My tale of woe
Discussion
I have been riding bikes for a while now.
At 17 I started out in cars, Renault 19's, then did the Alfa thing. Mazda MPS, 3.0R Spec B Legacy. Then at about 20 years of age, I got bored with sitting in traffic. A new business venture meant I was in and out of city centres a lot. Parking was hell and the traffic was worse than getting bummed by a pineapple.
Got my CBT done and started on a CBR 125, covered around 20,000 miles on that. My CBT was due to run out and so I got on with my big boy's bike test. Went straight to unrestricted and passed the first time.
At this point, having both my testicles still attached meant I went from the 125 to a Yamaha R6.
Loved that bike. again, covered around 18,000 miles in the 3 years I had it. but it was not without incident.
1. lost it coming out of a corner. Rear end slid away under acceleration. I went down with the bike at what must have been getting close to 100mph. I was fine. Leathers scuffed. Bike front end and fairings were smashed up. Repaired it.
2. At speed on the M4... the engine lost power. (After the rebuild and first crash... probably related) Limped it home and found I had detonated 2 cylinder liners. New engine time. but I lucked out and got a stolen (Unsuccessfully) and recovered R6 with a load of fancy race bits on it. Repaired. And much faster than it was before.
By this time I was working in a single location again. So, the R6 didn’t see much action. My daily drive was a Jag XJR and wafting in to work with little traffic appealed more than the bike.
Over the next 5 years I Sold the 2001 R6, had a ZX10R and a newer (2010 i think) R6.
Job changed again and I was traveling between London and Oxford on a regular basis.
Our first child came along. Followed by a grown up, sensible BMW GS 1200r LC. lovely bike, does everything you could want. In comfort.
- A guy drives in to me on the motorway. Sorry, didn’t see you. bike repaired
- School run mum bolts out from behind a parked car. Emergency stop. I stop in time but lose my footing and sssslloowwleeyyyy drop the bike. one of those slow-motion things. Annoying.
3 years and 40,000 miles later wife is expecting our 2nd..... and 3rd child.
The bike is getting on a bit and its PCP deal is up. (Work pays me mileage that covers the cost of PCP... so. Free bike!) - that was my man maths anyway.
I make the decision that as soon as the deal is up, I will hand it back and return to driving cars. I am commuting outside of rush hour and to be honest, getting bored with having to watch out for so many mobile phone dwelling zombies, that the commute is becoming such a risk it is starting to balance on the "not worth it" side of things. May be I will get a fun bike to use occasionally and get the enjoyment back from biking as well as reducing overall risk. After all, having 3 kids under 3 will require a lot of caffeine in the morning.
Roll on November 17, it’s a very frosty morning and I’m out in the no man’s land sticks getting close to Oxford. Mr gritter has been down this road, its fine. I'm doing EXACTLY the speed limit. Primarily because that morning I had filled up with petrol and reset the computers. I like to see the average up at 60mpg before giving it some welly.
Oh, what’s this. Mr Gritter appears to have run out of grit. this road is very shiny. I will roll off the throttle and reduce speed a bit.
Oh dear, this seems to have induced a slide. I guess engine breaking (Mighty flat twin) was enough to break traction. Even though I have 500 odd mile old rear PR4. Never mind, I’m holding the bike is a well-controlled slide round this slight corner.
Oh dear, what’s this... a well-polished manhole cover. My front wheel appears to have clipped the side of it and now I’m in a bit of a tank slapper. Never mind, I’m just going to run a bit wide round this corner.
Oh dear, there appears to be a red SUV thing heading towards me. If I throw my weight in to this, I’m going to go down with the bike and probably under the wheels of that SUV. That’s being followed by 3 other cars... on this ice... If I carry on like this, it’s going to be a head-on crash. I think I will go for the verge on the other side of the road.
Oh dear, I made it on to the verge on the other side of the road. But there appears to be a substantial ditch. I shall carry on riding the top of the verge, scrubbing off speed. I'm down to about 15mph now and have not crashed yet.
Oh dear, there appears to be a massive cut out in the verge for a storm drain. this is going to sting a bit.
Oh dear, I appear to have smashed up my visor. I’m half on the road and the bike is still running, somehow facing the other way. Half down the ditch. how am I ever going to lift the bike out of there?
Oh dear, I appear to have broken my back... in 2 places. from a tumble, on grass at < 15mph.
The emergency services were great, people stopped to help me out. Fortunately I was not riding like a prat. most unusual for me. Others that stopped were able to confirm my story of riding sensibly and being caught out by ice to the police. Who still breathalysed me. In the back of the ambulance. I wouldn’t normally mind, but breathing was quite a challenge at this point. Even the ambulance crew suggested it was not a great idea to be breathalysed. But plod insisted, so I gave it a go. and passed.
