Suzuki vs Kenworth
It can at times be surprising how quickly life can change.
One moment one is riding happily into Pahiatua on a windy but otherwise pleasant spring day. One's beloved is riding pillion. Two good friends on their bikes are immediately ahead. One's bike is running beautifully. The prospect of a delicious feijoa smoothy awaiting soon in Palmerston North is starting to permeate one's imagination.
All of a sudden, after Bikes One and Two have passed in front of it, Driver Of Kenworth with articulated trailer unit attached decides to gun his charge out of the intersection immediately in front of the approach of Bike Three, leaving Bike Three with nowhere to go except into the side of said Kenworth.
Today I was the rider of Bike Three.
In the limited time available I'd managed to scrub off most of our forward speed. This all happened inside Pahiatua's 50kmh restricted area. The collision with the side of the truck wasn't hard but the truck was still moving at right-angles to our direction of travel. This tipped the bike over but it unfortunately got wedged under a rear drive wheel. While Beloved Pillion and myself fell off and onto an unyielding Terra Firma, a GSX1250FA was dragged about 5 metres across an abrasive asphalt surface as Driver Of Kenworth decided to move his rig out of the main road. Suzukis don't like that much.
Beloved Pillion is a bit bumped and banged but largely unscathed. I've got an egg coming up on my left shin beneath a couple of hearty scratches, and wrenched ligaments in my left knee. I was able to roll away after hitting the ground, so as to avoid suffering a similar fate as my motorcycle in the face of the looming triple-axle trailer wheels.
The sound of plastic and metal being scraped and gouged is never pleasant. All the more so when one realises as one listens to said cacophony that one won't be riding home on the affected machine.
The front of the bike is a bit of a mess. Both front suspension rods are munted. One has been ground almost to a point. The other has had the brake calliper shorn from it. The front rim has also been ground away in one place and the tyre on it is looking a bit sad at that location. Front fairings are both toast. So is the radiator, front brake lever and bar-end weight. And the right-hand rear-view mirror. The engine is badly scraped on the right-hand side too. Not to mention a GPS, turning indicators and other sundry accoutrements. Goodness knows what's happened to the frame.
Beloved Pillion will need a new helmet. I'll be in the market for a new pair of boots.
Ambulance arrived. Ambo checked out the both of us and recommended a trip to A&E or GP on return to Wellington if we had any health concerns. We were both doing all of the right things at that stage, so he was off and away in case there were folk with more urgent need of his services.
Mr Policeman arrived and quickly ascertained that Driver Of Kenworth was at fault for failing to give way. An infringement notice will be issued accordingly to said Driver. Driver's boss will be in touch to discuss restitution. Mr Policeman has promised to email me the truck company details anyway so post-accident damage matters can be discussed between the parties involved.
People can be amazingly kind.
The owner of the Alliance service station across the road from where this all happened has a very sad Suzuki safely locked up in his workshop.
A Very Lovely Lady(TM) who had observed the immediate aftermath of Motorcycle vs Kenworth was already on her way to Upper Hutt. She graciously gave us and our gear a lift to the riders of Bikes One and Two's home in Upper Hutt. Rs 1&2 then delivered us home to Ngaio.
Tomorrow will involve setting in place the necessary steps to get my bike reinstated.
I'm more than a little miffed. Suzuki had recently had its front suspension modified and this next week its rear suspension was also to be upgraded. It was running magnificently and did not deserve to be ignominiously removed from State Highway 2 on a Sunday afternoon when it was impeccably minding its own business.
It can at times be surprising how quickly life can change.
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Originally Posted by Katman
The best way to forget all your troubles is to wear tight underpants.
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