I was doing between 90 and 100 km/h in the Abbotsford vicinity overtaking a truck when a car in front of me propelled a two by two feet piece of plywood towards me, which was obviously lying on the ground. I hit the breaks hard and got the ABS working, and tried an evasive last second maneuver, then I embraced for impact. The debris hit first the bike on the right side, and then it hit me. For a fraction of a second I thought I would lose control over the two-wheeler because my leg was in a sudden world of pain. Don't let me faint, please! But thanks to my Guardian Angel adrenaline kicked in, and I managed to keep Nella on the rubber side, changed lanes, and came to a safe halt on the side line.
Before...
After... part of the plastic cover is gone.
The right indicator got damaged as well.
I hit the kill switch, got off the bike, and limped to a grass patch to inspect my leg. Carefully I rolled up the leather pants expecting a bloody mess. I got lucky. No blood. What a relief! The bike must have deflected the piece of wood good enough, and the padding in my leather pants did also help to prevent the worst. My knee obviously didn't have to take the full impact. But the pain was real. I needed to get to a hospital nevertheless. So I taped my leg to give it a bit more stability, and went back to Nella to have a look at her wounds. The right fairing was ripped apart and the indicator smashed. I started her up, and she was running ok, so I decided to bring her home, and go to see a doctor after.
Knowing Nella would be safely parked in the garage, I went to the hospital. Within minutes I was comfortable rested on a stretcher with an ice pack on my knee, and high on codeine. Within two hours (Hospitals in Calgary take note!) I saw a doctor and got x-rayed. With nothing broken, and kneecap still intact, he assured me that I would see a broad variety of colours on my bruised skin within the next few weeks.
My knee took a pretty nasty hit. But ATGATT prevented more damage.
After three hours I was discharged with a knee immobilizer, crutches and a prescription for Tylenol 3.
My temporary means of transportation for the next few weeks.
What had me worried quite a bit is that some cager(s) must have noted my struggles and seen me heading for the sideline. However, nobody cared to stop. The car causing the whole accident didn't stop either, probably didn't notice at all. Thank you for not caring you people of the Lower Mainland going East on HWY 1 close to Abbotsford around 11AM, ignoring a person in distress. YOU SUCK!
And I wonder, since there was no witness, who is going to pay for the damage caused by this anonymous piece of plywood?
Gotta take a Tylenol 3 now, and go to bed. I really got lucky today...
Whoa! Glad you are all right. The bike is easily repairable but people, not so easy. How long are you going to have the knee brace on?
ReplyDeleteRichard
Woah! That's tough! I'm so happy that nothing worse happened! Hopefully you recover fast! Take care of yourself, we'd like to have you around for some more time!!!
ReplyDelete@Richard: Thanks, I hope to get rid of it by end of the week.
ReplyDelete@Guido: Yes, if the piece would have hit the handlebar or my upper body I wouldn't have got off that easily. I still don't know how I managed to keep upright, and a guess I am still in shock because I am replaying the scene all over again in my head.
I'm glad your and your bikes injuries are no worse. Good job of riding!
ReplyDeleteI suspect you'll be replaying the scene over and over again for a while. I think that is the way of these things.
Take care of U.
~Keith
Sorry to hear about yournear miss. Nella can be fixed and that multi colour bruising will go away. The important thing is that you are okay.
ReplyDeleteSonjaM, I too am glad you're alright. Road hazards are definitely something to guard against but to have a piece of lumber fly at you, that's something else!
ReplyDeleteI think you kept upright because you didn't panic, and training kicked in. Good job.
dom
Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner
Wow, so glad you are alright Sonja. Good job on keeping it upright and riding home. Sure hope you feel better soon and are back to riding again. And I agree, all those people that passed you while you were looking at your injured knee or saw it happen suck for not stopping to see if you were ok.
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! How scary! I'm so glad that you are in one piece and upright! People do suck and I'm sorry you didn't have any inquiries as to your well-being on the road. Rest up and continue taking pictures of the pretty sunrise colors of that knee as they come out. :-) Keep an eye on Beemer Boneyard for replacement fairing if you think you might try it for yourself. :-)
ReplyDeleteGlad you are OK. -Lori
Thanks y'all. Your comment make me feel better already ;-)
ReplyDeleteGlad you're okay and I agree with Charlie6 about your training taking over, good job!
ReplyDeleteHeal quick and chalk it up to another motorcycle adventure to learn from and write about.
I would've stopped for you, take care.
-Brad
Sonja: Well done with your braking and evasive action - sounds like you did exactly the correct thing and kept your cool - get well soon!
ReplyDeletenick
Congratulations on a successful save. Heal quickly!
ReplyDeleteScary experience, but glad to hear you're okay. Your bike will be fixed by the time you're able to ride again, and you'll have one more shared memory to strengthen the bond between you.
ReplyDeleteSonja, I'm so glad you're ok (relatively)! Good job on keeping Nella upright. I doubt the car that kicked up the board even noticed the aftermath. Shame on those that didn't stop and help. I guess I'm jaded, I always figure I'm on my own out there. Heal quickly, and heal well!
ReplyDeleteSonjaM:
ReplyDeleteGlad you are okay. I was nearly in your area too as I was thinking of visiting someone in Abbotsford but I really dislike Hwy 1 east to Hope.
Bet you have the fastest crutches in town
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
Glad to hear you injury's weren't worse. As everyone else has said, the bruise will soon be gone...
ReplyDeleteHere's to a quick and speedy recovery. I would onjly hope that facing a similar situation that I would react as well as you apparently did. Glad it wasn't worse.
ReplyDeleteJim
BTW, from the last photo, it looks like your left knee is in the brace but from the write-up, I would have guessed right.
ReplyDelete@Richard: It's the right knee... I took a pic from myself in the mirror...
ReplyDeleteDear Sonja:
ReplyDeleteThings could have been a lot worse. Still, I rather imagine that you are madder than hell and I would be too. I'm guessing that you're bike is fully insured, with a respectable deductible. Fairing parts are not inexpensive, and there is the question of getting the paint matched. All in all, it is a major inconvenience. I think you should check with the local police and see if there is a survelllance camera, either to monitor traffic or a bank ATM in the area. If so, they might have the whole thing on video — including the plate number of the car that initiated the accident.
I am delighted that you are not seriously hurt.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
SonjaM:
ReplyDeleteI'm kicking myself for not contacting you that morning. I was thinking of having lunch over in Gibsons, so instead of Hwy 1, it would have been BC Ferries and the whole incident wouldn't have happened.
bob
Wet Coast Scootin
Well done on the save Sonja, that is one of the hazards that we face doing what we love isn't it? Take care, get well soon but get out on Nella again as soon as possible, don't dwell on what could have happened.
ReplyDeleteOh nooooo Sonja!
ReplyDeleteOnly just logged into your site as we're still away from home. So sorry to hear about the accident which could have been so very much worse. Very relieved to see that you got off relatively lightly. You've made a telling statement about the value of ATGATT. No need to think "it won't happen to me" if you subscribe to that philosophy.
Take good care of yourself.
Oh wow, that is one of the things that scares me the most, flying debris picked up by another car. I'm glad you were able to take evasive maneuver and minimize the damage, it's great you have ABS, I don't but my next bike will have it. I crashed into the back of a car when I was 20 riding a dirt bike and my knee took the brunt of the hit, I almost lost my knee, it wasn't pretty, I needed lots of stitches :-(
ReplyDeleteWhile riding I try to make sure I can see past the cars in front of me just so I can look for debris. Glad you kept it upright :-)