Crash Analysis: learning from our mistakes

[ChrisK]

It's a 98. The front fender really isnt scratched up too bad, and I believe once I take the paint off, sand it down, and repaint it you won't be able to notice. I'm really starting to lean toward taking the bike apart and repainting it the way I want it.

[JPlip]

This is a lesson to beware of a clear right lane when the left lane is backed up with cars waiting to turn left. I had the right lane all to myself and was cruising at about 35mph  left lane was backed up with at least 18 cars waiting to turn left. What I couldnt see due to all the cars bumper to bumper from my 9 o'clock to my 11 o'clock was there was a lady going the other way trying to make a left turn between these stopped cars so she could pull in her driveway which was coming up on my right. She claims she did a quick peek didnt see me and made her left as I was approaching. I saw her with about 2-3 car lengths to stop and started braking (2005 620 brakes suck BTW gotta upgrade to 4-pot calipers) to make matters worse she saw me too and panicked and slammed on her brakes (essentially blocking the lane I was in) instead of finishing her turn and getting the hell out  of the way. I wasnt able to fully stop but I was able to slow down to about 10-15mph before I hit her passenger door and flew over the handle bars and into her passenger window. I had on helmet, gloves, padded Dainese textile jacket and boots so I was fine. My bike was also fine (thank god for frame sliders) with no damage other than the rattlecan paint I had applied to my front fender now had an ugly crack in it from bending. Her car had a big ol dent in the door from my front tire. She pulled in to her driveway and her husband came out of the house and they started telling me how I was going too fast and it was all my fault (even though he didnt even witness the crash). I told them if I was going to fast I wouldnt be standing there chatting with them uninjured. Cops showed up  and cited her for failing to yield.  Boy was she pissed. Now I'm repainting my front fender and cautious when the left lane is backed up with stopped cars realizing I cant see very well whats on the other side of those cars. - for what its worth.

I was in this exact situation, sitting in the bed of a pickup truck on the way to football practice.  Some moron let a woman through and she turned left directly in front of us with no time to react.  I was sitting back against the rear window, and I still remember my buddy flying at me at 30 mph before we both went through the window.  Luckily, no major injuries besides bruises and cuts.  Now, every time I encounter this type of traffic situation, I slow to a crawl and watch for vehicles cutting through the line.  Especially on my bikes!  Even when you're in a car, you may thing you are doing something nice by letting someone through the line when waiting in a left turn lane, but you're really setting them up.  Don't do it!

[JoshuaCJCohen]

Summary:
Single vehicle accident due to entering a turn too fast (was passing a car) and under the line (right hand turn, started from middle of right lane vice left side of left lane on a significant downslope).  Went over an open drainage ditch, off the road and into a 15+ foot ravine. Guessing 55 - 65 KPH

What I did right:
Released throttle and (maybe) downshifted without locking up the brakes and risk losing control of the rear end before departing the road.  Passed only a few feet from the start of a guardrail and might have ended up hitting it with a swinging rear end.  Got enough separation from the bike not to land under it when it landed left side down.  I can't tell you how much that was as I don't actually remember but I didn't have to lift it off a broken leg.  

What I did wrong:
Riding to the edge of my ability with experienced riders and went beyond that ability as I tried to pass a car on a very curvy road.  This was caused by bad judgment and only luck allowed me to walk away uninjured.

How it could have been avoided:
I could have admitted the curves were too much for me to attempt to pass the car, reduced my speed and caught up with the pack at the next stop or straight portion of the ride.  I should have acknowledge my limits and stayed within them on this challenging and dangerous portion of road.



Long version below for those who are interested.  I find it therapeutic.  

I've been riding since 2008.  First road bike was a Kawaski Vulcan 900, riding all over SoCal.  When I moved to Oki in late 2012 I sold the Vulcan and wasn't going to buy a bike because of the slow speeds, weather, congestion, and traffic lights every 10 feet.  May of 2013 I found a 2000 M900 on Bookoo.com and it was on sale, so I bought it.  This was my first time laying a bike down let alone wrecking.

Out riding with a friend from work and about 150 of my closest Japanese friends.  For a small island I was astounded by the number of motorcycles and sup'd up scooters I saw.  One gas station stop had over 150 bikes parked and hanging out waiting for the "Cops all clear signal." All the roads are single lane.  Cars who can't keep up get passed on the right or left, sometimes both at the same time.  I've never shared the road with so many motorcycles at the same time.  That should have been clue #1.

