I crashed my new motorcycle in heavy rain on a mountain road.

[Gravitycollapse]

Last edited Tue Sep 3, 2013, 01:57 AM - Edit history (1)

Went up to a corner, leaned in and the front end went completely numb. Realizing that there was no way to avoid an accident, I stood it upright and applied the brakes as best I could without locking them up in the wet.

Slid off the road into the ditch and low sided. The bike landed on me but fortunately the dirt was soft enough that I wiggled out. The bike isn't totaled by it needs several thousand dollars worth of repair.

And I think I broke my wrist. Haven't gone to the ER yet because I don't have health insurance. Altogether, a pretty bad afternoon. But the tow truck driver pointed out the fact that about 100 yards further north, there were 4 crosses for 4 different riders who have died in that turn over the years. So I guess I should feel lucky to be alive.

[Wounded Bear]

1. Glad you made it through...

Sorry about the bike, and I hope your wrist is OK.

I rode for a few years. One has to respect the bike and the road conditions and hope for the best. I take it you were wearing a helmet?

[Gravitycollapse]

2. Yeah I always wear full gear.

Boots, gloves, jacket and helmet.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Smart man...

I did too. Well almost always.

[hedgehog]

16. Thank you for being responsible and wearing the proper gear!

[rug]

4. Everything about that sucks. New bike, thousands in repairs, broken wrist, no insurance.

Still, I'm glad you're here to post about it.

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. "Gravitycollapse" indeed -

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Gotta drive a bike pretty cautious on wet pavement.

Glad that you survived.

Hope you learned.

Be well.

CC

[LiberalEsto]

6. Thank heavens you're okay nt

[In_The_Wind]

7. That's why I gave_up_2_wheels for 3. Glad you lived to talk about it.

I wiped out on a wet curve on two wheels back when I was 17. Spent the night in the hospital with nurses waking me up all night ... slight head injury.

[Locut0s]

12. 3 wheels?...

You gave up 2 for 3? You ride a tricycle?

[In_The_Wind]

17. Three wheels ...

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[elleng]

8. Yes you should feel lucky,

Gravitycollapse! (Kind of want to laugh at your moniker, in these circumstances.)

[Chan790]

9. "Four crosses"

To me, that's inexplicable. We post signs to inform truck-drivers of road-grades they may not be able to maneuver well in advance so they can take alternate routes. Why don't we do this for motorcyclists and bicyclists?

Something like:

Motorcycle/Bicycle
High-risk incidence-zone. Next 2mi.
Steep slope, blind curve.
Proceed with Caution or
take marked alternate route next right.

Because if you'd been informed that 4 other people had wiped-out there wouldn't you have gone another way or proceeded at a reduced rate of speed? With an increasing percentage of the population using bikes and motorized two-wheeled vehicles to commute, it only makes sense to design future roadways and specific signage to that reality.

[Locut0s]

14. The problem is there are always "bad sections" of road...

I don't know anything about road design but my guess is that for the longest time they simply used rules of thumb when it came to designing roads. These would be things like curves can't be steeper than such and such a percent and have to be of a certain min radius for given speed limits. But I doubt that they looked at each and every situation, so you end up with areas where these rules of thumb don't quite work and you have a dangerous turn or intersection, we all know of them. This is probably getting better with the advent of computer aided design for everything.

[Wait Wut]

10. I'm so glad you're okay.

I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I read the local paper and hear about a bike crash. I've lost far too many friends in the past 10 years.

Do you have a clinic in the area that you could go to for your wrist?

Again, really glad you're okay.

[steve2470]

11. glad you lived to tell about it, hope your wrist heals fast nt

[Raffi Ella]

13. Ugh, wow.

Glad you're OK, Gravity. Bikers are so vulnerable on the road. This Summer I cut one off while turning right at a 4 way traffic light. I Did.Not.See.Him. It scared the hell out of him and me.

I was able to swerve back out of the lane he was in but that didn't stop him from giving me the finger when he passed me. I didn't hold it against him.

Be careful everybody.

[handmade34]

15. so glad you're ok...

well, at least only minor injuries (really should get that wrist looked at somehow)... I used to ride and made a stupid mistake one day (long story...) and ended up unconscious with my right tibia sticking up out of my leg... 7 surgeries and much time has made me stronger (but with a big ass scar on my right leg) and while I bought a couple of bikes after that, didn't ride much and now I LOVE my manually powered bike!!

[Kali]

18. your profile says you are in Phx

where did you wipe out?

[Gravitycollapse]

19. Just inside the city limits of Strawberry. About 30 miles north of Payson on the 87.

[Kali]

20. heh

spent a looonnnngg evening in Pine, once long ago - dumb college kids in a vw bug trying to go down some forest service road with no spare

waiting for the boyfriend's roommate to bring one from Tempe.

I think it was a Friday and there was live entertainment in the (singular back then) restaurant. bad Kenny Rodgers wannabe with the most irritating drum machine for back-up.