I screwed up!!

[Andyvh1959]

How many times has any of us heard a rider actually explain the results of a crash with that simple phrase? Not often I bet. I mean, to use that phrase means you have to accept your personal responsibility for the results of your actions, right?

I have used it. I have low sided my BMW R1100RS three times, and in each case it was my fault, I screwed up. Still riding the same bike, repaired the cosmetics, unbruised the ego, and learned from what I did to cause the result. In fact, in my 42 years of riding, I can recall every single time I have parted company with my running bike, as, my fault. I screwed up. Yet, I have surpassed 250,000 miles of riding and still learning on every ride.

But all the BS comments of "hadda lay er down", "nuttin I could do about it", even the very common word "suddenly", to me, all point back to the rider FIRST as the MAIN reason for the results of the actions, crash.

[mitchapalooza]

We're all human. Some realize this, others refuse to.

Life may be the longest thing we'll ever do, but it is in fact short. Lets not take ourselves too seriously.

If you fall, you fall. If you're well enough to ride away, then you're in a pretty good position still.

Keep on keepin' on!

[hooliken]

If you have ridden for any length of time and have not "screwed up" it tells me that you stayed well within your perosnal "safety zone."
I personally have exceeded my personal "safety zone" many times in my 30+ years of riding and my "screw ups" have been numerous. But I have learned from them and still push my limits on occassion. Not nearly as much as when I was a younger man though....

[rdtrvlr]

accepting responsibility. very rare these days. I commend you. guy I know ran a red light and hit a cage. yet somehow, in his mind, it was the cage's fault. video & witness accounts say otherwise. to this day he says it was the cages fault.

[Reduxalicious]

I know, I've pushed my limits too far a few times--I tell my self not to do it again and keep it to my self (Never wrecked or anything..Yet. *crosses fingers) The one accident I was in, I was rear ended, but I SHOULD have seen the idiot behind me and been able to get out of the way, so that's my fault for not paying attention, and the Two times I dropped my bike was of course my screw ups--First time, I got off the bike and forgot to put the kick stand down. and the second time was taking it off the A frame and I sort of uh, Well it's top heavy and usually when I take it off the A frame I just rock on it then ride..and yea...

[NJ-Brett]

I don't know, it seems many own up in the face plant section.

I think its much better then average here on ADV then anyplace else.

I only went down twice on the street, at a young age, in the rain and very drunk. I have always owned up to that, no big deal, I was not hurt, and we all know that it was my fault and there is no getting around that fact.

I tend to crash in the dirt often, and I am not sure there is anything wrong with that, just pushing the limits most times, or just one of those things that happens, wheel gets in a rut, or hits a root under a puddle, or just going too fast in the rough stuff.
I always thought you were supposed to fall down dirt riding.

My worst crash was a lower speed high side in some very large very sandy whoops, the front wheel dug in and tossed me into the next whoop.
A dr650 is not what you want to do that on.

I own up to it, if I did not want it to happen, I should not have been dirt riding, or riding such a tall heavy bike. I can't say there was nothing I could do, or it was the bike's fault, or the whoops fault.

Crashing in the dirt is great, as long as you do not get badly hurt.
Its even better if its spectacular and someone see's it or gets it on video.
Of course, almost all my spectacular riding and crashing was unobserved by anyone but me, all the 2 wheel drifts through turns (on the street), getting air at 100 mph on the street, the long superman flights in the dirt, ect,.

But if some cage ever gets me, or I run into something, or run off the road, I will put it down 100% to my fault. I have avoided that for almost 40 years and figure I should have seen it coming.

Lowsiding in a turn is iffy, it CAN happen without warning, that has almost happened to me a few times, something very slippery that was not visible and I am doing the flat track thing.
I COULD say 'I had to lay the bike down' because I had no traction....

When I hear someone say there was nothing I could do, most times I figure they are just not very good (safe) riders.

[hooliken]

Originally Posted by Reduxalicious

I know, I've pushed my limits too far a few times--I tell my self not to do it again and keep it to my self (Never wrecked or anything..Yet. *crosses fingers) The one accident I was in, I was rear ended, but I SHOULD have seen the idiot behind me and been able to get out of the way, so that's my fault for not paying attention, and the Two times I dropped my bike was of course my screw ups--First time, I got off the bike and forgot to put the kick stand down. and the second time was taking it off the A frame and I sort of uh, Well it's top heavy and usually when I take it off the A frame I just rock on it then ride..and yea...

I have seen a few folks pull up to a stop and Usually followed by "F'n kickstand" or something along those lines.

[going south]

Only those who risk going to far, can possibly find out how far one can go!!!

T.S. Elliot



If you don't fall down once in a while, your not trying hard enough...

Roger Decoster...

[Andyvh1959]

"A life not risked, is a life not lived."

