Surviving bad crashes

[riffer]

I don't post on here as often as I used to. The rise of social media has a lot to do with that, but also I've been a bit away from motorcycling.

Two years ago today I slammed into the side of a Nissan Navara at a speed between 60 and 80 km/h when its driver pulled out of a driveway into the path of my motorcycle.


I broke my left fibula just below my knee and cracked it half way down. I broke the malleolus of the tibia in two. I broke my sternum and smashed the acromion and back of the shoulder socket and tore the ligaments in the rotator cuff.

My head was forced nearly on to my left shoulder, damaging the nerves C5-C8, tearing the axillary nerve and paralysing my right arm.

The following day I had an operation to put my leg back together.

As I recovered in hospital and at home (three months before I could return to work part-time) I regained - through sheer bloody mindedness and pain - the use of my left leg and left ankle, and gradually (in this order) the fingers of my right arm, then the hand, then the lower arm (mostly), then the bicep, then part of the tricep, then the teres minor, the supraspinatus, teres major and triceps brachii long head - but not the deltoid and the infraspinatus - as the nerves slowly regenerated (1mm per day).

In April last year I had nerve transplant surgery, sacrificing the triceps brachii long head to regain the use of the upper part of my arm again. The surgery was a success.

I had to learn to play guitar again. Last February (before the operation) I started learning to ride a motorcycle again.

In October 2018 I returned to playing in a band. I play in Wellington rock band Mister Unit.

Life nowadays is different.

I struggle to walk much as both my ankles aren't right. I am waiting for an operation on one of my ankles as it's near the point of collapsing. It's caused me to put on weight which I'm not overly happy about. Exercise is difficult.

The head injury I suffered has left it's mark. I don't have the ability to remember things as easily as I used to. Short term memory is terrible. I have to practice and repeat musical parts way more than I used to for muscle memory to remember. But I can do it.

Pain is a constant companion. I have no feeling in the skin in a large part of my upper body due to the nerve damage. However I can feel pressure - and the nerve pain is ... interesting... and ongoing.

But I'm alive. And I've had things happen to me since the accident that have been amazing.

My darling wife has been an incredible support and I don't know what I'd do without her. Seriously.

My band mates keep me going through thick and thin - it's so hard to get a good band and I'm truly blessed in that way.

Just this week a friend gave - gave me - a motorcycle.

My work continue to support me as much as possible.

Despite the fact that the pain and the lack of movement get me down sometimes I'm profoundly grateful that I'm still here - and enjoying the things that make life living.

And do motorcycle training - its a huge part of why I'm still alive!

[HEsch]

I found St John's Wort hugely helpful for nerve pain. Hira Labs in Wanganui do a brilliant one. A few drops is all you need. Often used as a serotonin improver (ie for depression) but has many other benefits such as with nerve pain.

It is contraindicted with quite a few medicines but if you can take it, it may be very useful.

[Blackbird]

Fantastic to hear from you Simon and it's genuinely humbling to hear the full account of your recovery. I'm not sure that I would have your fortitude in those circumstances.

Your comment about training has hit the nail on the head. None of us ever stop learning and I'm booked on a R4E Gold course in Thames on Friday and I've persuaded a couple of locals who have never done any training to come along too. The other thing I learned last week is that there's an SOS function on both Android and iPhones. You'd think it would be better publicised or maybe I'm just slow :facepalm: . On the Android, it sends a gps location and photo of surroundings to any people you nominate after 3 rapid presses of the on/off button. Not a game changer but a handy function when you're a long way from anywhere and need help. Also had a dog tag made with key ICE info.

Take good care,

Geoff

[riffer]

Didn't know about the emergency thing on the phone. Sounds like a real lifesaver Geoff - good to hear from you again.

In my case would not have been so useful as:


unconscious following accident
on SH58 - the main road between the Hutt Valley and Porirua so heaps of people to call emergency services


As for fortitude you do what you have to I guess. I've never been one of those give up type people.

Best of luck on your R4E course. I can't wait to do another. Not much needed to do on the VOR to get it roadworthy again. Unlike the Katana, which, although I've done a huge amount to it, still needs engine and bodywork. Such is the joy of attempting a ground up restoration of a Katana while raising a family and recovering from a crash.

[riffer]

I found St John's Wort hugely helpful for nerve pain. Hira Labs in Wanganui do a brilliant one. A few drops is all you need. Often used as a serotonin improver (ie for depression) but has many other benefits such as with nerve pain.

It is contraindicted with quite a few medicines but if you can take it, it may be very useful.

I've had that recommended to me. I spent many months on both Gabapentin and Nortriptyline for the nerve pain but in the end decided to just stop taking those and learn to live with it. After a while you stop noticing the pain anyway.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Its amazing the extent that guitar players will go to be able to play the guitar again - thinking about you and Jamie Hince (The Kills). Good on you for gutsing it out.

[onearmedbandit]

It's been a long tough road for you mate but so good to see the progress you've made. Can't keep a good man down.

[Blackbird]

Didn't know about the emergency thing on the phone. Sounds like a real lifesaver Geoff - good to hear from you again.

In my case would not have been so useful as:


unconscious following accident
on SH58 - the main road between the Hutt Valley and Porirua so heaps of people to call emergency services


As for fortitude you do what you have to I guess. I've never been one of those give up type people.

Best of luck on your R4E course. I can't wait to do another. Not much needed to do on the VOR to get it roadworthy again. Unlike the Katana, which, although I've done a huge amount to it, still needs engine and bodywork. Such is the joy of attempting a ground up restoration of a Katana while raising a family and recovering from a crash.


