Crash Analysis: learning from our mistakes

[Popeye the Sailor]

I am concerned that I'm seeing a lot of posts about how one could've braked better, or swerved better to say, avoid a car that stopped too quickly.


How about we lend some thought to not putting ourselves in that position in the first place? If the car in front of you coming to an emergemcy stop is enough to make you grab a handful of brake and end up on the ground, well, you're too close.

[Spck31]

I am concerned that I'm seeing a lot of posts about how one could've braked better, or swerved better to say, avoid a car that stopped too quickly.


How about we lend some thought to not putting ourselves in that position in the first place? If the car in front of you coming to an emergemcy stop is enough to make you grab a handful of brake and end up on the ground, well, you're too close.

+1

[Slow Guy]

Brief summary of the crash
After an awesome ride with friends in San Diego a young lady in a mini truck merged into me.  I was sent sliding head first into the curb on the other side of the intersection, knocking me the f**k out and giving me a pretty decent concussion.  I broke my thumb and had road rash all over, close to the bones on my knee causing some pretty nifty scars (left knee looks like Africa and the right looks like Australia).
Funny thing is it was one of the very few times I was doing the speed limit on this road.


What you did right
Actually couldn't tell ya as I don't remember anything...kinda lucky in that regard.

What you did wrong
From what my friends that were with me said I really should have just gotten passed her quicker as I was (i think) in her blind spot for a second too long.

How could it have been avoided
I should have either blipped past her or slowed a bit until there was room to either blip or change lanes. 

[Slow Guy]

This is write up for my wifes wreck:

Brief summary of the crash
After a long day at work, after crossing a busy highway, a driver flipped a pregnant dog in front of me from going from the right shoulder to the other side of the street.  Having ridden classic Vespa scooters for years I didn't have enough faith in my brakes to stop in time.  I attempted to accelerate around the nose of the car and almost made it.  The bumper of the car caught me on the right thigh and threw me across the hood.  After sliding about 75-100 ft on my back I finally came to a stop in on coming traffic which luckily didn't squish me.  The accident got me a really neat scar where they put the titanium rod down my femur that was broken in 2 places.

What you did right
I was watching the driver and saw that he didn't look around to see if anyone was coming. 

What you did wrong
Should have trusted my motorcycles brakes and not tried to shoot around the nose of the car.

How could it have been avoided
I should have taken my BMW out and learned the bike.  I should have trusted my ABS brakes enough to stop me.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Both of those last two were a failure of the rider to be adequately aware of their surroundings.

First one, from the road rash sounds like improper gear-buy some. From the car merged into me bit-well, why weren't you watching them while passing? Or then passing them in an area where you had a cushion? Why were you riding in a blind spot?

Second one-emergency braking should be practiced so one knows what the machine is capable of. It was even stated they saw the driver not looking around, and what then....hoped they weren't going to move? Rider should have slowed down to allow for an increased cushion or additional time to brake.

Trusting the other drivers on the road to actually pay attention to anything other than their iphone will get you killed. Knock it off.

[SacDuc]

Down today. 

Brief summary: Bacon Junkie went out for a ride on our local twisties. I was on my new 900SS for its first hard flogging since I got her. After a good four hours or hard riding we were tired and nearing the end of the good roads. ended up behind some cars and that as pretty much it for the aggressive riding. we had an awesome day, we were tired and we were nearing the end of the good roads. The pushing it as over. After we passed the cars we maintained a reasonable pace. But just a few corners later I make the beast with two backsed up anyway.

The thing about the SS that is very different from the monster is that it tips into corners much much quicker. I was fighting a severe case of premature apexulation all day long. This time it bit me. I leaned into a corner much too early and ended up catching my front tire in a groove they put the road reflectors in. Not the first time I did that that day. But this time it made my front end wobble. The bike stood right up. I grabbed the brake and tried to wrench her back over. And I damn near made it.

But not quite. I found myself on the shoulder. So I eased off of the brake and straightened her up as I didn't want to wash out the front end in the gravel. The shoulder as only 2 feet wide. On my left as nice smooth pavement. On my right as a small berm and very steep 25 foot drop. No guard rail. I managed to get the bike settled on the gravel after about 30-40 yards. And of course once I got her under control I listened to the voice in my head that as screaming "HOLY  make the beast with two backs GET THE make the beast with two backs BACK ON THE make the beast with two backsING ROAD!!" So I tried. But I failed to notice the edge trap. The shoulder as 2 or 3 inches lower than the road. Bam, over I went. what as nearly my spectacular save ended up being my first real get off. I went into that corner at about 45-50mph and by the time I went down I as probably doing 25ish. I slide about

what I did right: Other than breaking and steering properly in the gravel to get her back under control, not much. The events that caused the accident ere all completely my fault. But I was completely geared up. I little rash on my leg where my leathers ripped and a swollen thumb here the clip on as pushed into me was all that happened.

what I did wrong: The thing I question the most is what I did when my front end wobbled. Did the bike stand up because of the wobble or because I tensed up and grabbed too much brake. Probably the latter. Had I simply road out the wobble and focused my effort on leaning to make it around the turn I probably could have avoided the shoulder altogether. As far as hitting the edge trap goes, I don't know that I ever would have been able to convince my brain not to get off of that gravel, away from the precipice and onto the pavement. But ideally I would have recognized the edge trap and brought the bike to a stop on the gravel shoulder. Not hitting the make the beast with two backsing groove in the first place would have been a good idea as well.