Not sure where I saw or read that, but there is profound truth in it.

I agree, it seems a larger percentage of riders on this forum, and on the BMW MOA forum, owe up to their mistakes and causes of their own crashes. It would be interesting to see how other responses compare on other forums.

I see the real challenge of crash reduction is solely in the hands gripping the handlerbar, FIRST and FOREMOST. To me, the highest level of safety equipment any rider possesses, is his/her attitude about riding. Moreso than safety gear, helmet/no-helmet, mandatory laws for helmets or tiered licensing, power limits, whatever. Until the rider has the guiding attitude of being solely responsible for ALL results of his/her riding, until that happens the rider will usually find some blame shift away from self. I feel attitude trumps all other factors because it guides all decisions, like training, ability assesment, restraint or lack of it, no gear or ATGATT, traffic strategies, skills improvement, etc.

I push it, I feel the need to push it to get feedback on what I can do and can't do. I have dumped my dirt bike many times, but dirt is different that street. Its my choice to drag my boot edges in turns. My choice also to ride almost 100% ATGATT. My choice to be highly aware in traffic and not cruise like others with their Crocs dangling out on the highway pegs (god that looks SO stupid) wearing a shorty helmet on a loud-blatting bike. Crash rate reduction starts first right between the ears, with the right attitude. No mandatory helmet law will change that one bit. Again, in the local paper just this week is an article about rising cycle crash rates and the arguement of helmet laws rises again like spring flowers.

[daveinva]

Knock on wood, my only accidents have been in cars.

And out of those four (), 1 was clearly my fault (I hydroplaned through a stop sign on my learner's permit 25 years ago), 2 were halfsies (I rear ended brake-stompers twice, I could have avoided each had I been prepared for the other drivers doing something completely asinine and inappopriate for their situations-- lesson is, drivers are always completely unpredictable!), and 1 was the other driver's fault (20 years ago I slowed for an accident ahead of me, the guy on pot and a suspended license behind me never even slowed down and plowed into me, I thankfully had enough space between me and the semi-truck to my front to keep from crushing my car underneath his trailer ).

Anyway... the good news is, nobody ever got hurt in the fender benders, so I was able to learn the lessons and apply it not only to my driving, but my riding: give yourself space and an exit, don't trust anyone else on the road to do the appropriate thing, and always plan for the worst (training, practice, gear and max insurance).

[Mr_Gone]

I went down one time at low speed, maybe 15 mph. As I was approaching a stoplight I glanced toward both ways down the cross street. When I looked back up, the light was yellow and the car in front of me was hitting the brakes hard in order to stop. So I hit the brakes too hard and the front tire locked up and I went thump. Totally my fault. If I hadn't hit the brakes too hard, I had plenty of room to stop.

[cliffy109]

Just curious as to why you felt it necessary to make this post in the first place? Congratulating yourself on taking responsibility for your own errors and chastising those who don't accomplishes what exactly? Did you need for us to nod our collective heads in acknowledgment of your maturity in examining your riding errors? Were we all supposed to say "me too!" and confess our errors so we can be as thoughtful as you? I don't get it.

[AzItLies]

Originally Posted by Mr_Gone

I went down one time at low speed, maybe 15 mph. As I was approaching a stoplight I glanced toward both ways down the cross street. When I looked back up, the light was yellow and the car in front of me was hitting the brakes hard in order to stop. So I hit the brakes too hard and the front tire locked up and I went thump. Totally my fault. If I hadn't hit the brakes too hard, I had plenty of room to stop.

This scenario is exactly why I hate those towns that shorten the yellow light time. The national standard (I think) is suppose to be 1 sec for every 10 mph speed limit. I use to live somewhere that they set the 45 mph zone yellow lights to 3 sec!

So now people will pretty much slam on their brakes for a yellow. All around bad for bikes, imho.

To the OP: I knew an MSF RC (8 yrs) that went to the Gap. First time through, in the beginning, wiped out and practically totaled the bike. Trip over for everybody. I asked them: "what went wrong" and got "I don't know".

This from a person that teaches 'proper cornering technique'...

Cheers

[hooliken]

Originally Posted by cliffy109

Just curious as to why you felt it necessary to make this post in the first place? Congratulating yourself on taking responsibility for your own errors and chastising those who don't accomplishes what exactly? Did you need for us to nod our collective heads in acknowledgment of your maturity in examining your riding errors? Were we all supposed to say "me too!" and confess our errors so we can be as thoughtful as you? I don't get it.

[SteelJM1]

I'll say that the only street crash that i can say IDK WTF happened (though I have an idea) Is when (I think) I hit a patch of sand sitting atop double yellows doing a U-turn at night several months ago. Going no more than 5 mph one second I was up, next second I was on my ass asking "wtf just happened?!"