[andrewp]

I nearly lost my best friend on Saturday.

The day was spectacular, Alfred and I took our Thruxtons on a 6 hour trip following a river and then up to the mountains and back... absolutely stunning scenery. At about 10pm we separated and at 11pm I received a phone call.

He was in the middle lane with a SUV in the left-turn lane waiting to turn left (probably blocking him from being seen by on-coming traffic). As he entered the intersection, an on-coming car turned left in front of him. He struck the vehicle head-on and flew into the windshield. He is still in the intensive care unit as of this morning. They stopped the internal bleeding and he is on morphine, but the doctors feel he is stable and very lucky to be alive. His candy-blue Thrux is no more.

Now, here is the kicker... The entire season he had been rocking a Davida half-helmet with goggles. He bought a top-of-the line Arai last week, and this was the very 1st day he used it.

I have never been one to preach what to wear or how to ride... but there are some lessons to be learned from this story. Take from it what you can and be safe out there. As for myself, I will be doing some soul searching over the next few weeks and deciding if I want to continue.

a.

 

[saphena]

As for myself, I will be doing some soul searching over the next few weeks and deciding if I want to continue.

Very sorry to hear about your friend, hope he'll be ok. Please keep us posted.

As for your soul searching, try to remember that everything in life is dangerous not just motorcycling. Try not to think of motorcycle riders as being victims. Yes we're more vulnerable than some when it goes wrong but we also have many advantages:

Compared with car drivers, we're better observers, more mobile and require less room to make an escape.
Compared with horse riders, our bikes reactions are governed by physics, they don't have minds of their own.
Compared with pedestrians, we can escape much more quickly.

 

[Ma Junior]

Sorry to hear your mates misfortune. Intersections are highly dangerous. Aside from being alert and focused, I've gotten into the habit of using a car as a shield when crossing the intersection. What i mean is I ride into an intersection with a car on my left. That way, as bad as it sounds, they would get hit first, giving me a better chance to accelerate to safety. At least that how it run through in my head. I hope I never have to experience it. As far as continuing or not, think of all the good memories you've shared through riding. Unfortunately accidents are part of the game. All we can do is try to minimize our risk. Best wishes for your mates.

 

[DeadFlagBlues]

That's too bad.

I wish him a speedy recovery.

That reminds me the time I was hit by a drunk driver. First day at a new job, went home for lunch and to get some pictures of my show mustang to bring back to some of the guys back at the shop and all. The same 5.0 that I was driving back and had never really been interested in wearing a seat belt in. I had this spark of random genius "I'll just wear it the rest of the way..." half way to work and 10 seconds later I get T-boned from this guy in an old F-100 totally destroying my car. I literally had to bust the rest of the spired glass on the driver side window and crawl out. If I wasn't wearing a seat belt, I doubt I would have made it out as clean as I did.

I'm not a religious person, but I can't say that there isn't such a thing as divine intervention. Though, if there was, why would I be hit by a drunk driver at 2 pm on a Wednesday...

Here's to luck, chance, god, or coincidence, huh?

 

[BonnieBlack07]

I'm sorry to hear about your friend as well. I wish him a speedy recovery.
Fortunately I have not been involved in an accident, but I have had a few close calls. While it is a terrifying experience, I find that each close call provides me with a lesson to learn from, and thereby gives me another piece of experience to utilize while riding.

When people find out I ride a bike, the first things out of their mouth, 99% of the time, are the stories of the one or two people they know that ride motorcycles AND have either been injured or killed. The horror stories never cease. I'm sure you all can relate. But lately I've found myself listening to the stories a little bit more closely....not to second-guess my choice to ride a bike, but to listen to the scenario and figure out what I could have done differently had I been the one involved. Granted, it's all hypothetical and subjective, but the mental exercise of imagining myself in dangerous scenarios helps me feel more confident and focused while riding. Call it what you want, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who uses pre-visualization as a means of self-improvement.

I see each time that I start up my bike as a choice. It's a personal choice to not wear a helmet, to wear proper gear, to ride fast and risky, or ride safe. It's a choice to take my personal well-being in mind, as well as others. And while I could sit and listen to these horror stories and let that fear and risk control my decision-making, it is also a choice NOT to.
Rather, I think of each ride as an opportunity. I see it as an opportunity to hone my skills further, to build my confidence, to have another exhilirating and awe-inspiring ride. I see it as an opportunity to do something that so many are scared to do - something that others will never experience. It is something that I need not justify, or rationalize, or explain.
It has become a part of me that can not be taken away through warnings, cautions, or worried advice.

Others will say you can't control the other drivers, and therein lies the rub (as they say). Trust me, you can control a whole HELL of a lot less than you think. To think we can control the outcome of every ride by just being alert is an illusion we all love to grasp so dearly. But that is part of the assumed risk when we choose to get on our bikes. Moreover, I'm sure there are those that will sit and say that it will eventually happen to me - I will eventually go down, or will be in an unfortunate accident. I pray you are wrong, but you probably aren't. And some say that since I haven't been done, I just don't know. Or better yet, that I'm not a true motorcycle rider until I do. To each their own. .

But I can tell you, that if it does, I will do my f*n best not to let that sway me from something I love so much - something I consider to be one of the better parts of who I am. To think of giving up something that brings me so much joy, happiness, and piece of mind makes me shudder. That is what really scares me!

So, Andrewp, please know that I'm not preaching to you. On the contrary, I am telling you to make your own choice. And, the majority of us would completely understand and respect whatever that choice is.

However, I urge you to consider something during your respective period of reflection - and I would say this to anyone in your position. With all due respect - if you're anthing like me, or the thousand others that are so passionate about something so many people fear, use this an opportunity to find strength in yourself and your experiences. Learn from this. Don't give up a part of yourself out of fear. Do it because you WANT to, not because you feel you have to - otherwise you will regret it.

Cheers - and safe riding -

 

[andrewp]

thanks for all the advice so far, i sincerely appreciate you guys taking the time to share your experiences. seems like all of us at one time or another have given this some serious thought.

here's an update:

the good news...
he is breathing on his own and is in good spirits.

the bad news...
apparently he bonked his melon much harder than we thought, he said he wants to get a Harley Davidson Iron 883 now.

 

[WhiteStripe]

the bad news...
apparently he bonked his melon much harder than we thought, he said he wants to get a Harley Davidson Iron 883 now.

Ha ha good one. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

 

[hun_3]

After reading this I went to look at full helmets on my lunch time.

Thank u for reminding me that looking cool is less important than staying alive.

 

[Nickwiz]

You can do both.

 

[wroding]

Hi Andrewp.
I'm very sorry to hear of your buddys accident.
I wish him a speedy recovery, please keep us informed on his progress.
I had an accident 6 months ago not as serious as your friends, but i can totally relate to your second thoughts about riding.
I choose for many of the same reasons already stated here to continue.
You will come to your own decision in time. Take care Mate all the best to you and your buddy.
John.