me because I'd have come unglued on her. At the very least she'd have been looking for her keys in the direction I'd throw them.(give her something else to look at!)
	0

07-07-2009, 10:26 PM	#7
TheRealWorld Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 817	You know what I hate about riding a bike? You have to pay so much attention to what you are doing, and what others are doing you don't have time to enjoy the scenery.
	1

07-07-2009, 10:37 PM	#9
knothead Join Date: May 2007 Location: In the land of the busted up ricebowl Posts: 815	Glad you weren't hurt! That could have really made for a bad day. Those left hand turners kill more motorcyclists than any other cager. Sometimes weaving back and forth in your lane helps them see you and judge your speed. I always slow down and start picking escape routes too. Hope you got a police report. Frame damage almost always means a totalled bike, her insurance should buy you another one.
	0

07-07-2009, 11:26 PM	#10
TheRealWorld Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 817	Last week I had a guy pass me in my lane, when I was turning right. He did give me at least three feet, but he had no reason not to give me 15 feet of space. I had slowed in the center of my lane and moved a bit right before the turn. I suspect he was a fool or hated those crazy bikers. There was no oncoming traffic and it was straight road.
	0

07-08-2009, 12:00 AM	#12
TheRealWorld Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 817	I think she learned a lesson, and I hate to punish people for being stupid. We need to spend money on education rather than incarceration. I think you did the right thing, it will cost her a bunch any how. I love the compassion on your part here. Glad you are OK.
	0

07-08-2009, 12:11 AM	#13
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	Yes, things do happen very quickly, and it sounds like you fared pretty well, considering... I was only wondering, from your description of the scenario it sounded like it may have worked, but like you said things happen fast. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

07-08-2009, 12:24 AM	#14
monkeyboy Join Date: May 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 74	I am O.K., thanks alot guys. Just wanted to share in the hopes it helps keep you guys alert on the streets. I've always cringed at the left turners. Maybe keeping rpms up when passing them is a good idea, in case you need a quick burst to blip by them. The bummer is good defense isn't always enough. This happened at the height of my awareness, cruising at low speeds and seeing her come from the start. __________________ 2005 Diamo LS200 2009 WR250R 2010 Motobike Hyper
	0

07-08-2009, 01:06 AM	#15
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	I am very glad to hear you were not seriously injured! Things happen very quickly on the street. Spud __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	0