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Re: Hit by car -- only 16 days old!



Glad to hear that you're o.k.  At times like this, its your physical and
mental health that count the most, the bike becomes a mere footnote (after
several crashes, the last with a nose broken in three places, I can testify
adequately to the 'footnote').

Take care,  Lance




- -----Original Message-----
From: Bill Flowers <waflowers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Sprint ST List <ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Monday, December 06, 1999 1:08 PM
Subject: Hit by car -- only 16 days old!


>Last night on the way home from dropping something at the office, I
>turned left onto a 4-lane (2 each way) road at the same time an opposing
>driver turned right.
>
>OK, I made a mistake.  I should have made sure I was ahead of the cage
>or behind.  Instead I ended up beside the cage at the point in my turn
>when I was closest to it.
>
>The cage turned wide and wandered into my lane.  I swerved to avoid it
>but the bike went down with a thud on the left side.  At the time I
>thought I'd grabbed the brakes causing a lowside, but there was
>something about the way the bike went down that had me wondering.  It
>didn't feel like I'd grabbed the brakes, but that was the only thing I
>could think of at the time.  In the light of day I've found metallic
>gold/beige paint on the right side of my front tire.
>
>Anyway, the bike went down, I did a number on my left knee and then slid
>on my left hlp (saved by a pacakge of cinnamon Altoids) and the left
>sleeve of my leather riding jacket.  I had been moving at about 30mph at
>the time, accelerating out of the turn (35mph limit).
>
>I came to a stop in the dirt of the median (cultivated bushes) and my
>bike about 15' futher on with the engine still running.  I tried to get
>up but quickly found out how much roadrash hurts.  Then people came
>running from all over and practically pushed me down.  All I wanted to
>do was to kill the engine but I wasn't being allowed to get up!
>
>So I sat there and listened to the engine tear itself apart while
>gushing oil all over the bushes.  I was finally able to get to it just
>as it died.
>
>The left side is badly broken, even the plastic below the seat is
>scuffed.  The mirror housing is scraped but unbroken.  The shift lever
>is bent, as is the clutch lever.
>
>What really worries me is the engine damage.  It proceeded to drip oil
>for the two blocks that my wife pushed it home, then all night in the
>garage until it is empty.
>
>What, I wonder, happened underneath the cowling that could have caused
>that? And how bad off is the engine for running for minutes on its side
>while the oil was leaking away?
>
>The good news is that, other than pulled muscles all through my back and
>left side and a good case of roadrash on my left knee
>I came out OK.  My helmet never even kissed the ground, and
>my neck is just fine.
>
>BTW, those kevlar reinforced Draggin jeans are looking mighty good to
>replace the ones that were destroyed.  I'd still be bruised, but I
>wouldn't be having to change a dressing ever 6 hours as it soaks
>through.
>
>Other good news is my insurance company is going to go after the other
>driver.
>
>Tomorrow the dealer is sending the truck to pick up the bike (they are
>closed today, but I was able to get ahold of them), and the adjustor
>will go over it with them.  With the popularity of blue STs I don't
>expect to have replacement bodywork until after the New Year.  :-( Maybe
>I'll be surprised, but I won't hold my breath.
>
>Conclusions: Was it my fault? Technically no; the other driver moved
>into my lane without signalling and hit me.  Unoffically yes; as a
>motorcyclist it is up to me to not position myself where I have no
>"out".  If I had slowed more for the turn I would have been behind the
>car, and probably not as far to the right in my lane either.
>
>It was in my haste to get home that I ignored one of the rules of
>riding, and allowed myself to be positioned next to a cage with no place
>to go.
>
>I've heard that most road accidents happen within blocks of home on the
>return trip.  I was two blocks from home.
>
>Hopefully the rest of you can take a lesson from this and avoid the
>pain, physical and mental, that I am experiencing now.
>
>--
>Bill Flowers
>Clearwater FL
>'00 Sapphire Blue ST "Jewel"
>--
>I'm dreaming of a motorcycle Christmas.
>
>
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