Glass Bead Reflectors- Life Flight Ride

ST13Fred

Fred
Joined
Dec 26, 2004
Messages
510
Age
75
Location
Proctor, WV
Bike
2015 Motus MST
My NC low sided while negotiating a very familiar 12 degree grade, 180 degree R/H turn near my home on Saturday, 08 Aug, at 6:30 PM.
A WV DOH contractor had painted the roadway edge striping that very day. The machine deposited 75' of dry glass bead reflector medium INSIDE the freshly painted stripe, all the way through the turn.
As the machine started the turn, the bead nozzle began tracking off line. Within 4' it was completely off line all the way through the turn.

The police report identified the beads as the culprit, my lawyer has documentation, (night time) pics of the turn (to identify the bead trail), contractor info, WV DOH has launched an investigation,
WV Senator Joe Manchin rides and his office is interested in this incident, AMA is also interested. My only goal was to get the word out until the contractor company told me things
that were completely opposite to what the on site supervisor told me. I was given his name/# from the local WV DOH office.

I was life flighted to the WVU Trauma Center w/overnight observation (was rendered unconscious at the scene for a time). Shoei Multi-Tec, Fieldsheer, shorts, high top Converse, cut resistant gloves.
Right bicep deep tissue hemorrhage, left hand wrist swollen/no strength in thumb/forefinger w/severe pain, right knee swollen, minor knees/knuckles road rash.

I had been mowing my hay field that day and was within 5 minutes of being in the shower; but was in the shower by Monday morning! :mad:

The white line shows the beads, the gray portion has no beads. The supervisor acknowledged the nozzle will miss the stripe in turns. I have some of the beads and will be giving them to my attorney.
The outside line was also not beaded but the nozzle swung outside and onto the lane edge. Night time photos clearly shows the beads trailing (tapering) off in the upper turn and on again as the machine straightened up in the lower turn.

The bike exited the turn after dumping me in the roadway, straddling the guard rail post, pointed down road. With engine/handle bar guards, it came out relatively unscathed. The DCT oil filter cover has a small scuff and the can has a flat spot at the weld seam, giving it some character.

I'm a little unnerved by all this and know they did this to every turn. Had I been on the Motus.....well, let's not go there. What really angers me is I absolutely had no chance to recover when my tire crossed this crap. I was slammed very hard and could have been killed.

I understand I've broken all the attorney/client rules to not discuss any of this with anybody, but my love of riding has been permanently and severely damaged by this incident and want the word out, period. My Motus will be ready for pickup in about a week but the excitement is not there now.
 

Attachments

Last edited:

ToddC

Site Supporter
Joined
Feb 2, 2015
Messages
4,165
Age
60
Location
Seven Bays Wa
Bike
2006 ST1300A
Ouch !!!! Hope you can get uncle sam to pay for your expenses.....

T
 

Fatjock

STOC #8872
Joined
Apr 4, 2015
Messages
262
Location
Tampa Bay Area
Bike
'18 Glowing Tour DCT
STOC #
8872
Sorry to hear this. May your recovery be swift and as pain free as possible, and I hope you get things resolved appropriately in a timely manner.
 
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
4,954
Age
62
Location
New Jersey
Bike
st1300 '04
STOC #
7163
Glad you're well enough to post. Heal up completely.
Hope the contracting company is persuaded to make it right.
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
2,029
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
Bike
91 ST1100/06 ST1300
The same almost happened to me. Almost lost the bike. The beads were in a turn and the bike drifted almost off the outside of the turn. Missed it by > < this much. Called the city and they promptly sent out the sweeper and cleaned it up. Seems a number of auto drivers reported the problem as well.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2010
Messages
1,263
Location
Rochester Mn
Bike
2014 FJR ES 2009 WEE
That really sucks...and at our age we don't heal so fast.....hope the pain lessens soon....and keep that lawyer on their tail.....good luck...ff
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
2,304
Location
Dahlonega, GA
Bike
2018 NC750X
STOC #
7666
Happy you are well enough to post... never thought about the road striping crew causing this issue. Just another thing to watch out for when riding. Sure hope they compensate you for the damages... and it not take years for the process!
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2010
Messages
1,263
Location
Rochester Mn
Bike
2014 FJR ES 2009 WEE
On the + side that's a really sweet corner to live next to....envious...........heal fast......ff
 

SupraSabre

48 Years of SoCal Lane Splitting/Commuting-Retired
Site Supporter
Joined
Nov 20, 2005
Messages
9,499
Location
Cedar City, Utah
Bike
12/04 ST 1300s
2024 Miles
000145
STOC #
5901
Dang, sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you heal soon and well!

Reminds me of a time that I was riding my 650 Nighthawk over Angeles Forest Road back in 1989 (I think) (Near LA & Angeles Crest Road). Very winding road and to keep the road from freezing over when too cold, they used a fish oil blend in the asphalt. Needless to say they had cars and motorcycles going into the ditches like crazy. How I made it over without dumping it, I don't know. Their take was, that the surface would wear off and the oil in the asphalt would still keep the road from freezing. A few years later I was driving that road every day, but by then the fish oil was gone.
 
Top Bottom