Motorcycle accident, I think I'm gonna live.

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

My wife was on vacation with her mom in Malone, NY where she fell off a porch and broke her ankle. Since she couldn't drive back I decided to ride the bike up there (@110 miles away) where I would drive her home in our car and leave the bike for a week until she could drive me upthere to retrieve it.

So I get not 5 miles out of town when a teenager riding around in her dad's car coming the other way ddecided to make a left-handed turn onto a side road without bothering to wait for me to go by (If she was 65' ahead I'd be suprised). I locked-up both brakes to try and stop but I didn't have enough distance and T-boned her Ford Taurus. I'm sorry I don't have any pictures but from eyewitness account I removed the trunk of the car.

Aside from alot of bruising (which will be all the more painful tomorrow no doubt), My injuries were really limited. I have some very minor road rash on my arm (best guess: the jacket zipper rubbing against it), my right shin has some road rash around the knee and I had a puncture-wound about 6 inches above my ankle. The puncture took about 6 stitches and the doctor was confident there were no foriegn bodies in the wound. So it should heal-up nicely in two weeks or so. I can walk with some minor pain ,mostly from twisting the ankle and the bandages rubbing against the road rash, But I should be back soon with no lasting damage.

The bike's (poor Nugget) front end is FUBAR: wheel, handlebars, lights .... destroyed. The bike then slide on the right side and I've got cosmetic damage to the pipes, air cleaner, and a golf-ball sized dent in the tank. Of course its sunday so I can't have it towed to the shop, and my insurance company's local claims agent won't be to work till tomorrow anyway. The tennage driver stayed on scene and admitted guilt for the accident to the State Troopers, so I don't think the Ins. companies will give me too much hassle.

So here's hoping for a speedy recovery and hopefully I'll be back on 2 wheels around august (assuming the ins. company doesn't toal the bike out). And now I have plenty of sick-time to bother this website with pointless postings for days to come!

Right now nobody has any pictures posted on the local newssites, but if they do put some up (and they probably will, people love to look at bike accidents) I'd edit this post to add them. Sorry I was a little pre-occupied to think about using my cell-phone camera. Now If can excuse me, I have a Vicodin Coolata to enjoy.

Woo-Hoo! 10 day weekend!

 

[Audioholics]

Dang - that's nutz. Um, how's the wife?

 

[BMXTRIX]

Dang - that's nutz. Um, how's the wife?

That's what I was thinking... She's gonna be pissed when you are finally able to walk in a couple of weeks and make it out to pick her up.



Really good to hear that you were not made into a scrambled egg out there. Ride safe man.

 

[zildjian]

R&RNinja,
Happy to hear you're OK. Same type accident happened to a friend of mine in May and killed him. Somebody in a van wasn't paying attention and turned left across traffic; guy in van didn't see my friend. Friend was in his mid 50's, been riding motorcycles his whole life, that was his primary mode of transportation, so of course he knew how to drive them safely. The idiot drivers out there who don't pay attention are what make being on a motorcycle dangerous. Happens all the time, just unnecessary. Despite your injuries and your bike damage, you are extremely lucky to not be dead or have a broken neck. Again, I'm very happy to hear that you're OK.
Best recoveries to you & your wife.
Brad

 

[gmichael]

R&RNinja,
Glad to read that you are alright. It's a shame that you had to go through that. I had a simillar accident back in 1986. Heal fast.
Mike

 

[billy p]

Wow!!

hearing about the frist part ,then hearing it didn't end there WOW.Take care and all the best to both of you. When you reflect back just and thank your lucky stars.

 

[mulester7]

.....Ninja, I feel like a fellow comrade is down....I haven't been without a motorcycle since I was 12....I learned the hard way to go ahead and assume any car within 10 miles "IS" going to do the stewpidest thing possible, and I HAD to get that motorcycle stopped....I had a woman pull out in front of me to turn left one day from the right side, and I had to turn the wheel right at the last to keep her rear bumper from hitting my front wheel....I really don't think she ever saw me, or had been told cars have the right-of-way over any motorcycle, I don't know....now, if I hadn't been stopped, at least, my motorcycle woulda' been on a bullet-train to the hospital....I had a woman one time pass the car behind me and just pull in with her front door aimed at my handle bars and tank....correct, I just went on down into the four foot-deep ditch, and took on rocks big as bowling balls....but stuff STILL happens no matter how careful we ride sometimes....Ninja, heal fast as GMichael said.....

 

[mulester7]

And now I have plenty of sick-time to bother this website with pointless postings for days to come!!

.....what's that freight conductor's handle at this site?.....

