Nightmare in Laramie

[Miles]

It is 2:01 am, in Laramie, Wyoming. I "should" be in bed, asleep, and resting up for my ride later today. Instead, here I am, sitting at the hotel computer, explaining about my Nightmare in Laramie.

 

It all started with a phone call to my hotel room, just after midnight, with the desk clerk telling me that my motorcycle had fallen over. I quickly thrown a few clothes on, and exit my room wearing only my LDComfort underclothes, and my riding boots. I go to the front desk to find a woman standing there, and very sheepisly trying to explain...in the smallest voice possible, that she backed her 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee into my bike, while it "was" on the centerstand, and that it knocked my bike over.

 

Okay, you all get the picture...midnight...in the rain...in Laramie, WY. The bike has 2 of the Geza covers on it, but even that is not keeping the rain out. I now need to deal with trying to un-cover the bike, so that I can get it back up onto its' two wheels. Yes, I did first place the sidestand out, and extended, so that when I do lift this wet bike up, it will land onto the sidestand.

 

Fast forward many minutes, and I am "trying to explain to this woman from Boulder, Co. that it does no good to try to inspect a Black motorcycle, or any vehicle, in the rain...in the dark...to look for damage, as it would be nearly impossible to see the damage. This needs to be inspected in daylight, under a strong light, when the vehicle is dry, and wiped down. It took forever for her to accept this. She was wanting to remove her own guilt by hoping to NOT find any damage to my 2013 bike, that had been knocked off the centerstand, and onto its' right side.

 

Although I saw no need for it, I finally agreed that we could call the police, at now...1:00 am, and have them explain to her that as long as we exchanged all our info, and no laws were broken, and no personal injury occured, that the police were not needed. They came, we filed reports, and now another hour later, I tried to get back to sleep...that is a joke. There is no way I can get back to sleep now, at least not for a few hours, as I need to calm myself.

 

The woman that hit my bike, she gets to drive off inside her warm 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, with the heater on, the defroster keeping the windows clear, and sipping on her latte'.

 

But I was hoping for as much sleep as I could get...prior to this incidence...so that I could attempt to get all bundled up in my electric heated clothing this morning, and ride off into the 37 degree weather, in the rain, on my motorcycle.

 

She has 200 miles to go to reach home...I have 1200 miles to go to reach home. Somehow, I do not think I will be compensated for the loss of sleep, anxiety, or extra time on the road.

 

Of course, in the dark, in the rain, I cannot see any appreciable damage to the bike. That was my point. If you ever want to trade in a used car, do it when it is raining, as it hides 93.14159 % of the small nicks and dings on your car. I will have to ride the bike back home 1200 miles, wait until Wednesday afternoon, wash the bike very thoroughly, and then do a careful inspection. We all know that a Goldwing based bike does not go all the way over onto its' side...body wise...because of the front and rear crash-bars, and any highway pegs one might have on the bike. But...remember, she also hit my bike with her Jeep Grand Cherokee, to knock it off the centerstand, so there may be damage to the right saddlebag cover or body. This will all need to be determined. Frankly, I hope there is NO damage. But if there is, at least she has USAA insurance, and I have all her info.

 

But all the insurance and info does not make up for the loss of sleep, and delay...in riding out of here in the morning.

 

I "was" cold, wet, and tired. Now...I am seriously bummed out.

 

[Cougar]

Hang In there Miles, I hope there isn't any damage. Maybe stop earlier today

and take a nap or something. don't ride while this tired please.

Ride Safe.

Jeff

[Barrycuda]

Sorry to hear your situation unfold. Stay strong miles and allow extra time to rest and recover. Sucks about bike but if there's a silver lining, at least you weren't on the bike when it was hit. Stay well, and eat well during this trip home.

Brooklyn

[etcswjoe]

Hope all goes well, seems you have more self control than I do I would have been raising a fit.

[dacheedah]

take as many pictures as you can, use your phone if needed or have someone with a camera e-mail them to you. If you need them they will be handy, if not it will be a reminder. Great luck.

[bongobobny]

Well hopefully she hit it in the rear just enough to simulate you rocking it forward off the centerstand and no more, so the damage will be minimal. Man Miles, if it weren't for bad luck you wouldn't have any luck, eh?!!?

 

Ride safe my friend and make it back in one piece, and try not to have any guns involved this time...

[CaptainJoe]

That had to be very dissapointing, being a new bike and all..

 

Good thing the cops came and took info... You never know what a person will do when given some time to think about an accident, and it is 1200 miles from home.

 

When I purchase a cover for my bike, perhaps I should consider getting a neon green or fluorescent orange one... LOL

[b2dad]

Sorry that this happened, but as everyone else has said...at least you weren't on it when it got hit. You will never make up for the loss of sleep and anxiety over the bike but she did have insurance so what may be broken or damaged can be repaired. Please ride safe.

Patti

[XV1100SE]

Sorry to hear about your bike Miles. Hoping the damage is minor.

[Wizard765]

Wow.. Really sorry to hear about this.. hopefully the damage won't be severe and will get fixed to your satisfaction. On the good side... She came in and owned up.. At that time of the night she could have just driven off and you may have never known who did it...

[Trader]

[jfoster]

I feel your pain...

