T-bone - and not the yummy steaky kind . . .

First off, long time, no write. Hope all of the old salts are doing well and to all of the newbs, welcome!

So, anyway, on Monday, an idiot cager finally got the better of me, my day-glo riding suit, my Axis Yellow Shoei, and my fully operation headlight. I "came out of nowhere," and "sped up to hit [her]" (her words) when she launched in front of me from a parking lot. I reeled it in pretty good from just under highway speed (was in a long right turn lane), and had I about 5 more feet, I would have stopped in time. As it was, I tagged her around 10 MPH right between the front tire and driver's door. I managed to not launch over the bars and kept the bike upright.

Half a second slower on the reflexes and the story would be different.

As it stands, the only visible damage is a tweaked fender, pinched tire, broken turn signal lens, slightly dented headlight bezel, and a broken hinge on my helmet (I contacted the top of the windshield on my Vetter fairing). Unknowns are if the brake rotors are dinged at all (both have paint transfer, but no apparent gouging), the rim is out of true (visually checked out) or if the forks are tweaked (seem OK, but I haven't had a close inspection). I did ride it the 3 miles home, and it felt OK, but need to do a full inspection.

She was issued the sole citation of failure to yield right of way. The best part, for which she was somehow not cited, she had 6 people - 3 adults and 3 kids - crammed into a Chevy Metro.

Her insurance was out to look at the damage today - I'm curious to hear what they say in 48 business hours. I have this fear they're going to want to total it out (given the cost of brake rotors and unavailability of other parts).

Just thought I'd post up here to let you know a Seca's sick and possibly in need of some parts. Luckily (and don't think I've stopped counting my lucky stars yet) the rider's neck is a bit tweaked but is otherwise OK.

Pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/oblivion/s ... 448379976/

One witness used to ride and gave me mad props for not dumping it. One of the responding cops said, "Usually I see a bike stuck in a car like that, we're calling a meat wagon." I don't know if he was more surprised that I was walking around or that I was in full day-glo and still not visible.

Perhaps the saddest part is that I still don't think she realizes a) she could have killed me and b) she was in the wrong. I heard her tell the lead officer, "He came up out of nowhere and took away my right-of-way." She was turning ACROSS a turn lane of a US highway FROM a parking lot. No concept of right-of-way. And she was IRATE at me for hitting her. Nutty.

Be safe out there, especially this holiday weekend. Remember, they ARE out to get you.

 

Glad all is ok on your end, minus the damage. Hope they nailed large #$$ to the wall!!!

 

Glad you're ok.

BTW, non only as i wrote in a prevous post "when you ride a bike you become invisible", but the quantity of a***oles on the road is incredible.

I take as example a friend that totaled his 3 days old CBR when a old guy made a left turn in front of him, then he claimed with the cops that as he was in front of his house, he had the right of way (and probably still today he's wondering why he got a 6 month suspension of the license)

Not for mention the occasional frustrated driver that in traffic jams when sees bikes approaching between the lanes (in Holland is legal) try to block the way -and believe me, i learned to recognise the look in the mirror "i won't let you pass!!" -

In that case, my hot Italian blood give me the tentation of using the "Motard system" (*)

































(*)In France, people is paying attention because the bikers (motards) in Paris have the habit of breaking mirrors or kicking the doors of cars that cut them in the traffic....

 

That really blows... Glad you are alright! Praise creation for your squirrel-like reflex.

You should have fell to the ground when the officers showed up and started screaming "MY NECK!" Then you could take it to court, claim you are impotent, and become wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.

Maybe not... glad you're at home safe, it always sucks to hear about blatantly idiotic drivers... especially the ones that don't even realize it.

 

its the beginning of the season for most of us, i have had to use my horn several times already to remind people that bikes are out.

glad your story ended with you telling it, start collecting parts!

 

Agreed.
Stories are much better when you can tell them.

I was cut off today. I made a left hand turn (I had an arrow) I come out of the lean to find some little old lady coming at me in my lane. I ran (more like swerved) for cover in the car wash parking lot. I stopped my bike and I gave her a "WTF?!" look only to have this sweet, well what I thought was sweet, little old lady scream out her window some not so nice little old lady things at me. She wanted to turn left into the car wash and I "blocked her way in"
I just shook my head and went on.

 

Wow glad you are OK - the bike can always be fixed.

Bell sounds like a real close call - glad you avoided it..

 

Hey first off im glad your ok, lasty night i was in my cage, or my wifes mommy missile and was just entering a round a bout , a crotch rocket in front and this woman on a cell phone pulls right in front of him needless to say the whole front of his bike was toast and spread all over the road , the good news is he had full armor leathers and was ok, i stopped to find out if he was ok and i had to realy cage my temper at the woman cause i wanted to do bad things, a few days ago we had a biker killed here.

let us all be safe and aware!

 

Glad to hear your ok , good thing you had the helmet on or it would have been your face in the fairing. The bike can always be repaired.

 

It seems to be getting worse, where I am at least 5 motorcycle related deaths in the past 1-2 weeks... compared to the 'average' of 3-5 a year

 

WOW glad to here your ok, I can't believe how stupid people are! I think a general knowledge test including rules of the road, right of way etc. should be manditory every two years and driving while texting or talking on a cell phone should be a three month suspension for a first offence and worse there after, I can't count the number of times car or bike I've almost been hit because people "didn't know" or didn't care, they had to know when they did there road test that your have to come to a complete stop when exiting a parking lot (in alberta it's the same as running a light or stop sign and an automatic fail on a road test) how do people not know this????
sorry to hijack thread with my rant it just pisses me of to see a friend put at risk because someone is stupid!
Shaun

 

Oblivion, Glad you are ok. Tell idiot to go back to school until she can get it right. I might have a spare front for you, it's off a Virago, blasted and painted silver. Includes rotors. That and spare lenses.
Tennsouthernbelle, I'd have politely informed her of her error and ask her why she didn't see me? Hope your trip was less eventful, I enjoyed the rain y'all set out for me.

 

At least you got rain on your vacation. I got snow...and lots of it during mine.

I was in total shock that granny was cursing me like a sailor. I'm sure my jaw would have dropped if I weren't wearing a helmet.

 

Thanks for the well-wishes, all. Yeah, the bike damage is minimal to the point of nearly being inconsequential. Neck is still tweaked - have a doctor's appointment for that, but I'm grateful I have use of all of my limbs and brainy bits (at least as much as I ever did).

It seems there are WAY more bikes on the roads this year so far and yet drivers seem as blind as ever. Here around Chicago, the fatality stories are FAR too common - a lady just plowed full-speed into a parked rider at a light because she was putting on nail polish as she drove!!! No helmet, bright jacket, headlight modulator, marbles, or giant middle finger is going to protect us from that kind of idiocy and blatant disregard for safety.

I have one lead on a fender. Robert, not sure what style lenses you have, but the ones for the Vetter are non-standard Seca. Chacal didn't have the ones I need, even. Supposed to hear from her ins. re: the appraisal on Tuesday or Wednesday. We'll see how that goes.