Still Not Dead Yet

[ttpete]

Originally Posted by Sierra Thumper

I live out of town....and I never take my bikes into traffic anymore, I quit that years ago. The only traffic I ever see is the occasional car out in the sierra's on my sportbikes, or the fairly regular deer on my ds in the dirt.
Traffic and bikes aren't meant to play well together
When I go into battle, I take 4 wheels and a cage around me like everybody else
I've never been one to bring a knife to a gunfight

To each his own, I guess.

I don't mind traffic. Over the years, I've learned how to deal with it, and find riding in traffic to be a challenge. One has to be willing to devote 100% of their attention to it. There's no time to be daydreaming or sightseeing. Observation is very important. I try to ride a little bit faster than the traffic, because then I can make things happen when I want instead of allowing them to happen to me when I don't want. I call it "assertive riding".

[Bikehigh]

I ride where I live. I live where there's traffic.

[Biebs]

Originally Posted by High Country Herb

Once again it sounds like the cager's brain was looking for a car, so overlooked the possibility of a narrower vehicle hidden by the SUV. This topic was being discussed elsehwere on advrider, and my thought was that driver training should encorporate more motorcycles into their videos, books, and pictures in an effort to train young brains to keep us in mind.

Glad you are around to post about it.

going on this observation which is correct - How close were you to the truck that turned right???

sometimes it pays to hang back a little - just say'in

But glad to hear you are okay ATGATT!!!

[Skyclad]

wow! Glad to know that you are still walking with us. Get that new bike and join us for the ICE Rally. First beer is on me.

[KAdriver]

I should check in more often. Sorry to hear about your deal. Hope your feeling better.
Enjoy shopping for the new ride, you were due for a new bike anyway,

[panchovilla]

Glad you survived that, speaks well for the gear. Good luck on a fast recovery, i imagine you wil be sore as hell for a few days. Take it easy and I hope the cager has to pay. When I was run off the road years ago by an inattentive driver in my lane, there was no collision, I went off the road, and I suffered no broken bones, only could hardly move for a few days. The insurance company coughed up $2500 for pain and suffering in addition to paying for the bike, they also bought me a new helmet, jacket, pants and boots. which were scuffed and torn. I negotiated with them myself, but a lawyer might have got me more. The lawyer gets 1/3 usually so that is the down side. Good luck and hope you get as much as you can.

[Rhino-1]

Dr. Hurt would be extremely pleased. Good ninja moves over the SUV--and thank goodness you went up and over instead of straight in. Do you remember a conscious effort to stand and attempt to clear the vehicle? Any crash you can walk away from is a good one...

[GSFREEK]

Good to see you are all OK dude !!
I don't understand how you can fly over the SUV seeing where you hit it. Guess it was your lucky day!
Althouh this was clearly her fault, i guess (?) you were also not able to see what was happening in front of the truck and didn't see the car waiting. In situations like that, i think you should have anticipated on the fact there might be a brick wall, worm hole, elephant, whatever waiting for you.

(U)- turners is what gets killed most riders!
I had a similar accident, but the view was not blocked by a truck. Just a mongaloid who decided the time was right to put his car over my lane.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/571/50168439.jpg/

Anyway, i am happy you are OK. !
Keep it safe so you can keep enjoying riding!

[Bikehigh]

I don't have any memory of how I managed to launch over the SUV. My best guess is that I was doing a stoppie when the bike hit the car, and that put me on a somewhat upward trajectory, and high enough to clear the roof. Wouldn't be the first time the rear of the bike lifted during an emergency stop.

[n8dawg6]

Originally Posted by High Country Herb

Once again it sounds like the cager's brain was looking for a car, so overlooked the possibility of a narrower vehicle hidden by the SUV. This topic was being discussed elsehwere on advrider, and my thought was that driver training should encorporate more motorcycles into their videos, books, and pictures in an effort to train young brains to keep us in mind.

they won't give a sh** regardless. I think it's hopeless to expect things to get any safer for motorcyclists. With all the distracted driving going on right now, it's worse to be in a car or truck too. defensive driving/riding is the only thing you can do, and in the case of the left-turning cager, I think there are times when no level of defensive riding would change the outcome.

Honestly though, I like your idea, I'm just a pessimist and I wonder how much impact it would have.

to the OP, glad your injuries weren't any worse. the left-turner across my path is my nightmare when I'm out riding. seems like there's opportunities for it to happen every time I go out.

[TxLoneRider]

Originally Posted by Bikehigh

I don't have any memory of how I managed to launch over the SUV. My best guess is that I was doing a stoppie when the bike hit the car, and that put me on a somewhat upward trajectory, and high enough to clear the roof. Wouldn't be the first time the rear of the bike lifted during an emergency stop.

Glad to hear you where okay. It is easy to be a Monday morning quarterback, but I've gotten a lot more cautious over the last few years.

Did you get another bike yet?

I am quite partial to the Tiger 800(XC) , and as always, you have to be careful, it is human nature to recommend ones own path, as a mere attempt of having the validation of someone repeating your decision :-)

Seriously though, the Tiger 80XC has all the advantages of the KLR650 (I had one), with about 40-50 very import added horses! Around town I was fine with the KLR, it was not until I need to be on a HWY for 20-30 minutes where the KLR drove me nuts. It was more than comfortable enough with the Sargent seat, it was having a top end of 75mph in an 80 mph world that hurt.

[PhillyTransplant]

I never look at this section of the board, but tonight I did for some reason.
Damn, I'm just glad to hear you're okay.
Hope you'll be back on two soon.

[Bikehigh]

Thanks, PT.

To update you all, I had a chance to talk to a witness who was stopped at the light and saw this all go down in front of him. He said the rear of the bike didn't lift. Said I was actually trying to vear around the SUV when I hit, so how I got airborn wnough to clear it is still a mistery.

As for getting a new bike, I haven't got one yet. The Tiger 800XC is at the top of my list if I go the new bike route. Did make the mistake of sitting a 1200GS. That bike fits me so well, I've got some serious lust. Be really hard to justify almost $20,000 on what is essentially a toy though. I have been contemplating a used KLR, but I loved my 650 so much I keep getting drawn back towards getting another Bandit, but a 1250 this time. Not really in a rush right now. We'll see what I come up with come springtime.

[flkovacs]

Originally Posted by Bikehigh

I do the same. I try to be very much situationally aware, and constantly try to do the best I can to both see and be seen. In this case it didn't help. Thanks for trying to teach a lesson though. Much appreciated.

sounds like a nightmare not worth repeating ...
in addition to riding to be visible, i keep reminding myself to stay further back of things like trucks that keep me invisible to oncoming traffic and also keep me from seeing it before it's too late. more than once, it's saved my a**.

glad you're ok - the bike can get replaced - personally the xc is too big for my taste and i opted for an f800r :-)

enjoy,
ferenc

[drrider1]

glad you're ok welcome to the air association suvs and s10s are tall.