Simon, for an Android, it's Settings > Advanced Features > Send SOS messages. I'd imagine that an iPhone is similar. It's something which every rider hopes not to use but something which might tilt the odds in your favour.

Although I've been in IAM for a good few years now, it's always good to revisit one's core skills. I guess the most apt phrase is "Use it or lose it". Easier to pick up bad habits than acquire new good ones!

Well it sounds like you've got plenty of things in your life to keep you occupied so every good wish for all of them mate!

[Banditbandit]

Not good - I'm pleased you're still alive ...

I can sympathize - in February this year I tangled head on with a 4x4 on the open road ... I have no memory of the crash at all - one minute I'm in a corner, nek minut there's a woman in my face saying "lie still - the ambulance is here to get you." There's a half-hour gap between the crash and the ambulance arriving - I have no memory of that time .. though the people I was riding with said I was conscious and talking - except they got sick of me asking how the bike was - clearly I was no conscious enough to remember the answer each time I asked.

First thing I remember doing is wiggling my toes and being grateful I could still do do that and feel them.

I broke my shoulder blade, broken ribs, collapsed lung, minor internal bleeding, severe concussion, other bruising. Full leathers and a good helmet had a lot to do with it.

The driver of the 4X4 came to see me in hospital - worried she'd run me over - I assured her I had not. She said I was already sliding when I hit the front wheel of the 4X4 .. so something took me down - I have no idea if I saw what was coming and bailed, or if there was something else .. when I hit the 4X4 I was thrown 20 metres up the road ..

Seven months down the track I still have some pain around my ribs and just above my right knee ..

It's the first crash I've had that I have not walked (or limped) away from ..

Clearly ATGATT had a lot do do with how well I came out of it .. and probably (probably only because I have no memory of what happened) training too - I have done several training courses (not the RIde 4 Ever ones - previous to them).

If I did deliberately put the bike down it was because of rider training ...

I've been a hoon for 46 years - and I've survived that long because I learnt to handle a motorcycle ... If I'd been a hoon without the training I'd have probably died a long time ago ..

So I strongly recommend rider training - it helps to keep us alive out there ..

(And yes, I'm still a hoon - first ride after the crash (July) - wet road - took the bike passed 160 klicks ...)

[riffer]

(And yes, I'm still a hoon - first ride after the crash (July) - wet road - took the bike passed 160 klicks ...)

We're terrible aren't we? I took my mate's VFR1200 out as the 2nd bike I rode again and had to see what it would do full throttle in third...

[caseye]

We're terrible aren't we? I took my mate's VFR1200 out as the 2nd bike I rode again and had to see what it would do full throttle in third...

Hey rif, blooody good seeing you back in here mate, and Bandy, the both of you keep wanting to know, just for the love of God, make sure you're on your own when you find out, hoons, assessed risk takers call us what you will, theres not one (OK< maybe a "c s n"or 2) out there who don't want to know and haven't tried to find out.
Keep up the good work gents, get them bikes back under you and get that silly grin back,K.:2thumbsup

[Kickaha]

I spent many months on both Gabapentin I had that with Oxynorm, it didn't do shit , I was off pain killers within a few days of leaving hospital as none of them seemed to have much effect although it was probably at 4-6 weeks before I was pain free, 18 months later I still feel it in a couple of places

It was a year ago last weekend I went back out for my first trailride, that was about 5 months after I got a broken collarbone, multiple rib fractures resulting in a flail chest, punctured lung and torn aorta and a bruised liver, kidney and spleen ending up with a stent, plated ribs, couple of chest drains, 4 days in an induced coma 6-7 days on a ventilator being fed through a tube and 10 days in ICU, I only spent 14 days total in hospital which was half of what they originally expected :doctor:

Being taken off a ventilator is one of the most unpleasant things I have experienced

[riffer]

I had that with Oxynorm, it didn't do shit , I was off pain killers within a few days of leaving hospital as none of them seemed to have much effect although it was probably at 4-6 weeks before I was pain free, 18 months later I still feel it in a couple of places

It was a year ago last weekend I went back out for my first trailride, that was about 5 months after I got a broken collarbone, multiple rib fractures resulting in a flail chest, punctured lung and torn aorta and a bruised liver, kidney and spleen ending up with a stent, plated ribs, couple of chest drains, 4 days in an induced coma 6-7 days on a ventilator being fed through a tube and 10 days in ICU, I only spent 14 days total in hospital which was half of what they originally expected :doctor:

Being taken off a ventilator is one of the most unpleasant things I have experienced

Yeah, followed all that with interest on the Facebook Kick, that was fucking brutal. You really had us all worried there mate.

Drummer in our band keeps wanting me to go out riding the VOR on the trails with him on his Husqy... not sure I'm up to a big crash on the enduro, and I have a bad reputation for falling off dirt bikes. ;)

[F5 Dave]

Dude. Didn't know about your crash. Good on you for having the fortitude to fight back.

[jasonu]

I don't post on here as often as I used to. The rise of social media has a lot to do with that, but also I've been a bit away from motorcycling.

Two years ago today I slammed into the side of a Nissan Navara at a speed between 60 and 80 km/h when its driver pulled out of a driveway into the path of my motorcycle.


I broke my left fibula just below my knee and cracked it half way down. I broke the malleolus of the tibia in two. I broke my sternum and smashed the acromion and back of the shoulder socket and tore the ligaments in the rotator cuff.

