Tragic Tale of a Tough Old Bike

[Pat Kelly]

My 78E was run over. It was run over by an 18-wheeler. A Kenworth (I drive a Volvo)


(my Volvo)

It happened at work. Apparently the KW driver didnt see it and ran over it.
The good news is that the bike still runs and is rideable. Increadably, the horn has never worked but does now. I recently posted about the 4-prong connector to the alternator melting and is temporarily fixed with 4 butt connectors. Since that fix, the bike has only been charging at 13 V. Now it's back to 14 V. When I first started the bike after the assault there were electrical issues. The voltmeter shut down and all the lights on the pilot box lit simultaniously, both turn, hi beam, oil pressure, and reserve light... all at once. When I 'clunked' it into gear all the lights went out and it started charging fine.
Other damage is limited to the fairing. The outter shell has a scrape on the right corner. The left side has 9 parallel scratches about an inch long. Amazing how tough the bike is. Major damage to the inner shell though. Cracked from the right-hand mount up to the storage compartment lid and along that edge all the way across the top to the left side.
I could file a report at work and their insurance would pay to repair or replace the fairing. Downside to that is the driver would then have an accident on his record and it has been spotless to this point.
But what an idiot!!
Does he deserve to be reported? Of course he will pay for the damages, that is for certain. But should I give him a break and not report it? He really is a good guy..... but an idiot!


I may try my hand at learning to weld plastic.

[Geezer]

If if ponies up the bux fro a proper repair and says out loud "I'm and idiot." That should be punishment enough. I'd be sure and soak him for the repairs and do everything right.

BTW, I have those connectors you need in stock...

Geezer

[DGXSER]

IMHO, I'd get somethign in writing from him admitting to the offense and his committment to cover all repair cost. You know you will need to do it all yourself, but I'd charge him for your time as well as the parts.

I had an accident where a guy pulled out in fornt of me and I T-boned his car. He begged me not to have him charged. So I told the cop I wanted a report but did not care if she charged him. She went along and he told me he would pay for my repairs. Next day we go to take my car to a repair shop he says he is now going through his insurance. I had driven his B-pillar into the passenger seat so it needed fixed. I insisted he sign a document claiming responsibility, he told me his insurance company would nto want him to. I replied that I agreed and that is why he needed to and I made it very clear it would be in his best interest to do so. He eventually signed it and I can assure you without that paper I would have been up the creek. His insurance company first called to tell me they would not pay for my car as the police did not cite him. Then I faxed them a copy of his signed statement and it went much smoother after that.

Yeah have him sign a separate banner stating "I'm a bone head idiot" and put it on his windshield for a week as well.

[Incubus]

If it were my bike, and I wanted to give the guy a break, I would write up a statement for him to sign admitting to everything, admitting fault and agreeing to pay for all repairs. Then I would tell him after everything was fixed to my satisfaction I would give him the letter to do whatever he wanted with. If he won't sign,report it to the insurance carrier.

And, of course, if he doesn't pony up you can always report the incident and turn the letter in to the company's insurance carrier.

I've been burned. Friends are friends, but business is business.

Patrick

[barberad]

I would find out what is the statute of limitations or whatever it's called in Cali or wherever the accident happenend and ensure he was able to pay for the damages before that time was up.
If he is willing to pay, that is great and if you could keep it out of the insurance companies hands even better, but you definatly need to make sure the repairs are going to be to your satisfaction before you are willing to drop the issue.
Good luck,
Dan

[mro]

I've been burned. Friends are friends, but business is business

Every time I've been a nice guy I've got $crewed

Good luck.

mro

BTW, I have those connectors you need in stock...

Geezer

I have a spare vetter too

[Sirplus]

Now I know how to fix my horn!

If the claim would go against his employers' insurance he would probably want to pay up fast and quiet if the amount is reasonable. Some carriers will fire a driver for failing to report a claim (no matter how small) immediately. Was the fairing painted up nice to match the bike ?

