50 years riding, and first crash -- in the ER
- Thread starter oldapeman
- Start date
dboylangky
Well-known member
wishing you a speedy recovery
redruM
Peripheral Visionary
Lunch Box
Useful idiot
None of us knows whether or not he could have avoided this incident. Yes, we all know that nothing like this could happen to you. Unfortunately, the rest of us aren't as gifted, and must rely on our imperfect human skills to keep us out of trouble. Let's save the crash analysis for another thread, shall we?
OP, I hope you bounce back from this. Sounds like you're through the worst of it, and just have to focus on mending up and getting better. Hang in there, and don't hesitate to call upon your BARF family if you need anything.
Cabrito
cabrón
Heal up.. Glad you made it okay, but sorry about how painful it is.
I'm happy to help you with your bike if you need help picking it up. I might be able to help with short term storage if needed. I'm in the city.
50 years is darned good. I guess it's true when they say it not if, but when you crash.
I'm happy to help you with your bike if you need help picking it up. I might be able to help with short term storage if needed. I'm in the city.
50 years is darned good. I guess it's true when they say it not if, but when you crash.
oldapeman
Rookie My A$$!
To All,
Again, thank you for your thoughts and your constructive input. I still feel like I was slammed into the asphalt by an even larger gorilla. The bruises are starting to show, and I have an area of about 8" X 16" that is deep dark purple running from my kidneys to about halfway down my left thigh. My shoulder is useless for lifting anything more than a coffee cup, and my left ankle is in a compression brace. It likes being iced, and I can now walk for short distances before I need to stop and elevate.
I know all the riding tips are meant to be very constructive, and I take them that way. However, until the driver or her insurer pays off I will not discuss more of the specifics of the collision. I have my priorities.
That said, let me say this about the riding suggestions: What you are all describing presumes a far different scene than a narrow urban street with a bad road surface, nearly invisible lane markings, double-parked cars and trucks, vehicles (taxicabs and buses) in the oncoming direction that routinely ignore the center yellow lines and swing three feet into the opposite lane, and so much traffic that at all moments a rider is traveling within 2-8 feet of at least 5 vehicles going in different directions and at different speeds, with a few jaywalking pedestrians thrown in for additional interest. The only saving grace is that it is generally too crowded for anyone in a car, bus or truck to travel at high speed for any significant distance. It is nothing like a crowded suburban area with wide lanes and clearly defined markings. It is more like being in a jammed subway train when the doors open, except each passenger is in a different vehicle, almost all much larger than you. Beep beep.
Again, thank you for your thoughts and your constructive input. I still feel like I was slammed into the asphalt by an even larger gorilla. The bruises are starting to show, and I have an area of about 8" X 16" that is deep dark purple running from my kidneys to about halfway down my left thigh. My shoulder is useless for lifting anything more than a coffee cup, and my left ankle is in a compression brace. It likes being iced, and I can now walk for short distances before I need to stop and elevate.
I know all the riding tips are meant to be very constructive, and I take them that way. However, until the driver or her insurer pays off I will not discuss more of the specifics of the collision. I have my priorities.
That said, let me say this about the riding suggestions: What you are all describing presumes a far different scene than a narrow urban street with a bad road surface, nearly invisible lane markings, double-parked cars and trucks, vehicles (taxicabs and buses) in the oncoming direction that routinely ignore the center yellow lines and swing three feet into the opposite lane, and so much traffic that at all moments a rider is traveling within 2-8 feet of at least 5 vehicles going in different directions and at different speeds, with a few jaywalking pedestrians thrown in for additional interest. The only saving grace is that it is generally too crowded for anyone in a car, bus or truck to travel at high speed for any significant distance. It is nothing like a crowded suburban area with wide lanes and clearly defined markings. It is more like being in a jammed subway train when the doors open, except each passenger is in a different vehicle, almost all much larger than you. Beep beep.
Posting while in the ER doesn't mean you are in the clear. I was in the ICU and posting on FB and they weren't even sure I was gonna make it, or in the clear anyway.
I suggest you post in Riders on the Mend.
Budman started that just for such occasions.
Seems nothing was broken and you are likely to make a full recovery?
Great! Best to you.
BTW, your garage looks like Corey's. What is it with you guys and those old KZs?
I suggest you post in Riders on the Mend.
Budman started that just for such occasions.
Seems nothing was broken and you are likely to make a full recovery?
Great! Best to you.
BTW, your garage looks like Corey's. What is it with you guys and those old KZs?
Gixxergirl1000
AFM #731
The bruising sounds awful!!! You might want to order a little Arnica Salve to help that... (http://www.kerstinskraeuter.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2661510 <--- Good stuff!
Really glad that you're up and somewhat mobile, and truly, if there's anything I can do to help, I hope you'll let me know!
Get well, and I hope you're back on 2 wheels faster than you think will!
