Almost Killed

rodburner

Rocker
Very glad you are typing Sal. I haven't had any close calls lately,mostly because since Jeri died,I've only ridden my bike MAYBE 50 miles.I have no desire to ride.I'm not envious of riders I see on the road when I'm at work. I don't tinker with it or dream up new stuff to do to it.I am seriously considering parting it out this winter or spring,as the bits are worth much more than the chopped up,illegal whole bike.But it was fun to play with for years and mostly kept me out of trouble,so it served it's purpose. Anyway,again,glad you are alive and kickin'.
Steve
 

Oil Burner

Scooter
Sorry to hear of the close call, but glad you're physically OK, Sal. I can definitely understand the apprehension about riding again, as I have a girlfriend and 1 year old son to provide for. Count your blessings, as all of us should every day. Thankfully, it was not your time to go.

I've always worn a full-face helmet, so I was a bit surprised by the comment about the open faced helmet. I never actually thought about that aspect of helmet safety, but am thinking of it now. I guess I'm in the market for a new lid.

Take care Sal. Definitely could've gone either way. I'm glad it turned out the way it did, given the alternative.

Ken
 

Mike Britton

Two Stroke
Jeezze, Sal !! I don't make friends easily ! Hope you can stop shaking soon. I just fell in the intersection, and I'm still a little stiff and uncertain when I ride, I can't imagine what you feel when you reach for those handlebars. And your non-riding friends will never understand what you are feeling right now.
Even the food you eat tastes a little better, doesn't it?
I really don't know anymore if we as riders trying our best to be safe is enough.
 

Mike Britton

Two Stroke
"I've always worn a full-face helmet, so I was a bit surprised by the comment about the open faced helmet. I never actually thought about that aspect of helmet safety, but am thinking of it now. I guess I'm in the market for a new lid."
At the risk of hi-jacking Sal's thread, I do believe that having the better vision that came from the open face helmet may have given Sal that extra millisecond he needed.
 

Sal Paradise

Hooligan
wide screen helmet

I have changed my thinking too. I was a dedicated FF helmet guy. Now I feel I am more prey than predator and I am thinking the peripheral vision is key. The open helmet gives dramatically better peripheral vision and better sound quality as well. That is, the exhaust sound is sweet.

I was even wearing these wrap around clear safety glasses and I think even they helped me see that much further wide.

GEDC0313.jpg


I don't feel fear at the handlebars, its deeper than that. I fear that I will lose this fear once again and in doing so, risk everything. I fear that the people in the cars are stressed out drug and cell phone addicted assholes with licenses to kill who would run us down and sleep soundly.
 
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strokerlmt

Moderator
I have changed my thinking too. I was a dedicated FF helmet guy. Now I feel I am more prey than predator and I am thinking the peripheral vision is key. The open helmet gives dramatically better peripheral vision and better sound quality as well. That is, the exhaust sound is sweet.

I was even wearing these wrap around clear safety glasses and I think even they helped me see that much further wide.

GEDC0313.jpg


I don't feel fear at the handlebars, its deeper than that. I fear that I will lose this fear once again and in doing so, risk everything. I fear that the people in the cars are stressed out drug and cell phone addicted assholes with licenses to kill who would run us down and sleep soundly.


I hear you about vision. BUT I believe FF is the only way to go. Some of FF's have better perrrr vision than others. And I believe soundly, when at a light, intersection what evaaa, put the shield UP. Even though my neck hurts I rotate way more than normal and keep rotating.
MHO, puddin bowls, smaller helmets will kill ya before a light runner. Sorry just MO.
LMT
 

T-boy

Rocker
Glad to hear your "miss" ended the way it did, Sal. Great reminder for all of us to always be on our toes and expect the unexpected.
 

Crispy

Scooter
You were prepared, aware and didnt hesitate at the moment of truth.

We make our own luck...

Glad you came out unscathed.
 

jhillier71

Street Tracker
thanks for the story Sal

Everytime I ride I always say to myself, "I hope this isnt the one".

