How I Managed To Crash

[MikeWa]

This narrative is as I remember it. Some areas are a bit cloudy but I think this is pretty close.

 

It was Saturday and riders were gathering for last day rides at Venture West. I joined a small group heading for the Fish Hatchery, Multnomah Falls and a return along the Scenic Old Columbia Gorge Highway (Hwy 30). I was really looking foreword to the twisties on the old road and was glad I had been asked to join this group. Among the riders were Lisa, Pauline, Lin, Tom, BikerJohn and me.

 

As we left The Dalles and headed west on I-84 the day presented warm sunny weather. Perfect for riding. Our first stop was the Fish Hatchery. After a visit to the gift shop Tom and I reminisced a bit about the old days in Nam while the rest of the troop went to check on fish being spawned. Then it was on to Troutdale where we would pick up the old highway and head back east.

 

We passed through a small old town type shopping district and then started up hill to intersect the hwy. As we approached Hwy 30 there was a small detour through some side streets. This small two lane road was paved and in good condition. Near the top of the hill we came to an intersection. Also a two lane road. As I recall the road we were on ended here. So it was a three way stop with signs not a light. Uphill for us and back down hill for the intersecting street. The road was also heavily banked to our right.

 

Two bikes in front of me had cleared the intersection. So after stopping at the sign I started to make my right hand turn. As I entered the intersection I saw a small red car accelerating in front of me on a collision course from my left. I don't know about time slowing down but I sure passed a lot of options through my mind in less than a micro second. Instinct told me if I continued on my current path I would be hit about midway on my left side. It just would not be possible for me to accelerate out of the way in time. If I tried to brake I would be hit somewhere in the fork area. I decided a glancing blow would be better than a direct hit. So I jammed the steering as hard to the right as I could and locked the brakes. My thought was if I could stop the front end and transfer some of my momentum to the rear end maybe I would live through this encounter. Remember I was not traveling very fast as I was still pulling away from the stop sign.

 

I can still see the red car going past my front wheel as my bike skidded sideways. I think the clearance was less than two inches. I can still see the lady driver looking at me across her car through the passengers window. Throughout this incident there was no doubt I was going down. But somehow the car had missed me. The bike was skidding to a stop. As I put my right foot down hoping to help ease the bike to the ground I found nothing but air. The same bank of the road that had helped slow the bike and helped me miss the car was now taking payback.

 

As the bike came to a halt it flipped to the right. I have laid my bike down in the past with very little damage. But nothing prepared me for the violence of this. It felt as though someone had grabbed a rag doll by the legs and just slammed it's head on the asphalt. Me being the rag doll. As I felt my shoulder give and the concussion to the side of my head I remember thinking "I sure am glad I am wearing this helmet". I could feel every piece of the inner lining being pressed into my head. I could feel the outer casing flex and absorb the impact. Then it was over.

 

I could hear Pauline calling "rider down, rider down" over the CB radio. At first I could not move. I just lay there stunned by the violence of the impact. As the other riders came to my assistance I began to move my toes and fingers. I was actually surprised when they seemed to work. I was able to get up although Lin was very much against this. I will admit I was very sore. Especially my right shoulder. But I was up, awake and walking. Life is good.

 

We decided to move my bike from the middle of the street. I wanted to help pick it up but Tom and John were insistent that I not do so. I tried anyway and that is when I knew I had some serious damage. I could not lift with my right hand. Some pieces of bone were visibly sticking up in my shoulder. Lin got a sling from somewheres and immobilized my shoulder. She actually did better than the ER did later. Once up the bike didn't look so bad. So I wanted to ride down the hill and find a DQ or something where I could recuperate and then we could finish our trip. Thankfully none of the others were going to allow this to happen. As we stood there my pain level was increasing dramatically and I was beginning to feel very faint. I ended up sitting on a utility box of some sort until the EMTs arrived.

 

Then it was off to the ER for me. Pauline and the rest of the group made sure my bike got taken care of. Steve and Lisa ended up giving me a ride back to Seattle on Sunday. Every one of these guys has stayed in touch with me to make sure I was healing ok. And I am doing very well. Thanks for caring to all who were concerned. I have replaced the bike with a 2010 Venture and expect to be riding again in the not to distant future.

 

The red car did not stop. I do not know why she ran the stop sign. Before I started my turn she was slowing as though to stop. Did she do a Hollywood stop and just not see me? Was she texting or some such thing? Did she actually try to hit me? I don't know and no longer care. She is forgiven.

 

Mike

 

 

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[Money Venture]

I'm glad to see you are healing well. I am glad it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I'm glad you have it in your heart to forgive the transgressions of whoever this was. Heal well, ride well.

[billmac]

glad your ok. it seems like it's always a red car with a girl driving that way.

[Monty]

Sounds like you lucked out, considering what COULD have happened.

