As an associated thread to the 'Crashes and Injuries discussion' thread, where the gore warning is indeed necessary, I'm interested in hearing from those featured what, if any, lessons were learned from the crashes? I'm starting a separate thread so that it's possible to learn the lessons, without having to see the gore. With MotoGP riders falling so frequently, and just bouncing back up, it's easy to get complacent - so that thread is a useful reminder that it's not necessarily like that for us mere mortals. Were you overcooking it? Did you let your guard down and get taken out? Were you just taken out by a driver and there was nothing you could do? Do you wish you'd worn more / better protective clothing? Anything you could have done to avoid the crash / injuries?
Only crash I've had was fairly pathetic. Wasn't paying attention at a roundabout and tried to turn and brake at the same time. Wrote off the bike. Was wearing full street Rossi gear which saved my ass.
Riding my GSXR along Larnaca seafront in Cyprus was too busy letching at the topless women on the beach, didn't notice the car in front had stopped n ran into the back of him, not a lot of damage to either vehicle.... Didn't learn anything from it as I did the same thing 3 weeks later!
Well a thread I ran last year showed 80% of us have had an off that wasn't our fault. I guess another 19% only had their own accidents and 1% either don't ride much or are just plain lucky. The only thing I've learnt from crashing is to buy parts that crash well rather than nice looking bits that get fooked in an off.
The slower/ smaller the bike the more I'm injured.. Rear ended on GPz 550 - whiplash. T boned on 125 - serious injuries and lucky to be alive. Two further operations on my leg before I can ride again.
there is a difference between 'it wasn't my fault' and 'yes I could have avoided it' with my SMIDSY I was only doing about 20 in steady traffic in built up area, little black car pulled out in front of me from side road, not enough time to stop hit him square in the passanger door - yup his fault and full responsibility - had I picked him up on my radar a fraction earlier - yup I could probably have stopped - the difference to hitting him at 5 mph and dropping the bike or stopping in time ,,
I wrote off my first 916 getting on for ten years ago - coming off the slip road at junction 5 on the M25 into Sevenoaks from the West. Summer evening about 8pm. I know the junction well as I used to live in Sevenoaks for the first 25 years of my life. 360 degree sweeping left-hander - beautiful if the road is clear - which it was at the time - anyway, I went into the bend probably about 50'ish and lent over, enjoying the bend ... then I remember the front wheel going out from under me, hitting the floor and stopping wrapped around an Armco - next thing I remember was trying to explain something to the ambulance crew, then waking up in A&E at about 3 in the morning after they had cut my leathers off. Lessons learned?... Firstly - take identification with you (I had none and my mother - who I was going to see and my family, who I'd left behind, were completely in the dark and worried sick) so relatives can be contacted Secondly - take money with you - or a means to pay for things, card etc - I had nothing and this caused a severe problem for me - no driving members of family available when I discharged myself in a state of mild concussion and consequent confusion at 4 in the morning fifty miles from home and clothed only in a T-shirt and the lower half of my leathers and boots Thirdly - don't discharge yourself when you are in a state of confusion and haven't spoken to a friend or family member first - oh, and especially not if you've broken the odd bone or three and the medics advise seriously against letting you go until you can "think straight"...the crutches help, but they don't help your confusion... Fourthly - insure your bike for accident recovery - I think my RAC membership now covers it - otherwise lose an awful lot of money if you need to pay those Shylock bastard who "recover" accident damaged vehicles then rape the owner for obscene amounts of money per day until you are in a fit state of mind to do anything about getting your bike back - I call it theft... Final lesson learned - have all your numbers in your phone or written down and keep them in your leathers ALL the time!.... P.S. not sure to this day if I was overcooking it or just being plain incompetent (probably the latter:frown. Either way, I am thankful I was wearing full leathers...
For me. My first crash was inexperience. A mini cab cut across me at a junction as we were both going through the lights as they were changing to amber, I panicked and grabbed a handful and lost the front. No injury. Second one I was hit in the side by a car turning right when doing 20-30. They didn't indicate, my shoulder took about a month to heal. Third - massive front wheel lock up at the end of the Rivet straight at Snetterton. Fourth, the big one. T boned a taxi doing 50-60. Bike destroyed and Im lucky to be alive. In hindsight I was going too fast. Dislocated shoulder, fracture in right hand, four in left ankle and a snapped tendon in my right hand for good measure. Fifth, got sat up at Paddock Hill bend at speed, stuffed it in the gravel. Bit of whiplash, but my wallet took it worse that I did What have I learnt? That Accidents will happen and there wasn't a lot I could do. Could I have avoided them? Maybe, but then if I didn't have these, I wouldn't heave learnt anything about bike control, road positioning and actual riding and I could have therefore had my final accident.
Good point. When people learn to ride a bike, they tend not to get taught how to crash, how to put the bike down before the collision, how to land, how to minimise injury, or what to do afterwards. You just have to work all that out for yourself, or find out by bitter experience, or die trying. Simply teaching people not to crash, and to ride very slowly, is not really good enough.
On road...always check your progress not watch your mirrors for your mates...or you end up flying into a field at 60 mph along the A 272 On track...if you're going to race, you're going to crash. Lesson learned, rehearsed and practised.
Teaching people how to crash well is a self fulfilling prophecy. Teaching them how to stay safe is whats needed
Being able to crash "safely" is a good idea in theory - can't really knock it in that respect. In reality, i think (partly from painful experience) the accidents (fault(mine) or non) happen so quickly that the laying it down nicely / jumping clear etc is rarely gonna happen or even cross the "recipients" mind. One second all good, the next bang!! Just the nature of the beast that is an accident I reckon.
hence right habits to stay safe. look where you go...braking and steering...scanning and noticing hazards...etc etc
Sounds like a prescription for an advanced riding course! That said, I'm RoSPA advanced, and got taken out by a U turning Mondeo just before Christmas. No indication or anything to suggest he was going to U turn then wham. Just saw him in my peripheral vision as he turned. Nothing I could do about it.