I have a 3 yr old and great wife so you're not the only one with those deliberations. In the end only you can make these choices and no one here would ever berate you for hanging them up if that's what you need to do.

...the meantime :brit_tit:
 

mondrian5

Scooter
thank you

Holy....! Thanks for writing that out, Sal. That was powerful. I was right there with you and shaking after I read it. I am glad you are okay enough to write about it. I'm a relatively new rider and pretty cautious. It helps to hear about incidents like this. It keeps me from thinking this is all, the great escape - pun intended.

From another Hudson Valley resident, I'd say, hug the wife, the kids. If it just helps you be a little more present all around, then that event did its job.

When and if you do ride again, mind the squirrels - and the squirrel-brained - they are always out in force around here.

mondrian5
 

Sal Paradise

Hooligan
I will ride again. I was in shock when I wrote that OP. I am feeling a lot better now. I may have to recalculate the risks and how, where and when I ride and that is a bit of a bummer. I was planning a bike trip. I will probably go back to my original plan of limited riding on rural roads on Sunday mornings. Something. Many years ago I sold my beautiful KZ400 with 4500 original miles on it because I felt like my luck was wearing thin. I regretted selling that bike for 22 years. I am not going to make that mistake again.

I still have some more thinking to do. But shit happens. My neighbor was nearly hit by a tree during the hurricane. People have a stroke. You never know.

Thanks to everyone who wrote a response . It really helped me work it out a bit. Watch the empty lanes at the lights boys, look both ways twice and be un-hittable !
 
I'm glad you're ok, Sal. It's funny how we react to these experiences.

Last week I was riding 300 miles from nowhere on a desolate, but badass, Texas road. I came closer to hitting a deer than I've ever come in my life. I was probably doing 60-70mph and he popped right in front of me. I grabbed the brakes, he jumped away, and I started laughing my ass off. I'm not sure why I started laughing, but that's how I reacted. I mean, I was howling like a bastard, right in my helmet. I pulled over shortly after, and took a moment to let it soak in. Of course, a close call with a deer isn't quite as deadly as a damn minivan....

Good on ya!
 

T-boy

Rocker
Sal...your story really hit home with me. I have owned motorcycles virtually all my adult life. At the the risk of hexing myself, I've never been involved in a road accident. Sure, I've had many close calls over the years but have always managed to escape with my bike and body intact...shaken, but intact. This year, however, I've had a feeling of impending doom every time I throw my leg over the Bonnie, and for the first time have even considered going bikeless. Will I sell the Bonnie? Probably not, but I just can't get over the feeling of "will today be the day?"
I wondered to myself, "after all these years why am I feeling these thoughts now"? I came up with an answer to my question shortly after reading this thread. The answer is I want to retire next year. Having worked here and there since I was 15 at jobs I haven't particularly enjoyed , I'm tired of it. I want to relax and really enjoy life. I would hate to see my life end before I can experience this.
Sorry if this is a little long-winded, fellas, but I feel much better now. Ride on!
 

irishrider60

Scooter
A few weeks ago, I pulled out of my driveway, made a left and headed down the hill on my way to work like I have done hundreds of times. The hill is steep and I usually leave the bike in 3rd as I roll down the hill using the engine to keep the speed down and to warm up the engine. About 3 tenths of a mile at the bottom of the hill is a street on the right. I live in a very rural area so there are not many cars early in the am. As I approach the street on the right I see a young girl in a VW Jetta stopped looking up at me coming down the street towards her. When I am about 100 feet from the street, looking right at me she pulls out right in front of me and then abruptly stops in the middle of the road. I am so freaked out I slam the bike down a gear and I have a decision to make, front or back, like NOW. I lean as hard as I can, breaking and trying not to skid so I don't slide into the car. Somehow and I am not sure how, I manage to get the bike around the back of the car only having my left saddlebag miss the back of her car by 3 inches. I get around the back of the car and hit sand. Somehow and I am not sure how I held and did not go down and to this day I am not sure how I did not crash. As I come to a stop she looks back at me and then pulls away like nothing happened. I was so friggen pissed, scared and thankful all in a second. I waited in the intersection a while and then made a decision to proceed on to work. I was shaken to the core that day and all of the emotions you are describing I went through as well. In the end, I love to ride and thought long and hard about selling my bike and moving on. I pray this never happens again to me or to anyone I know. If I am honest with myself my riding style was getting sloppy and this was a wake up call. Sorry to be long winded but reading Sal's experience just brought all of the feelings I had just a few months back. I am glad to hear you are Ok. I decided to continue to keep riding, but I have changed my riding style, and I am now always wearing protective gear. Thanks for hearing me out, I never shared this with my wife or family for I am the only one that rides and all I would hear it "sell the bike" Ride safe...
 

