Learnt a lot of lessons today, made a mistake and had my first bin

[Old Steve]

Thought I was a careful rider and would never have an accident. Well that's my first lesson learnt, there is a need for eternal vigilance and yes, one day you might have an accident - it can happen to you.

Went out on my bike this arvo after a rain shower to buy a cooked chicken for dinner, my turn to do the cooking tonight. Picked up said roast chook and came away from the shops. Came down to this roundabout, thought I was riding safely as I was aware the road was wet. It was a standard four roads into a larger diameter roundabout. Car coming from my right with indicator going, I slowed, went towards the roundabout, thought "It's OK, he's turning left", and suddenly realised this was one of those drivers who think they have to indicate left when going straight through a roundabout. Braked, front wheel found the white line across the road (the give way line I suppose you'd call it), and down I went. Skidded for a couple of metres, landed on my left shoulder, think I've got a deep bruise which will come out in a couple of days time, and GLORIA has scratches on her front mudguard, headlight and speedo.

So what did I learn and what can I pass on to others?

1) ATGATT, even for a ride down to the local shops!!!!! I would be really sore and cut up if I hadn't been wearing all the gear. This is about the only thing I did right.

2) DON'T ASSUME!!!!! Just don't assume that you know what the other driver is going to do, even if he's indicating. My first mistake.

3) Keep away from painted lines. Get used to staying away from painted lines when riding in the dry because this habit will save you one wet day, I practice this every day I go out riding. However, I had to go across this particular painted line, and I now know that I could have handled it better. I think I turned away from the car when I braked which made the bike lean to the left and slide to it's right and I went down low side. Should have stayed upright gone straight across the painted line. Second mistake.

4) When you go out for cooked chicken, bring it home in one piece. The left hand saddle bag containing said chook landed on my left boot, the chicken is not a pleasant sight. Third mistake, bringing home a mangled chicken dinner.

5) Buy a second hand learner bike. Nuff said.

But I'm in one piece, bit stiff but really only my pride hurt and a couple of very important lessons learnt. Will fess up tonight at the Ulysses Branch meeting and pay my fine. Could have been a lot worse.

[Armi]

Car coming from my right with indicator going, I slowed, went towards the roundabout, thought "It's OK, he's turning left", and suddenly realised this was one of those drivers who think they have to indicate left when going straight through a roundabout.

Was the other driver indicating left before entering the roundabout? Cause when going straight through, you are supposed to indicate your exit.

http://nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/about-driving/giving-way-at-roundabouts.html

The 5th picture.

But aside from that, lucky you and your bike aren't too banged up.

[Tigadee]

Glad you're OK...

My first time riding in rain today myself - previously only on wet road, after rain stopped. I was fairly nervous and kept a keen eye on white lines and man holes. Curves especially gave me the sweats because of what I've read happens to riders in wet conditions at roundabouts and sharp curves.

Thankfully arrived home without incident. Hope Gloria and her rider stay safe and recover quickly...

[Hopeful Bastard]

Yup. You are supposed indicate from half way round, NOT from the start. Bloody stupid rule that was introduced to better cyclists. :whocares:

And it wasn't introduced sufficiently enough, So hence, you get farkin idiots like that guy/lady... :2guns::2guns:

[FJRider]

Funny how ...

NOBODY believes all that ...

Untill it happens to THEM ...

And ...

Untill then ...

It WONT happen to THEM ...

[Oakie]

You learned a couple of basic lessons and didn't do too much damage to yourself or the bike. Well done. I've been lucky and learned those lessons with no harm done. Others in the same situation have not walked away. Take the lessons and tuck them away in your knowledge bank where they will probably save your hide another day.

[Madness]

Glad you're o.k

I hope no oil was spilled?

[Old Steve]

I'm thankful to the couple of motorists who stopped and lifted the bike off my foot, and the couple who asked if I'd like a lift home - there's some good people out there.

On the other hand, I don't think my wife had to state quite as many times as she did this evening that this was the tenderest chicken she'd ever eaten. She had chicken for tea, I had humble pie.

[rickstv]

All offs really suck so sorry to read of yours.

When any emergency braking is done on dry or wet roads, it is really important that the bike is completely upright and traveling straight.

It is quite amazing how much grip the front tire has, even in the wet, as the weight of the front end comes onto it. But, it has almost no grip if the bike is leaning and the front brakes come on. You may get away with it on a dry road but NEVER on a damp road. I have learned this from bitter experience.