My head was forced nearly on to my left shoulder, damaging the nerves C5-C8, tearing the axillary nerve and paralysing my right arm.

The following day I had an operation to put my leg back together.

As I recovered in hospital and at home (three months before I could return to work part-time) I regained - through sheer bloody mindedness and pain - the use of my left leg and left ankle, and gradually (in this order) the fingers of my right arm, then the hand, then the lower arm (mostly), then the bicep, then part of the tricep, then the teres minor, the supraspinatus, teres major and triceps brachii long head - but not the deltoid and the infraspinatus - as the nerves slowly regenerated (1mm per day).

In April last year I had nerve transplant surgery, sacrificing the triceps brachii long head to regain the use of the upper part of my arm again. The surgery was a success.

I had to learn to play guitar again. Last February (before the operation) I started learning to ride a motorcycle again.

In October 2018 I returned to playing in a band. I play in Wellington rock band Mister Unit.

Life nowadays is different.

I struggle to walk much as both my ankles aren't right. I am waiting for an operation on one of my ankles as it's near the point of collapsing. It's caused me to put on weight which I'm not overly happy about. Exercise is difficult.

The head injury I suffered has left it's mark. I don't have the ability to remember things as easily as I used to. Short term memory is terrible. I have to practice and repeat musical parts way more than I used to for muscle memory to remember. But I can do it.

Pain is a constant companion. I have no feeling in the skin in a large part of my upper body due to the nerve damage. However I can feel pressure - and the nerve pain is ... interesting... and ongoing.

But I'm alive. And I've had things happen to me since the accident that have been amazing.

My darling wife has been an incredible support and I don't know what I'd do without her. Seriously.

My band mates keep me going through thick and thin - it's so hard to get a good band and I'm truly blessed in that way.

Just this week a friend gave - gave me - a motorcycle.

My work continue to support me as much as possible.

Despite the fact that the pain and the lack of movement get me down sometimes I'm profoundly grateful that I'm still here - and enjoying the things that make life living.

And do motorcycle training - its a huge part of why I'm still alive!

I notice you don’t mention the person that clipped you. What happened to them? Did they come and say sorry or anything else? Do they even know how serious and long term your injuries are? Or do you prefer to forget about them and move on.

[riffer]

I notice you don’t mention the person that clipped you. What happened to them? Did they come and say sorry or anything else? Do they even know how serious and long term your injuries are? Or do you prefer to forget about them and move on.

He didn't clip me. He saw me, and slammed on his brakes, leaving me nowhere to go. To the left, a culvert. To the right, traffic.

I slammed straight into the side of the ute, dead square on the passenger right hand side. Flew into the air, cartwheeled a couple of times, and landed on my head.

Apparently.

I don't remember a damn thing about that, just the seconds leading to the crash, where I was shouting at myself to brake, and remembering the emergency braking I'd done on the RiderForever course a few weeks previously. Shameless plug - do a RFE folks!

As for the other party, we had a restorative conference. He's a nice guy. Local Scout leader. Father of two. It was his 11 year old's birthday. Normally at that time of night he takes his 13 year old to footy practice, and the 11 year old goes with him to Scouts. That night, his parents had stopped by to celebrate the 11 year old's birthday. So he'd left the 11 year old to have a bit more time with his grandparents, and took the 13 year old to footy.

He admitted to me that he was distracted due to the change of circumstances and the rush to get one kid to footy so he could get back for the other one. There was vegetation growing obscuring the view of the road I was coming from. The sun was low in the sky, causing sight issues too.

He thought the way was clear. Saw me, instinctively slammed on his brakes.

If he'd gapped it it would have just been a close call.

But here's the thing. Normally, the 11 year old sits in the passenger seat just behind his dad. Had he have been sitting there that night, he would have been killed in the accident.

He was charged with careless driving causing injury. It was a fairly big deal. He drives for a living, and a conviction would have resulted in him losing his job.

He made attempts at reparation - paid for a bunch of DIY work at home that I wasn't able to finish to be done as I was too injured, and stocked up my shed with firewood.

He was found not guilty due to the mitigating circumstances - the vegetation overgrowth, the sunstrike... I was a bit pissed, but with the benefit of time I've grown to accept that this was probably the right thing to happen.

I mean him no ill. It was simply a sequence of events that led up to a nasty day. But it could have been a whole lot worse. For both of us. We're all moving on.

[skippa1]

I don't post on here as often as I used to. The rise of social media has a lot to do with that, but also I've been a bit away from motorcycling.

Two years ago today I slammed into the side of a Nissan Navara at a speed between 60 and 80 km/h when its driver pulled out of a driveway into the path of my motorcycle.


I broke my left fibula just below my knee and cracked it half way down. I broke the malleolus of the tibia in two. I broke my sternum and smashed the acromion and back of the shoulder socket and tore the ligaments in the rotator cuff.

My head was forced nearly on to my left shoulder, damaging the nerves C5-C8, tearing the axillary nerve and paralysing my right arm.

The following day I had an operation to put my leg back together.

As I recovered in hospital and at home (three months before I could return to work part-time) I regained - through sheer bloody mindedness and pain - the use of my left leg and left ankle, and gradually (in this order) the fingers of my right arm, then the hand, then the lower arm (mostly), then the bicep, then part of the tricep, then the teres minor, the supraspinatus, teres major and triceps brachii long head - but not the deltoid and the infraspinatus - as the nerves slowly regenerated (1mm per day).