KingBear

Hooligan
Good for you, Sal. Not only for the awareness which kept you alive for for the honest introspection. I came across this story this morning about another guy, not quite so fortunate as to avoid the accident like you did, but... well, read the story.


Bystanders pull motorcycle driver trapped under burning car

(CNN) -- Police in Utah are searching for a group of construction workers, students and bystanders.

But for a good reason.

This group is credited with saving a man's life by working together to lift a burning car and pull a man to safety.

It was a "life-saving move that the Logan Police Department does not want to go unnoticed," said Jeff Curtis, assistant chief of the police department in Logan, Utah.

The incident occurred Monday morning on a street near Utah State University and was captured on video.

Police said the BMW pulled out of a parking lot and in front of Wright. Curtis said the motorcyclist tried to avoid the car, which resulted in him laying the motorcycle down.

After crashing, gas spilled out of the motorcycle and ignited, engulfing both the motorcycle and the front end of the car in flames, Curtis said. The motorcyclist became lodged underneath the burning vehicle.

A video the incident shows several startled bystanders looking under the BMW as flames leap into the air.

The crowd quickly grew to include a man in a suit, construction workers wearing hard hats, a woman in sandals and a young man carrying a backpack.

After one person in the group tried to pick up the blazing car, the crowd joined in and were somehow able to lift the 4,000-pound vehicle.

One of the bystanders drags the fallen motorcyclist's limp body from under the vehicle.

The motorcyclist was identified as 21-year-old Brandon Wright from Logan. He was rushed to a hospital and was in stable condition after surgery Monday evening, Curtis said. The driver of the car was not seriously injured.

Curtis said police are trying to find the people who helped so they can be recognized for their efforts at a city council meeting.

Watch the video of the rescue here. Interesting to note how the skinny little girl in the sandals joined in the lifting while the cop stood by. Also see how everyone scattered after the man was free of the wreckage - no immediate first aid or even checking to see if he was alive. But a heroic effort with a happy ending.

We should all take a moment for some introspection as Sal and no doubt the trapped cyclist have.
 
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Sal Paradise

Hooligan
I can't see the video on this computer but will watch it later, thank you Barry. I read the story, very amazing.

The takeaway here - what I have been racking my brain for, what I want to share with all of you is this -

If you see open lanes at a light - you should assume and plan for someone running the light. The tip off is the open lane. As soon as you see that - be on guard keep looking at that lane and plan for possible evasive action.

Thats what I have been waiting for my brain to fart out. Please think about this and check the lanes as you come into an intersection.
 

motomaniac

Street Tracker
I saw this on TV this evening....
Guess that guy is lucky the chick spotted him and got people to help. The suit driving the BMW wasn't going to do anything....
 

koifarm

Hooligan
That was a pretty amazing video, the guy looked decked out when they finally pulled him free. I can't imagine how much clearance was under that vehicle.....couldn't have been a whole lot of room. He's lucky.
 

jphickory

Banned
Sal – glad you walked away from that close call unscathed! Your advice to be extra vigilant of a vehicle unexpectedly entering an intersection from an open lane is a good one. I’m adding it to my mental “how to stay alive” list. Thanks
 

Sal Paradise

Hooligan
I am glad jp -
Certianly when your light turns green, its not an automatic go - you have a second to check out and notice any open lanes. Once you identify and focus on them as a potential danger, you can probably then just use peripheral vision to keep an eye out, and stay in 2nd gear ready to jet or brake.
 
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