EastBayDave
- Kawasaki Fanatic -
Get well soon OM. You are now a member of OFAB ("Old Farts Anomalous Bailers"), if I spelled that right. 50 years is quite the accomplishment. It's only since 99' for me on the 1100; washed the front on some gravel on Port Chicago Road.....
So don't worry about it, everyone bails sooner or later, & GET WELL SOON!!!
So don't worry about it, everyone bails sooner or later, & GET WELL SOON!!!
oldapeman
Rookie My A$$!
I finally retrieved the bike today. $830 or so and 7 hours later it is now in Corte Madera at my gf's place. It started right up, but I had it towed home because I am not confident it is safe to ride 30 miles and across the GG Bridge.
I paid the release ransom at Auto return on 7th St, SF, but had to travel to their impound lot in Daly City to get the bike. After I got their it took an hour before their lot man arrived, then another hour walking around the lot looking for the bike. Finally we ran into another lot guy who told us we should look inside, in an entirely different part of the facility. There she was.
Even though AAA had promised to be there an hour earlier, they were not there yet, so after a once over I rode it out of the impound to the public's parking lot out front to wait for AAA. Once outside in the daylight I took closer look, and a few pics. It looked good from a distance, but closer inspection showed the obvious damage:
Broken left mirror/ mount
Broken left front turn signal
Broken front fairing panel
Broken sidelight and "wind wing"
Scraped left side front lower panel
Scraped wind scoop, left side
Missing fairing trim, left side
Damaged left side bag
And if I am seeing things correctly BENT FORK TUBES!!!
On an old bike like mine I am thinking the insurance company will call it totaled.
So, here are a few pics:
After waiting a couple more hours! AAA tow finally arrived, an delivered her as they promised (except late).
In traipsing around the storage lot and riding the bike I overtaxed my sprained ankle and bruised body, so I am now lying down drinking a nice red wine. Damn, I do not tolerate injury very well. I hate limping around and feeling achy.
Of course, I still do not have the police report, so I cannot process my claim against the driver and her insurance since I have no ID or policy info. Will try again Monday.
Thanks for the support, BARFers. Maybe I will come out to the next gathering and tell my crash story.
I paid the release ransom at Auto return on 7th St, SF, but had to travel to their impound lot in Daly City to get the bike. After I got their it took an hour before their lot man arrived, then another hour walking around the lot looking for the bike. Finally we ran into another lot guy who told us we should look inside, in an entirely different part of the facility. There she was.
Even though AAA had promised to be there an hour earlier, they were not there yet, so after a once over I rode it out of the impound to the public's parking lot out front to wait for AAA. Once outside in the daylight I took closer look, and a few pics. It looked good from a distance, but closer inspection showed the obvious damage:
Broken left mirror/ mount
Broken left front turn signal
Broken front fairing panel
Broken sidelight and "wind wing"
Scraped left side front lower panel
Scraped wind scoop, left side
Missing fairing trim, left side
Damaged left side bag
And if I am seeing things correctly BENT FORK TUBES!!!
On an old bike like mine I am thinking the insurance company will call it totaled.
So, here are a few pics:
After waiting a couple more hours! AAA tow finally arrived, an delivered her as they promised (except late).
In traipsing around the storage lot and riding the bike I overtaxed my sprained ankle and bruised body, so I am now lying down drinking a nice red wine. Damn, I do not tolerate injury very well. I hate limping around and feeling achy.
Of course, I still do not have the police report, so I cannot process my claim against the driver and her insurance since I have no ID or policy info. Will try again Monday.
Thanks for the support, BARFers. Maybe I will come out to the next gathering and tell my crash story.
Glad you're alright, if not a little bruised and battered.:thumbup Man, 50 is pretty good especially for a guy who rides alot! Hoping everything works out with the insurance and you get a fat check!
Rest up with a lil of that red wine, get well soon! Let us know anything you need
Rest up with a lil of that red wine, get well soon! Let us know anything you need
ThumperX
Well-known member
Hey great to hear you are out and about :thumbup
Even SFPD should have Pg 1 of the report ready. I know it's a hassle but see if you can at least get that first page. Usually they have that ready within 24 hours. I'm also surprised you have not been contacted by the driver's insurance unless they have not filed a claim.
Even SFPD should have Pg 1 of the report ready. I know it's a hassle but see if you can at least get that first page. Usually they have that ready within 24 hours. I'm also surprised you have not been contacted by the driver's insurance unless they have not filed a claim.
GAJ
Well-known member
Banjoboy
Get over yerself!!!
Thar, I dun fixed it fer ya! :laughingHey guys... unless you've ridden 50 crash free years STFU!!! Because I'm betting that all the questions and "helpful" suggestions are sounding/feeling a LOT like kicking someone when he's down (yeah, that's pretty much how it's coming across, FYI).
