Another crash thread

[ninja ll]

gidday, A couple of months ago i bought myself a honda spada to use as primarily a commuter bike for school/work and for weekend use. Cutting to the chase i was on my way to school on the 31 of last month, i came up behind a truck that had just pulled out (in a 100km zone) there was a straight about 100-150m long and cars coming at the very start of it. i initially thought i had heaps of time to get past because of the difference in speed between me and the truck meaning i could zip past in no time. i got fairly close and i think (im not 100% sure why i changed my mind) there was a vehicle oncoming that i hadnt seen when i made the decision to pass so i panicked, locked up the front wheel and before i knew it i was on the ground- on the wrong side of the roadso I imidiatley got up and ran to the opposite side of the road (thinking of the oncoming traffic) and crumpled on the ground. i was taken to hospital as there were two considerable size holes in my leg, one on my knee cap and the other 2in below. I went to surgury where they cleaned it up and sewed it together with 18 stiches. So i am very lucky not to have sustained any worse injuries. I am now reasonably mobile, my leg is in a brace just as a precaution and the wound is healing up nicely.

i was wearing a cordura jacket which saved my upper body completly but only had some track pants (shame on me) on and sneakers where 1 fell of resulting in a relativily minor graze on the top of my foot. i have learned that you need all the gear the hard way.

As for the bike- i havent seen it yet. but i know it went into the back right tyre if the truck so the front end is all smashed up and the forks a bent. but it is worthwhile fixing. All in all an experience i wish not to have again.

ps. the police gave me a ticket for 'dangerous passing manuovre' $150. not to bad considering they could of charged me with careless use. But at the end of the day it was an accident because of a misjudgement in a few seconds of time.

[tri boy]

Crikey.
You were bloody lucky to get off so lightly injury wise. Truck, on coming cages etc. Glad your OK.

[Jantar]

A lesson well learned, and the consequences could have been a lot worse. Its good that your injuries were fairly minor.

From your description you wouldn't have had enough time, even if the truck was stationary. If the straight was 150 m long, and you were in 100kmh area, then lets assume that everyone was obeying the speed limit. You are travelling at 28 m/s and the oncoming car is travelling at 28 m/s thats a closing speed of 56 m/s. You have less than 3 seconds to pull out, pass the truck, then get back to own side of the road safely, even less if the oncoming vehicle is travelling above thr speed limit. Even on my 1000 I need 4 - 5 seconds, so I would't attempt such a passing manouver without 300 meters of clear road.

Its good that you won't do that again.

[Mom]

gidday, A couple of months ago i bought myself a honda spada to use as primarily a commuter bike for school/work and for weekend use.

Thank goodness you survived that enormous learning experience relatively unharmed! Mate, take what you have learned here and never repeat the same things again, the biker gods may not be so generous a second time.

I say things, because I can recognise a few, starting with ATGATT (all the gear all the time), but you have that one down pat, misjudging the distance required to safely overtake, yep you have identifed that also. Panicking and grabbing up a load of front brake is very detrimental to staying upright, you might want to consider some serious emergency braking practise once you are back on two wheels, and you have also learned that some cops are entirely reasonable, a small fine as a reminder that you were doing something naughty, with the balance of punishment coming as a result of your injuries/damage to your bike etc, good common sense policing.

Hope that you make a full recovery from your adventure, and really take on board the lessons you have learned.

Mom

*God I go on sometimes*

[ninja ll]

i have my dad to thank that i got off lightly because the cops wanted to question me and that would have ended up me getting myself in deeper, because my dad is an ex-cop he knows how the system works inside out and wouldnt let them talk to me.

i was probably lucky that i dropped it because if i hadnt it may of led to me running into the back of the truck causing greater injury from an impact. i was lucky but the fact that i was lucky dosnt sit well with me because if i wasnt lucky things could have been a lot worse.

[Zapf]

re the ticket part. Couldn't it be said the truck pulled out on you? to save $150

[Kickaha]

re the ticket part. Couldn't it be said the truck pulled out on you? to save $150

So you're saying he should lie to try and get off the ticket rather than have to accept the consequences of his actions?

[Black Bandit]

Going down at ~100 km/h with track pants and sneakers?

Very very lucky to have such minor injuries. Hope you heal up soon.

[Macktheknife]

Well mate, sound's like you got off lightly to me, not only with the cops but also with the injuries. As Mom said above, learn the lessons and ensure you upskill on the bike before getting over-confident again. Jantar makes a good point too, your understanding of road space sounds like it could use some work.
Glad you are basically ok, heal fast and learn well, this is a good lesson.

[surfchick]

it is -omg- so lucky you survived that considering the oncoming traffic.
i think the biggest part of your story is about only ever taking on a passing manouvre when there you are certain to make it &/or have time to reevaluate during the pass if something unexpected happens and pull back in. oh man oh man it the best thing you didn't hit the oncomming traffic - hope you heal well on the bits that did get injured...here's some healing karma

[gijoe1313]

Thanks for sharing your story with us, a timely reminder and a heads up to keep us thinking about how we ride

Sounds like you got off relatively lightly considering all the factors! Glad to hear you took it all on board and getting it sorted. So you fixing up the bike and still looking to be on two wheels in the near future?

[ninja ll]

yea i will be getting the bike fixed and will continue to ride as i would like get my full licence. The driver of the truck spoke to my dad and he said that he said that he didnt think i had anywhere to go when he saw me coming up behind him. if this was entirly the case what i dont get is that when i came of and flew/slid to the other side of the road why didnt the oncoming traffic have to brake heavily or worse why werent i in the imediate path of oncomers. I had time to get up and run to the side of the road. this tells me that the traffic wasnt right there which makes me think i could have completed the manouvre tightly.

[scumdog]

A lesson well learned, and the consequences could have been a lot worse. Its good that your injuries were fairly minor.

From your description you wouldn't have had enough time, even if the truck was stationary. Its good that you won't do that again.

Lucky boy!

I tend to agree with Jantar regarding the straight being just a tad short for safety.

[chanceyy]

mate just glad your about to tell us the story .. lessons learnt the hard way ..

[Quasievil]

re the ticket part. Couldn't it be said the truck pulled out on you? to save $150

yeah yeah blame the trucky........good one