Bad Luck

[bigsheep_imp]

Had my worst week in motorcycling this last week. I was angle parked while eating at a downtown restaurant and someone couldn't see my CB and back in without looking, knocked it over, and took off. Engine guards saved the tank and engine. Mirror took a little scratch, bar end and lever took a scuff and the foot peg and luggage side rack took a very small scuff. The worst of it was the gauge cover cracked and the replacement is $180. I think I'm going to order the chrome one from Webike for $60.

Round 2. I was leaving an intersection and hadn't snapped my visor down yet and somehow a yellow-jacket managed to fly between my sunglasses and my eye and decided to sting me several times before working its way out. I managed to stop without panicking. Luckily the stings were on the corner of my eye just under the eyebrow and not on the eye or the lid. Still wasn't fun putting my helmet back on to go home.

Round 3. Not a super big deal, but an indecisive bird hit me while I was doing about 100 Km. Poor bird, managed to hit me in the shin in the spot below my knee pad and above my shin guard. Felt like getting hit with a soft ball. Luckily no blood on my pants.

They say things happen in threes, I say they have to if you count them that way, but hopefully I'll be back to that smooth sailing trouble free motorcycling I've been enjoying. Yeah, I know things could be worse, far worse.

 

[SportsterDoc]

All of those could have been so much worse!

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Very sorry to hear about #1, but easily remedied. #2 could indeed cause a bit of panic. Good on you for keeping your wits! I had a bee fly up the sleeve of my leather jacket several years ago, stinging me continually until he had enough and fell out. That specific jacket had a collar that acted like a funnel. It'd scoop up bees as I was riding and route them down my chest. Lots of stings!

 

[Vic_imp]

it sucks to get bee sting on the road. could be worse.

 

[suhawk305]

1. It sucks we have low-lives in the world that take no responsibility for their actions....and you have to pay for the repairs.
2. Ouch! Good you keep your CB under control. :clap:
3. Ouch again, I caught a bird in the shoulder, his leg was caught between the headlight and chrome CA77 square chrome ring which took some of impact off of my shoulder, still ended up with a huge bruise.
4. Tomorrow will be better.

 

[PowerDubs_imp]

Ughh.

Glad you are OK. None of that sounds like a fun day. But yea- could be worse.

 

[Cormanus]

Not a good week, bigsheep, but at least you're here to tell us about it. Nature is unavoidable, really, but lets hope karma catches up with the grub who knocked your bike over and bolted.

 

[SportsterDoc]

Not a good week, bigsheep, but at least you're here to tell us about it. Nature is unavoidable, really, but lets hope karma catches up with the grub who knocked your bike over and bolted.

A video camera in front of the restaurant would assist with that "karma"!

 

[misterprofessionality]

good on you for being so calm about all those things. i've been hit by a chunk of bouncing asphault at around the same speed in the same spot. it is very hard not to panic.

as for the #1 event, again, good on you for being so calm. i think that would have elicited gunfire from me.

 

[KiowaEagle_imp]

Sorry to hear of your string of non-luck but like you said, these things come in threes so your probably good for a long while. I always worry about that when I park in a space. Do you pull all the way in and then they don't see you or do you park more towards the end of the spot but then someone might clip you another way. No good answer and it pretty much does come down to luck.

 

[the Ferret]

Someone asked me once why I parked on the yellow stripes by the handicap section of the grocery, and I told them, becuase you if park in a car slot, some idiot will try and beat someone to the spot and hit your bike. They thought a minute and replied that made a lot of sense.

If you do have to park in a car spot, park at the very back where they can see you before pulling in.

Had the same thing happen to me with the bee, stuck me right between the eyes. Face is a terrible place to have a sting.

Better a song bird, than a turkey, vulture or deer lol

 

[Nortoon_imp]

A bee is the reason I call my CB Miss Piggy. I got stung on the back of my neck because I had my leather jacket zipper down a bit in the heat of the afternoon. Pulled over on a soft shoulder on the Buckshot Lake Road to remove my jacket. But before I could remove it I got stung on the arm pit. While hastily peeling off my jacket and T-shirt my foot started to slip in the sand. In the chaos I had not put the side stand down. Fortunately I was able to set the bike down gently on the sandy incline beside the road.