I was delivered to A&E, to a friendly face. A guy I work with who just so happens to be the head of A&E. Pumped full of goodness knows what and given the diagnosis of a busted spine. T5 & T6 for those who might want to know.
Morphine, ketamine, gas n air and even paracetamol were administered. but I don’t think they did anything for the pain really.
I still had feeling through my body, could wiggle my toes. just couldn’t put any weight on my back. Even sitting up past 10 degrees in the electric bed was agony.
The thought of our twins arriving and me not being able to pick one up was absolutely devastating.
My little girl visiting, not really knowing what was going on and not being able to hug me was beyond any physical pain experienced.
Struggling to piss in a bottle is both humbling and humiliating. Having a nurse wave a monstrous catheter at you, threatening the virginity of your japs eye is more than enough encouragement to push through the pain.
The same nurse was rather keen to give me a sponge bath. And help me in the shower when I managed to get on my feet.
I must be "double ard", or lucky. Or the old man upstairs was looking out for me. Because...
After the crash, the 5th car along was a mini ambulance, who looked after me, and were with me around 2 mins after I hit the deck.
They called their buddies who were in a full-sized ambulance just around the corner. Who were with me 5 mins after hitting the deck.
Scooped up and delivered to my buddy in A&E within an hour.
My boss, was in an offsite meeting just around the corner, and visited me maybe 2 hours after hitting the deck. Handling my hysterical wife and dishing out phone numbers and details to family members.
I had a CT scan and MRI scan the same day.
I had some other friends staying in the room above me (CF patient) who were able to visit and sort out things for me.
Day 0 - couldn’t move, no chance. nothing
Day1 - maybe sit up supported at 20 degrees for a few mins. agony.
Day2 - Sit up, and by the end of the day. Stand for a while in a Zimmer frame.
Day3 - Get to the shower and toilet. Zimmer frame in the morning. Crutches by afternoon.
Day4 - Home time.
I was able to hold my babies when they were born 2 months later, I was able to support my wife and hug my toddler. I had a good Christmas at home and have some very understanding employers.
The morel of this tale of woe... No one is invincible, and even a little off at 15mph ish. Can really hurt. The NHS, when you really need it is absolutely wonderful, if a little chaotic. People, generally are well meaning and kind hearted.
The spirit of mankind, of being human. When you really want to do something is rather difficult to break. Overcoming this kind of injury takes a little perseverance. I’m not the kind of guy to give up easily, and hate sitting around. The physio team and nurses were more concerned about how quickly I was moving again than the injury its self.
I have the whole thing on helmet CCTV. (No, the camera didn’t do a Schumacher on me)
I would post the video on here, but it’s so flecking embracing. It’s like you could jump off and run alongside by the end. I did stand up straight away though, to turn off the bike. then hit the deck again like a broken sack of wet potatoes.
I now drive to work, I’m not allowed another bike. The GS was a cat B write off. Something about having responsibility’s.
At 17 I started out in cars, Renault 19's, then did the Alfa thing. Mazda MPS, 3.0R Spec B Legacy. Then at about 20 years of age, I got bored with sitting in traffic. A new business venture meant I was in and out of city centres a lot. Parking was hell and the traffic was worse than getting bummed by a pineapple.
Got my CBT done and started on a CBR 125, covered around 20,000 miles on that. My CBT was due to run out and so I got on with my big boy's bike test. Went straight to unrestricted and passed the first time.
At this point, having both my testicles still attached meant I went from the 125 to a Yamaha R6.
Loved that bike. again, covered around 18,000 miles in the 3 years I had it. but it was not without incident.
1. lost it coming out of a corner. Rear end slid away under acceleration. I went down with the bike at what must have been getting close to 100mph. I was fine. Leathers scuffed. Bike front end and fairings were smashed up. Repaired it.
2. At speed on the M4... the engine lost power. (After the rebuild and first crash... probably related) Limped it home and found I had detonated 2 cylinder liners. New engine time. but I lucked out and got a stolen (Unsuccessfully) and recovered R6 with a load of fancy race bits on it. Repaired. And much faster than it was before.
By this time I was working in a single location again. So, the R6 didn’t see much action. My daily drive was a Jag XJR and wafting in to work with little traffic appealed more than the bike.
Over the next 5 years I Sold the 2001 R6, had a ZX10R and a newer (2010 i think) R6.
Job changed again and I was traveling between London and Oxford on a regular basis.
Our first child came along. Followed by a grown up, sensible BMW GS 1200r LC. lovely bike, does everything you could want. In comfort.
- A guy drives in to me on the motorway. Sorry, didn’t see you. bike repaired
- School run mum bolts out from behind a parked car. Emergency stop. I stop in time but lose my footing and sssslloowwleeyyyy drop the bike. one of those slow-motion things. Annoying.
