Trepidation

[jdinaz_imp]

2 cyclists were just side swiped by a semi truck north of town. Truck was over the center line. Best news is that everybody escaped with minor injuries. I would guess that was due to an experienced rider as much as anything. I don't enjoy these kind of posts, but it is part of the deal I guess.

 

[the Ferret]

2 cyclists were just side swiped by a semi truck north of town. Truck was over the center line. Best news is that everybody escaped with minor injuries. I would guess that was due to an experienced rider as much as anything. I don't enjoy these kind of posts, but it is part of the deal I guess.

that is good news

I would hope that threads like this raise your awareness, at least for a little while. I know I will be hyper viligant on today's ride because I am thinking about it.

 

[redbirds_imp]

Quite a story ferret and understandable having trepidation using that route again. Oncoming drivers crossing the center line is becoming a real problem in my little corner of the world. Most times I see they're texting or fiddling with something on the seat. Few years back we were on a rural two lane approaching a bridge when an oncoming logging truck drifted across the center line. Since we had just started onto the bridge, the only escape was to accelerate hard and clear the bridge ahead of the semi and use the run off room on the far side. It was a close call and crossing that bridge brings back that terrifying moment every time.

 

[Blockhead_imp]

That’s a crazy story ferret. I’ve read many of your posts the last few years but don’t remember seeing that one.

I do understand the trepidation you must have had when returning to the scene. I had an incident back in 2004 in Dodge Ram in State Rt. 14 outside of East Palestine Ohio.

A lady in a minivan failed to yield coming out of a side street and clipped my rear wheel as I passed her going about 55 mph. The impact catapulted me onto a guard rail upside down and then I landed in the middle of Route 14 while my truck spun around on its roof with me suspended upside down dangling by the seatbelt.

I remember the feeling of everything happening in slow motion as I saw her approaching the side of the truck knowing full well I was going to get hit and it would be an ugly experience. Luckily the seatbelt saved me from death and rendered me with a broken shoulder, several broken ribs, a concussion and a bunch of cuts from broken glass.

The strange thing was the impact where I was hit in Ohio was literally 10 feet from the Pa. border. The Pa. state trooper that arrived first at the scene left me high and dry when he examined the scene and determined that the accident actually happened in Ohio even though the vehicle was on its roof in Pa. He told me to call the Ohio Highway Patrol to make a report and drove away...couldn’t believe it.

Unfortunately I still get the creeps when I drive thru that area a couple times a week for work. Long story short, I’m glad I was in a truck and not on a bike or it would’ve likely been lights out for me.

 

[silverbub_imp]

Lots of alternative routes to ride rather than to force yourself to confront the past painful incident,., call the recent return to the "scene" as your last "pass" through that traumatic occurrence and move on to more of your daily riding "in the moments"! Enjoy the daily "living in these moments today"!... and pack & focus on the challenges ahead of you in your first & last official MLR event in next few days!... Hope to read/view some of your MLR ride...BE SAFE OUT THERE!

 

[Offroad]

I'm not sure I'd have the guts to keep riding after that.

I'm glad you did though and that's just one more reason everyone holds your opinions and view points in such high regard. You've been there, done that.

How many motorcycle miles do you have....Wasn't it around a million?

 

[the Ferret]

Lol no not quite Offroad, but I'm about 3/4 of the way there by my calculations based on records I've kept since 2006. I figure 5k a year for the years 65-68 while I was in high school riding to and after school and on weekends. 10K a year for the years 69-71 when I was out of high school riding to work and on weekends. 20K a year for the years 72-89 when I was commuting to work every day, riding on weekends and riding on out of state trips every year. 10K a year for the years 90-13 when I was not commuting but only riding after work, on weekends and on riding vacations, 25k a year for the years 14-17 after I retired, riding daily, weekends and taking riding vacations, and 5K so far in 18 riding daily and on weekends ( vacations yet to come). If I add right that's 750K.

Won't make a million. That would take 10 more years at 25K a year. Not going to happen. My goal is to ride 2 more years until I am 70. IF I can manage to make 5 more years at 25K a year it would only add 125 K.

Still, I've had a great life on two wheels. Been fun and a true blessing I must say. Enjoyed every mile.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

People just don't know how to drive.

