Car accidents: 2
Motorcycle accidents: 5
So, my mom is right, motorcycle riding is dangerous. That's why I never told her...
Thanks to The Powers That Be, I haven't been seriously injured yet, and so far none of the accidents stopped me from re-mounting the bike. It won't be different this time, the healing and repair process might take a little, but I can't wait to get back in the saddle.
Here are some of the incidents:
Acquaintance with a camper van:
In Southern France a trailer tried to pass us, while I was riding pillion on our Beemer. The left luggage case and left foot peg got ripped off during impact, but we kept upright, and I only suffered from a bruised left foot.
Over-estimating my riding skills:
The worst accident I had participating in a trial course meant to improve my off-road skills. I overturned the throttle trying to negotiate a steep sand hill. I did a back flip, and the fall knocked the wind out of me. I bruised my rib cage, and had difficulties breathing for the rest of the day.
Wet stuff:
I flipped the Swing slipping on an oil/grease spot in the parkade.
Also once, I had a low speed drop on wet tram tracks on my way to work, got some bruises and scratched my Vespa.
This time it wasn't lack of skills or fatigue, and I also was properly geared up. Yet, I am still pondering on what I could have done differently.
One lesson learned: I will never ride Hwy 1 on a busy Saturday morning ever again!
My luck: I didn't drive faster than my Guardian Angel could fly!
sonjaM, im very sorry to hear of your pain, your injury, your bikes damage, and im saddened to hear that no one stopped to assist. but i am also very happy to learn that you are going to be ok. it could have been much worse. you were alert and skilled in keeping yourself and your bike as safe and controlled as possible. BRAVO! get better soon!
ReplyDelete@mq01: Thanks so much for your kind words.
ReplyDeleteHi Sonja,
ReplyDeleteDo you think there was any way to avoid it? It's one thing if you do, but entirely another if it was unavoidable and you could only mitigate damages.
All of the training and practice help you make a survival decision when it has to be made in a split second. And you made a very good one.
Don't beat yourself up over "what if's" or "could I have done it differently"... You are upright, you are only bruised, Nella is still ride able just a little aesthetic damage.
My husband had to make a very similar decision a month ago. Riding home on the freeway in the carpool lane and the vehicle in front kicks something up. He didn't have time to register (until later) that it was a large plastic lid to a rubbermaid bin. But he had to make a decision as something large hurtled at him, just as you did. He could have tried to avoid it, and even may have succeeded. But he could have lost control and hit the cement barrier or crashed into a car. He suffered with letting the bike take the brunt of it.
Your (and his) decision was the best one possible to keep you upright and in control. The bikes suffered a little, but better them then you. And you now have that experience under your belt that you will be better prepared for things being hurtled at you in the future. (Let's hope it is styrofoam. :-) )
Keep this as a learning experience, but don't beat yourself up over your decision. Any decision resulting in very little damage to you, and no damage to anyone else, is a good one.
Heal quickly! -Lori
(Gosh, I don't intend this to sound harsh. But I want you to think that you did make a good decision. Sure, there might have been a better one. But there were at least 5 other worse ones.) :)
@Lori: Thanks, I needed this exactly the way you said it. I only have 1 year of riding experience under my belt after 11 years of non-riding. So, I probably did the best I could do under these circumstances, and I am glad that the bike took most of the hit. It will cost, but it is repairable. A broken leg or worse, coming to think of it, would not heal that quickly. I am still sore and stiff, but the swelling is down, and I can already bend my knee a little. The insurance will cover most of the damage, so Nella and I will be back on the road soon enough ;-) Thanks again for this.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I can add much to the prior comments. I am just very glad that you're not badly hurt and (equally importantly, I think) have not been discouraged by your experiences.
ReplyDeleteI've come off my bikes a few times in the last 100000km or so of riding and every single time I've learned something from it that I've tried to continuously apply.
The last thing I learned was to not fall for that BS that many people will tell you (especially sportsbike riders!) about how it's perfectly fine to (front) brake with only two fingers. It isn't necessarily true at all.
I haven't been able to brake hard enough with two fingers to reliably activate the ABS on any of my BMWs, therefore two fingers is not enough for me. Three or four fingers, on the other hand, allows me much greater braking power. I feel that it allows me to better modulate the brakes when the ABS is switched off, too.
Hope you're back on the F650 soon!
@Indigoid: Wow, I would love to make the 100,000km on a bike, I came only to 5,000 until this happened. Thank you for stopping by and adding your experience an well wishes.
ReplyDelete