Fortunately, He's ok.. Unfortunately He crashed

[planegray]

Ok, so this is bugging me because I can't figure out what happened.


Tues 03-24-15 880 SB, on the overpass right before the High St/ Alameda exit, about 7:45 am

Traffic is moving along 60-80mph, I'm following a fellow rider to watch his moves ( you never know.. sometimes you learn something ) I'm about 3 cars behind him, in the #2 lane. I watch him start to go between two cars ( in the #1 and #2 lanes) and the next think I see is: he's at the tail of both cars with the handle bars fully locked to the left. The rider got tossed off and the bike went down.

What could possibly cause the handle bars to go full lock like that ?


( I think it was an FZ9, the rider was ok, with the help of a Limo driver we got back over to the right side of the fwy ( NO shoulders where this happened !! ) and he coasted down to the off-ramp..bike had a hole in the rt side cover, brake lever broken off, scratched up a bit)

 

[RightCoastBias]

Not sure, but it looks like the caller reported him as driving recklessly. From what you're saying, they seem to think his lane splitting was reckless.

Incident: 03/24/15 07:50 AM : Oakland : I880 S / I880 S High St Ofr :
Time Detail
Mar 24 2015 7:50AM MC VS UNK VEH
Mar 24 2015 7:51AM BLK #1 LN
Mar 24 2015 7:51AM BLKING LEFT LN
Mar 24 2015 7:51AM 1039 OAK FIRE
Mar 24 2015 8:02AM PER ANOTHER BLK SD / 5VNE006 (WAS 23103 PRIOR TO TC) VS MC
Mar 24 2015 8:06AM has closed their incident
Mar 24 2015 8:11AM -PER OAKLAND FIRE / LOCATED THE INV PRTYS AT HIGH X JENSEN // CHP NOT NEEDED TO RESPOND
1039 - MESSAGE OR ITEM DELIVERED 23103 - RECKLESS DRIVING

 

[Z3n]

Jammed rear brake thinking he wasn't going to make it, so he didn't, would be my guess. Not all tires show visible signs of locking/rubber transfer when you lock them anymore.

 

[planegray]

I don't know if I'd go so far as "reckless"... was definitely moving along though. I don't think that either of the vehicles, that he was attempting to pass, stopped.


wth would cause the bars to go full lock ?

edit: rear of the bike was to the right, bars were locked full left turn

 

[Z3n]

Getting that far out of line in the "wrong" direction either screams newbie who doesn't understand countersteering or similar such bad decisions. Maybe mashed both brakes while giving a steering input, so both tires just slid out.

 

[planegray]

Getting that far out of line in the "wrong" direction either screams newbie who doesn't understand countersteering or similar such bad decisions. Maybe mashed both brakes while giving a steering input, so both tires just slid out.

The guy didn't look like a noob, but ya never know

could front tire contact/ gyroscopic forces come into play ?

 

[bcv_west]

Guessing here, but I'd guess a tank slapper. Lose front end traction and the front end getting out of alignment with the bike's momentum. Hard braking could do that. Weight shifts forward, forks bottom out, tire bounces hard, brake still locked, tire gets out of alignment with the bike, whap whap. I'm sure the experts will jump in to correct me.

 

[planegray]

Guessing here, but I'd guess a tank slapper. Lose front end traction and the front end getting out of alignment with the bike's momentum. Hard braking could do that. Weight shifts forward, forks bottom out, tire bounces hard, brake still locked, tire gets out of alignment with the bike, whap whap. I'm sure the experts will jump in to correct me.

hmmmm ........ hard braking could definitely have been a factor

how about: front brake lever contacts car and locks front brakes ?

 

[Z3n]

hmmmm ........ hard braking could definitely have been a factor

how about: front brake lever contacts car and locks front brakes ?

Have definitely seen this happen, it's pretty violent when it does. Ask U26A1 about it. :laughing

 

[HappyHighwayman]

Would ABS be a help/factor in such a situation?

 

[JO EBRMC]

That was me. Planegray, I truly appreciate your assistance. While I was fine, the thought process is a little slow after sliding down the pavement.

What happened was a little weird. I went between cars in 1 and 2 and was moving pretty fast. As we came over the rise before High Street, traffic has a tendency to jam up so I let of a little but then the cars in front of me started hard braking. With a car close behind me on the right, I didn't want to jam on the brakes right there so I shifted a little to the left so he didn't rear-end me. Then I had the car in front stopping fast. That was expected and I wasn't worried about it - except that the brakes on the FZ-09 are worthless and give you next to no feel. That would have been raised my heart rate but wasn't a crash.

Then suddenly, the front just spun and let lose. Then I was on my ass sliding down the freeway. I couldn't figure out what had happened until I got home and found the front tire had some sort of waxy oily crap on it right where the scuff mark go perpendicular.

