Over a thousand miles on this road this year already, go through this blind curve twice a day. Finally caught up to me 6/1/2012 on the way home from work. Ford F250 came around from behind the bushes doing 35 - 40 mph with his left tires touching the left shoulder. I was very close to the shoulder to begin with, grabbed the brakes and the front tire instantly washed out and I went down on the right side. It had rained hard earlier in the day and the road had some small gravel washed across it. The truck ran over my front wheel, I slid up over the bars and ended up on the shoulder about 15 feet further up the road. Busted left thumb (dent on the bottom edge of the truck's driver's door - think I might have hit my hand there), some cracked ribs on my right side, right ankle twisted and swollen, deep thigh bruise on my left leg. Falstaff Darien held up pretty well on the sharp gravel, I have a little road rash on my right forearm where the sleeve rolled up a bit. Wrong place at the wrong time. The scrape marks at the top right are where the truck caught the front wheel probably can't really see it in this crappy cell phone pic, but there is rubber from the truck tire embedded on the front axle nut. The State Trooper who did the report did not issue a ticket, but he told the other driver that he was too far over on my side of the road. The Trooper waited until I could get back with a trailer to recover the bike and helped me get it loaded up. He also told me that while he was there he had placed his squad car on the tires marks from the truck and took pictures for the report showing just how far over the truck had been. Now it's in the hands of the insurance companies.
I Can't tell you how many times a day when I'm out riding, I look at cage drivers who are on my side of the road and point ...down at the yellow line!!!!... hoping it registers in their fucking brains, just what could happen:eek1. Heal fast! and I'm glad you weren't hurt worse. (or killed!) ....and Lawyer up!. Those broken bones are going to come back and haunt you in the future. (as you age and feel those nice stormy day aches and pains from your youthful escapades)...no reason why you shouldn't be compensated for the other drivers stupidity and make sure the Insurance companies don't fuck you.
The trooper should have issued a ticket for left of center to the truck driver, he did you no favors at all. Rod
100% in agreement. Though you suffered the most, I'd say the driver was in the wrong place, period. Hopefully I'm wrong, but this may get ugly before it is resolved. Good luck.
Quite honestly I don't know anything that would have been a sure-fire save other than to have been there a few seconds earlier or a few seconds later. (afterward I was mentally chastising myself for not stopping for gas on the way home - it would have altered the timing) Maybe traveling 5mph slower would have helped, but no matter what speed I was travelling the other driver would not have seen me until he was past the apex based on his entry angle. Traveling the outbound direction I set up very wide whether on a bike or in a cage. Inbound, I normally set up for that turn between 25 - 27 mph and stay well to the right as there is always a patch of loose gravel about 15 inches from the edge of the pavement - you never want to apex with any real lean angle or you will almost certainly wash out. Even at 25 mph you're still covering nearly 36 feet per second. On the inbound approach there is an area about 60 feet out where you can get a glimpse of oncoming traffic as they enter the turn from about 25 feet out, but I did not see the approaching truck - just bad timing for me. The truck had it's left side mirror glass broken out, and when I inquired if that was already broken the driver told me another driver had clipped it going to work, so perhaps this guy has a habit of traveling "wide" (many West Virginians do so as routine). Either way, the roads are tight and narrow in this neck of the woods. I was down the instant that I reacted when I saw the truck flash out in front of me. Either we were going to collide or I would have been up the shoulder berm and into the trees. I had a similar encounter on that turn two years ago, a county road crew dump truck came through on my side. I was able to get over on the shoulder and squeeze by, but I was on a different KLR with no panniers and it had TKCs installed so I had better tires for loose stuff than the Continental Trail Attacks I have on the bike that I wrecked, plus the conditions were completely dry.
Wow that sucks. You analyzed the hell out of that. You have inspired me to find the more dangerous spots like this on the roads I travel and either try to avoid them completely or take them at 5mph on the shoulder...... Sorry about the cracked ribs
If you don't already, I'd hope to inspire you to wear good protective gear. I'd have been much more torn up without the Darien, First Gear pants and full faced helmet. I'll post a picture of the helmet later, and it'll definately show that this thread belongs in 'Face Plant'
So, you're one of those people that NEEDS signs and road markings to substitute common sense?:huh Now I KNOW why there are more and more laws being added to the books.
Dammmmmmmmmmmmmn :eek1 That gave me the willies when I read the truck went over your tire! Can't you go back and request a ticket to be issued? Heal fast
ouch! my thumb and Klaire are wincing at this. heal well. and dont worry about the front fender, its a KLR itll be fine >
In some states it's not possible to issue a ticket if the officer didn't see it happen no matter how obvious the violation. Not sure about WV, just putting that out there. OP: Glad to hear you're OK; hope the bike gets fixed soon!