In April last year I had nerve transplant surgery, sacrificing the triceps brachii long head to regain the use of the upper part of my arm again. The surgery was a success.

I had to learn to play guitar again. Last February (before the operation) I started learning to ride a motorcycle again.

In October 2018 I returned to playing in a band. I play in Wellington rock band Mister Unit.

Life nowadays is different.

I struggle to walk much as both my ankles aren't right. I am waiting for an operation on one of my ankles as it's near the point of collapsing. It's caused me to put on weight which I'm not overly happy about. Exercise is difficult.

The head injury I suffered has left it's mark. I don't have the ability to remember things as easily as I used to. Short term memory is terrible. I have to practice and repeat musical parts way more than I used to for muscle memory to remember. But I can do it.

Pain is a constant companion. I have no feeling in the skin in a large part of my upper body due to the nerve damage. However I can feel pressure - and the nerve pain is ... interesting... and ongoing.

But I'm alive. And I've had things happen to me since the accident that have been amazing.

My darling wife has been an incredible support and I don't know what I'd do without her. Seriously.

My band mates keep me going through thick and thin - it's so hard to get a good band and I'm truly blessed in that way.

Just this week a friend gave - gave me - a motorcycle.

My work continue to support me as much as possible.

Despite the fact that the pain and the lack of movement get me down sometimes I'm profoundly grateful that I'm still here - and enjoying the things that make life living.

And do motorcycle training - its a huge part of why I'm still alive!
I know how you feel
March 2016 I was coming home from the Mothers Day races at Manfield. I was doing 100kmh going round a sweeping right hander and a car coming the other way turned across my lane to turn into a driveway. No signals, a row of trees to the left, an oncoming truck to the right. I hit him mid grill, a glancing blow. I flew through the air, grass, sky, road, grass , sky road and landed heavy on my back.
Bike landed in some trees, on the rev limiter in 5th gear.
I got up on my elbows, took my helmet off and I was staring at the sole of my right boot just under my chin with a bone sticking out of my Sidi boot. Rang my wife and told her I was 5km from home and not likely to make it.
Long story short, three transfusions later, amputated right leg above knee, compression fractures to C5 and C6 spine, two rotator cuffs blown out and puncture wound to right arm where the brake lever stuck me.
I'm all good now but living life on a prosthetic leg, back pain but mobile.
Just fell over last week because it's just a byproduct of losing a leg, lost over a litre of blood, shit loads of stitches in the head.......

It's good to be alive

[Kickaha]

Yeah, followed all that with interest on the Facebook Kick, that was fucking brutal. You really had us all worried there mate.

Yeah a near death experience, not long ago I found a photo I'd sent of a selfie in the hospital bed the night I went in to the trail bike group I belong to with the quote "trail ride didn't go as good as I hoped", it was four days after that they woke me up

While my injuries were severe and life threatening they were in a lot of ways a lot less than yours as unlike you I have no lasting effects apart from a bit of pain


It's good to be alive

I can remember getting up from my crash and thinking "I'm going to die on the side of this fucking hill" before I walked 150m or so down a cunty steep slippery hill to get to where they could transport me out

[Navy Boy]

He didn't clip me. He saw me, and slammed on his brakes, leaving me nowhere to go. To the left, a culvert. To the right, traffic.

I slammed straight into the side of the ute, dead square on the passenger right hand side. Flew into the air, cartwheeled a couple of times, and landed on my head.

Apparently.

I don't remember a damn thing about that, just the seconds leading to the crash, where I was shouting at myself to brake, and remembering the emergency braking I'd done on the RiderForever course a few weeks previously. Shameless plug - do a RFE folks!

As for the other party, we had a restorative conference. He's a nice guy. Local Scout leader. Father of two. It was his 11 year old's birthday. Normally at that time of night he takes his 13 year old to footy practice, and the 11 year old goes with him to Scouts. That night, his parents had stopped by to celebrate the 11 year old's birthday. So he'd left the 11 year old to have a bit more time with his grandparents, and took the 13 year old to footy.

He admitted to me that he was distracted due to the change of circumstances and the rush to get one kid to footy so he could get back for the other one. There was vegetation growing obscuring the view of the road I was coming from. The sun was low in the sky, causing sight issues too.

He thought the way was clear. Saw me, instinctively slammed on his brakes.

If he'd gapped it it would have just been a close call.

But here's the thing. Normally, the 11 year old sits in the passenger seat just behind his dad. Had he have been sitting there that night, he would have been killed in the accident.

He was charged with careless driving causing injury. It was a fairly big deal. He drives for a living, and a conviction would have resulted in him losing his job.

He made attempts at reparation - paid for a bunch of DIY work at home that I wasn't able to finish to be done as I was too injured, and stocked up my shed with firewood.

He was found not guilty due to the mitigating circumstances - the vegetation overgrowth, the sunstrike... I was a bit pissed, but with the benefit of time I've grown to accept that this was probably the right thing to happen.

I mean him no ill. It was simply a sequence of events that led up to a nasty day. But it could have been a whole lot worse. For both of us. We're all moving on.

Blimey - That's quite some context right there. Your approach to this is admirably pragmatic and is a good reflection on you. I also get the car driver's circumstances - We've all been in the situation where we've been driving or riding when our minds aren't on the job in hand. In your case you were the victim but it seems like you're managing to move on - Well done mate.