[Wrench]

Wow! It continues to amaze me how people can make eye contact with a rider, then just drive away like nothing happened. It is a bad deal that you went down, but at least she didn't hit you. It's insane just how quick things can go bad too. There was a group of 6 of us riding over Memorial Day weekend in the Smokies area. We were on our way back from Bridal Veil Falls and we stopped for gas in Franklin NC. As we got ready to head out I pulled the kickstand up and for some freak reason the loop on the stand caught my pant leg. I went to move my left foot forward and it wouldn't go. I had just eased out on the clutch and had just enough forward momentum that I couldn't catch us and over we went. It was kinda like you said, a LOT of things ran thru my mind too before we hit the blacktop, but it was mainly "OH CRAP"! My wife wound up with a cracked rib due to landing on a full bottle of water, and I got a mashed big toe. Not a mark on the bike, just a whole lot of bruised ego.

[XV1100SE]

Well written story. Really glad you are recovering well.

 

Typical guy thing though....get injured (bones visible) and wanting to go about doing things normally.

 

You mentioned that the woman didn't stop. Did she stay at the accident scene?

[Bert2006]

Glad you are recovering and not hurt more than you have. I do applaud you for you attitude and your ability to forgive.

 

You are a greater man than I am as I would not be able to forgive someone who by their actions would have endangered me or god forbid my passenger, especially if they are cowards who elect to run and not face the music or even stop to see if someone was injured. More and more we see hit and runs with cowards getting away with it and that is infuriating to me.

 

Hope you make a full recovery soon and get to enjoy your new bike again.

 

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

Mike I am glad you are recouping well. Good to hear you have another bike set up as a replacement.

What a great group we had the pleasure of meeting in The Dalles. You could not have been in better hands.

Keep mending and hope you keep us informed on how you and your new bike are doing.

Kevin

[MikeWa]

Well written story. Really glad you are recovering well.

 

Typical guy thing though....get injured (bones visible) and wanting to go about doing things normally.

 

You mentioned that the woman didn't stop. Did she stay at the accident scene?

 

 

She did not stay at the scene. As she passed the riders who cleared the intersection before me she did tell them there was a bike down back on top of the hill. Of course at the time they didn't know she or the car was involved.

 

Mike

[cowpuc]

Mike, Tippy and I just finished reading your story about the accident. WOW brother, thankfully you are recovering fine and got thru the ordeal ok! We are soooo glad you had the PERFECT group there for assistance. Kudos to each one of them for assisting you in your time of need!

Also congrats on the new bike, sounds like you got a winner there.. If it helps, I think you are headed in the right direction in letting the salvaged titled bike go if $2500 is the least they would take.. The discussion going on in the other thread about it sure makes sense to me.. I would let it go and move on just like you are talking about doing if it were mine too.

Sorry all this happened to you my friend, it was a pleasure meeting you and all the folks who attended the VentureWest Rally. Looking forward to the day we meet again!

Puc

[MikeWa]

Mike I am glad you are recouping well. Good to hear you have another bike set up as a replacement.

What a great group we had the pleasure of meeting in The Dalles. You could not have been in better hands.

Keep mending and hope you keep us informed on how you and your new bike are doing.

Kevin

 

 

That is true. I could not have been in better hands. I cannot say enough good things about everyone I was riding with. They all went way above and beyond.

 

Mike

[Barrycuda]

Get well soon! Another reason why many people, myself included say and will continue to say this forum has the best darn people anywhere. No lie!!!!

[YamahaLarry]

Practically every day we are all just a millisecond away from similar circumstances. The older I get, the more I have to force myself to be more familiar with my surroundings. I just can't bounce back up like I once could.

 

Hate reading stuff like this but so glad you are okay.

[Carbon_One]

Glad to hear you're doing well Mike. I too have been in your shoes with having been in an accident not once but twice. Both times I was forever truly grateful of having this group of Venture riders with me. There isn't a finer bunch of folks to have around in cases like this.

Congrads on getting back in the saddle and doing it with another RSV.

Larry

[Phoneman1981]

Hello: Well written. Could happen to anyone at anytime. Safety in numbers. Heal quick and ride that new bike!!

[djh3]

Glad it wasnt any worse than it was. Unfortunatly we had a brother biker killed over in Sarasota last weekend. He was stopped at a light and a lady in a brown colored car hit him from behind. How they know that I dont know.

[MikeWa]

Glad it wasnt any worse than it was. Unfortunatly we had a brother biker killed over in Sarasota last weekend. He was stopped at a light and a lady in a brown colored car hit him from behind. How they know that I dont know.

 

 

 

Very sorry to hear that.

 

Mike

[Evan]

Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts with us Mike. Sounds like it was an accident that should never have happened and the outcome could have been much worse were it not for your amazing reaction. I'm also thankful to be associated with the type of Venture riders that looked after you.

[Oldseadog]

Mike,, glad to hear you are healing well.