How I contributed to the crash of my Venture

[MiCarl]

Last night, on my way home from work, a young lady on a cell phone pulled out beside me and sideswiped my 89 Royale. Fortunately the gear all worked flawlessly and I got away with some aches and pains.

 

Here is the part I want to share with you all:

 

I was on a boulevard (center divider) with 2 lanes both directions. I was in the left lane and the young lady was coming from the left on a merge across the boulevard. She was at a stop sign, lost, on the cell phone trying to get directions and decided to go just as I came beside her. We were the only cars in the vicinity.

 

Now, why would I be in the left lane with a car merging from the left with the right lane wide open? Because I was distracted. My head was elsewhere.

 

Now, she shouldn't have pulled out into me like that but if I'd been in the right lane (where a smart biker would have been in that situation) this wreck would not have happened. I wouldn't have the bruises, the Venture wouldn't be significantly damaged and the young lady's prom night would not have been spoiled.

 

I hope I never forget the lesson and I wanted to post it to remind all my friends here to stay sharp!

[ddoggma]

Glad your allright. Hope the bike makes it... They ALL are out to kill you! Watch em.

[Carbon_One]

Carl sorry to hear you had a accident but glad you're here to tell us about it too. This post also reaffirms that we ourselves must always remain diligent when out riding. Sometimes we've all been out enjoying that ride and the scenery and then have a rude awakening such as what you've had or perhaps nothing more then soiled underwear.

Either way it's certainly a wake up call to pay attention, cause the cagers don't always watch out for us.

Anyhow glad to hear you've nothing more than aches and pains.

Larry

[whanna]

Glad you're at home all in one piece. Thank you for sharing your story; as others have said we must always be vigilant and visible, ready to react at a nanosecond's notice.

[MiCarl]

... perhaps nothing more then soiled underwear.

 

For the record, I did not soil my underwear.

[saddlebum]

Sorry about the bike but happy your ok. Your are right every once in awhile we need a reminder to be constantly alert. Regardless of riding experience and skill it is all to easy to suddenly not pay attention or get side tracked and it only takes a second or less for something to go wrong.

[Yammer Dan]

Glad you can motivate this morning Carl.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

What he's trying to say is that he 'center punched' a prom queen.

 

 

 

LUV YA MAN...get well soon!

[bohunk]

Glad you're ok Carl.Good thing you had your gear on.With the warm temps,some folks tend to ride with minimal protection.

[loehring]

Glad you're ok Carl and really glad that you're learning from this. I think that's what make a really good rider. We all make mistakes but the ones who always want to blame someone else don't live long. Analyzing a crash and taking something from it even though you weren't technically at fault means you'll be with us for a long time.

 

Thanks for sharing the information. I hope we all take it to heart.

[Rottdoglover]

Glad you escaped serious injury. We all have 20/20 hindsight but who's to say if you were in the right lane it wouldn't have happened. You may have taken a hit T-bone style. You know the old saying woulda, coulda, shoulda don't really help when the other driver screws up. Hopefully she will remember this for a LONG time and be a better driver for it. Sad to see all your restoration work gone in a heartbeat. Guess you'll just have to cage it to MD.

[wes0778]

Carl,

Glad the good news(you're OK) :Avatars_Gee_George:out weighs the bad news(you fall down go boom)!!!

Maybe if you had been in the right lane she would have had a running start at you and the outcome not been as good!

Don't try to second guess yourself.

Just take it easy and get better. I hear you old folks:stickpoke: don't get over it quickly!!!

 

Walter

[Skid]

Glad you're OK Carl. I had a woman pull over and crowded me into the center turn lane today on a busy five lane. Just glad I was paying attention and saw her coming over, and that I had some place to go. The next light turned red and I got a chance to pull up and discuss it with her.....

[utadventure]

Sorry to hear about your accident. I'm praying that you and your ride will be back soon.

 

Dave

[LLonearth]

That's just the kind of situation that prompted me to replace the stock horns on my 87 Royale with two Bolo air horns. They have alerted one absent minded driver so far that they need to pay attention to me! Glad you weren't injured seriously.

