how to fall?!?

[sunhuntin]

When/if the time comes you will instinctively know what to do. If you have to think it will probably be too late.

Skyryder

have to agree there. i dropped the 'zuki on one of my lessons. i was riding on grass that was freshly mowed, took a corner too hard and lost the back wheel. i dont know what exactly happened, but i remember thinking "shit, what do i do now???" and then thinking over what id read about getting away from the bike. i went one way, forced the bike another and stopped fine. i was on my back, listening to the engine scream, thinking i should get up and stop that....but not wanting to move yet.
i mentally checked my body for injury, found none and just started laughing.

my body relaxed essentially as soon as the back wheel went out, maybe i jumped, or fell away or something, i did roll, but not much. results of that little incident were:

bike: bent fender [front], broken mirror, hand brake, bent foot brake.
me: minor bruising and scratches and grass all through my jacket
mother earth: one huge gouge out of the ground that was wedged under the front fender.

if and when you do take a spill, you will instinctivly know what to do. your mind will resort to "primative thinking" where survival was everything and will do what it has to to try and keep you safe.

[FROSTY:Me]

can a worms this one.
ive been lucky??? enuff to crash heaps on the racetrack (mostly buckets)
In a totally unavoidable headon -standup legs slightly bent hands relaxed as possible. Hopefully the impactr will pitch you up and over the car you just hit rather than down into the instrument panel and fairing.
In a highside or a lowside--yep ragdoll it as much as you can
ohh and if you crash on turn 8 of piecock hill--make sure you pach a parachute first.

[Will]

if and when you do take a spill, you will instinctivly know what to do. your mind will resort to "primative thinking" where survival was everything and will do what it has to to try and keep you safe.

I don't agree with that. I think that our brains can trick us and we have to train them on what action is required in certain situations.
Do the Ride Right Ride Safe course.
Read Bike Rider Magazine issues #18 and #19 atleast.

Been riding for about 30 years now. Have fallen off my bike while off-road, and have dropped my cbr 600 only when I couldn't reach the ground ( am touching wood here because I haven't yet on my latest cbr 600) but I have never had any accidents.

And I aim to keep it that way.

So I am always retraining myself. Have done the RRRS course organised by Ulysses, a track day at Taupo that was organised through Bike Rider, and practising and playing little games when it is appropriate.

So I guess my message is to not assume that you will instinctively know what to do.

Safe riding out there.

Edit: Sorry, I see you are in Wanganui (my birth place) and I don't know what is available in the way of training courses.

[TonyB]

"Pilgrim had come down for the March Hare Rally and was on way out of Arrowtown on his brand new Wide Glide that morning when he found some fu*ken diesel left on a corner by some d*ckhead. He reckons it was lucky that he had recently done a bike course, which included instructions on how to fall properly. As he and the bike parted company, he rolled onto his back, head raised, elbows out, legs apart and facing the direction of his sliding. It was a right-hand bend so it shot him off the road (the diesel greasing the way). He had to close his legs on the way to flatten a road marker (road markers in the nuts at that speed would not been a good look!). He reckoned his next piece of luck was being slowed down by a blackberry patch (only Bur-Rabbit would have been keener to be thrown in to the brier patch). No broken bones and hardly a bruise! Five other bikers had found that diesel that day and they all went visiting the local hospital!"

Which begs the question- after the first rider went down, why the hell didn't someone mark it, spray paint a warning on the road or SOMETHING! FIVE bikers??!!! If they all went down in seperate accidents, then the last 3 or 4 have a right to be highly pissed off.

[NC]

Just relax...

When I highsided I relaxed and ened up having a very safe landing

I did a bit of stunt work a few years ago, relaxing and try and roll across your shoulders. It reduces the risk of a broken back

[ZorsT]

Just relax...

When I highsided I relaxed and ened up having a very safe landing

I did a bit of stunt work a few years ago, relaxing and try and roll across your shoulders. It reduces the risk of a broken back

What do you mean by "rolling across your shoulders"?

Is that where you roll with your shoulders on the ground, not your {insert body parts here} ???

[RiderInBlack]

Which begs the question- after the first rider went down, why the hell didn't someone mark it, spray paint a warning on the road or SOMETHING! FIVE bikers??!!! If they all went down in seperate accidents, then the last 3 or 4 have a right to be highly pissed off.