[Pat Kelly]

and now the rest of the story........

He has (and is) admitted to his boneheadedness. He is going to pay all costs of the repairs.




the idiot is me




This idiot ran over his own bike.

Here's what happened:
I was dispatched to deliver a load to Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Napa, and Eureka CA. Because of length restrictions I was told to take a different (shorter) tractor and a 48' (instead of the 53') trailer. This shorter tractor is a daycab (no sleeper bunk) and I would be reimbursed for motel rooms. I already was distracted with what bare necessities I would take and the route to customers I'd never been to before.
'Normally' I park my bike near the southwest corner of our property (well-lit and lots of people). My Volvo (1157) is on the east side (remote and dark). I ride to my truck and unload clothes, soda, food, etc. from bike to truck. Then park in the SW corner and walk around the warehouse to the truck (looking for my assigned trailer along the way).
'This time' I thought I would park where the KW (931) is in the NW corner near the shop (well-lit and populated). I parked the bike in front of the truck as the truck next to it was pulling-out. I loaded my stuff and went over my paperwork

<sidenote> most of my dispatches have me drive for a day or two before reaching the customer so I have time to go over the paperwork. Thistime I would be at the 1st customer in 4 hours so I was doing it now.

I finished the paperwork and stowed it, started the truck (again), turned-on the lights (previously checked, this is at 1am), and proceeded to pull out. This idiot forgot his bike was in front of the truck. The hood is high enough that the bike was out of sight. I heard the crunch and *&%^%&$^*&!!! went through my mind. I backed-up and more crunch.
The bike started but had the aforementioned electrical problems and cracks. Nothing I could do at that time so I parked and covered it and went off down the road.

So, the idiot is going to proclaim

I AM A BONEHEAD IDIOT!!!!!!
I will try my hand at plastic welding. I will be in the market for another Pacifico fairing but not quite yet.
These bikes are tough.



I am an idiot

[CatatonicBug]

I don't know about plastic Welding, but Vetter sells some stuff called Hotcha that is specifically designed for fairing repairs. It's supposed to be pretty good stuff.

[Steptoe]

sinking feeling

As one truckie to another "DON'T YOU HATE THAT" you feel like a real goose.

It's bad enough when you wreck something at all ,let alone your own gear, although that said I bet that truck & trailer didn't go any near to touching anything else on the rest of the trip, you'd be wide eyed & ready for anything.

Travel safe, keep shiny side up.

[Pat Kelly]

At least at 1am no one saw it happen

I have a routine when I leave so that I don't forget anything. I occasionally have one of the veteran drivers around me to tell me if I'm overlooking anything or any other advice (some advice I use, some I disregard).

I say again, these bikes are tough. The bike not only was knocked over, it went under the front bumper. It scraped when I moved the truck both forward and back. Nothing bent. Bike is ok XSept for the fairing. And now the horn works (I have no idea why I tried it)

[latexeses]

....the idiot is me....


If that's the case I think I would really the let the offender have it... Pay for the repairs, time, beer, the works

Sometime life is like that....Bummer

[oseaghdha]

That's the sucks.

Yeah, I wouldn't turn his azz in, it's obvious he feels bad about it.
Make him promise to buy that new farkle you had your eye on.

[DGXSER]

Ahhhh...I thought I saw that coming..lol

Well, I am sure we all have some kind of story like that somewhere in our past. Still, I'd beat his azz red for that if I were you!

[dbeardslee]

The hood is high enough that the bike was out of sight.

I had a similar problem with a guy driving a Hundai Elantra on I275. He dove under the hood of my Pete 379 in heavy traffic when I wasn't looking and I wound up pushing him about 1/4 mile down the road before I 'found' him there. There were four guys in the Hundai and they were all sh@@ing nickles . Reminds me of the old joke - how can you tell when your old lady's been cheating on you with a Swift driver? Answer: When you get home he's still trying to back it out of the driveway . Hope you get it all straightened out.