I could have easily died on the 24/04/07 - my crash

[Karma]

I am going to a Chinese Medical Centre as well as I find them very helpful.

Yeh I can imagine, but aren't you a bit beat up for that so soon? just make sure you tell her to go easy on ya, and leave a tip

[FkNAmerican]

wow, glad your ok. It seems every single F'ing day some moron driver does something to piss me off. Just yesterday I had a high school girl talking on her cell while driving in front of me. She pulls off the road onto the shoulder like she's gonna stop to talk then suddenly and without signalling (or fucking looking) she swings around to pull and illegal u-turn from the grass!!!!

Thank god I was paying attention as I followed her and imediately spotted "moron on a cell phone" alert hehe. So the second she pulled off the road I was already on the brake a bit and downshifting a gear ready for some bullshite. If I hadnt done that I would have passed her just as she gunned it to swing around and I'd have been over her hood.....maybe into oncoming traffic...and prolly dead right now. Luckily I was ready and was able to stop in time and I even did a quick check of the mirrors to make sure I wasnt gonna get rear ended by some idiot...they do travel in packs you know!!!!

Not 20 minutes later as I was leaving the bookstore after a coffee, and steadily getting less angry about what had happened earlier, some moron stopped at a light going straight suddenly decided he wanted to make a right and gunned it into the right lane exactly as I passed him without signalling or looking.......Im glad I practice my emergency manuevers because they came in handy then. I missed him by inches. He then had the nerve to pull up next to me at the next light, lean out the window, and yell "well nothing happened!!! NOTHING happened did it??". If it hadnt been a busy intersection I'd have been off my bike and kicking his teeth in. GRRRRR!!!

This all got me thinking: If I hadnt been to some bits of Europe where I swear people must think driving is a game of Russian Roulette (as in England, Portugal, and Italy where people cant seem to understand that driving is not suppossed to be a death sport) I'd say American drivers are the worst in the world. Well, at the very least American drivers are somewhere in the top 20 of the worlds worst drivers with perhaps zee Germans and French being among the best drivers in the world. I would like to see every single American driver made to take a driving test every 2 years no matter what. I would also like it recognized that driving is not a right but a priviledge and if you cant pass the test....then buy a scooter or ride public transport!!!! Im tired of seeing people on the road who lack the skills necessary to be there in the first place!!!! What the hell is the point of the DMV if they are just letting anybody on the road. Do you have to come in raging fucking drunk to fail or what?!?!?!

Another thing I noticed: My driving in a car has improved significantly ever since I started riding a motorcycle. I drive slower, pay closer attention to traffic and other drivers,look more closely at intersections, give proper spacing, look farther ahead etc........I think the world doesnt need more traffic cops or more speed cameras (thankfully we dont have gatsos in my neck of the woods!!!).....what the world needs is more people on motorcycles!!!!! I am willing to bet $5,000 to anyone that there would be a direct correlation between the number of people riding a motorcycle and the decline in traffic accidents!!!!!

All people able to do so should be required to ride a motorcycle as an integral part of being a skilled motorist in general!!!! Thats my crazy Americans two cents on the matter anyway! Thank you and good night.

[xwhatsit]

I am going to a Chinese Medical Centre as well as I find them very helpful.

Bugger that is a mofo of a crash. Best wishes for your recovery!

When I recently dislocated my knee and tore the muscles in it, my girlfriend's mum decided I should come over for dinner. Downstairs she's got this whole wall, with about 10 shelves from the floor to the ceiling, all with little plastic containers and jars with strange powders and bones and herbs and all kinds of stuff. In one there's little dried lizards, no joke.

So we have dinner like usual; next thing she gives me this little bowl of soup, just for me. `Try this Tom, in English you could call it Tendon Soup'. She explains it has the tendons from the knee of a deer (which are these fatty-looking hard-but-soft tubes floating around) and this clear broth which contains all manner of herbs.