3 years and 40,000 miles later wife is expecting our 2nd..... and 3rd child.
The bike is getting on a bit and its PCP deal is up. (Work pays me mileage that covers the cost of PCP... so. Free bike!) - that was my man maths anyway.
I make the decision that as soon as the deal is up, I will hand it back and return to driving cars. I am commuting outside of rush hour and to be honest, getting bored with having to watch out for so many mobile phone dwelling zombies, that the commute is becoming such a risk it is starting to balance on the "not worth it" side of things. May be I will get a fun bike to use occasionally and get the enjoyment back from biking as well as reducing overall risk. After all, having 3 kids under 3 will require a lot of caffeine in the morning.
Roll on November 17, it’s a very frosty morning and I’m out in the no man’s land sticks getting close to Oxford. Mr gritter has been down this road, its fine. I'm doing EXACTLY the speed limit. Primarily because that morning I had filled up with petrol and reset the computers. I like to see the average up at 60mpg before giving it some welly.
Oh, what’s this. Mr Gritter appears to have run out of grit. this road is very shiny. I will roll off the throttle and reduce speed a bit.
Oh dear, this seems to have induced a slide. I guess engine breaking (Mighty flat twin) was enough to break traction. Even though I have 500 odd mile old rear PR4. Never mind, I’m holding the bike is a well-controlled slide round this slight corner.
Oh dear, what’s this... a well-polished manhole cover. My front wheel appears to have clipped the side of it and now I’m in a bit of a tank slapper. Never mind, I’m just going to run a bit wide round this corner.
Oh dear, there appears to be a red SUV thing heading towards me. If I throw my weight in to this, I’m going to go down with the bike and probably under the wheels of that SUV. That’s being followed by 3 other cars... on this ice... If I carry on like this, it’s going to be a head-on crash. I think I will go for the verge on the other side of the road.
Oh dear, I made it on to the verge on the other side of the road. But there appears to be a substantial ditch. I shall carry on riding the top of the verge, scrubbing off speed. I'm down to about 15mph now and have not crashed yet.
Oh dear, there appears to be a massive cut out in the verge for a storm drain. this is going to sting a bit.
Oh dear, I appear to have smashed up my visor. I’m half on the road and the bike is still running, somehow facing the other way. Half down the ditch. how am I ever going to lift the bike out of there?
Oh dear, I appear to have broken my back... in 2 places. from a tumble, on grass at < 15mph.
The emergency services were great, people stopped to help me out. Fortunately I was not riding like a prat. most unusual for me. Others that stopped were able to confirm my story of riding sensibly and being caught out by ice to the police. Who still breathalysed me. In the back of the ambulance. I wouldn’t normally mind, but breathing was quite a challenge at this point. Even the ambulance crew suggested it was not a great idea to be breathalysed. But plod insisted, so I gave it a go. and passed.
I was delivered to A&E, to a friendly face. A guy I work with who just so happens to be the head of A&E. Pumped full of goodness knows what and given the diagnosis of a busted spine. T5 & T6 for those who might want to know.
Morphine, ketamine, gas n air and even paracetamol were administered. but I don’t think they did anything for the pain really.
I still had feeling through my body, could wiggle my toes. just couldn’t put any weight on my back. Even sitting up past 10 degrees in the electric bed was agony.
The thought of our twins arriving and me not being able to pick one up was absolutely devastating.
My little girl visiting, not really knowing what was going on and not being able to hug me was beyond any physical pain experienced.
Struggling to piss in a bottle is both humbling and humiliating. Having a nurse wave a monstrous catheter at you, threatening the virginity of your japs eye is more than enough encouragement to push through the pain.
The same nurse was rather keen to give me a sponge bath. And help me in the shower when I managed to get on my feet.
I must be "double ard", or lucky. Or the old man upstairs was looking out for me. Because...
After the crash, the 5th car along was a mini ambulance, who looked after me, and were with me around 2 mins after I hit the deck.
They called their buddies who were in a full-sized ambulance just around the corner. Who were with me 5 mins after hitting the deck.
Scooped up and delivered to my buddy in A&E within an hour.
My boss, was in an offsite meeting just around the corner, and visited me maybe 2 hours after hitting the deck. Handling my hysterical wife and dishing out phone numbers and details to family members.
I had a CT scan and MRI scan the same day.
I had some other friends staying in the room above me (CF patient) who were able to visit and sort out things for me.
Day 0 - couldn’t move, no chance. nothing
Day1 - maybe sit up supported at 20 degrees for a few mins. agony.
Day2 - Sit up, and by the end of the day. Stand for a while in a Zimmer frame.
Day3 - Get to the shower and toilet. Zimmer frame in the morning. Crutches by afternoon.
Day4 - Home time.
