Accident - classic car pull out in front
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Thread: Accident - classic car pull out in front

  1. #1
    Senior Member VStarRider's Avatar
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    Accident - classic car pull out in front

    I was on my way to work this morning, wet roads after rain yesterday and last night, slightly foggy conditions.

    I was heading eastbound, two-lane road, 45 mph limit, approaching an intersection with stop signs for north and south traffic (also two-lane road).

    Person in a GMC Terrain heading south stopped as I approached at approximately 50 mph, then proceeded through the intersection.

    I saw it coming and got on the brakes. Tires locked up within a split second, bike went down low side. I stayed on it for a bit, but eventually ended up skidding down my lane for about 50-75 feet on my knees, ass, elbows (I think). Bike kept going for quite awhile, riding on the crash bars, clutch side.

    I came to a stop and immediately got up to avoid potential for getting run over.

    My riding jacket and shoes did their thing - not a scratch - my Dockers slacks did their best, but I got some road rash on my left knee. Ass in pants held up well.

    Cops came, wrote everything up. Lady who was a witness was crying - her son was killed in a bike accident.

    Cop put blame on driver, for stopping but then not yielding to traffic. I do not think she got a ticket, but he gave her 100% fault in his report.

    Ambulance checked me out, vitals ok (high blood pressure from adrenaline), no neck or back pain.

    Bike itself - not a scratch on it - unbelievable. Not even any paint missing because it skidded down the road on the clutch side Ergo III mainly (which got bent upwards). I rode it home (not even a mile away).

    The lady who pulled out stopped and stayed the entire time. Guess what she said? Yeah, that classic line. I said "The front of this bike is lit up like a Christmas tree. What else do I need to do for you to see me?" I also told her to let this one incident, which may end up as minor, serve as permanent reminder to look for bikes.

    My wife, who is nurse, bandaged my knee up and I am about to head to work after this, but wanted to share with you guys.

    I have to be honest - I am already feeling very anxious - not necessarily about physically riding again, but about how I am going to feel about riding again, the guilt associated with the risk of knowing this happened and it could've been way worse, and how this is going to make my wife feel when I take a ride. She never got on my bike again after my accident in 2012, and I do not know what to expect after this one.

    I am also unsure of my reaction - did I get on the brakes too hard? I just finished the ARC three weeks ago and did a lot of practice emergency braking. Was my threshold set for dry roads, because they locked up immediately. Did I jam on the brakes instead of squeeze gradually? How is one supposed to gradually apply brakes when a car pulls out 50 feet in front of you? Right now, I am disappointed in my reaction.

    Also - my parents - my brother recently died of a heroin overdose - the guilt of knowing this incident occurred and how that will make them feel about their only living child out riding.

    I think I need some time....but...my initial, seemingly rational, thought is I need to have a bike with ABS. With those, I wonder what would have happened here. Need time.

    Click the link below for a few pics, if interested.

    https://imgur.com/a/zPXAbcC
    Last edited by VStarRider; 06-06-2019 at 07:19 AM.
    Former Ride:
    2013 F6B Standard, black; sold 7/2019
    Latest Addition:
    2016 Gold Wing Level 3, red; SCT transmission stuck in manual mode
    2019 Miles:
    7,900 as of 10/6

  2. #2
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    Glad your ok.
    I went off the road in a curve because I flinched, when I saw another cage coming in the other direction. Totally my fault.
    You go through the whole gambit of feelings and run all the what if's your head.
    Everybody said "your done riding". I said I don't know, I'm not done figuring things out yet.
    Time, does heal ALL things. But after 3 years I'm still not sure what happened.
    I have since decided That, I, would decide when to stop riding.
    Since this is not your first, You know the most you did was easing peoples minds, that your all right and their all right.
    First thing, when your able, Fix the Bike. Don't shove it in a corner and hide from it. Face your fears if there are any.
    It will come to you in the process.
    ITS ALL GOOD

  3. #3
    Senior Member Travelor's Avatar
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    Sorry to hear of your situation. I know you'll work through them in time. Many questions indeed, and you raised a very important one. All the training and practice in the world won't substitute for antilock brakes in an emergency situation. In my opinion, this is one of the greatest problems with this bike. Honda really blew it on the brakes. I love mine, but nearly went down with a front wheel slide out from grabbing brakes in an emergency situation. Slow speed was the only thing that saved my ass.

  4. #4
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    It's easy to overreact. We have all done it. Some of us were just luckier than you. Hang in there. Take some short rides. Next time it rains find a vacant parking lot and test the limits of your braking. Just me but when it's raining I try to stay away from the front brake. I know with the linked brakes you get some anyway and that seems to be enough in wet conditions. Glad you're ok.