It was fucking horrible. I know you eat bad things once in a while, and normally I'm really good, but this was really difficult to eat; it was so bitter, it was like drinking something from Chemistry at school. Bitter bitter bitter, like sodium hydroxide or who knows. And the deer knee tendons... man. That was a real trial

However my knee got better sooner than anybody expected

Ask them for some deer tendon soup

[skidMark]

yeah mate i saw the bike up for auction on trademe

from riding it once it was a nice bike a bloodey shame...

bikes can be replaced people cannot

see ya out there when ya get ya next bike matey.

[jafar]

Bloody hell. Good to see you're ok mate

Also, make sure you keep onto the cops. When I got hit by a drunk driver, they charged him etc, asked me what ammount I wanted for reperation (I only had 3rd party, and his insurance wasn't gonna pay).

I find out today he's been convicted etc, and I havn't got any reperation. Gonna get onto the cops about it.

-Indy

To fix this problem you need to get ALL your bills & expenses together for the total cost of the accident & send the guy an invoice with 7 days to pay. When he doesn't pay you take him to the small claims tribunal or the courts & have it deducted from his wages.

[inlinefour]

One fine Tuesday morning on the 24th of April I was heading to work as usual on my bike. I was at a set of traffic lights on constellation drive (for those who know the road - Auckland) turning right to get onto the motorway.

There is another set of traffic lights prior to the one where you turn onto the motorway; both had turned green so I had built up some speed before turning right. Went past one and then turned right on the second one when some guy from the opposite side crossed red light.

I was leant over and in the blink of an eye I saw him, next thing was, I had hit him hard everything went black and then I flew into the air about 5-8 meters, could see everything again and then a few bangs on the road (my helmet) and a couple of rolls.

It hurt as fuck my hips, knees, legs, ankle and left hand. All this happened in just a few seconds, I didn't even get time to say "0oh fuck" when I saw the car let alone react, tilt the bike up, brake, steer away.

Ambo came, took me to hospital and spent the whole day at the emergency x-rays, scans and blood tests. Few broken bones in my left hand, thank god I am right handed and a few bad bruises, was put on cast, cleared and discharged after spending the whole day there.

Bone wasn't healing properly after two weeks so went through surgery about a week an a half ago and got it plated (as recommended by doctors), just resting at home and recovering. Bike is badly damaged with structural damage as well, so it's been written off and history now, sorry to those who loved my little ZXR 250 and thought it was a minta. No more.

Must say a big big thanks to Dave at Kiwibike (going through Star), what an awesome bloke mate he's genuine and sincere and does truly work for his customers best interest. Top bloke! I got paid out in full within weeks which I am really glad about. Sometimes it can be a nightmare dealing insurance companies.

The fucked up thing is the other guy continued pleading not guilty but luckily there were two witnesses saying he did cross red light and police later came to the site and they are charging him with dangerous driving causing injury. He did not have insurance and now he's in shit. He's looking at something well in excess of $10,000 total bill just to cross a red light and save a few seconds of his life! What a prick!

It could have been much worse so I am grateful I am alive because if I was either a second faster or he was a second slower he would have hit me head on and I was leant to the right so would have fallen straight on the road and he would have definitely run me over all four wheels as it took him ages to stop, he was doing roughly about 60-70 odd k's and I was probably 30-40 k's. Imagine being run over by a car both wheels twice. I probably would have died on the spot but again I am lucky and happy to get away.

Thanks for reading so far, so the moral of the story is even though you are at traffic lights and it's you're right off way and you don't generally look left, right or ahead please do so. Change your mind set although it's hard because there are too many idiots out there and this was my first accident in about 1.5 years of riding.

What now take it easy for 3 months as I have been advised by the doctors so that's till end of July, August start and I am getting my full in September. Was thinking of either a 400 or v twin 650 before getting a 600, after my full but see how things go. Loved ones were really worried and don't want me to get back on bikes but I am itching.

P.s The diagram isn't too accurate in terms of the right hand corner, I was leant over not going straight as indicated.

I almost died and are now in a wheelchair permantly. I don't want to diss your incident, but if you look there is allways someone worst off than ya. That includes me, being in Burwood Spinal Unit has been a humbling experience...

[more_fasterer]

Glad you didn't come off as bad as you could've.

Interesting how the shore police station is right by that intersection and it took them so long to get there...

[Zapf]

thanks for sharing your story. And also reminding us about what could happen anytime anywhere.... even just going to work.