Just goes to show you I guess. :confused:

[sidecar bob]

Im grateful to the contributors of this thread for sharing.
Ive been fortunate enough to have never spent a night in hospital as a result of motorcycle misfortune, which is in part due to good fortune.
This thread is a reminder that when it goes wrong theres some nasty forces involved & its made me have a think about that when im getting about on my bike.
Thanks for sharing guys.

[Jeff Sichoe]

I include watching a healthy amount of bike crash / dash cam footage on youtube, when I feel like doing something stupid on the road these images inevitability flash before my eyes and usually results in a bit less speed :)

[Viking01]

Blimey - That's quite some context right there. Your approach to this is admirably pragmatic and is a good reflection on you. I also get the car driver's circumstances - We've all been in the situation where we've been driving or riding when our minds aren't on the job in hand. In your case you were the victim but it seems like you're managing to move on - Well done mate.

Just goes to show you I guess. :confused:

Well said, that man. Very well said.

I travel that road quite often, and can recall cringing when I read Riffer's
first accounts of his crash. And I was impressed by his last two posts
(the first one about his post-crash recovery, and the second about his
response to the other driver).

All the best re ongoing recovery and riding.

[Temporary-Kiwi]

Im grateful to the contributors of this thread for sharing.
Ive been fortunate enough to have never spent a night in hospital as a result of motorcycle misfortune, which is in part due to good fortune.
This thread is a reminder that when it goes wrong theres some nasty forces involved & its made me have a think about that when im getting about on my bike.
Thanks for sharing guys.
2nd that opinion, but I've just had my 2nd wrist rebuild surgery, and it was the result of m/cycle misfortune last year getting high-sided onto tarmac @ 80kph, and spent the first night in hospital due to it, took 7.5hrs surgery to remove broken screws in my wrist implant, and install some new ones, now just need a few months rehab to get as much movement in it as possible, hoping it will be good to go b4 the next cliffhanger hillclimb !

[T.W.R]

He didn't clip me. He saw me, and slammed on his brakes, leaving me nowhere to go. To the left, a culvert. To the right, traffic.

I slammed straight into the side of the ute, dead square on the passenger right hand side. Flew into the air, cartwheeled a couple of times, and landed on my head.

Apparently.

I don't remember a damn thing about that, just the seconds leading to the crash, where I was shouting at myself to brake, and remembering the emergency braking I'd done on the RiderForever course a few weeks previously. Shameless plug - do a RFE folks!

As for the other party, we had a restorative conference. He's a nice guy. Local Scout leader. Father of two. It was his 11 year old's birthday. Normally at that time of night he takes his 13 year old to footy practice, and the 11 year old goes with him to Scouts. That night, his parents had stopped by to celebrate the 11 year old's birthday. So he'd left the 11 year old to have a bit more time with his grandparents, and took the 13 year old to footy.

He admitted to me that he was distracted due to the change of circumstances and the rush to get one kid to footy so he could get back for the other one. There was vegetation growing obscuring the view of the road I was coming from. The sun was low in the sky, causing sight issues too.

He thought the way was clear. Saw me, instinctively slammed on his brakes.

If he'd gapped it it would have just been a close call.

But here's the thing. Normally, the 11 year old sits in the passenger seat just behind his dad. Had he have been sitting there that night, he would have been killed in the accident.

He was charged with careless driving causing injury. It was a fairly big deal. He drives for a living, and a conviction would have resulted in him losing his job.

He made attempts at reparation - paid for a bunch of DIY work at home that I wasn't able to finish to be done as I was too injured, and stocked up my shed with firewood.

He was found not guilty due to the mitigating circumstances - the vegetation overgrowth, the sunstrike... I was a bit pissed, but with the benefit of time I've grown to accept that this was probably the right thing to happen.

I mean him no ill. It was simply a sequence of events that led up to a nasty day. But it could have been a whole lot worse. For both of us. We're all moving on.

That's one thing I can't grasp with the likes of the accident you were involved in and having been the recipient of a life changing accident myself; you quote that this chap saw you & panicked and in doing so caused your permanent injury :oi-grr: you say it yourself that if he'd gassed it it would have been a close called but no due to incompetency he panicked braked & you piled straight into him :( leaving you with a permanent reminder.

What I went through put me as close as a fly shit away from loosing my left arm; 11yrs, 7 operations, 3 sets of metalware & permanently restricted movement & permanent dislocation later I still bid ill will to the arsehole who changed my life forever due to incompetency & arrogance (was a disqualified driver), if I hadn't done what I did at the time I could've been a long time pushing up daisies by now.
The only saving grace to the whole set of events is that if it hadn't happened the path of my life may have ventured completely differently but as to where I am now I'm happy enough :msn-wink: garage full of bikes, no need to work other than making some pocket money and a great spouse & sprogs :cool:

But at the end of it all his life went on uneventfully apart from a smack on the hand yet mine changed completely forever (as yours has) ; So don't be so PC, be realistic about what transpired and that's coming from a recipient of a 27% permanent disability via the ACC scale rating (you'll know how that works by now).

[roogazza]

He saw me, and slammed on his brakes, leaving me nowhere to go. To the left, a culvert. To the right, traffic.
I slammed straight into the side of the ute,

How many times in our motocycling history have we heard those words ?
By the grace of whatever I've never completed the last line.
Ingrained experience,practice,LUCK ?
Remember, even doing a rider training course won't guarantee you will be safe in some of these situations.Its in the lap of the gods and what you do in those vital split seconds.
Just hope your reactions are ingrained and enough to survive.