As we waited for the all clear signal my buddy saw some locals he had ridden with before.  "I can only keep up with these guys on a good day."  Clue #2.  I can't keep up with Aaron on a great day and I should have either told him to go ahead and I'd catch up at the destination or turn around and start making my way home.  I will also note I was riding to the edge of my ability just following him for the three hours prior.

When the clear signal came our new friends were the first out of the station.  I was roughly #12 in a pack of over 75. 15 minutes later we were turning around because two sets of JP moto cops were escorting everyone through the turns with lights on at the speed limit.  On the way back we got held up by a slow car (doing the speed limit) on a particularly curvy portion of the road.  Even the experienced riders were only able to pass one or two at a time due to the curves.  When it was my turn I waited until I had a clear view ahead to ensure safe distance and I pushed it.  What I didn't take into account was just beyond the safe distance the road disappeared.

As I pulled next to the front bumper I noticed two things.  The car had sped up and was now even with me.  I can understand he's a bit pissed off at the dozen or so bikes that just passed him illegally on the curves.  The second thing I noticed was the reason the road disappeared was because it took a healthy downturn.  I should have let off the throttle, downshifted and gotten back behind him.  Instead I put on gas and pushed in front.  Then I saw it was not only a downgrade but a sharp right turn.  (Japan drives on the left side of the road.)

I enter the turn gate too fast by far and in the middle of the right lane instead of on the left side of the left lane.  I knew immediately I wasn't going to make the turn.  About 10 degrees into the turn is the start of a guardrail.  In my inexperienced mind my choices are attempt the turn with a probably low side riding into the guardrail or continue straight and go off the road before the guardrail starts.  If there is no guardrail it can't be too bad, right?  Additionally Japan rarely covers their gutters and drainage ditches. Both sides of the road have a cement lined open gutter about a foot across and two feet deep.  

I drop the throttle, think about down shifting (not sure if I did or not) and go straight.  After crossing the gutter somewhere above 45 degrees (required slight turn to the left) as to not catch the front wheel (but I still dinged the left side of the front rim) in the ditch and do a hard high side, I go airborne.  I had been hoping for a slight uphill if not a flat area but it was actually a pretty big drop.   If I had been the road engineer I might have pushed the guardrail north 10 meters or so.  The speed limit on the road was 40KPH.  Both the car and I were too fast to begin with and I had just passed him.  My days as a dirt bike rider came back and I though, "No rocks, minimal trees and branches (one of which I just broke with my front brake lever and right shoulder, and WTF just hit me in the face!?) lots of dirt but oh, it's so far down!"  As I went off the road my first thought was Thank God this isn't a cliff over the ocean and my second thought was that is really, really far.  Afterward, looking up I estimated it to be about 15 feet.

I distinctly remember deciding to push off the bike and get some separation.  When I picked myself up out of the dirt I did not have to lift the bike, which was on it's left side, to do so.  However, from the bruise on the inside of my left foot and the fact that my left peg was nowhere to be found I'm assuming I was still standing on the pegs when I landed.  It is all a bit hazy.

Bike landed on it's left side, front wheel about 3 inches from another cement lined open drainage ditch at the bottom of this ravine.  I was mostly to the right of the bike when I stood up but if I had been riding it all the way down and ended up under it I would have laid across that ditch somewhere between shoulder and lower rib level.  As I did my body inventory I was amazed to find no broken bones, bleeding or real pain.  Three Japanese riders, who I had probably passed in the proceeding 5 minutes, stopped and help me push the bike up a different path back to the road.  The one I had come down was so steep you had to slide down on your ass, walking wasn't an option.

The front brake level was gone.  The mounting bracket had snapped.  I found the lever near the bike.  The left side of the handlebar was bend well forward.  The left foot peg holder plate had snapped at both connection points, muffler still attached.  The rod connecting the shifter to the gearchange control lever was still attached and not bent (amazingly).  Rear left turn indicator was broken but still attached by cord.   Spring for side stand was gone but found in the leaves after.

As I was lifting the bike up and looking for bits and pieces I noticed an old road sign laying just uphill of where I landed.  The metal bracket that connected the sign to a post was sticking up about 18 inches looking like a jagged metal claw.  I was very lucky I hadn't slowed down any more before I went over the edge.  