[Black wing]

been there, always infuriating. at least she still runs and will get you home.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

She came in and owned up.. At that time of the night she could have just driven off and you may have never known who did it...

 

This happened to my 2000 ElectraGlide one time, many years ago. I was sitting at a bar-n-grill and a guy comes in and says, "hey, isnt that your Harley out back?" I said, yeah, why?

 

He says, "its laying on its side, somebody hit it and drove off!"

 

These are words you DONT want to hear, especially when half way through a very juicy cheeseburger and fries!

 

The group I was with, and myself, all hurried outside, and there was my ride, laying on its side...but luckily...no rain to deal with! We assumed the driver had backed up, knocked it off its sidestand, and drove away.

 

The perpetrator was long gone. No video surveillance at that place either. Luckily, no damage, and we righted the bike, and all was good again. Most ElectraGlides can fall over and will rest on the engine guards and the saddlebag guards, without damage.

 

Miles, at least your other party did stay around to accept responsibility...thats a good thing!

 

Hope this turns out well. It's sickening to have a favorite ride, damaged by some clueless cager. At least you werent on it, when it happened.

 

Ride on.

 

 

 

 

 

[Yammer Dan]

If it had been my bike I'm sure they would have been long gone when I found it. Hope there is no damage but wouldn't bet on it. Good to wait and check it. REST Miles REST!!

[Peder_y2k]

Glad you made it through 'Tornado Alley'. A minor 'bump' in the night is nothing compared to what happened to others who lost everything.

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

'83,88

[Trader]

When I purchase a cover for my bike, perhaps I should consider getting a neon green or fluorescent orange one... LOL

 

 

You know...that's not a bad idea. I think I'll do just that!

Only I think maybe a bit of reflective tape down each side of the cover.

 

might not hold up to well being scrunched up....but worth a try!

 

Cheap insurance!

 

Think about it.....a dark and rainy night....with what is probably a dark cover over the bike.

might not be easy to see.

 

 

Or for you 2nd genners....you could always just hang a couple of those slow moving vehicle reflectors over it.

[dacheedah]

N E update

[BuckShot]

So sorry to heare of this Miles. Hope everything works out. Just glad you were not riding it at the time. Ride safe friend.

[Barrycuda]

 

Or for you 2nd genners....you could always just hang a couple of those slow moving vehicle reflectors over it.

 

 

You know that's wrong Trader right?

You get a time out from the forum...

[OB-1]

Sorry your bike was hit.

 

IMHO, the police report is/was a good idea as some people are not nearly as honest and upright as they may first seem. Last Dec. a guy t-boned my wife & I. It was a very low speed accident between two pickup trucks. He ran a stop sign, in the rain, and hit the side of our truck. He & I exchanged info and I thought the incident was over when my wife informed me that she had called the police. I told the guy to wait for the Cops and while he seemed a bit upset he waited. Police report done and everyone went their merry way. We contacted the other guy's insurance to get our truck repaired. They said they would get back to us...

 

Turns out the "at fault" driver didn't report the accident to his insurance and even dodged them refusing to take their calls, answer the door, emails, or even letters. Since we had a police report, his insurance took care of our repairs. That would not have happened if my wife had not called the police and insisted on a police report.

[kantornado]

Your a lucky man like Tx2Sturgis said I to had mine hit 600 miles from home. Woke up and went out to see it on its side and side driving light and bag rail & trunk mount broke. No one took responsibility and no one even let me know about it. A beautiful summer night with a 3/4 moon. The only good thing was I did get a good nights sleep. You are a lucky man that she reported it. If you think about it-rain = noise, night = hard to see, Late = no 1 around. She could of easily of drove off and you would of had a great nights sleep. But come morning would of been shocked and no one to take responsibility. Just be glad you were not on it.

[djh3]

Makes me think about adding some 2" wide 3m refletive tape I got laying around to my cover. Its a sew on type.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Makes me think about adding some 2" wide 3m refletive tape I got laying around to my cover. Its a sew on type.

 

A battery powered strobe, and a vehicle alarm might be the answer?

 

On the other hand, you cant fix stupid.

 

I drive a semi...its white, easily seen, 75 feet long, 13.5 feet tall, and 8 feet wide. And people STILL pull out in front of it.

 

People dont see what they dont want to see.

 

 

 

[luke000]

I was coming out of class three weeks ago at my college, I rode the MKII in. As I was walking out to the parking lot with my helmet in my hand another guy carrying a helmet walked up to me and goes "hey is that your Yamaha in the parking lot?" I tell him yes its a big touring bike and asked why, he responds "Oh its not an R6, one got crashed into in a parking spot and got knocked over", at the time my mind did not pick up R6 so I run out and saw a campus police officer and a kid standing by a tipped over bike. I walked up and started talking to everyone there and someone appeared to have whipped into a parking spot, thought it was empty, crashed into the R6 and drove off in a hurry. The R6 was not totaled but not ride-able, it was VERY scratched up and a body crack or two along with the right clip on bar snapped off. Long story short, hit and run, called a flatbed, and I gave the other kid a ride home on a real bike, and gave him my number if he needs help fixing it. I about had a heart attack when I though my brown baby was hurt.