[dogsnbikes]

Glad your here too tell your story and must agree with you Dave and Donna at kiwibike are top people pity about the ol'e bike but your soon have yourself another

[Puddlejumper]

Glad you are going to be fine. I think it always takes an accident to make us bikers realise we aren't invincible. ( If we weren't risk takers we would all drive cages) Hope you get back on a bike real soon and you ride it with one eye out for the idiots who share our roads. This is not a critisism of your riding. It's just that the more you ride and survive, the more you realise that others won't take your safety seriously so you have to do it yourself. Best of luck.
Ride long, Live free, Live long.

[mynameis]

Mully - You are definitely right about good gear, I had my jacket on and not a slight graze above my hip, besides a few broken bones on left hand which I believe happened as a result of me still trying to hold on to the bike as I flew. Pity I wasn't wearing my pants or boots otherwise I would not have had so many bad bruises on my side, leg and ankle. When I go to work I normally don't like wearing full gear - lesson learned though. I was told to invest in good gear by many when I bought my first bike so I did but more importantly you have to wear them!

Devil - Yeah he was way late all cars were waiting on the other lanes he just sprung through and I happened to be there right that very second. Unfortunate.

Bisbossman - sorry to hear about your bad experience although it was 20 years ago and glad you're back on bikes. Your words are wise and make me realise that it's not all cagers who are cunts but a handful and we as bikers should not let them put us off Bling dispatched. My plate is about 7cm long with 6 screws.

Indy - thanks mate, what you need to do is request a copy of the victim impact report police filled out and see if they had put down the damages in there or not, if not than take him to small claims - dispute tribunal and he will get ordered to pay off weekly ect. As in my case the officer who is prosecuting him (the red light crossing cager) has already consulted me and I have outlined the loss incurred (financial damage) in my case which was only a written off helmet - $600 the rest of the medical bills are covered by ACC. I am not too concerned about it if I get rewarded the full sum or half or nothing. He would also be asked to pay the victim (myself) some compensation and I have been paid out in full by my insurance. He's in shit as he did not have any insurance, so he has to pay of the sum of my bike, his car repairs, fines, court charges ect ect he's looking at well in access of $10,000.

Spman - Yeap as I explained it just happened within a few seconds and I had no chance of reacting at all before my mind could say 0oh fuck and send the message back to my limbs to react I had already hit him and was in the air, bound towards the lovely tarmac.

Hazard02 - Couldn't agree less mate, just been travelling in a cage now noticing things, there way too many hasty drivers in Auckland for my liking, went to Uni last night and just within a space of about 45 minutes of travelling saw two red light runners and a few close calls, what can I say. Feel like quitting my day job and becoming a cop, I'd probably become the most hated cop, swear I wouldn't leave anyone. But what a waste of my degree would that be eh. Did enquire pay isn't too appealing.

90s - A little patience goes a long way, that has been my policy but it has been reiterated in a very hard way now.

McJim - Sorry my initial post was too long and boring for you to read To answer you yes police are taking the fuckwit to court and pressing charges against him and yes it wasn't my fault and as for the bike I wish I could borrow your magic sandpaper and buff it out When the assessor went out to assess the bike he was horrified and called me up and said, "That's an absolute blady write off, it's history now." Was a hard pill to swallow, but again I also didn’t want an accident repaired bike back mainly because the resale value drops.

EJT - Yes he was a complete asshole, ruthless prick in my opinion when I was lying on the road couldn't move anything, other cagers came out to help me see how I was, he stopped but never bothered to come around and see how I was but was just shouting all over the place that, "I didn't cross red-light, it wasn't my fault."

Vamr - That has also been my biggest fear and unfortunately it came true, it would have been a different story if I would have high sided or low sided, tough luck though shit happens keep safe.

Bell - I've seen that ad and I think it's quite effective but sadly there probably aren't enough bikers out there for the government to justify the expense of running an ad campaign of that nature, perhaps privately or partial sponsorship.

