Well I crashed this week...

[pnut]

I was riding from Santa Monica to my girlfriend's house in Glendale on Monday.  Traffic on the 10 was aweful, so I decide to take Alvarado as a shortcut to the 2.  There was no traffic at all on my side of the street but the oposite direction was backed up due to road construction.  I passed a motorcyclist going the oposite direction and he gave him the wave, and he responded with a pat ont the top of his helmet signalling there were cops ahead, so I slowed down to the posted limit of 30.  As I pass Beverly bl. The oposite side is completely stopped.  As I'm cruising along in the #1 lane a car suddenly crosses alvarado from The left from some minor street right in front of me!  I had probably 10 feet to stop. 

The rest is kind of a blur, but I remember grabbing the front breaks, then slamming to the asphalt on my right shoulder and sliding accross the asphalt.  I remember seeing the car take off as I was still sliding, and just being filled with rage.  All I could think of was wishing that I would stop sliding so that I could go after that a hole!  When I finally stopped sliding, my bike was about 15 feet away from me.  I ran over to the bike and lifted it up and pushed it to the side of alvarado.  What made me even more pissed was that no one cared to stop to help or see if I was okay.

I was kind of working off emotion and not thinking clearly, but i started up the bike and rode to my girlfriends house.  Since I didn't think I made contact with the car, it would not be considered a hit and run,  I didn't get a good look at the car, and even though there were a thousand witnesses that all took off, what was the use of waiting for the police to make a report. 

After assessing the damage at my girlfriends house, it looked like my rizoma bar ends and sliders took the brunt of crash.  I'm gonna need new pegs for my rizoma rearsets too.  It also looks like I bent my left side steering stop.  Looking at the damage, I also realized that I think I hit the car and was thrown because there was some white paint on my fender.

Thank god for leathers too.  My dainese jacket now has a hole the size of a dime in the right shoulder.  I sure if I wasn't wearing it i would have broken my shoulder or collar bone.  I'm posting this to vent more than anything.  I'm still pissed when I think about it, but this helped a little.   

[rockgarden]

Glad you are OK. I live just south in Manhattan Beach and will keep a lookout for a car with red paint on it. Will stop them and give them a serious beat-down first...then ask questions. Seriously, you just can't be too careful in LA!

[orangelion03]

Glad you are relatively unhurt!  And the bike doesnt sound too bad. 

The dickhead "didnt see you" so why should he stop, right? 

After the fact that you and your bike are OK, I am truly aghast that NO ONE stopped to see if you needed assistance!!!  What kind of world are we living in that we dont even care enough to help someone in possible distress?  I have always stopped to help if there is no one else already helping, be it a broken down car or motorcycle, a bicycle rider with a flat, or once a fellow that I saw collapse at a pay phone while I was driving by.  It's just common decency.

Do no harm, be kind.

[Scotzman]

Someone on the board had a similar story, pretty much a car caused the accident (did not touch) and fled and it's still considered a hit and run. Some lawyers/ were explaining it. So he would've been at fault IF someone got any info.

Awesome that you rode away though.

[zLoki]

Good to hear you are OK.  I've been considering a camera on the bike for just such occasions.

[hbliam]

You don't have to have contact to be considered the cause of an accident. The guy still fled the scene of an accident that he caused but hit and run would be extremely difficult to prove (not to mention a criminal matter which doesn't get your bike fixed) in that situation.

[Privateer]

glad you're OK.

I'm convinced, from the minor accidents I've been in, bike and car, if you're not in immediate danger, lay there like you're dead until someone stops.

It wouldn't surprise me if the other driver was unlicensed, unregistered, uninsured, or driving on suspended license.

It's amazing how people can have so little regard for another human being.

[Nakedsuperbiker]

To live and die in LA.
Having rode here all my life I have had too many close calls with cars.

Well At least you rode away.
Ride like noone sees you in LaLa land.

Thanks for sharing got pics?

[madmatt]

Thanks for sharing got pics?

What kind of pics, nakedsuperbiker?

[pnut]

Just got my bike back together thanks to quick service from PJ's Parts.  didn't get any pics of the before though.  I can get some pics of my leathers later. 

[MetalDuc]

Just got my bike back together thanks to quick service from PJ's Parts.  didn't get any pics of the before though.  I can get some pics of my leathers later.  

pnut,

Sorry to hear about your accident. I hate when cars do that. One lane stops as if it is ok for somebody to come out and the other lane is still moving oblivious to what is going on. I appreciate courtesy but there is a time and a place. I have been the person waiting to come across traffic and I sit there knowing the #2 lane has no idea what is going on. Then after frantically waiving me out the #1 lane driver gets all miffed because they made the effort to stop and waive me out and can't figure out why I won't come across  

On the bike it is extra heart stopping as you are lane splitting up and a car comes out of nowhere. People making the cross traffic run should be responsible in that situation an creep across very slowly. That never happens in real world.

Glad to hear you are ok and PJs got you all hooked up.