my first brush with death

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Marty,

Aside from my last incident, all the others happened at least 10 years or more ago, I'm much better now, more knowledgeable, aware, etc.!! Unless you count the one where I kinda power dropped it on I-95 just outside of Richmond on my way to XSEast2002, missed a turn off trying to meet up with Brent and decided to cut across the open deep meridian and turn around, nice wet morning dew grass, very narrow shoulder on inside lane, tried to take off into traffic, back wheel just slid out and down I went, broke corner of windscreen, that's all!!!! Heck, I always did want a dirt bike!! I hadn't really been riding for almost 10 years before that year due to bike being dead!

But, I will also be going out of town/state Aug. 2nd thru 5 to visit my mother in Enterprise, Ala., I'll be taking the cage!! Sorry if this causes us to miss each other gettin' together!!! Damn, your lucky day, eh?!?! :

T.C.

[wpc57]

I'm sure if you asked a 100 of us you would get a 100 different stories of near misses and not so near misses as well as a few crashs. I have had both dirt and street bikes over my 45 years of being on this earth and lost a dear friend In Florida in a bike accident. He was a profesional dirt track racer too. His riding ability was the best I had ever seen ever. Its the people in the cages that need to look out more for us. OK I am off my box now.... Take a few weeks and relax. Wash the bike and wax it. Fix it. Mow the yard. And Pray you don't fall over dead doing it. When it is your time it doesnt matter if you are mowing or working or on your motorcycle. I hate to loose other bikers because of the idiot cagers that dont pay attention.

[graybird78]

don't give up

hi beech!

sorry to hear about your little encounter. glad you are ok. i have had many of those incidents. it always seems like i'm in visible mode when i'm riding too. but how could someone miss something as big as an 1100!? i have had too many close calls to count. or even care to remember for that matter. some of those close calls are even worse when you have your wife on back & she slams into you & shoves you forward. sometimes i wonder if it's really worth it, because not only is it my life, but it's also someone elses. namely my wife. makes you want to do something REALLY illegal to the ones NOT paying attention! but looking back at these "close calls" i feel that they make me more aware & cautious of what's going on around me. it also makes me look farther ahead & to the side so i know what's going on at all times.
just remember - if you're going to go to the "great beyond" - NOTHING on the face of THIS earth is going to stop it. there's a greater power that decides that. enjoy life while you can - you only live once! if it's your time - it's your time... but don't let someone else's stupidity make your choice for you. if you want to ride - RIDE, LIVE & HAVE FUN! JUST DON'T GIVE UP!

[MartyA]

Graybird78, I concur. When it's your time, it's your time. Hope it's on two wheels, the ones that are in-line, with a motor in between.

TC, I have ridden with ya, I know you know I was joshin' ya'all. I'll wave anyway as the cage sneaks through Portsmouth. Catch you another time.

[Geezer]

What has kept me in alive all these years is riding like I'm invisible and putting air horns on my bike. There's nothing like a blast from the air horns to get the attention of some idiot stuffing a Buick in your lane.

The 2 times they didn’t (or couldn’t have) helped were when a really stupid Doberman pincher casually strolled into my path. That dog was dumb or deaf or both but even with swerving to the other direction, I managed to catch the animal with a foot peg clamped around the radiator crash bar on my old GT750. The Doberman did an instant 180 and let out a yelp that I’ll never forget.

The other time I was overtaken and rear-ended while I was riding on my old Guzzi 850. Both the bike and me were pretty messed up.

Geezer

[fusionking]

Tell me more.............PLEASE

MAN GEEZER I bet that really SUCKED that has always been my #1 fear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please tell us that story

[Geezer]

There’s not much to tell. I rolled up to a light with this idiot in the left lane and me in the right. The light turned green and I was able to pull away without stopping. I rolled on the throttle pretty hard as I recall and pulled far ahead. I made a lane change and the next thing I know, I’m laying in the street and I really hurt all over. I tool inventory and everything seemed to still move. I unbuckled my bucket and asked some one to call for an ambulance. I was pretty sure I could get up but I didn’t want to risk it.

I had slid back off the bike and busted in the windshield with my backside. My glasses were gone so I couldn’t see too clearly but I could see my Guzzi imbedded in the nose of the car that hit me.

My safety gear did the job for me. I was wearing a full set of Langlitz leathers and a full-face helmet. I took a hell of a beating and 20 years later I still have back problems and I’m 2” shorter that I used to be. Those that met me may have a hard time believing that.

Don’t ask about the insurance settlement, I’m still pissed about it all these years later.