Jtzzr - First few weeks when I wasn't in my senses I was really sad and guttered about losing that bike it was a minta but just the thought that, there are still probably thousands of better ZXR's in Japan and I could get one imported if I wanted to has given me a bit of comfort

Toycollector10 - Fully agree with you perhaps if I did do that it would have been a different outcome today but realistically speaking how many of us have that mindset, at a set of traffic lights? I think majority don't but again lesson learned and things will change from now for the better.

[mynameis]

Renegade master - You're making me think twice, been contemplating that whilst at home resting up. Wouldn't it be a nice world if we all could do that? Hmm.

YamahaR64life – oooww That's an interesting username lol welcome to KB and I was very close to experiencing what it would have felt like being run over by 4 wheels, glad it didn't happen.

Karma - Mate you're just talking about bad karma while injured, took a little bit of hit on the pelvis Mr Willy Wonker wasn't too happy for a while but in full action mode now I know you wanted me to share this in public

Xerxesdaphat - Yeah I am a bit of a fan of the good old Chinese medicine now but not into eating those things hehe lol. But they are smart people I tell ya, had a massive blood clot on my ass of about 200 ml which the GP thought would take roughly 4 weeks to heal properly, went there after 3 sessions of acupuncture, some laser and heat treatment and it was gone within a week or so.

skidMark - You've done KB proud today that has probably been your most mature post ever, sulking in the bin has taught you a thing or two aye young fella. Lol, just pulling cheers! Catch up mate.

Inlinefour - I haven't met you personally or know too much about your accident but I know there are many threads on KB about it. I definitely agree with you and as, in my initial post I did say I am grateful it wasn't worse. The fact that there are other people who have had accidents and are much worse off, adds a positive spin in this dreadful recovery. The same applies to you mate, glad at least you can read write speak and aren't a dead vegetable alive on a wheelchair. I saw 20/20 the other day, a story about a very fit healthy guy who got injured in a rugby match and damaged his nervous and motor neuron system. He's alive on a wheelchair and that's about it. He can hear but can't speak or move any limbs at all. Imagine that. A glitter of hope mate who knows with technology changing so vastly, one day you'll defy the odds of medical science and walk again. All the best sincerely mate

More fasterer - Sorry mate my initial post does not exactly give too much information around that particular time/scene, post was getting long. But just for you When I landed and rolled a few times I was still conscious lying on the road (motorway) few cagers came around me, helped me take my helmet off and gloves and in the background I could hear that asshole shouting to other cagers, "It wasn't my fault, I didn't cross red light". And then I blacked out completely and I can't remember anything but when I woke up I was in a officers hand and there were about 3 cop cars, 5 or 6 policemen/women and ambulance was arriving, so I got told by the cop. He asked me a few things, "What's your name, age, what month day it was?..ect." I stared at his face and whilst answering him kept thinking I know this bugger from somewhere, was itching so I asked, "Mate I know you aye?" Answer I got, "Yes I gave you a ticket about a year ago on xxxx road." Wasn't the best situation I tell ya. But honestly I wouldn't know how long it took them could have been anything from 2-10 minutes is my guess.

Zapf - You hit the nail on the head, not matter how experienced you are how mature and careful you are, idiots will still be out there catching you out in tough situations like this. You just have to accept it and move on.

All the others with well wishes, thanks guys I appreciate your comments and support

[Street Gerbil]

The bike can be replaced. Body parts can not. Bling for sheer luck.

[Cache Wraith]

Good news your okay!

[Horney1]

Get well soon dude.

Keep all those receipts in an orderly manner (and even think about keeping a journal documenting everything as it progresses - later when /if litigation comes around it might be handy). Include stuff like transport costs, help around the home, prescriptions, physio, psychologist (pretty traumatic to loss the wheels) , legal costs etc.

Get every little injury checked out and documented - get copies of stuff. It may not be a problem now but who knows in 18 months - if there's no record of it in relation to the accident it may not be covered (& I think you'll find it has to be "treated" to be covered.) Insurance companies will worm out of anything given half the chance.

Check out making a claim against your own insurance. They should cover it and then they should seek recovery from the arsehole.

Give those injuries time to heal properly. Upsetting them can add time onto the healing process &/or cause long-term problems.

Keep the chin up, you've lived to battle another day (& learned a valuable lesson)....

Cheers