After gathering my composure I realized I was 150 kilometers from home on a lonely road in the middle of the week when nobody would be at their cottage . I waited a while and but no car appeared to help.

I know the proper method of righting a motorcycle using my legs with my butt against the seat. Tried a couple of times, but my feet just slipped in the stand. Went back up on the road hoping that someone would show to help.

No luck. That meant I was going to have to reach down and lift a 560 pound motorcycle up the incline using my arms and achy old back. The air turned blue as I struggled and the least vulgar thing out my mouth was "You Pig!". Finally I was able to right the bike and put the stand down. Sat on the side of the road for a while half naked and dripping sweat. My ride home was followed by a couple of weeks of physiotherapy.

While Harley riders can call their motorcycles hogs, I though PIG was a bit harsh for a nice looking Honda. So I justified it by calling her Miss Piggy. If anybody asked I just tell them: It because she is cute in an old fashion way, a little stout for her size, and very top heavy.

 

[SportsterDoc]

Great story, Nortoon!
When I dropped my first Sportster (518#) on a fire road near Los Angeles, I just grabbed it, without any planning and started to yank it up...without putting my back to it. Two loud pops in my back were the first indication of a tactical error (M/C related spine injury in 1963). The pain was microseconds behind. I had not seen anyone all morning, riding solo (as usual), far, far from a paved road, but within minutes along came a truck with two stout fellows who righted it. I rarely take even aspirin, but Percocet was welcome that night.

 

[Tezza_imp]

Here's a funny story about motorcycles hitting birds.
The calif D.O.T found over 200 dead crows on on Calif hwys recently, and there was concern that they may have died from Avian Flu. A Pathologist examined the remains of all the crows, and, to everyone's relief, confirmed the problem was NOT Avian Flu. The cause of death appeared to be from vehicular impacts. However, during analysis it was noted that varying colours of paints appeared on the ...bird's beaks and claws. By analysing these paint residues it was found that 98% of the crows had been killed by impact with motorbikes, while only 2% were killed by cars.
The Agency then hired an Ornithological Behaviourist to determine if there was a cause for the disproportionate percentages of motorbike kills versus car kills. The Ornithological Behaviourist quickly concluded that when crows eat road kill, they always have a look-out crow to warn of danger. They discovered that while all the lookout crows could shout "Cah", not a single one could shout "bike"

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Oh brother!

Actually, that's a good one.

 

[Cormanus]

Boom boom ching!

 

[suhawk305]

My question is, what are crows with a Boston Massachusetts accent doing on California Highways?

 

[Slow Poke_imp]

I've had the bee in the helmet and the bird to the leg while at speed. I've never had a bike knocked over by a car though. That's a bad week for sure. My misadventures usually have a year or two between them.

 

[peterbaron]

Someone asked me once why I parked on the yellow stripes by the handicap section of the grocery, and I told them, becuase you if park in a car slot, some idiot will try and beat someone to the spot and hit your bike. They thought a minute and replied that made a lot of sense.

If you do have to park in a car spot, park at the very back where they can see you before pulling in.

Had the same thing happen to me with the bee, stuck me right between the eyes. Face is a terrible place to have a sting.

Better a song bird, than a turkey, vulture or deer lol

I my opinion may not be so...handicap spot is usually taken by older drivers than most of us...and yellow stripes is still their territory.... and everyone knows how terrible most of them park their cars, so is your choice ..... good luck...

 

[Stichill]

Someone asked me once why I parked on the yellow stripes by the handicap section of the grocery, and I told them, becuase you if park in a car slot, some idiot will try and beat someone to the spot and hit your bike. They thought a minute and replied that made a lot of sense.

If you do have to park in a car spot, park at the very back where they can see you before pulling in.

Had the same thing happen to me with the bee, stuck me right between the eyes. Face is a terrible place to have a sting.

Better a song bird, than a turkey, vulture or deer lol

At the grocery store, I park right up on the big, wide sidewalk outside the building...preferably near the bicycle rack. I have never been told by an employee not to park there, and I see them around outside all the time.