[riffer]

You're gonna love these pics.

My son went to where the bike was being stored while I was in hospital and took these pics. The front end has taken a fair whack. Those forks are well twisted. The wheel is buckled, the handlebars are totally twisted, and the frame has a crack behind the headstock. The back of the bike took a bash when it came back down again too.

[riffer]

more pics of the bike ...

[riffer]

and more pics of the bike ...

[riffer]

and even more pics of the bike ...

[riffer]

I have to admit - Aprilia RSVs are pretty tough. This one took a hell of a whack.

[Kickaha]

I have to admit - Aprilia RSVs are pretty tough. This one took a hell of a whack.

Apparently mine endoed twice and all I did was undo my triple clamps and straighten it up and mine was good to go, RMX must be a bit tougher :shifty:

[riffer]

Apparently mine endoed twice and all I did was undo my triple clamps and straighten it up and mine was good to go, RMX must be a bit tougher :shifty:

Maybe... but then again, you are pretty svelte compared to me. Need to lift your pie game son. :bleh:

[jasonu]

I have to admit - Aprilia RSVs are pretty tough. This one took a hell of a whack.

It is clearly and indisputably fucked. How did you get on with your insurance company?


BTW when I said clipped I knew from your original post what had happened. Just a general term I use. Sorry if it bugged you and thanks for sharing this story. It has got me thinking about my motorcycling future.

[Kickaha]

We need some pics, so 5 fractures on the two ribs plus a few more on others means I got some titanium bits to hold them together, one of my greatest disappointments in life was them not setting off the airport metal detectors

[riffer]

We need some pics, so 5 fractures on the two ribs plus a few more on others means I got some titanium bits to hold them together, one of my greatest disappointments in life was them not setting off the airport metal detectors

Yeah it does make you wonder if the titanium doesn't show stuff eh? with the metal in my leg I should set it off but it just doesn't. :weep:

[riffer]

It is clearly and indisputably fucked. How did you get on with your insurance company?


BTW when I said clipped I knew from your original post what had happened. Just a general term I use. Sorry if it bugged you and thanks for sharing this story. It has got me thinking about my motorcycling future.

Nah you didn't bug me mate.

The insurance company (Protecta) were awesome. Third bike I've had written off with them (three times not my fault) and they were great.

[Taxythingy]

Since we're sharing, this is the result of me hitting a car at about 85-90 km/h. The car was stopped at the stop sign. Right up until I was set on the bend.

[Taxythingy]

The short short summary
1. I won the bloody lottery that afternoon, because
2. Walking in A&E by 9pm, nothing broken, because
3. Did my best superman impersonation over the bonnet, rather than into the car. Apparently.
4. Lost memory of the worst 20 minutes of my life, starting from the turn in to the bend to coming to in the ambulance, because
5. Used helmet as brake pad.
6. Bad light and busy crossroads, 100 km/h in my direction, stop signs left and right. Driver - wait for it - didn't see me and thought they had a gap.
7. Replaced my crap-fitting jacket 3 weeks prior as a birthday present to myself. Win.
8. Hyosung clearly build a durable headlight.

[riffer]

Fuckin hell, you certainly did win the lottery. Take it from me, hitting something at that speed is not fun.

[GazzaH]

I wonder what learning points you took - aside from the robustness of the headlight, helmet and jacket.

Has it made you change your driving style? If so, how?

Conversely, do you feel invulnerable?

In short, any advice you'd like to share?

[Taxythingy]

In short, any advice you'd like to share?

It's a good question, and one I revisit every so often, as it reminds me to take care.

Key takings were (1) I will be able to parent my kids tonight - ride appropriately, (2) I was the gap the driver was looking for - convoy travel on roads like this at shitty times is a good defense (3) more thinking about my visibility, e.g. light, obstructions, attention level of drivers, (trust but verify) (4) ATGATT helps - don't skimp.

Did I change my riding style? Yes, became more pro-actively defensive. I am much more aware of what is going on, look further down the road than before, check what the drivers on cross-roads can see and are looking at. Regularly ask 2 questions - where am I going to go if... and what is this driver going to do next? Re-took the R4E silver course. Take the car more when I'm tired. Take the car often when it gets wet - partly for me and partly to mitigate other people's crappy driving.

I can remember a lot of detail up to just before the "oh, shit" moment. That's gone, fortunately. The light was getting dim. I was tired. I was riding at about 95 km/h leading up to the intersection, with a good gap opened up to the next car behind me. I could see the car I hit waiting at the stop sign, plus one other from the other side waiting to turn right into my lane. There were 3-4 oncoming cars ~200 m away from the intersection. I had worked out I was in a compromised position. I was actively checking all the cars and thinking about where I wanted to be going round the bend (slight right-hander, surface not perfect, what happens if that car moves). I had moved closer to the centre to provide more buffer to the car, which ended up probably saving my life. Ironically, I had my long-awaited full licence test booked about 3 weeks out and was actively assessing all the hazards in preparation of this (7 year gap away from riding while overseas, then another 18 months on the new bike). I spent too long assessing each car, road surface, road positioning, etc., and was fixated on whatever I was looking at at the time. This meant I didn't pick up the movement of the car as early as I could have. There's a whole bucket of discussion there surrounding more safety not making things safer...

[jasonu]

check what the drivers on cross-roads can see and are looking at. ..

Plus one to that.
I always look at the wheels of other vehicles stopped at intersections, driveways etc. For me that is the best and most accurate way of telling if the vehicle is moving or not. If they start moving before I think they should alarms go off in my head.