How it could have been avoided: Not being dumb would have helped. Otherwise I think I covered that above. For all of the high speed racer boy shit we did all day, I certainly wouldn't have guessed that a nice smooth corner at a moderate pace as here I would dump it. I should have been more familiar with my new bike before I took it out like that.

Please people, wear you gear. For me it made the difference between riding home on my bike and riding to the hospital in an ambulance. I have to mention the amazingly nice guy that stopped to help me out. After making sure I was okay he got out his tool kit and got my pipe back on and my clip on turned enough so that it as usable. And a big thanks to Bacon Junkie for noticing that my kick stand spring as gone and for cutting off his on shoelace to tie it up for me. Thank you my brother.


sac

[The Bacon Junkie]

Glad we got you back to your woman (and puppies)... 

For a little perspective, the speed limit on that section of road is 55mph.

There are turnouts for slower traffic every 1/2 mile or so...  We passed the few vehicles after they pulled over for us.

I went through that corner ahead of Carl at about 40ish. 

Originally, Carl told me he thought he lost the front end in the gravel.  But, as I walked back to where he exited the tarmac, I could see his tire tracks curve off the road, through the gravel, and back towards the road.  He totally saved it.    But, unfortunately, the road surface was a few inches higher than the shoulder and the was enough to knock his front wheel back into the gravel. 

Thanks to another Ducatista, Rich Behrle, on his '83 Pantah 600 for chasing me down and letting me know Carl had a get-off...   
 

[TiNi]

glad you're ok sac

[Grampa]

did you check tire pressures before leaving?

Tosatapanes front tire does not hold air as well as the rear and the bike has a tendency to dive into corners when air pressure drops below 32psi. I've been told it's a combination of the front forks needing to be serviced and figuring out where her slow leak is coming from. The difference between 34 psi and 32 is kinda frightening.

[orangelion03]

DUUUUDE!!!!   Glad you are OK!!!  No wonder I didnt hear back from Ryann last night (I was worried and texted you this morning).  I effing hate those submerged reflectors on the 33.

Was it on the Ojai downhill side where the campgrounds are, bellow Rose Valley and above the tunnels?

[Howie]

Glad you are pretty much OK.

[Cloner]

That sucks, SacDuc.  I hate to see a slab-sider fall down.  What's buggered up, and what's OK?  Is she salvageable?  Are you salvageable?  Do you have any idea what White Boy parts are worth these days in good condition....even after a get-off?!?  

I sure hope you're OK.  There's no preparing for crap like that edge trap, I think.  Shoulder to road surface transitions are unpredicatable at best, especially in rural areas.  Try not to beat yourself up over something you lived through without major injury.  Second guessing is easy, but analysis is more advantageous.

Since you followed Ryan for a while, can you tell us how Helga's ass looks at speed?

Cloner
ABQ, NM

[SacDuc]

Thanks 'Tini.   

Joel, tire pressure was checked that morning.

Robert, we were on the down hill side coming into Ojai but before the tunnels.

Thanks howie. I'm sore this morning but yeah, pretty much okay.

Cloner, The bike is in good shape. The left clip on took the brunt of it. Lots of other little bits dinged, but the engine case, frame and forks all look good. She will get a thorough inspection over the course of this week and I'll be making a 'parts needed' list. I'm doing okay too. Right thumb is very swollen and I have a little rash on my left leg. Not too bad. Helga's ass =    However Ryan's ass = 

One of the first things Ryan says to me hen he gets to the scene is "Hey, you got your knee down!"

 


 


sac

[Cloner]

One of the first things Ryan says to me hen he gets to the scene is "Hey, you got your knee down!"

Always look on the bright side of life.........  (Monte Python's The Life of Brian)

Holler when you get a list together.  I may have a few of the bits you need that I'll part with cheap......like really cheap. 

[The Bacon Junkie]

Luckily, the paint guy sold him the wrong clear coat for his fairings, so when he applied it, it actually stripped the paint! 

If not for that, he would have had freshly painted fairings on the bike and the damage could have been much worse...  Also, there's a fairing stay down near the bottom of the bike that seems to have taken a bit of the force from the fall, and saved the side covers from some serious damage as well.