They do, they just don't bother anymore because they are always in a hurry.

On the back roads I am always prepared for someone a little over the line on curves.

What is worse is narrow roads with no center lines. Now you have to worry about oncoming vehicles in the curves, and on the other side of the hills.

On the highways the first car doesn't make me nervous. It is the impatient driver sitting on his bumper waiting to pass. I usually move away from the center so they have a chance to see me before they wildly pull out. Unfortunately that type does not usually brake and pull back in. They just stomp on the gas pedal and hope for the best.

 

[SportsterDoc]

Most of us long term riders have an intersection story.
Glad of your outcome, after the crash.

My first was April 13, 1963, 55 years tomorrow.
Winnetka and Saticoy, in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, was only two lanes at the time and the SW corner was a Texaco station.

Google Maps

A northbound 18 wheeler made a left, without signaling (engine trouble) and I (southbound) slide into and bounced off one of the tires. Not a scratch, bruise, abrasion...just a spinal injury, requiring a body cast...only 1.6 miles from home.

Rode through that intersection 100s of times since, and I think that day, each time.

 

[Pauley]

Thanks for sharing this with us, Ferret. It's a sobering reminder to always be vigilant.... and wear a full face helmet.

 

[the Ferret]

Most of us long term riders have an intersection story.
Glad of your outcome, after the crash.

My first was April 13, 1963, 55 years tomorrow.
Winnetka and Saticoy, in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, was only two lanes at the time and the SW corner was a Texaco station.

Google Maps

A northbound 18 wheeler made a left, without signaling (engine trouble) and I (southbound) slide into and bounced off one of the tires. Not a scratch, bruise, abrasion...just a spinal injury, requiring a body cast...only 1.6 miles from home.

Rode through that intersection 100s of times since, and I think that day, each time.

Wow Doc... Spinal injury and a body cast. Not sure I would have climbed back on after that. Amazing.

Yea Pauley a full face helmet would have saved me some pain and grief, unfortunately they wouldn't make the sales floor in motorcycle shops for another 5 years.

 

[Banned_imp]

Thanks for sharing this with us, Ferret. It's a sobering reminder to always be vigilant.... and wear a full face helmet.

Not just a full face helmet but a properly fitted and fastened full face helmet.

I was out riding with a friend back in '91 when he got stupid on a (borrowed) GSX-R 750 and hit a median flipping it. The girl on back was wearing a helmet far too small for her and improperly fastened. Her jaw was literally ripped half off, she lived but was disfigured for life. Had to ride the 2 hours home with no leather jacket in Oct as I had used it under her head while I did first aid and had to throw it away.

My only dumping a street bike was pretty mild, dropped my '84 Virago 1000 when a car pulled out from a gas station on a 75° turn. I was only doing about 30km hour so I simply picked up my bike and carried on. He didn't stop.

 

[rboe]

I've hit two cars doing lefties in front of me. First one I flew over the car and sumersalted to the ground then got the heck out of the way, fearing the bike was going to follow. It was stuck in the wheelwell jammed next to the tire.

2nd time (same bike, about three years later), another gal, another left hand turn. I went through the Vetter Quicksilver, bounced off her windshield and came to rest on top of the car. Cop scarred the bajeebers out of me when I decided to test my limbs and slid off the car.

Both accidents gave me some bruised and stretched muscles. Other accidents messed me up much worse. But I'm doing pretty good 40+ years on.

 

[Cormanus]

Wow Ferret that was one bummer of a crash that came with a large side order of physical and psychological reminders. It's a weird feeling riding through the site of a previous 'big one'. All i can say is that gets easier with every successive pass, ride through that intersection a dozen more times and you may not even think of the accident anymore. Someone, somewhere, once told me that us two wheel travelers are likely to have life changing incidents on the road about every 50 to 80 thousand kilometers. I guess that covers everything from a thought provoking near miss to a fatal collision. Probably just rubbish however anything that doesn't kill you should make you smarter. I can say that I have had a few of those moments in my time but I never pressed the trip meter to note how many miles between them. Anyways, for a bloke like you that heads out on the road when there is snow and ice I assume that those moments may occur more frequently for you.

Pay attention next time, please?