I bought that FZ in September and have 11k miles on it. I commute to Sunnyvale everyday and have for two years. I commuted across the bridge every day for a couple decades before that. This is the first accident I've had. Maybe I am still a n00b and reckless but I fear for my safety enough that at least I wear enough gear that falling off at 70MPH doesn't hurt.

 

[Z3n]

Assuming that the front lever hit the car, yes, it is a help, as the ABS will release the lever to stop the tire from locking or the bike from pulling a stoppie that can end with it getting out of line.

Assuming rider error on the brakes, yes, it also helps there, as the bike won't keep the tire locked.

Assuming slick stuff on the road, it'll still help but the rider may or may not go down anyways, depending on if they make it out of the slick line before the bike gets out of line, but at least they're not forcing additional braking load on the tires when it's trying to keep the bike upright.

That was me. Planegray, I truly appreciate your assistance. While I was fine, the thought process is a little slow after sliding down the pavement.

What happened was a little weird. I went between cars in 1 and 2 and was moving pretty fast. As we came over the rise before High Street, traffic has a tendency to jam up so I let of a little but then the cars in front of me started hard braking. With a car close behind me on the right, I didn't want to jam on the brakes right there so I shifted a little to the left so he didn't rear-end me. Then I had the car in front stopping fast. That was expected and I wasn't worried about it - except that the brakes on the FZ-09 are worthless and give you next to no feel. That would have been raised my heart rate but wasn't a crash.

Then suddenly, the front just spun and let lose. Then I was on my ass sliding down the freeway. I couldn't figure out what had happened until I got home and found the front tire had some sort of waxy oily crap on it right where the scuff mark go perpendicular.

I bought that FZ in September and have 11k miles on it. I commute to Sunnyvale everyday and have for two years. I commuted across the bridge every day for a couple decades before that. This is the first accident I've had. Maybe I am still a n00b and reckless but I fear for my safety enough that at least I wear enough gear that falling off at 70MPH doesn't hurt.

Ahh, shitty then - I retract earlier comments about noob riding. Was just assuming based on the typical accident, which seems to nearly always be making noob mistakes. :laughing

I will say, though, as a general rule - this is why I try to avoid hard braking the on the street wherever possible. Conditions are just too fucking inconsistent to trust hammering on the brakes all the time. Not meant as a slight towards you or anything (especially not knowing more about the situation), just a general piece of advice for readers to consider about how they approach riding on the street.

Hope the bike is ok and glad you're alright!

 

[Lunch Box]

Jerry, I'm glad to hear that you're OK. :thumbup

 

[GPzPop]

definately bubble gum on the road surface

Glad to hear you are OK from that, Jerry

 

[doc4216]

That was me. Maybe I am still a n00b and reckless but I fear for my safety enough that at least I wear enough gear that falling off at 70MPH doesn't hurt.

My biggest fear is not an accident but an accident at 70MPH on the highway. I am so glad you are okay and walked away from it!

PS. If you need help in that area again, hit me up...I work on Coast Guard Island.

 

[JakesKTM]

I too am glad you're okay. Sounds like you hit a slick and jammed up he front end under braking. Great to hear Stephens got your six out there BARF

 

[1962siia]

Bummer that this happened. Glad you're ok. Hope the fz09 isnt too damaged.

 

[DTM74]

Glad you're ok Jerry. Hope your bike isn't too damaged. Did you hit some oil in the road.

I've had someone cut me off and I jammed on the brakes so abruptly I locked the front wheel but immediately released and applied firm braking...definitely an oh shit moment and I agree, the brakes on the 09 could be better.

Glad your ok.

 

[hophead]

That was me. Planegray, I truly appreciate your assistance. While I was fine, the thought process is a little slow after sliding down the pavement.

What happened was a little weird. I went between cars in 1 and 2 and was moving pretty fast. As we came over the rise before High Street, traffic has a tendency to jam up so I let of a little but then the cars in front of me started hard braking. With a car close behind me on the right, I didn't want to jam on the brakes right there so I shifted a little to the left so he didn't rear-end me. Then I had the car in front stopping fast. That was expected and I wasn't worried about it - except that the brakes on the FZ-09 are worthless and give you next to no feel. That would have been raised my heart rate but wasn't a crash.

Then suddenly, the front just spun and let lose. Then I was on my ass sliding down the freeway. I couldn't figure out what had happened until I got home and found the front tire had some sort of waxy oily crap on it right where the scuff mark go perpendicular.

I bought that FZ in September and have 11k miles on it. I commute to Sunnyvale everyday and have for two years. I commuted across the bridge every day for a couple decades before that. This is the first accident I've had. Maybe I am still a n00b and reckless but I fear for my safety enough that at least I wear enough gear that falling off at 70MPH doesn't hurt.

Dayum...so glad to hear you are ok j:thumbup

 

[JO EBRMC]

Thanks everyone. I forgot to mention the bike. I broke a lever and ground a small hole in the clutch cover. Under $100 to fix and I'll be riding it up to Placerville this weekend.