Muma, just killed a cow.........
Discussion
Just returned from a French biking holiday, wrote off my brand new R1, as did a fellow biker that was leading. Unfortunately there were no 'right turn' signs preceeding the turn at the top of a blind summit nor were there any chevrons round the outside of the corner and there were no white lines on the road, and with a row of trees on the right that did'nt go round the corner but actualy created the illusion of the road going straight on, my freind had about 30 metres to brake from about 90 mph (70 kph limit) to what would probably have to have been about 30 mph to make it round this corner. He entered the field opposite at around 80 - 85 mph, collected a wire fence! hit a cow clean in the head with his left boot! said cows horn went through his boot armour and broke his leg! cow was killed outright, he then carried on for a further 250ft into the field along with his bike! and I entered at around 3 seconds later doing sabout 50 mph.
lesson learned: don't rely (I don't normaly)on others ability, and also don't rely on the guide of the tour to give you all the valuable information.specificaly ask before each ride if there's any particular nasty sections in the roads ahead. Don't have steak for lunch (they will get there own back)
What a shit holiday, still at least alive to tell the tale
lesson learned: don't rely (I don't normaly)on others ability, and also don't rely on the guide of the tour to give you all the valuable information.specificaly ask before each ride if there's any particular nasty sections in the roads ahead. Don't have steak for lunch (they will get there own back)
What a shit holiday, still at least alive to tell the tale
sorry to hear about the accident and glad youre not 2 more stats
but
this is one dam good advert for riding at speed appropriate to the distance you can see ahead to be clear
I learnt at a young age and am thankfully still here to tell the tale
Put it down to experience - youll be a better biker from now on!
>> Edited by gemini on Tuesday 20th May 19:21
but
this is one dam good advert for riding at speed appropriate to the distance you can see ahead to be clear
I learnt at a young age and am thankfully still here to tell the tale
Put it down to experience - youll be a better biker from now on!
>> Edited by gemini on Tuesday 20th May 19:21
er no actually i was already a good rider, what i'll take from this is that i'll just stick to the racing i do, and have done for some time, this was a one off road trip spoiled by inadequate signage (actualy none at all), as the assesers have already established and the 12 other riders in the group agreed. 6 accidents a week! on average. The guide should be .......
>> Edited by pvapour on Tuesday 20th May 19:21
>> Edited by pvapour on Tuesday 20th May 19:21
danhay said: Sorry to hear the bike's a gonner, but glad you are OK. Out of interest, what sort of protective gear where you wearing and where you completely unscathed?
thanks, as for the gear, the lid took most of my impact, and i've always sworn by Arai as there fit is so much more snug then any other, for me that is, the rest of the gear had no impact at all though, it was mostly rolling in cow dung, but the gear was Oxtar boots (only ce approved boot on the market apparently) Richa one piece with knox armour. All I suffered was concusion from the head impact.
Glad to be hear, Nik
>> Edited by pvapour on Tuesday 20th May 19:44
Last yr a riding buddy of mine somehow managed to hit a deer mid bend, (good sightlines, clear road & a bend he knew well, the deer just trotted out into the road just in front of him) I've no idea how he managed to not hurt him self as he was dong 90ish but he slid down the road embedded in the deer and escaped with only scratches, the deer and the CBR were not quite so lucky.
I don't ride that route now!
I don't ride that route now!
Glad to hear you OK, and your mate will be fine in 6 weeks.
This something I just want to say actually, I realise that I am just a notice on the bike front compared to most people here. Anyhow I was watching (I think) 'bike file' on M&M on tv the other day and there was someone talking about reading the road ahead when you don't know the road. He was explaining how you can use the white lines in conjuntion with the signs to figure out what the road is doing ahead. Its seemed like good advice, and I'm sure it works very well in the UK where the roads ARE very well signed and whitelines are use appropriatly.
My point is here however is that I live in France, and for those going on biking holidays here you should be aware that is simply is the oppersite in France. There are hardly ever any signs telling you there corners ahead, and they do not use whitelines in the same way in the UK.
OK in this example it was compounded by the tree line, but just a word of caution for those thinking about biking in France on holiday.
be safe,
Wayne
This something I just want to say actually, I realise that I am just a notice on the bike front compared to most people here. Anyhow I was watching (I think) 'bike file' on M&M on tv the other day and there was someone talking about reading the road ahead when you don't know the road. He was explaining how you can use the white lines in conjuntion with the signs to figure out what the road is doing ahead. Its seemed like good advice, and I'm sure it works very well in the UK where the roads ARE very well signed and whitelines are use appropriatly.
My point is here however is that I live in France, and for those going on biking holidays here you should be aware that is simply is the oppersite in France. There are hardly ever any signs telling you there corners ahead, and they do not use whitelines in the same way in the UK.
OK in this example it was compounded by the tree line, but just a word of caution for those thinking about biking in France on holiday.
be safe,
Wayne
Glad you're OK. They do that in Lincolnshire too, usually with the benefit of a 300 year old oak on the corner of the blind 90 degree bend, distressingly often with a picture of a 'Kevin, 17' and a big bunch of dead flowers 
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