Went Down Hard today...Totalled

Well, I can't sleep thinking that I should not have survived, it was that bad, way bad, I walked away....I don't get it. After another brief talk with my wife, I can't give up riding....I don't know any of you but I feel we are one in the same; I plan on getting on my second pony and starting over. Like I said, my gear saved me x many. times Jacket and helmet are toast, bike is toast, ego is toast. I am still embarrassed over the situation because I thought I could always avoid this....Well brothers and sisters it happened to me, Wow. All I can say is wear the protection, it work, it really works.......Rod

Glad you survived mostly unscathed... This sounds like one of those situations that if "lane sharing" were the norm in Nevada... the cagers might have expected you to be in a certain part of the interstate and at least checked before changing lanes. Can't really say it would have helped... but may have. Heal fast!

hotrod1 said:

Thanks to all, still thinking WHAT THE ....HAPPENED, it was so fast. For being 50 and sliding down the freeway for 75 feet this morning, I am in good shape. Decided to take a couple days off, watch a movie and have a beer...Still can't believe it happened. Thanks....Rod

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Good on you!

Glad your OK and still planning to ride again.
Also, Thumbs up on believing in wearing all the gear all the time.

hotrod1 said:

Well, I can't sleep thinking that I should not have survived, it was that bad, way bad, I walked away....I don't get it. After another brief talk with my wife, I can't give up riding....I don't know any of you but I feel we are one in the same; I plan on getting on my second pony and starting over. Like I said, my gear saved me x many. times Jacket and helmet are toast, bike is toast, ego is toast. I am still embarrassed over the situation because I thought I could always avoid this....Well brothers and sisters it happened to me, Wow. All I can say is wear the protection, it work, it really works.......Rod

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Hey Rod. I am _so_ glad you came out without personal damage. I've crashed a _lot_ of bikes (was a roadracer for 10+ years and a track instructor for 5) and I'm happy to say that only once some 30 years ago did another vehicle on the road cause me to crash. I've since learned to always anticipate stupidity and be ready to account for it.

The wrecks I've done on street rides since that first have all been due to me exceeding personal limits while exploring where those limit where and a big reason that I started track riding and road racing. Better to crash where emergency personnel are ready and waiting. I'm not saying I'll never crash on the street again but I'm managed to reduce it from a few times a year to never in the last decade.

A standard that I always hold myself and other riders to is this: Any crash caused by another vehicle is _your_ fault. I'm not saying you should legally accept responsibility for all accidents but that you should accept _personal_ responsibility. I don't care how stupid a thing was done by another driver, it is your fault for not avoiding it. Avoiding other's stupidity is _your_ job when you are on the road, just as much as avoiding your own stupidity.

I'm glad you are ok. I hope you get a new bike soon. Motorcycles are just too fun to do without. When my buddy (probably should really categorize him as an "occasional ride sharing acquaintance" crashed his 1997 ST1100 back in '06 and gave up riding for good, I mourned.

Hope I can count you as a occasional ride sharing acquaintance in the future.
Later,
Kent Larson in Minnesota

Thanks for the reminder on always wearing your gear, glad to know it works and I hope I never find out for myself. Sorry to hear about the loss of your bike and glad to hear you intend to get back up on the horse and ride. Sharing this info helps the rest of us keep safety at the front of our minds.

hotrod1 said:

All I can say is wear the protection, it work, it really works.......Rod

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We put on a demonstration once as part of the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Committee where I was to jump out of the back of a truck wearing a full set of donated safety gear and another guy crashed a bike on purpose. After only getting one set of gear, my friend still did the crash and I did a demo on emergency braking/swerving (pick one fast and commit but don't do both as braking _while_ swerving will probably put you down). Joe, my friend crashed by locking the back and low-siding.

The first take went great but didn't get optimal footage (filming for a TV add). No damage to Joe and the donated bike was good to try again.
The second take, Joe broke his thumb but we got great footage. Gear has it's limits. _Always_ let go of the bike once you are on the ground and sliding!

Safety gear is great! Glad is was on you to take the brunt. My personal risk/reward equation has me always in gloves, full face helmet and sturdy jacket with impact protection. I'm good with just jeans for street but it's always full leathers for track (which I don't do anymore so I should probably sell the leathers).

See you out there!
Later,
Kent Larson in Minnesota

Glad your bike hit first and protected you. Do you think ABS would have helped or hindered?



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hotrod1 said:

when I realized I could not stop, I laid it down and slid into the car ahead of me

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Glad you won the lottery on that day, but remember for next time, you'll shave more speed with your tires (have more traction than plastic or metal) under you; less speed = less energy at impact. Less energy is a good thing when bouncing off hard stuff!

It's good news that you're OK. Sorry about the bike. The gear always helps and has saved my butt three times now.

I get skittish in traffic and slow down and prepare to stop when cars are erratic, approaching turns too fast, or are itching to go at stop signs/lights in front of me. I also try to pay attention to who is using a phone. This has saved me several more times from having to use the gear.

Wow. Really glad you're OK! Chalk another one up for ATGATT.

Patty

JimGregory said:

Well that sucks! How old are you? I'm wondering what a crash would feel like at my age now 62. Dont want to find out though I may. Congrads on surviving though!
I also wonder if you can even lay down an ABS bike.

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Mcreviver said:

Aw, you had to bring up that thought, huh?

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As another 62-year-old ST rider, I thought the same...

Mcreviver said:

Aw, you had to bring up that thought, huh?

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Sorry about it.

Well, I do take responsibility for the event. Like I said, I have always believed that good riders can avoid these situations. However, after 35 years of riding ( I ride every day year round) I found myself in this situation. In hind sight there were other actions I could have taken, to perhaps have a better outcome. It just happened so very fast. I think we all know that no one is invincible or 100% all the time, it's the risk we take to ride

I don't know if ABS would have been better or not, I alw.ays thought the ST11 brakes were pretty good My other ST has ABS.

I sincerely appreciate all your responses and well wishes. After buying some new riding clothes I will be back out there, hopefully seeing some of you on the road

Hey Glad your OK sorry about the bike.
On the upside you are alive and well and can ride the other bike
Ride Safe
Dave


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hotrod1 said:

I laid my bike down on I-215 in Vegas today after a car that did not see me came into my lane. After recovering from the car changing lanes into me, traffic was stopping ahead, I could not stop in time. Locked up the brakes, when I realized I could not stop, I laid it down and slid into the car ahead of me. My bike jacket worked well, ripped and shredded with only a scratch on my arm. Bruising from sliding down the freeway, luckily I kept the bike in front of me as I slid into the car ahead. My friends said I just won the lottery.....Bike is totaled. Walked away with only a scratch and a bruise on my hip. Good thing I have a second ST

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Since no one else brought it up, I guess I will. There's a lot of opinions on the value of "laying it down". Is it better to or not. Don't know the answer but it seems like the bike is going to scrub off more speed with the brakes on than sliding on its side, providing on can avoid locking up the front wheel and go flying.

John-

Glad you are OK! I do hope that the bike hit that stupid git's car hard and caused a good deal of damage.

hotrod1 said:

Good thing I have a second ST

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I'd say good thing you weren't badly injured!

How ya feelin Rod?

Took my first ride today. The first spring rides up here in the recently thawed north are probably among the most dangerous of the year. Cagers still have frozen brains. They can't see anything smaller than a dump truck with a plow on it...and sometimes they can't see them either. I got home unscathed, but not without a few twitchy moments.

I wish you well soon.
jim