This happen on the road into Arrowtown. Yep Pilgram was mighty pissed off that the diesel had not been mark (he was not the first bike to find it). After a good kick in the bum, the local PC and Road Works dealt to the spill and made some attempt to track the wanker that had spilt it. The point was, that because he had been tought how to fall properly he received less injuries. The other bikers were not so lucky.

Moral of the the story was:
Learning how to fall properly increases your chances of survival and decreases you injuries. Expecting your body to know what to do in an accident without training is for the foolish.

[Yarg]

before crashing , beware of target fixation. Look where you want to go and lean some more.
If head on is unavaidable stand up , legs bent and hope the impact will pitch you over the obstacle.
then what they all said b4.

[Skyryder]

There are so many variables in an accident that to try and dertermine the correct course of action to take in any given circumstance is nigh on impossible.

I define an accident occuring at point of impact.

There are situations where either loss of control or observation will give some warning of impending impact. In both cases it is possible that reflex or training (experiance) will enable the rider to minimise the crash impact. The training experiance may assist the reflex action to protect from injury.

Having said that once you have departed from your bike, you are in effect a missile in trajectory and as such have very little say in the final outcome.

Whilst knowing how to fall is usefull, I am however of the opinion that the bodys reflexes are critical in minimising injury wherever possible.

If you see something that is going to injure you, you protect yourself by either getting out of the way or putting up some kind of barrier. This does not require thought as instinct in these circumstances are enough for self preservation.

Skyryder

[XP@]

Just remembered... if you want to fall properly go learn judo and then go skiing.
I went A/T last night down a 3m bank and came off with a small bruise.
I anylised what happend and looks like i used lessons ski and judo to end up in a controlled heap in the grass.

[Skyryder]

Just remembered... if you want to fall properly go learn judo and then go skiing.
I went A/T last night down a 3m bank and came off with a small bruise.
I anylised what happend and looks like i used lessons ski and judo to end up in a controlled heap in the grass.

When thrown in Judo the judoka is taught to tighten the body so that it is rigid as the body hits the mat, which is the complete opposite of being relaxed. Ihave never been on a safty course and been taught how to fall but a relaxed body will have arms and legs flailing about all over the place.

Skyryder

[XP@]

When thrown in Judo the judoka is taught to tighten the body so that it is rigid as the body hits the mat, which is the complete opposite of being relaxed. Ihave never been on a safty course and been taught how to fall but a relaxed body will have arms and legs flailing about all over the place.

Skyryder

y'ok remind me...

in judo when you are falling you are preparing for impact.
the preparation is tucking your head and leading shoulder inso you hit the mat back / shoulder first with a bit of a bang. then roll on to your back. It dosent really hurt (unless it is an ogoshi and someone is still stood on your foot (spiral fracture tibia and fibia))
you then open up to stop the roll and prepare for the next attack.
In the bike fall you are going a lot faster and probably not going to stop rolling or sliding, so you may have to do the same again. Especially if you are in the process of high-siding, i've done this twice on grass (within about 3 mins) the second time the bike skidded to where i landed, but i had already landed and rolled out of the way.

[Lee Rusty]

not to fall off in the first place. If you think your going to you are half way down

[myvice]

Crashing can hurt, not as it happens but usualy later, I try to relax and go with it but what matters more than the "off" is the end resualt... I lost a mate many years ago when a car did a u turn in front of him, I wasnt there but he did the text book "lock rear wheel and look where you want to land" bike drop and slide. Bike went into car. another driver swerved to miss the rebounding bike and killed him as he slid down the road. So the point to this is that he was one of the most natral and smoth riders out there but shit can happen, so get good gear, ride lots, and when/if it happans, be prepared. eg good tyres, brakes ect. But dont stay awake at night worrying about it. And the last person who asked me "What if you fall off?" Was told " I'll hit the fucking ground, then you ya fucking jinx!"

[Jackrat]

Hmmm,last time I came off I remember nothing until I came to in the ditch and had the pleasure of watching my own blood flowing down the drain,not to mention the pain.
Time before that,a few years earlier I hit diesel/petrol spill an washed out the front at about 50 km.I hit the road on my shoulder,rolled onto my back an spread my arms.My sheep skin flying jacket acted like a big brake pad an stopped me in about five meters or so.
I then got up picked up my mirror an carryed on to work like nothing had happend.I don't think,at lest for myself anyway,that I have a lot of choice in the matter so if I can I'd just TRY to do the same again.
Having said that,I now apply Lee Rustys approach an plan not to do it again.
An yes Veronica,I do belive I have a choice in that.