I got my knee down!
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Howitzer

Original Poster:

2,865 posts

247 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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Sadly though this occured just as my head and shoulder bounced off the tarmac and I barrel rolled (with some style I might add) down the road.

Coming up to a bend at around 60 and off the throttle, car going round the corner, quite a tight corner, and my intention is to overtake her coming out of the corner. She brakes unexpectedly halfway round it and I hesitate. By the time my neanderthal mind has decided whether to carry on with the overtake or not I have no space left to stop in time and I dump the bike on the ground.

Stupid mistake by me, I had enough space to safely overtake as I had planned to do but my indecision was my downfall. Pretty annoyed with myself but you live and learn etc.

What have I learned....

Helmets are bloody amazing, I REALLY smacked my head on the floor and the helmet is fubar but I just had a sore neck, no other pain, not even a headache. The jacket stood up really well, it's knackered but did its job, am very pleased with my kit. Trousers, boots and gloves will live to fight another day.

Annoyingly my left collarbone is broken in 3 places and the bike needs all new bodwork, lower control levers and a dose of TLC.

I can't wait to get back on it though, I was realling starting to gel with the bike, it was a fantastic ride before that happened.

Lack of experience and hesitation is a harsh mistress!

The woman who I was going to overtake stopped as she was braking so hard she thought I may go into the back of her as she had seen me coming down the road behind her, no fault of hers in anyway though as she was a great help afterwards.

Bikes still rock.

Dave!

G Man

4,053 posts

291 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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At the end of the day fella you are alive, wiser and "hobbled" away .... a speedy recovery to you

Craphouserat

1,542 posts

232 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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Speedy recovery to you mate, I think you must have taken a worse knock to the head than you think though ! It sounds to me like it was her fault, main thing is you are ok.

black-k1

12,808 posts

260 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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Sorry to hear about your off, but at least you are still in one (slightly damaged) piece.

All the best for a quick recovery.

randlemarcus

13,646 posts

262 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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Ouch frown
Reading through, I cant, much as I'd like, see a way to attach blame to her, so you're on the right track blaming indecision. Bum, but better a lesson learned this way, than really truly getting crunched. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for you, and dont forget the bodywork will buff outwink

Just purely out of interest, did you end up in a growth intended to delineate the edge of an agricultural enclosure? Its just the Hedgefinder General post is getting a little slack.

y2blade

56,322 posts

246 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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G Man said:
At the end of the day fella you are alive, wiser and "hobbled" away .... a speedy recovery to you
what he said^^^


not a good way to start the summer frown




Edited by y2blade on Monday 5th May 10:47

StuB

6,695 posts

270 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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Sorry to hear that, but glad you're ok and I wholeheartedly agree with RM on both pointswink

m3psm

988 posts

252 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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Whoops! Hesitation and panic braking are common causes of tarmac rash in the early days, but you walked away wiser and battered enough not to make the same mistake twice.

Hope you heal soon and get back out there.

Chilli

17,320 posts

267 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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Mate, sorry to hear that. Ouch, the collarbone must sting a bit. Glad you're on two feet andwritig about it though....I always think that people reading these stories take some of the experience with them. Hope you're back soon. Any ETA on the bones healing?

ps - Randy, I heard that!


Howitzer

Original Poster:

2,865 posts

247 months

Monday 5th May 2008
quotequote all
No eta on the healing yet as I broke the collarbone in 3 places, I see a specialist on Wednesday. The pain isn't really as bad as I had heard it would be.

The bike is far better thanI thought though which is good.

Thanks for the replies guys!

Dave!

Chilli

17,320 posts

267 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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Howitzer said:
No eta on the healing yet as I broke the collarbone in 3 places, I see a specialist on Wednesday. The pain isn't really as bad as I had heard it would be.

The bike is far better thanI thought though which is good.

Thanks for the replies guys!

Dave!
Glad to hear it. Fingers crossed it'll heal without any futher help. Will the bike be going through the insuance, or are you one of these technically minded people who know how to use a spanner etc?!

Sossige

3,176 posts

294 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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Also wishing you a speedy recovery Dave - the main thing is that you are OK.

RemaL

25,103 posts

265 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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st news mate

711

806 posts

256 months

Monday 5th May 2008
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Howitzer said:
The woman who I was going to overtake stopped as she was braking so hard she thought I may go into the back of her as she had seen me coming down the road behind her, no fault of hers in anyway though as she was a great help afterwards.
I'm not pointing blame or anything, but are you saying that she braked hard because she saw you approaching very fast from behind? nuts

Wouldn't that have the effect of making it more likely that the vehicle behind will smash you in the rear??

If that is what's happened, I might think twice about using the close overtaking position (or whatever the proper name is for it) that the police riders taught me, in case I end up behind this woman!


Howitzer

Original Poster:

2,865 posts

247 months

Tuesday 6th May 2008
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Basically she was going round the bend and due to how bumpy it was slowed down while still going round the bend. I was going for more of a sweeping overtake, good clear view etc.

The bike looks to be just bodywork mainly luckily, will order some panels and go from there, am thinkingof a colour change haha

Dave!