[speedpro]

I noted that the driver wasn't harshly penalized due to the sun being in his eyes among other things. I read of a similar circumstance recently where a pedestrian was injured/killed. If the sun was in the drivers eyes that means the sun was "behind" the pedestrian/rider and their visibility would have been optimal, not withstanding other factors. A little thought about your own visibility, which is not the best even in the best of circumstances, should have suggested extreme caution.

[Banditbandit]

I know how you feel
March 2016 I was coming home from the Mothers Day races at Manfield. I was doing 100kmh going round a sweeping right hander and a car coming the other way turned across my lane to turn into a driveway. No signals, a row of trees to the left, an oncoming truck to the right. I hit him mid grill, a glancing blow. I flew through the air, grass, sky, road, grass , sky road and landed heavy on my back.
Bike landed in some trees, on the rev limiter in 5th gear.
I got up on my elbows, took my helmet off and I was staring at the sole of my right boot just under my chin with a bone sticking out of my Sidi boot. Rang my wife and told her I was 5km from home and not likely to make it.
Long story short, three transfusions later, amputated right leg above knee, compression fractures to C5 and C6 spine, two rotator cuffs blown out and puncture wound to right arm where the brake lever stuck me.
I'm all good now but living life on a prosthetic leg, back pain but mobile.
Just fell over last week because it's just a byproduct of losing a leg, lost over a litre of blood, shit loads of stitches in the head.......

It's good to be alive

Sorry to hear that mate ... It is good to be alive

Sounds like 2019 has been a bad year for kiwibikers ...

[GazzaH]

A little thought about your own visibility, which is not the best even in the best of circumstances, should have suggested extreme caution.

If the cars coming the other way have their sun-visors down, that's a big clue that you'll be appearing "out of nowhere, your honour". But how to reduce the risk I'm not sure. Slow down. Move to the left maybe. Watch extra hard for oncoming vehicles pulling out of their lane to overtake, or pulling out of side roads and driveways. Flick on the main beam. Deliberately weave a little.

Lots to think about!

[GazzaH]

Key takings were (1) I will be able to parent my kids tonight - ride appropriately, (2) I was the gap the driver was looking for - convoy travel on roads like this at shitty times is a good defense (3) more thinking about my visibility, e.g. light, obstructions, attention level of drivers, (trust but verify) (4) ATGATT helps - don't skimp.

All good!

Re attention levels, a tip I appreciate (and should use more!) is to assess the driver as well as the vehicle. Is the driver looking at you or through you? Glancing vaguely your way then staring intently in another direction? Fixated on an obvious hazard (other than the bike)? Is it some old codger with bottle-bottom glasses and a flat cap, a parent with a car full of screaming distractions, or a young inexperienced risk-taker in a hurry? Are they indicating? Stopped at or over the line, or creeping forward? What are they seeing/looking for? Is the traffic heavy enough that they might be getting impatient? Even the time of day is relevant, plus the weather and road conditions, and the balance, speed and inertia of the bike, tyre condition, and your own attentiveness and reaction speed ...

Oh boy it's complicated and I'm sure I've missed loads!

Planning ahead, looking for escape routes, anticipating stuff and reacting defensively to it, is something that improves with practice ... and you don't even need to be driving to do it: plenty of safe learning opportunities on YouTube with endless dashcam footage of incidents and near misses.

[Katiepie]

Hey Riffer.

I too didn't know about your crash as have myself been offline for a good few years now, on and off.

Thanks for the update, a really good thread to read and I'm really proud of you for the progress it sounds like you have and are making. You are right, life becomes very different but I am thrilled you are alive.

And that bloody nerve pain and lack of sensation... not sure if one ever gets "used" to it, but time helps one to understand it a little better.

Take care mate, well done for getting back on a bike after all that.

Katiepie x

[caseye]

Hey Riffer.

I too didn't know about your crash as have myself been offline for a good few years now, on and off.

Thanks for the update, a really good thread to read and I'm really proud of you for the progress it sounds like you have and are making. You are right, life becomes very different but I am thrilled you are alive.

And that bloody nerve pain and lack of sensation... not sure if one ever gets "used" to it, but time helps one to understand it a little better.

Take care mate, well done for getting back on a bike after all that.

Katiepie x

:eek: who's this then?Hello Katiepie, great to see you in the forums, hope all is as good/great as it can be, ol riffer's a worry isn't he!

[Old Steve]

Hey Katiepie, I'm not posting so much these days but do pop in from time to time and it's great to see your login. Hope you're OK.

[cheshirecat]

Simon, for an Android, it's Settings > Advanced Features > Send SOS messages. I'd imagine that an iPhone is similar. It's something which every rider hopes not to use but something which might tilt the odds in your favour.

Although I've been in IAM for a good few years now, it's always good to revisit one's core skills. I guess the most apt phrase is "Use it or lose it". Easier to pick up bad habits than acquire new good ones!

Well it sounds like you've got plenty of things in your life to keep you occupied so every good wish for all of them mate!

It works. In Alaska last year my android sent a several texts saying emergency with gps co ordinates to my designated contact. Only way I knew it worked was the barmaid at the Fat Mermaid in Kodiak shouted out my name saying the local search and rescue wanted to speak with me. Turned out I accidently set it off while ordering beers.