[Pat Kelly]

Originally posted by Geezer

The 2 times they didn’t (or couldn’t have) helped were when a really stupid Doberman pincher casually strolled into my path.
Geezer

I was pedaling along a canal bank when your stupid Dobermans brother strolled in front of me. I T-boned him at about 25 MPH. We both rolled over 4-5 times and he got up and high-tailed it back into his yard. I dusted myself off and headed home. Dogs' owners (or whoever that was standing there just watched slack-jawed.

[Jerry]

The other time I was overtaken and rear-ended

I had a similar situation but with a better outcome. There was an uncontrolled (no lights) intersection near where I used to live. Had to use it to get on an interstate ramp. I used it frequently, both on bike and in my cage.

One day I was on the XJ, waiting for oncomming traffic to clear so I could turn left onto the ramp. Saw this pick-up comming behind me, realized he didn't see me (broad daylight, full Vetter windshield and trunks, me wearing red helmet and red/black riding suit, turn lights on and working) or he was going to try something stupid. He claims he did not see me. I popped the clutch to move forward and to the left, he hit his brakes and swerved to the right. Looking at the tire tracks, his left front tire skid mark was to the left of my tire mark, meaning he would have rear-ended me had I not been watching my rear-view mirrors and taken action.

I am paranoid about checking mirrors, particularly in moving traffic and at intersections. Use of mirrors is not often discussed, far less than counter-steering threads, for example, but is an absolutely essential habit to develop to survive on a bike. I scan the mirrors 2 - 3 times a minute in traffic, more at intersectiosn where I am turning, less on the open road.

Most motorcycle accidents, and accidents generaly, happen at intersections. You have to look behind as well as ahead to be safe.

[fusionking]

Mirror Paranoia??

Man I feel like I watch my mirror too much sometimes but I've been smacked around a couple of times by cages and never came out the winner!! I usually make sure I stay well in front of all cages just so I can turn off etc. I know that isn't always possible so you gotta be lookin' and have an escape plan! Cause the way I see it is ............WE ARE INVISIBLE

[graybird78]

mirrors

i'm always looking in my mirrors to see whats behind me.but i 'm also always scanning the horizons on the look out for potential hazards.Call me paranoid but I feel I'm the better for this way of riding.My friends that I ride with think I'm a slow poke loly gager but I feel much more sure of myself when I' m riding . I say let them be stupid cuz i'll be safe,no pun intended.they say I ride a SLOW YAMAHA If they only knew,ha ha .My bike is far from slow .this thing scares the crap out of me the way it can acellerate.I would much rather be safe than sorry!!!!!!!!!!

[REFFI]

Twelve of us were riding in a line in a lane when an old dude in the oncoming lane decided to turn left. I was eighth in line and I'm the one that got him. Seven days in intensive care with a chest tube. My good fortune was that the paramedics were having coffee in the diner the guy was headed for. They were on me before I stopped rolling. Bike (Honda CB 750) was totaled. I managed to bend the handlebars so that the mirrors were crossed. Fortuitously, one of the guys I was riding with was the son of my lawyer. I didn't ride again for four years. But I couldn't stay away.

Lay your bike up. Drain the carbs, Kreem the tank, take out the battery, squirt oil in the spark plug holes, and do all the other things that are recommended for a long down period. Cancel your insurance (except fire and theft). Forget about it for a good long while, then make your decision.

Ralph

[Geezer]

Re: mirrors

Originally posted by graybird78
i'm always looking in my mirrors to see whats behind me.but i 'm also always scanning the horizons on the look out for potential hazards.Call me paranoid but I feel I'm the better for this way of riding.My friends that I ride with think I'm a slow poke loly gager but I feel much more sure of myself when I' m riding . I say let them be stupid cuz i'll be safe,no pun intended.they say I ride a SLOW YAMAHA If they only knew,ha ha .My bike is far from slow .this thing scares the crap out of me the way it can acellerate.I would much rather be safe than sorry!!!!!!!!!!

I have to admit that since I got pasted from behind I watch my mirrors closer than before but the type of wreck I was in and you avoided are very hard to avoid. You were very lucky and should consider yourself blessed.

Geezer

[fusionking]

HEY BEECH

Well did you go to the Manhatan Rally? I really wanted to but there was just too much to do. Sucks. I guess I'm just whipped by the world! What little I do ride I enjoy very much. I think you will too unless yer already there.

[beechfront]

no i really wanted to go - however work/weddings got in the way. too bad, as this one was probalby the only one i will have ever had a chance to make it to.