[Yama Mama]

I am so glad that you told your experience to every one here. I think you also need the tell more about how your full face helmet worked for you.

 

Glad you are ok Carl.

[sarges46]

Well at the least you are not hurt to bad. Dang that is too bad and sure reminds us to be ever mindful of our position and how fast things can change.

 

Heal well.

[MikeM8560]

Godd to hear you ok so how bad is the bike Carl?

[MiCarl]

That's just the kind of situation that prompted me to replace the stock horns on my 87 Royale with two Bolo air horns. .....

 

Me too. This time I didn't have enough time to use them.

 

Godd to hear you ok so how bad is the bike Carl?

 

Being as I'm a bit like tenderized meat I haven't gone over it closely. All damage is left side:

 

Fork lower and EAND, Stator cover (broke the part the shift linkage goes through with my foot), turn signal,case guard, chin piece and windshield for sure. My repairs to the fairing held up well so can probably fix again (fairing stay is clearly bent). Of course half my fog/driving lights, air horns and highway pegs are destroyed.

 

When the aches settle down a bit I'll check to make sure the frame isn't bent. Maybe (fingers crossed) be on the road by MD.

Edited May 3, 2009 by MiCarl

[papa smurf]

Wow Carl. That sure does blow man. But so glad you're upright and able to tell us about it. I found it pretty interesting the way you analyzed it with a view on what you could have done differently. Cause ya know, the cager was in the wrong.

 

I'll take your hard learned lesson to heart for sure.

 

 

Take er easy and get yourself better.

[IH Truck Guy]

What he's trying to say is that he 'center punched' a prom queen.

 

 

 

LUV YA MAN...get well soon!

 

:sign funny post:

 

Glad your going to be alright....It's a shame about the bike..We can rebuild it. We have the technology.:)

I liked the way you analyzed the accident. Like I tell our soon to be teenage driver,You have to keep your head in the game at all times..

[campfire12]

:scared:Just a reminder to everyone that prom night is here and everywhere... That means a lot of young drivers with there minds elsewhere. Lets all be extra carefull and keep our eyes open for these young drivers.

[Dano]

Glad to hear you're OK, Carl. I've had the same happen to me with better results, as I happened to see the gentleman start to come over on me. I barely had time to announce with my air horn that I was there and take some action to avoid him. I even let him know I was displeased with a right boot kick to his front fender as I got away from him. I know, shouldn't have done that, but he was only a foot away and I mistakenly thought I could scoot him over!

 

Good luck in getting her back together, hope you can ride to MD!

 

Dan

[Zfrebird4]

... I still commend you for sharing the details. In this category look for and read 'What would you do differently in cycle wreck?' Lots of learning there.

 

I too have electric air horns. I ride with my left thumb between the air horn and the bright light switch.

 

I hit my Meeeeep Meeeeep horn that came with my 86 VR and the lady still commanded my left lane and I LET her run me into the curb. MY MISTAKE> I should have dropped back and hoped for the best.

 

Love my air horns now. And so far, a slight BLAAA BLAAA does it all, without causing road rage.

 

Glad you have healed by now and I hope your ins has taken good care of your Bike. State Farm has rebuilt my first VR about 4 times and my current one, once with slight damaged after I hit the curb and went down on the wood chips. I was GLAD there were wood chips in that center divider, and not concrete, as in the next block! As well, I stoped 1 foot short of one of the 'decoration trees' that should not be there in the first place.

 

God blessed me, and you. May such continue for both of us.

 

JackZ

 

PS

 

What I'll be riding when I am 90 follows. I will insert my photograph via Adobe Photoshop! LOL:

 

[Zfrebird4]

... about a rainy dark night, 6 blocks from home! LOL.

 

However, as a courtesy, I'll wait until someone else posts before me. I have both enjoyed and benefited from this posts. Thanks to the first POSTER> LOL

 

JackZ