Sweetie, so sorry to hear about your crash, and that you're so ouchy right now... please know that if there's anything at all that I can do to help, you have only to ask... and if you need the help, you'd better not plan on going with the "cowboy up" approach and not ask... :|
So glad that you came through this without breaking anything, or worse... and so bummed that your excellent 50-year crash-free run has come to an end... but you'll be back on your feet soon enough, and then time to plan on another 50 years!
Again, if there's anything AT ALL that I can do to help or coordinate, please be sure to let me know... and heal up quick!
Heal up ape man. :thumbup
oldapeman
Rookie My A$$!
Here is an update for the BARFers who might want to know how things have worked out:
After a lot of arguing, Progressive Insurance (her carrier and mine) attributed 100% fault to the other driver, and 0% to me. This was important because on my old bikes I only carry liability insurance, so I need to recover my damages from her policy.
The reason for the argument was that the cage driver claimed she veered to avoid a pedestrian but never left her lane, and that she never made contact with me. Through careful review of the police report I was able to make clear to the insurance adjuster that she did enter my lane (the officer's diagram, with detailed measurements, showed the front end of her car more than halfway across my lane when he arrived 5 minutes later). Also, I was able to prove contact was made by reason of the slight but perceptible bent forks on my bike. There was nothing else in the middle of the street that my front wheel could have hit except her front wheel/tire. (Likely the contact point was the leading edge of her tire at full left turn as she veered into me, so there was no visible damage to her car noted in the report.) I also made the alternative argument that even if there was no contact, she was the cause of the accident by veering into my lane. I know there was contact though, so I continued to press that and the bent forks as evidence.
Bottom line is that they declared my bike a total loss, but let me keep it for only a $250 reduction in the payout for property damage. They covered the value of the bike, my helmet, my jacket, and all towing and storage fees, plus a little extra for loss of use. They did not overpay me, but they did not short me by enough to matter at this stage. I can at least replace the forks with a used set from a salvage yard, and I can live with the minor scrapes and cracks in the fairings while I decide if I want to toss money toward another bike.
The next stage will be to recover for my personal injuries. That will be more complex and time consuming, since I need to make sure I have no long term disabilities or issues before I settle. Also, a portion of the recovery will go to my medical insurers since they have already covered my hospital and doctor visits. I am going to start some physical therapy soon, so we will see how that goes.
Lessons learned: 1. Even I can crash, and narrow busy city streets are a more likely place for it to happen. 2. It would have been worse at high speed. 3. After they screw up some people lie. 4. The SFPD did an excellent job of investigating and documenting the accident scene in their report. 5. OMG it hurt like hell, and the bruising and soft tissue injuries take a while to recover from. 6. I am oldapeman, not Superman.
After a lot of arguing, Progressive Insurance (her carrier and mine) attributed 100% fault to the other driver, and 0% to me. This was important because on my old bikes I only carry liability insurance, so I need to recover my damages from her policy.
The reason for the argument was that the cage driver claimed she veered to avoid a pedestrian but never left her lane, and that she never made contact with me. Through careful review of the police report I was able to make clear to the insurance adjuster that she did enter my lane (the officer's diagram, with detailed measurements, showed the front end of her car more than halfway across my lane when he arrived 5 minutes later). Also, I was able to prove contact was made by reason of the slight but perceptible bent forks on my bike. There was nothing else in the middle of the street that my front wheel could have hit except her front wheel/tire. (Likely the contact point was the leading edge of her tire at full left turn as she veered into me, so there was no visible damage to her car noted in the report.) I also made the alternative argument that even if there was no contact, she was the cause of the accident by veering into my lane. I know there was contact though, so I continued to press that and the bent forks as evidence.
Bottom line is that they declared my bike a total loss, but let me keep it for only a $250 reduction in the payout for property damage. They covered the value of the bike, my helmet, my jacket, and all towing and storage fees, plus a little extra for loss of use. They did not overpay me, but they did not short me by enough to matter at this stage. I can at least replace the forks with a used set from a salvage yard, and I can live with the minor scrapes and cracks in the fairings while I decide if I want to toss money toward another bike.
The next stage will be to recover for my personal injuries. That will be more complex and time consuming, since I need to make sure I have no long term disabilities or issues before I settle. Also, a portion of the recovery will go to my medical insurers since they have already covered my hospital and doctor visits. I am going to start some physical therapy soon, so we will see how that goes.
Lessons learned: 1. Even I can crash, and narrow busy city streets are a more likely place for it to happen. 2. It would have been worse at high speed. 3. After they screw up some people lie. 4. The SFPD did an excellent job of investigating and documenting the accident scene in their report. 5. OMG it hurt like hell, and the bruising and soft tissue injuries take a while to recover from. 6. I am oldapeman, not Superman.