Now this is your bitter experience too, but if you learn from it, then it will never happen again.

Congrats on the ATGAT too, I know how tempting it is to "just nip down the road for a second" Most accidents happen within a few minutes of home.

Rick.

[Parlane]

My low side was similar, a tad bit wet. Managed to brake right on some giveway paint. But the bike was perfectly straight so I have no idea what actually happened, the front just gave way and I slid for a bit.

[Mad-V2]

Also when riding after or during some rain you should avoid the middle of your lane and stick to where the cars right wheels travel.
There is always alot of oil in the middle of the lane that stays on ya tyre, especially at intersections and roundabouts.
It's worse when you haven't had rain for a week or two to wash it off cause ya get a big build up of oil, and when it does rain it can be really slippery.
I've seen a mate come off on a roundabout in dry conditions after his front wheel washed out on a push bike, I showed him the oil track that goes right round the roundabout which was about a metre wide of small drips built up over time.
The vision of his head slamming the road without a helmet pops into my head every time I enter a roundabout in the wet.
So take care when ya do the old kneedown roundabout surfing, cause ya won't look so cool lying in the middle of the road next to a smashed up bike.

[Armi]

When any emergency braking is done on dry or wet roads, it is really important that the bike is completely upright and traveling straight.

But, it has almost no grip if the bike is leaning and the front brakes come on.

Rick.

Very much this. When I first practised emergency braking I stopped in the width of 2 car parks from 50kph. The second time I was off balance and away went the front wheel. A broken wrist and 2 months later I'm just getting back on the bike.

[Banditbandit]

Glad you're OK. Yes - I never trust indicators on cages - I wait to see what the car is actually going to do before I move ...

[imac]

Welcome to the club

[Maha]

Glad you're OK. Yes - I never trust indicators on cages - I wait to see what the car is actually going to do before I move ...

I was keeping an eye on one a few weeks ago. It was behind a small truck that was about 100 mts behind us. It had its right hand indicator on for about 10K's...oncoming traffic were pulling to thier left shoulder as they spotted it, thinking it was about to pull out and pass I guess?...

''one of those drivers who think they have to indicate left when going straight through a roundabout''
..I signal when leaving...you never go straight through a round-a-bout, you always go around one.

[Renegade]

She had chicken for tea, I had humble pie.

Hmmmmm pie!

[HenryDorsetCase]

sorry to hear about the off. if you learned to cook a bit, it wouldnt be a problem...... roast chicken is fairly easy to master. My favourite quick "recipes" are to shove a bulb of garlic and a lemon cut in half up its guts before roasting, or smear sambal oelek (chili paste) on top before roasting. quick, easy and no danger of falling off......

[george formby]

sorry to hear about the off. if you learned to cook a bit, it wouldnt be a problem...... roast chicken is fairly easy to master. My favourite quick "recipes" are to shove a bulb of garlic and a lemon cut in half up its guts before roasting, or smear sambal oelek (chili paste) on top before roasting. quick, easy and no danger of falling off......

You sir, are all heart<_<

Soz to hear about your off, but, pertinent that you posted, though.

I'm not riding to much at the mo & every time I get on the bike my head is initially fried trying to take in all the info around me, road surface, road user behaviour, etc etc etc. Fook load of thinkin to be done on a bike all the time.

[HenryDorsetCase]

You sir, are all heart<_<

Soz to hear about your off, but, pertinent that you posted, though.

I'm not riding to much at the mo & every time I get on the bike my head is initially fried trying to take in all the info around me, road surface, road user behaviour, etc etc etc. Fook load of thinkin to be done on a bike all the time.

I usually take a couple of hits of the P pipe, that has the effect of slowing things down and generally making the world a more pleasant place.

I did actually LOL about the "This is the tenderest chicken I have ever eaten" comment.

[Tigadee]

P speeds things up and makes you aggressive [think you're invulnerable].

Smoke weed/marijuana - THAT slows you down and make you a safe mellow rider...:innocent:

[HenryDorsetCase]

P speeds things up and makes you aggressive [think you're invulnerable].

Smoke weed/marijuana - THAT slows you down and make you a safe mellow rider...:innocent:

how about gin and juice?

purely in the name of scientific research y'unnerstan?

[Tigadee]

Of course...