  5. #5
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    Glad your reasonably okay...Only you can decided what is best for you and your family in the future....I have been riding off and on for over 50 years and never been down and hope it never happens..So, I cannot give you any advise as to what to do.....Hang in there!!..Regards

  6. #6
    Senior Member No Handle Sam's Avatar
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    First of all I'm glad you are OK. I totally know what you are going through. On April 2nd I was on the interstate when the two west bound lanes split apart for construction that is going on. There were two cars in front of me (all three of us were in the left lane) and a car to my right. We had all slowed down to about 50 MPH when the first car must have freaked out about the "fork in the road" and decided to totally lock up his brakes and come to a dead stop in the middle of the interstate. The second car in line did the same thing and managed to stop inches before hitting the first car. By the time I realized what was going on I guess I must have grabbed a big handful of front brake and in an instant I found myself on the ground (in the middle of the interstate) after having smashed into the right rear / quarter panel of the second car. Luckily (like you) I was able to jump up and get to the inside retaining wall. The guy that I hit was out of his car and to me within seconds and one of the first things that he said to me was that he couldn't believe that I wasn't dead. Unfortunately (unlike you) my F6 was destroyed. ($19,600 worth of damage according to the local Honda dealer who did the estimate) But better the bike then me. I've been riding since I was 7 years old. And while I have had my share of dirt bike accidents from back in the motocross days... I had only been down on the street one other time. That was when I was in my teens and I basically dropped a GPZ550 after rolling through an intersection that had gravel in it. But this was totally different. I can't say that my life flashed before my eyes (because everything happened so fast) but I did have just enough time to think "this is going to hurt". Calling my wife from the side of the interstate and hearing the sound of her voice is something that I don't think I'll ever forget. With the F6 gone and the fact that I sold my beloved Rune back in February (something I said I would never do... but that is another story) I'm down to just my Street Glide. To your point... the first time I rode it after my F6 accident being back on two wheels felt different. I found myself not scared, but maybe "overly cautious". Braking way to early. Hyperconscious of everything around me. Generally just being out of sorts on the bike. In the months since the accident I have been riding more and more and I'm starting to get back in the groove. But I do still find myself thinking about the accident and wondering if I did everything I could to avoid it. A lot of 20/20 hindsight thinking that I should have done this. Or why didn't I do that? I'm really just thanking the man upstairs that I wasn't hurt and even more so that my wife wasn't with me.

  7. #7
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    Anti lock brakes are a great thing but they aren't magic. Too close to stop is too close to stop. The anti lock will only make sure you are still upright when you hit the car that pulled out in front of you.

  8. #8
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    Hey VStar, I always enjoy your good-natured posts, passion for riding, and humor. I'm sorry you were involved in this and really glad you're ok.

    Jason

  9. #9
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    Don't feel bad, VStar, I have a similar story, except it was my fault. Last summer, I was running back to Austin from Houston, on a hot Saturday, lot of traffic, when I decided to take a different way to the house, by cutting through Brenham. I'd never been that way before, and don't know if I was tired, or hungry from not eating that day, or just not paying enough attention, but as I came up on an intersection, I failed to notice that I had the red light. A truck was pulling into the intersection from my right, (and rightfully so), which snapped me to attention and probably caused me to grab too much brake; too much front especially. Down I went on my left side, and my B slid into the intersection, making a very large 270 degree counter clockwise circle, and coming to rest when the front tire bumped into the curb. Texas people, especially once you get out of the metros, are some of the nicest people I've ever met, and as I ran up to my scoot, I was surrounded by 4-5 other people, trying to help me. They were amazed at how fast I bounced up and ran after my B, but I was fine, except for a slight scrape on the knuckles of my left hand; I like wearing shorty gloves here, year round. The B had a broken left mirror, which I taped to the fairing for the ride home, and the expected scrapes, but all in all, not bad. Progressive took very good care of me, replacing everything I was wearing, head to toe, except my undies and t-shirt I had under the armored jacket. Everything on the bike that needed it was replaced, not repaired, so it looks like new again!

    My FJR has ABS, and while I wish the B did as well, it may not have helped in this case, as I was right on the top of those painted stripes in the intersection when I hit the brakes. Too much brake, a slight turn of the wheel to the left, as I was avoiding the truck to the right, and down I probably would have gone, on either bike. Since then, I've never thought of not riding, (the Cortez trip happened after all this...), but I realize (remember?) that I do need to be on top of my game at all times.

    Good luck, VStar, and do whatever makes you feel happy!
    Last edited by jmdaniel; 06-07-2019 at 07:28 AM.

  10. #10
    Senior Member JackB's Avatar
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    I'm glad your ok but I thought I was going to be hearing about a "classic car" hitting you.

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