Not What I wanted for my 2nd posting...

[Miami Jim_imp]

So… Friday nite I’m riding the CB1100 back from Brickell to Miami Beach via the 195, my girlfriend who’s following in her car has fallen behind, so I’m tooling in the right lane at around 55mph waiting for her to catch up. As the exit for 2nd avenue approaches, a white SUV in the middle lane realizes at the very last second that this is their exit and swerves suddenly into me.

No turn signals, nada (as the locals say). Problem is, I’m directly in their intended path and there’s no time to swerve or brake. I’m an experienced rider, taught the Canadian equivalent of the MSF course in Ontario for a couple of years, but there was simply no avoiding this one.

With the impact, the bike was knocked out from under me and I found myself sliding, the tumbling, then finally sliding again to a stop in the divider between the exit and the highway. Coming to a rest where I did, kept me away from oncoming traffic or I wouldn’t be here telling this cautionary tale. It’s amazing what you have time to think about in moments like these. I distinctly recall thinking (“this is going to really hurt” just as I fly off the bike, then (“shoot, I wonder how much of this my body can take”) as I’m tumbling along the highway.

Thank heavens it was a cool evening (for Miami), so I had full gear on.

After catching my breath for a moment I tried to sit up and check myself over, and was astonished to find that I was basically ok. A moment later I’m on my feet and looking for my bike that’s slid about 50 yards down the exit ramp he/she/it was trying to make - no they never stopped……..

A couple of kind folks including 2 lovely nurses stop to assist me and we get the CB back on its wheels and off to the shoulder where I can better assess damage to it and me.

The bike: trashed left rear view mirror and rear turn signal, passenger foot peg and left handlebar counter weight ground to 2/3 their previous width, and deeply scuffed left side engine cases. My brand new series 2 handle bar was also bent out of shape. Tho it felt normal on the ride back home, I’ll take the bike to a pro to check if the forks got tweaked. The headlight chrome trim me is slightly scuffed, but that’s about it, the bike is still rideable and I’m walking, thank my lucky stars!

That my gear literally saving my skin is the reason I’m typing this on my Mac at home rather than getting a crash course (pun intended) on the latest reconstructive surgery and skin graft techniques.

This is my Bering jacket, which has the heaviest leather of any bike gear I’ve ever owned and CE armour in elbows and shoulders. It’s been perforated in both elbows and seriously scuffed of the fore arms (I figure I must’ve been trying to keep my head off the pavement as I slid).

[url=http://s654.photobucket.com/user/Almuli/media/Misc/jacket2.jpg.html]
[url=http://s654.photobucket.com/user/Almuli/media/Misc/Jacket1.jpg.html]

These are my favourite Hein Gerick winter gloves, note the worn down knuckle protectors. The outside wrist area is also perforated, can’t figure how this might’ve happened. My hands are totally fine, but I shudder to think the mess they’d be without the protection.

[url=http://s654.photobucket.com/user/Almuli/media/Misc/Gloves.jpg.html]

My favourite Shoei helmet is no more….. I was so annoyed I tossed it before taking a picture, but the face shield gives you an idea. The impact was to the left temple area and had I not been wearing it, plastic surgery would’ve been in my year end plans instead of Christmas.

[url=http://s654.photobucket.com/user/Almuli/media/Misc/facesheild.jpg.html]

Even with the armour my elbow took a good whack and I’m pretty sure I have bruised a rib or two cause it hurts when I cough. Two days after the crash I’m already feeling a lot better, so I don’t think anything’s broken. Other than that I have a few minor abrasions where my jeans didn’t do as good a job as my leathers.

[url=http://s654.photobucket.com/user/Almuli/media/Misc/Elbow.jpg.html]

On a brighter note, I just got an email informing that my Comet fairing and color matched side panel have just shipped, so tomorrow I'll order the damaged bits - I'll have her looking nice pretty soon.

[emptysea]

Wow! I'm so glad that you're even able to type this report. That sounds and looks like quite the thrashing you took.

Good luck with the repairs to body, bike, and psyche.

[Powerdogg55]

Jim glad to hear you are OK. Sounds like your gear did its job. Ive experienced this same scenario on the interstates while driving my truck with near misses a time or two. Often wondered and thought had I been on my bike
what could have happened. I now avoid interstate highways if at all possible when riding my CB. These nitwits texting and talking on cell phones are the drivers I fear the most on any road.

[metallyguitarded_imp]

Glad you came out of it relatively unscathed! The fact that those people/person took off without stopping is infuriating. I hope you reported it, for whatever it's worth. With a general description of the vehicle and a time of the incident, there's always the chance that the vehicle was picked up on a surveillance cam from a business/gas station just off the freeway and a little investigation by the local police might lead to their identification and arrest.

Thank God your girlfriend was following in her car instead of on the back of your bike. Terrifying.

[Miami Jim_imp]

EmptySea, thanks for the good wishes.

Powerdogg, bet those cars just bounce right off your rig

Glad you came out of it relatively unscathed! The fact that those people/person took off without stopping is infuriating. I hope you reported it, for whatever it's worth. With a general description of the vehicle and a time of the incident, there's always the chance that the vehicle was picked up on a surveillance cam from a business/gas station just off the freeway and a little investigation by the local police might lead to their identification and arrest.

Thank God your girlfriend was following in her car instead of on the back of your bike. Terrifying.

Agreed and AGREED. Thank goodness the GF wasn't on the back.

[CIP57_imp]

Glad things weren't worse Jim, the gear saved you from writing from a hospital bed. Sounds like a accident that can not be anticipated, wrong place at the wrong time. So, the SUV would have just left you for dead!!! Amazing how people just don't give a **** for human life.

[the Ferret]

Wow glad you are able to report that you are good. I can't believe they didn't stop. Unconscionable. Nobody got their lic plate?

Hope you heal quickly and fully and the bike gets repaired. Sometimes humankind disappoints me.

[HikerToo_imp]

Interesting to see the gloves knuckle area worn like that.....my Dainese gloves have the armored protection there too, although I saw a debate on this forum once and someone thought the knuckle protection was not needed because you never fall on your knuckles, guess that's not always the case.
Glad you're OK, hope you have not lost your nerve and will ride again!

[Cormanus]

I'm glad you came out of that OK, Jim. Could have been a lot worse for you and the bike. I also. Hope you reported it and that the police take tracking down the driver seriously. It's a pretty heinous offense, in my view, to run away from an accident.

Thank god for good gear.

[OldF7Guy_imp]

Wow. I am glad you are ok. I ride interstates a lot and have never encountered what you went through and Im usually in the far right hand lane just trying to stay out of everybodies way. Its one more thing I need to watch out for now around exits. It infuriates me that the person who hit you sped away.