Gin n juice is my breakfast drink, so I dun shee enydink wronk wif eet...

[baffa]

That sucks about your accident. Especially since you were doing the right thing.
Could have been worse though.

The way I approach roundabouts is to make sure you can brake in time or accelerate away from any cars on the roundabout. Regardless of how they indicated. Especially in the rain, if I had been in your situation I probably would have accellerated to get away from the danger. Dont trust indicators!

[Old Steve]

.... if I had been in your situation I probably would have accellerated to get away from the danger. Dont trust indicators!

Um, I ride a Hyosung GV250. Aceleration is not her strongest point.

[DrunkenMistake]

Funny how ...

NOBODY believes all that ...

Untill it happens to THEM ...

And ...

Untill then ...

It WONT happen to THEM ...

Now now be nice,just because you lot dont have round abouts.. Haha

Um, I ride a Hyosung GV250. Aceleration is not her strongest point.

Hyos dont have alot of strong points...

Glad your ok man, the great thing about small incidents like this, is you learn a good lesson with minimal damage, nothing beats experience,
Hopefully it doesnt rattle your nerves to much, I came off a round about in the dry, was been a bit of a knob and gave the bike some beans when I hit the apex, except I done it on a man hole cover.. Lmao, I didnt get shaken up, but I have a thing about man hole covers now, I used to know they were no good, but I never kept an eye out for them, now I do.

[Viscount Montgomery]

iT'S CHEAPER TO BUY TWO FROZEN CHICKENS AT THE SUPERMARKET AND COOK THEM YOURSELF. bETTER STILL, HAVE A CHICKEN COOP AND YOU'LL GET EGGS TOO. dON'T GET ATTACHED TO YOUR CHOOKS BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE TO CHOP THEIR HEADS OFF WITH AN AXE WHEN YOU WANT A FEED.

wHEN THE DAY COMES, HOLD THE CHOOK BY BOTH LEGS AND LAY IT'S HEAD GENTLY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK WHILST SLOWLY RAISING YOUR AXE. tHE CHOOK BLINKS BUT DOESN'T USUALLY SEEM TOO CONCERNED. sMITE THE HEAD OFF AND RELEASE THE LEGS. LET THE CHOOK GO AND IT'LL RUN QUITE A LONG WAY. iT'S QUITE FREAKY HAVING GUSHING TRAILS OF BLOOD AROUND THE HOUSE. aLSO PEOPLE AT ROUNDABOUTS ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO KILL OTHER PEOPLE ON MOTORBIKES

[nathanwhite]

mY GOD. YOU HAVE THE SAME KEYBOARD PROBLEM AS ME. hOW DO i STOP IT? iT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY. pEOPLE SAY i'M BEING RUDE IN EMAILS AND INSTANT MESSAGING BUT no IT'S THE KEYBOARD i'M TRYING TO TELL THEM.


:facepalm: seriously, how do you miss two paragraphs of caps lock?

[steve_t]

wHEN THE DAY COMES, HOLD THE CHOOK BY BOTH LEGS AND LAY IT'S HEAD GENTLY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK WHILST SLOWLY RAISING YOUR AXE. tHE CHOOK BLINKS BUT DOESN'T USUALLY SEEM TOO CONCERNED. sMITE THE HEAD OFF AND RELEASE THE LEGS. LET THE CHOOK GO AND IT'LL RUN QUITE A LONG WAY. iT'S QUITE FREAKY HAVING GUSHING TRAILS OF BLOOD AROUND THE HOUSE. aLSO PEOPLE AT ROUNDABOUTS ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO KILL OTHER PEOPLE ON MOTORBIKES

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IPEYycCRKXo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[chasio]

I've seen a mate come off on a roundabout in dry conditions after his front wheel washed out on a push bike,...

In that case, he should not run over bicycles when the bike is at an angle. If he were nice and upright, it should be OK provided he weren't to get tangled up in those pesky pedal things...

:innocent:

[FJRider]

Now now be nice,just because you lot dont have round abouts.. Haha

Actually we have two ... :yes:

But with 12 inches of rain per year ... :2thumbsup

[baffa]

Um, I ride a Hyosung GV250. Aceleration is not her strongest point.

My VTR wouldnt be all that much faster. I dont know about anyone else, but whenever I'm doing anything that involves any element of danger, like splitting or approaching intersections, I make sure I'm in a low gear so I can react to anything that happens.