Got run off the road yesterday morning on the way to work. I was in the left hand lane going about 40 or 45 mph. IDIOT in a SUV decided they didn't want to slow down for a Box Truck turning right into a shop and decided to change lanes quickly to avoid slowing down.
I was able to avoid being hit by moving over into a turning lane that was luckily there.
Unfortunately I ran out of lane. I hit the (sloped) curb and jumped the medium between (N & S bound) turning lanes. Landing was fine but for one problem… the rear tire came down on the far side sloped curb of the north bound turning lane… This launched the rear end prior to the front coming down on the grass medium.
The bike then initiated a back over front tumble. The next impact was the front (with bike being close to probably 80 degrees vertical) digging into the grass. This launched me off the bike about 15 yards or so. I landed on my back shoulders and rolled a few times before coming to rest in a sitting position. As I looked back I saw my bike hit the ground one more time, bounce then come to rest on its right side.
As I sat there assessing myself I watched the SOBSUV slow down to look then speed up and keep going. A couple people stopped to check if I was OK. We got the bike up off its side, turned the gas and electrical off. The guy that stopped first said he was admiring my bike and saw the SOBSUV swerve over to my lane. A lady traveling in the opposite direction also saw the whole thing and stopped. They both gave statements to PD.
After being released from the hospital we went back to get the bike. Looking over the scene it looks like the bike flipped head over heels three times based on ground impacts.
Very minor scrapes to my left elbow and top of left hand. CT Scan revealed a fracture of the L2 Transverse Process and a bruised Kidney. As this type of fracture is what they call “Stable” treatment is just like a broken rib…. Nothing but pain meds. Dr said I’ll be sore for about 6 months as it heals and should avoid any unnecessary bending or lifting. Treatment for bruised Kidney is to drink plenty of fluids to continuously flush kidney. I jokingly asked if Beer would be OK. He said “Sure, it is a fluid”… so I’m following Dr’s orders, refrigerator is stocked with Guinness & Ying Ling.
Bike is in shop and insurance notified.
Yesterday the pain wasn’t that bad. This morning… much worse. Can hardly move without a SHARP pain in my back where the break is…. And for taking a deep breath or trying to cough… forget about it!
Most of the damage to the bike is located on the front (headlight, gauges, Clip-ons) and Back (all of it). Believe it or not the tank and side covers are undamaged. Frame looks intact except for the back end where the seat bolted on. Engine looks fine. Wheels look OK but are going to be checked. Front end looks a little tweeked (but I think the bike landed more up on the gauges/upper triple tree.
The SAVING GRACE was that it was early morning and there was dew on the grass and being Florida the ground was sand (i.e. not hard)
Right side view of bike -
Left side view of bike -
Front view of bike -
Back view of bike -
Don''t know if the SOBSUV was tracked down. However, there are a few pluses in this reguard. There is a traffic camera at the intersection we had just stopped at prior to the accident and, more importantly, I manage a store where the local PD frequent, the other Manager's Son is a Traffic Homicide Investigator for that PD, and my Daughter is a LEO with another local PD. Hoping they put some effort in trying to track the SOBSUV.