I was able to hold my babies when they were born 2 months later, I was able to support my wife and hug my toddler. I had a good Christmas at home and have some very understanding employers.
The morel of this tale of woe... No one is invincible, and even a little off at 15mph ish. Can really hurt. The NHS, when you really need it is absolutely wonderful, if a little chaotic. People, generally are well meaning and kind hearted.
The spirit of mankind, of being human. When you really want to do something is rather difficult to break. Overcoming this kind of injury takes a little perseverance. I’m not the kind of guy to give up easily, and hate sitting around. The physio team and nurses were more concerned about how quickly I was moving again than the injury its self.
I have the whole thing on helmet CCTV. (No, the camera didn’t do a Schumacher on me)
I would post the video on here, but it’s so flecking embracing. It’s like you could jump off and run alongside by the end. I did stand up straight away though, to turn off the bike. then hit the deck again like a broken sack of wet potatoes.
I now drive to work, I’m not allowed another bike. The GS was a cat B write off. Something about having responsibility’s.
Mate sorry to hear it and like you say, its often not the speed of an accident but some other random reason we either get away with it or not, I have a friend, keen motorcyclist, had done tens of thousands of miles, fell off his pedal cycle at about 17mph and is now paralysed from the neck down, there is no logic to this stuff but glad to hear its all ended ok for you and your family ....
I once put a video on here of a car driving straight at me on the wrong side of the road, with a passenger holding a mobile device up in front of the driver.
People here immediately suggested I was riding too fast, and somehow it was my fault.
The hell I am going to post up a video where I do f
k up!
Thanks to all the well-wishers though. Got some more magic pills for my back and all is well again in my world.
People here immediately suggested I was riding too fast, and somehow it was my fault.
The hell I am going to post up a video where I do f
k up!Thanks to all the well-wishers though. Got some more magic pills for my back and all is well again in my world.
Awful story. Hope your recovery goes well.
I gave up riding in the winter a few years ago, after running out of petrol on a dual carriageway. I hadn't realised that for whatever reason, the bike didn't want to work on 'reserve' (blocked reserve feed, maybe). As the bike puttered to a stop, it began to snow. I had to push the bike across a slip road and back up that slip road, then about half a mile uphill to a petrol station to get the bike going again (stopped on the A69 eastbound, up the slip to Heddon On The Wall). I had a Jaguar XJ at that point and wondered what the fk I was doing pissing around in the cold.
I gave up riding in the winter a few years ago, after running out of petrol on a dual carriageway. I hadn't realised that for whatever reason, the bike didn't want to work on 'reserve' (blocked reserve feed, maybe). As the bike puttered to a stop, it began to snow. I had to push the bike across a slip road and back up that slip road, then about half a mile uphill to a petrol station to get the bike going again (stopped on the A69 eastbound, up the slip to Heddon On The Wall). I had a Jaguar XJ at that point and wondered what the f
k I was doing pissing around in the cold. Loyly said:
Awful story. Hope your recovery goes well.
I gave up riding in the winter a few years ago, after running out of petrol on a dual carriageway. I hadn't realised that for whatever reason, the bike didn't want to work on 'reserve' (blocked reserve feed, maybe). As the bike puttered to a stop, it began to snow. I had to push the bike across a slip road and back up that slip road, then about half a mile uphill to a petrol station to get the bike going again (stopped on the A69 eastbound, up the slip to Heddon On The Wall). I had a Jaguar XJ at that point and wondered what the fk I was doing pissing around in the cold.
Were you heading away from Ponteland heading towards Hexham or the Toon?I gave up riding in the winter a few years ago, after running out of petrol on a dual carriageway. I hadn't realised that for whatever reason, the bike didn't want to work on 'reserve' (blocked reserve feed, maybe). As the bike puttered to a stop, it began to snow. I had to push the bike across a slip road and back up that slip road, then about half a mile uphill to a petrol station to get the bike going again (stopped on the A69 eastbound, up the slip to Heddon On The Wall). I had a Jaguar XJ at that point and wondered what the f
k I was doing pissing around in the cold. It's doing my box in trying to figure out exactly where you were for some strange reason.
Prizam said:
I once put a video on here of a car driving straight at me on the wrong side of the road, with a passenger holding a mobile device up in front of the driver.
People here immediately suggested I was riding too fast, and somehow it was my fault.
The hell I am going to post up a video where I do fk up!
Thanks to all the well-wishers though. Got some more magic pills for my back and all is well again in my world.
You might as well stick it up and give everyone a laugh, who cares what anyone thinks?People here immediately suggested I was riding too fast, and somehow it was my fault.
The hell I am going to post up a video where I do f
k up!Thanks to all the well-wishers though. Got some more magic pills for my back and all is well again in my world.
Sounds like TooMany2CVs modus operandi, he should work for the IPCC or whatever it is they call themselves now.
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