PLEASE wear your protective gear 100% of the time!

**brightspark** · 8th August 2007, 14:01

duplicate posting - sorry!

**brightspark** · 8th August 2007, 14:02

Coming out of Nelson on the by pass & the traffic merges from 2 lanes to 1, I check the mirror, and look round. The car behind lets me in; current speed; 100kph. Half a k ahead, i can already see the rush hour traffic building, and I start to gently squeeze the brake. 5 seconds later, the slowing queue reaches the car in front of me, which i am already in the process of easing back from. speed now; about 60-70kph. I check the RH mirror & all I see are the blazing headlights of the car behind. I just have enough time to think "shit, he's gonna hit me" Then there is a bang, and I'm looking at the sky. The next thing is, I'm on the ground looking up, and someone asks me who the Prime Minister is - shit! how long have I been out?? Then they check my name & address. A doctor who was in the traffic behind checks my limbs and decides my left leg is broken. I tentatively wriggle my toes - yep, can stll feel them. St Johns & fire brigade turn up & i'm carefully put in a neck brace & taken off to Nelson Hospital, where the final diagnosis is a broken left wrist, 2 broken fingers on the right hand, and a badly briused left knee.
The roadside doctor could feel the protective knee pad on my gear shifting around in the pants & assumed it was my knee cap!. The outer material on each knee & elbow point on the Arlen Ness gear was torn, but the padding held out. Kevlar protection on the dririder gloves saved my hands from further damage, and I think friction from the impact is what caused the finger damage. Helmet visor went God knows where, but the severe scraping down the side of the helmet took the damage my face would have otherwise borne. RJays boots meant no ankle or feet damage whatsoever. GN250 was a write off, as was all the gear, which St Johns had to cut off to check my damage. AMI paid out full agreed price on the 20yr old bike - $1500 -4 days later, as well as $1000 tp replace the gear. The car driver has been charged with dangerous driving causing injury.
The moral of this tale? They used to take the mickey at work that I took such a long time to get ready to ride home each night, but I always said it was worth it, for when I came off, not if. I am currently into week 4 of my 7 weeks enforced leave, and the one finger typing is now fast enough to pass my experience on to you guys. It can happen in an instant, Its not your fault, and you can do nothing about it. Please, wear your gear!

**kiwifruit** · 8th August 2007, 14:03

Ouch!
+1 on the gear
heal fast

**McJim** · 8th August 2007, 14:06

Glad you're still here to type about it.

I got hit by a car just over a year ago - not as bad as you but from that day forward I switched from Cordura to Leather with armour.

**ghost** · 8th August 2007, 14:07

faaarrrrrr...k, car drivers for ya. keep well

**vifferman** · 8th August 2007, 14:08

I don't have to wear it in the shower, in bed, or at work, do I?

**jrandom** · 8th August 2007, 14:22

Yowza! Heal fast mate.

This is why I never slow down at the back of traffic queues, particularly on motorways. Best course of action is to maintain speed and filter straight on into lane 1A or 2A to avoid getting collected from behind.

Still, getting smacked into while still travelling at 60-70kph is just taking the piss. One hopes that cage driver will get well and truly hammered in court.

**breakaway** · 8th August 2007, 15:09

Well done on wearing all the gears dude, it could have been real bad.

Heal fast mate

**Maha** · 8th August 2007, 17:08

Originally Posted by brightspark

60-70kph. It can happen in an instant, Please, wear your gear!

Doesn't take much to work out really huh?...a freind of mine had a bin at that speed back in Jan' and is still not 100%

**cold comfort** · 8th August 2007, 18:06

With you on that one-bloody Nelson drivers. If they haven't got one foot in the grave they are terminally stupid (as an ex Nelsonian i know this to be true). Nelson apparently has one of the highest m/c crash rates in the country!!
As my bike got tired and decided to lay down in the gravel not long ago

was pleasantly surprised to see nil damage to myself and minimal to the gear. Full gear not fools gear eh?

**MyGSXF:Me** · 8th August 2007, 20:06

Originally Posted by brightspark

Please, wear your gear!

Sounds like you really are a brightspark

& your gear has saved your arse!!

Have you got another bike yet????? or getting one soon????? If yes.. check out the link below, then give me a shout & I'll pass on all the info for the upcoming courses in Nelson!!!!

Originally Posted by cold comfort

Nelson apparently has one of the highest m/c crash rates in the country!!

Unfortunately, yes

That's why our local Council & ACC have combined forces, & subsidise rider training courses with Andrew & Lynne from Roadsafe in Wellington!!!

http://www.roadsafe.co.nz/

I've done all the courses that have come down & run here.. & they are bloody brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Booked in to do another one in Oct!!!!!!!!!!

(thanks for the heads up cc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.. catch up when you get up here!!

)

Jen

**Steam** · 8th August 2007, 20:38

Good to hear you are well. Great to see AMI is taking the proper value of the bike into account. Even a 20-year old GN has great resale these days!
Better luck with your next bike!

**brightspark** · 9th August 2007, 08:49

Thanks for all the good wishes- yep, saw a 6 mth old VTR250 with only 120k ( yes, 120) on the clock on trademe & it was local & $1500 less than new list price, so that's now in the garage waiting for my hands to heal emough to actually ride the thing - oh, and I need to replace all my gear first! - As for the Road safe course - I did the beginners one as sponsored by Tasman Council, Last yr, and have just got the paperwork for doing the advanced course in Oct. Excellent course - should be compulsory for all new, or occasional riders.