Overall my aches and the minimal damage to the bike are dumb luck. I disconnected the rod from the gearchange lever and put the plate and muffler under my net bag on the back.  I jury-rigged a tie for the sidestand so it wouldn't drag and, since I was unable to shift gears and would have to deal with lots of traffic lights, manually put it in 2nd gear and then rode it 80 kilometers home after my insurance informed me I didn't have unlimited towing.  Riding with one hand is no big deal, and I could reach the clutch by leaning way forward at lights and other stops.  The hardest part was having no footpeg (boot on the casing which caused a bit of paint peeling) and the very loud left side sans muffler, especially going through the tunnels.  Wow.

As this is my first wreck I don't know if I'm as lucky as I feel or if this is just another day.  I kind of wish my first lay down was a low side going into a curve instead of launching down a ravine.  I was planning on going back to visit when I get the bike put back together but I don't think I can wait that long.  I feel like a noob and have to go back to remove that road sign before this becomes the ogre in my mental closet.  

Sorry for the long read, thanks for listening.  Pictures and parts numbers to follow shortly in another forum.

[wiggsmeister]

Here's a crash I had a few months ago on Mulholland Highway. I'm the first bike. Looks like a bump in the road jogged my suspension, slowed me down a bit, forced me to lean over just a bit further and caused me to scrape my peg. At that point my suspension was all out of whack along with my body position so I couldn't save it.

Lowside Crash - Ducati Monster & Suzuki SV650

The good comments on youtube were pretty reasonable but I thought I'd share!

Any tips or insights are always appreciated!

[justin123560]

It's downhill from here.

Incident Date: 9/16/2014

Lesson Learned: Always have my GoPro and ALWAYS REMEMBER CARS WANT TO KILL YOU

Video of entire incident will be up shortly.

[Rudemouthsky]

It's downhill from here.

Incident Date: 9/16/2014

Lesson Learned: Always have my GoPro and ALWAYS REMEMBER CARS WANT TO KILL YOU

Video of entire incident will be up shortly.

 

[justin123560]

[Rudemouthsky]

Wow, you're way more patient than me. I tolerated 30 seconds of that womans drivel.

"That lady let me across so, what?" Arrrgh so fukn DUMB.

So how'd it play out? She cut you off, you went down, she's at fault.

[justin123560]

Wow, you're way more patient than me. I tolerated 30 seconds of that womans drivel.

"That lady let me across so, what?" Arrrgh so fukn DUMB.

So how'd it play out? She cut you off, you went down, she's at fault.

I was just upset because I just got my bike serviced by Nick. What made me angry was that she LEFT! If you notice towards the end of the video I looked back and she was long gone.

She had dealer plates on so I am working with the CHP, the dealership and my insurance company to track her down.

[Howie]

As Buck said, clearly you had right of way.  I can't say about California, but, AFAIK, since your vehicle did not contact hers she might not be considered at fault.  Most important is you seem to not be injured.  Keep us posted

[justin123560]

As Buck said, clearly you had right of way.  I can't say about California, but, AFAIK, since your vehicle did not contact hers she might not be considered at fault.  Most important is you seem to not be injured.  Keep us posted

I don't know either. My insurance company said since she caused the unsafe situation and admitted fault she could be liable. On top of that she also left the scene of an accident she caused and she was being somewhat hostile towards myself and other drivers. This is all what my insurance company said but we will see.

[Rudemouthsky]

This person's behavior literally sums up why I despise humans. Cognitive dissonance...if the truth is inconvenient in any way, come up with some ridiculous "logic" to debunk it. And her first impulse was to get defensive instead of demonstrate concern for the damage she caused to you and your bike. I can see why you were at a bit of a loss for words...where do you even begin with debating someone who thinks the earth is flat and the moon is made of cheese?

[The ModFather]

I was in almost the exact same type of accident and the police officer found the driver at fault because I had the right of way. She cant come in perpendicularly in the middle of a road and block your right of way like that. Additionally if she had looked properly before proceeding in to your lane she would've seen you coming so she was clearly negligent. I also encountered ignorance and defiance but the Police set that straight. I think what needs to be added to lessons learned from your video is:

Call Police ASAP
Exchange information with the other person asap. (Can you imagine if you didnt have your GoPro?)

Keep us posted on how this turns out with this ignorant woman. Glad you are ok.

[Rudemouthsky]

I'm pretty disappointed that not a single person stopped to back you up as a witness and also make sure you were ok.

[justin123560]

I think I was in shock that's why I wasn't thinking clearly afterwards. If you slow down the video after I pick up the bike you can clearly see a LAPD patrol car pass by. There was also a CHP officer in the same plaza she came out of. No one stopped because it's california and this lady scared off that guy in the blue civic. I'm going to The CHP office tomorrow