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

[Cormanus]

This is the sort of thread that I just hate to see. Glad the poster is a-ok, but just scares me a great deal. The most common reason is- well, just didn't see the biker. When in reality, just wasn't paying attention/ was talking on the darn phone or texting, or in such a hurry, only a glance.

SMIDSY we call it in Australia: Sorry, mate I didn't see you. From Jim's description, I reckon the SUV would have hit him no matter what. My guess is that they saw the exit and realised late they were meant to take it and just set off for it without a glance. Fools. No. Darned incompetent fools.

Jim, Randy's right. See a doctor; you just don't know.

[nhawk7504_imp]

A police officer told me that on a Friday night up to 20 percent of everyone on the road is impaired. In Boston I notice many places where the highway planning is so bad you don't know where the exit is nor what lane to be in. Exits can end up being "suddenly" there. People also drive very slowly so someone drives around them before their exit, perhaps around a truck, and suddenly see their exit on the other side of a truck. All said and done, WE have to pay more attention. - It's tough in the cities with highways and congested traffic. And some people DON'T care about us. Some people don't care about anyone. A car full of dumb teens? They will do something stupid just for a laugh. Tired people. Habitual coffee drinkers who don't sleep enough and are between fixes. Countless people on psych meds that do who knows what to attention. Assume they WILL do the wrong thing. Spot good drivers and stay around them. - Gave my wife a new phone with super duper GPS. I will follow HER next time!

[Brentj84_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!

After crashing multiple times on a track...I can vouch for those armored knuckles. They're mostly designed to project your knuckles when you're tumbling. Most often your hands are pulled away from your body and the back of your elbow and hand slap the ground pretty hard. The knuckle tries to dissipate some of that force over the back of your entire hand.

Miami Jim - Glad you're ok. I would definitely call the police and let the know the details. They can look for cars with damage to the side you were struck with and possibly find the culprit. Good luck.

[ClassicVW_imp]

The statistic I saw when I ran the Traffic Bureau of my department was that after 10PM, 1 out of every 40 drivers on the road were drunk. I avoid riding at all after dark.

[DGShannon_imp]

Thank God for protective gear Jim. Hit and run driver was probably high on drugs or alcohol. Very happy you were not seriously injured.

Most likely "high" on their cell phone. Oblivious to the world around them and the fact that they even hit anything.

[Cormanus]

Seems to me that, even in an SUV on the phone with the radio up full bore, it would be hard not to realise you'd hit something. This driver got scared for any one of a number of possible reasons and did a runner. The more I think about it, the more heinous a crime it becomes.

[Randy B]

Especially after you have been on the wrong end of that unwarranted fight.

[ClassicVW_imp]

You know, people are creatures of habit and get into one single commute route, at exactly the same time every day. When I was with the PD, it was easy sometimes to go back another day and I'd find the particular previous hit and run vehicle driving right by the same spot.

Maybe you could sit in a safe area near that exit ramp say, 15 minutes prior to the time of your crash on the same day of the week and wait and see if the vehicle goes by again. Snap a photo of the rear with license plate visible, and maybe even follow it a while and see where it goes. But just with the photo the police can run it and find their residence. And there's a good chance there will be some evidence of contact with you still on that vehicle.

[Miami Jim_imp]

George, I got but a glimpse of the SUV as it veered into me, I only know that it looks like one of those "crossover" types and that it was white. It could be one of 10 different brands, not enuf for an ID unfortunately. Yes it burns me that the bast_rd didn't stop, but I've decided to let it go.

However, on a brighter note, I'm happy to report that I'm doing MUCH better, the only really soreness that I still have worth mentioning is my ribs, shucks maybe they're broken after all.... Still..... feeling up to a little work, I replaced the bent handlebar with a new one from Takashi (what a nice person to deal with!), replaced the left side turn signals and while I was at it, installed new mirrors (CB500 F Honda OEM) and red side covers.

Before:

[url=http://s654.photobucket.com/user/Almuli/media/Bikes/Misc%20Bikes/CB1100Before-1.jpg.html]

After:

[url=http://s654.photobucket.com/user/Almuli/media/Bikes/Misc%20Bikes/CB1100After-1.jpg.html]

[hb9400_imp]

Very nice, glad to see her mended......safe riding in the land of the lunatics