 

[The Dukester]

Man, almost anyone who's ever ridden a scooter can give a similar story about the 'other drivers". I actually have one of a biker that killed himself by running into me. We drove almost 300 miles to my mom's house, got four blocks from there and a kid runs the stopsign and broadsides us. He was 19. He lived for a few hours, but died. The guy on the back sustained a broken leg and some other minor injuries. I was in a three year old mini van. It was totaled by the insurance co. All of us were OK except my nephew, who was riding in the front seat where the bike hit. He had several cuts on his face from the glass and a couple of bruises. We were in a residential neighborhood where the speed limit is 25. I was probably going 30 on the main road and he came up from the sidestreet. He was probably going 55-60. I only caught a glimpse of him right before he hit us. No time to stop.
The guy on the back said he saw us and gunned it trying to beat us through the intersection. A blood test revealed he (the driver) had pot and cocaine in his blood. Bad news.
Best wishes to you, Ninja for a speedy recovery! Now, how is your wife getting home And who is going to be waiting on who

 

[Tomorrow]

You better save some of that Vicoden for your wife, R&RN! Who's gonna be doing the stepping and fetching during convalescence?

I know I speak for many who are VERY glad you are safe.

(Hey, was she on her cell phone? Headline: Audioholics predictions come true?)

 

[JoeE SP9]

I'ts amazing how many drivers just can't/don't see people on bikes, gas powered or muscle powered. I've been hit or T-boned on both but I've never hit a two wheeler. Get well soon!

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Best wishes to you, Ninja for a speedy recovery! Now, how is your wife getting home And who is going to be waiting on who

My wife's brother drove her home. But that means we have no car because it is still in Malone. Since neither of us are going anywhere soon, I'm not too worried right now.

As for the waiting: Both us are kinda gimped-up, BUT, my friend (in process of divorce) has been camped-out in my spare room for two weeks! Instant butler!

(Hey, was she on her cell phone? Headline: Audioholics predictions come true?)

I don't know. I was on my back after I landed and didn't get to look around or ask too many questions. Backboards don't help either.

 

[Audioholics]

So when do you change your name to Rock&Roll Volvo? lol

 

[ironlung]

I'ts amazing how many drivers just can't/don't see people on bikes, gas powered or muscle powered.

How true. My dad gave me a bike for graduating high school. It needed some work on the carb(old gas clogged it up) so it barely idled. I was just sitting at a stop sign in my neighborhood. Not even a thru street. Someone almost ran me over and I was not even moving. The for sale sign went on it that day and I have not been on a bike since.

Safe to assume other motorist are aiming for you.

Get well soon R&R ninja.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

So when do you change your name to Rock&Roll Volvo? lol

LOL. I actually don't ride a Ninja, I ride a cruiser. But I don't think I'll be upgrading to the Volvo just yet. I figured I'm "pre-disastered" and the chances of me getting in another accident are astronomically small.

I also bisected a deer back in '99 with the frontend of my Harley®. I'm amazed at how much "better" I came away from hitting a car. I literally walked out of the hospital! (well, OK, I limped out to the car)

 

[Tomorrow]

I'm amazed at how much "better" I came away from hitting a car. I literally walked out of the hospital! (well, OK, I limped out to the car)

Better drugs?

Good to see your sense o' humor was not damaged, R&R! (Funny bone still intact!)

 

[majorloser]

Play The Lottery

You are one lucky man!

I'm glad to see you made it out of that disaster with only minor injuries. Take the time to relax and heal. Time to sit back and enjoy some of those movies you've been meaning to rent.

Two Vic's, a martini and a comfy chair
(The Betty Ford way to a better life)

 

[goodman]

Mint CBR 929 For Sale

After many great rides and traveling through 29 states on various sportbikes, I am giving it up while I can still walk without a limp, and while I am still unable to forecast the weather by the pain in my joints. There are deer, dogs, birds (I've been hit by birds twice), and people driving using cell phones, eating, reading, looking at video displays and otherwise not paying attention. There is gravel, grease and tar on the road. Unless I stick my finger in the socket while standing in a bucket of water, audio and video is safer.

Hope you mend soon, Ninja (I had one of them, too).

 

[JaceTheAce]

Wow, first of all I'm glad you are okay. I don't know if you should consider it, but a possible lawsuit against the teenager? (well, her parents in this case). Yet another reason why the driving age should be moved to 18 AND require extensive driver training similar to Europe's driver training programs. Anyway, have a speedy recovery and get well soon!

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Wow, first of all I'm glad you are okay. I don't know if you should consider it, but a possible lawsuit against the teenager? (well, her parents in this case).

Did I mention it was a 1995 Ford Taurus? I already know they don't have any money

I just need medical bills & bike repairs. If I don't get a "personal inury" settlement I'll still be able to sleep at night (I didn't get one when I hit the deer), if I do get a settlement I don't expect it to be for any serious amount of money.