It was early January 2009, and as I was still on holiday I arranged to go for a early morning ride out to Kawakawa bay and beyond. My mate Delon met me at 7.00 am and we were off. Eager to get a ride in before the heat of the day kicked in we travelled at a brisk pace. I was on my Daytona 675, I had only owned it for 3 months but I just loved the bike.
When I look back now I can see a list of mistakes I made prior to leaving. I had a very late night the night before, I was tired and I was trying hard to keep up with some one that was a far faster rider than I.
I was struggling to get in the zone, and as I entered a tight down hill left hander, I dropped down a gear to soon and promptly locked up the rear wheel. I am not entirely sure what happened next. I failed miserable to get traction back on the rear wheel, as I got to the corner I went down with a thump. I went across the road (thankfully no oncoming cars) and down the ditch. My bike was upside down beside me, and I had a great deal of pain coming from my left shoulder. My in experience had shown though big time.
Delon didn't realise I had gone down, and it was some time before I heard him go past, and then past again and then again. Realising that he did not know where I went down, I grab my munted helmet and through it up on to the bank and on to the road. I then made an attempt to climb up the ditch I was down. I was just getting to the top when he rode past a fourth time and saw me.
With no cell phone coverage it was some time before help arrived. The ambulance guys were great, and as usual my witty sense of humour was to the fore as I tried to sell a "used 675" with "superficial damage" to the ambulance officer.
I spent a couple of days in hospital with three broken ribs and a bustered collar bone. I probably hit the tarmac at no more than 40kms per hour, but the damage to my helmet was unbelievable. I would hate to think what my head would have looked at if I had not been wearing it.
It was not till I got some rider training that I was able to work out what I had done wrong, and what I could of done to ad void it. I was embarrassed by the accident, but I am thankful in one way as I have learnt a lot from it. In fact I have learnt more form the accident two years after the event than I did immediately after it. Many of these lessons I have blogged about before.
Of course it didn't put me off biking, just made me more determined to be better at it.
Don't be embarrassed... be thankful! You were given another chance. That's more than some riders get.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing your friend was able to find you. I can imagine what was going through his mind as well!
Sounds like you took your experience and learned from it. Here's to lessons learned.
Life is good!
I am extremely glad that you survived it and have learned from it. And I am also glad that you are able to recount it so that I can learn from your mistakes and try not to make those "down the ditch" ones on my own. :)
ReplyDelete-Lori
Very scary for you and for your friend trying to find you. I'm glad you're okay, and continue to ride. I've felt the back end get squirrely a couple of times when downshifting (usually when wet). Fortunately it wasn't in a corner or anything, but still a little disconcerting. My big fear in corners - sliding off across the road or into a guardrail. It runs through my mind on some corners, though not as much as it used to.
ReplyDeleteAh, learning moments!
ReplyDeleteThere have been quite a few broken collar bones in the MotoGP paddock lately. You were simply ahead of your time!
Beep the throttle before you let go of the clutch but I'm sure you already know that :-) or get a bike with a slipper clutch ;-)
ReplyDeleteDan,... Iike to think of myself as a trens setter!
ReplyDeleteGerorge....The thought did occur to me. ( or I could learn to control my bike better!!!!)
Bk...I am glad I survived to!