[terbang]

In 2010 I slammed into the side of a large 4WD that did a U turn over the brow of a hill. Bunch of busted bones and punctured lung that needed surgery.
Ten years later (and at age 60) I've pretty well healed up. Well maybe so, but between my ears, I'm still a little wary and don't ride as much as I should. I have a couple of bikes in the shed and now the batteries tend to get flat. It's those others that use the road that worry me. Maybe I need to do some sort of defensive riding course or similar to get my confidence back.

[Odakyu-sen]

The worst part is when you are in hospital for no reason that you can remember and everyone is talking about some poor bugger with the same name as you, and you can't help but feel sorry for this unfortunate dude.

Don't ask me how I know this.

[Brett]

Well this has been a sobering read. I have been riding since about 2003 and have yet (touch wood) to have a serious off. Several close calls, a bad trail riding crash that broke a femur and left me with permanent knee pain, but nothing properly serious (although several dead friends - most ex-kiwibikers too). It's healthy to be reminded of the risks, particularly when the blood gets up and the riding aggression increases. The consequences of a crash can be bloody catastrophic and life altering. Thanks guys for sharing your stories, a timely reminder for me.

[rastuscat]

Just a different perspective.

I've attended hundreds of crashes where drivers and riders have said that they had the choice between this place to go, and that place to go.

I actually believe that very few people have the cognitive ability to process information quickly enough to make a rational choice as to which way to avoid a crash. These things happen so damn fast that the outcome is normally predetermined, and the driver or rider is powerless to reduce the outcome.

For this reason, looking a long way ahead and being uber aware is the key to getting information early enough to have prevent someone else's errors turning into our bad outcomes.

Sorry to hear about all the trauma guys. Sad, whatever the case.

[FJRider]

Just a different perspective.

I've attended hundreds of crashes where drivers and riders have said that they had the choice between this place to go, and that place to go.

I actually believe that very few people have the cognitive ability to process information quickly enough to make a rational choice as to which way to avoid a crash. These things happen so damn fast that the outcome is normally predetermined, and the driver or rider is powerless to reduce the outcome.

For this reason, looking a long way ahead and being uber aware is the key to getting information early enough to have prevent someone else's errors turning into our bad outcomes.

Sorry to hear about all the trauma guys. Sad, whatever the case.

The usual result of leaving decisions to the last minute/second is ... the number of options you have are reduced the longer you leave it.

Making positive actions sooner in the interest of your own health and safety, beats those choices of what you prefer to hit just before crunch time.

Expect that all other drivers will do something stupid in front (or near) you. When they do you'll not be surprised, but ready. And be aware of your best options.

Avoiding a crash is sometimes simply not an option, but it pays to know (be looking) where the softest bits are to aim for if the need arises. I'm getting older ... so I usually take more care when the "Run off areas" would be painful, if not actually unsurvivable.

[Woodman]

Just a different perspective.

I've attended hundreds of crashes where drivers and riders have said that they had the choice between this place to go, and that place to go.

I actually believe that very few people have the cognitive ability to process information quickly enough to make a rational choice as to which way to avoid a crash. These things happen so damn fast that the outcome is normally predetermined, and the driver or rider is powerless to reduce the outcome.

For this reason, looking a long way ahead and being uber aware is the key to getting information early enough to have prevent someone else's errors turning into our bad outcomes.

Sorry to hear about all the trauma guys. Sad, whatever the case.

This is pretty much what is behind the theory of reducing speed limits isn't it?

[rastuscat]

This is pretty much what is behind the theory of reducing speed limits isn't it?

Pretty much, yes. If crashes didnt happen, there would be no need to reduce the kinetic energy involved in the motion of mass that vehicles possess.

But collectively we consistently let ourselves down.

[Motu]

I actually believe that very few people have the cognitive ability to process information quickly enough to make a rational choice as to which way to avoid a crash. These things happen so damn fast that the outcome is normally predetermined, and the driver or rider is powerless to reduce the outcome..

Experience - unfortunately to gain experience in these situations...you need to experience these situations. The goody goody two shoes who have never crashed don't have the experience to cope with a crash situation. Catch 22. I've always like the Kenny Roberts ''package on the wall'' example - you experience a situation on your bike, you learn from that...you put it in a neat package and put it on the wall. Ooops, oh shit !!!! - grab it...apply it...job done.

[Berries]

The goody goody two shoes who have never crashed don't have the experience to cope with a crash situation.
That's a bit of a sweeping statement isn't it?

While on the track you might find a bikes limits by riding beyond them to do that on the road marks you as a twat. I have seen plenty of examples of people doing that in my job but once you are off the bike and sliding it is simply the luck of the draw as to whether you come to a graceful stop with some busted stitching and a few trophy bruises or you catch your helmet on a strainer post and snap your neck before cartwheeling in to an early grave. Trees, kerbs, guardrails, walls, cars, power poles etc etc, the list is long and pretty fucking solid.

Ooh, got to stop typing there, someone has just gone up Saddle Hill at full tit on a big four stroke. Which is nice on a night like this.

Anyroad, I don't see how someone who has crashed on the road suddenly has the experience to cope with a crash situation. To make a sweeping generalisation myself, and certainly not pointed at anyone who has posted in this thread, it seems as if those who have crashed on the road don't always use that experience because they often crash again and bump up the ACC for the goody goody two shoes who ride defensively because they don't want to end up in traction or finally prove their Mum was right all along.

If my Mum knew how I rode she would shit herself. I would certainly have never thought of myself as goody goody two shoes on two wheels just because I have never binned it.