sounds exactly like my crash.BuddyRaton wrote: This was the soon to be infamous Amerivespa Lookout Mountain Ride. It had been raining and the roads were wet. I was coming down a hill to a stop sign with the rest of the group. Two guys towards the front of the pack went down. I started to brake and fishtailed a little...eased the brakes on and kept gaining speed, braked a little more and down I went.
It was a rough day for everyone. When I stood up the road was so slick that my feet went out from under me. I heard that 12 riders, many with lots of experience went down on that ride so I dont feel too bad
Who's Crashed? [Crash Reports]
Moderator: Modern Buddy Staff
-
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- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Milehibuddy
- Member
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Sat Jul 08, 2006 10:30 pm
- Location: Denver, Colorado
CAUTION! Valve stem cover L.E.D. cause of serious crash?
I had my back tire loose all air pressure 3 weeks ago. It immediatly flipped me over the top of the scoot. When I stopped rolling, it flipped on to the top of me. I suffered broken ribs (front) 3 broken ribs (back) and broken sternum. Plenty of road rash. I was lucky.
The dealer says the cause was from a after market stem light that I purchased from them. (Street FX Tire Technics) Valve caps that light up with L.E.D. lights for visability. If this was actually the cause, I highly suggest that you do not do any mod's to your rims or tires.

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
50cc/ Orange
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
MNo/12:23 Pm
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
NO/No aftermarket items on tires!
4. Was the rider injured?
You bet your Buddy I was!
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Not certain of everything, replaced it with a new one though.
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
New scoot
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
5 years/neither
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
no
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes
10. How fast was the rider going?
35MPH
11. How far was the rider from home?
less than a mile
The dealer says the cause was from a after market stem light that I purchased from them. (Street FX Tire Technics) Valve caps that light up with L.E.D. lights for visability. If this was actually the cause, I highly suggest that you do not do any mod's to your rims or tires.

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
50cc/ Orange
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
MNo/12:23 Pm
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
NO/No aftermarket items on tires!
4. Was the rider injured?
You bet your Buddy I was!
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Not certain of everything, replaced it with a new one though.
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
New scoot
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
5 years/neither
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
no
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes
10. How fast was the rider going?
35MPH
11. How far was the rider from home?
less than a mile
- Tocsik
- Member
- Posts: 1918
- Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:40 pm
- Location: Denver
fall down go boom
Sorry to hear about your crash. I recently crashed (7/25/08) and am still suffering from broken ribs myself. I have had other injuries in my past, but this one sure hurts, and for a long time! I hate this feeling of not being able to do all that I want or need to! I was actually right in the middle of building a large patio out of brick pavers so that project is sitting partly done and hopefully not all of the sand is washing out with our recent rain in Denver! Sorry I am rambling; must be the Vicodin!
I am just curious as a comparison to my own recovery; how soon were you able to ride again (or have you)? I took my Buddy out about a week ago for a short ride and it still hurt so I have been using my cage for work. Also, how are you sleeping? I am still only able to sleep in a chair as it causes too much pain to try and lie flat in bed.
Good luck on a full and speedy recovery!
I am just curious as a comparison to my own recovery; how soon were you able to ride again (or have you)? I took my Buddy out about a week ago for a short ride and it still hurt so I have been using my cage for work. Also, how are you sleeping? I am still only able to sleep in a chair as it causes too much pain to try and lie flat in bed.
Good luck on a full and speedy recovery!
- Milehibuddy
- Member
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- Joined: Sat Jul 08, 2006 10:30 pm
- Location: Denver, Colorado
Got Ribs?
WOW!
I bit it on 7/22! I will PM you.
What is sleep?
I bit it on 7/22! I will PM you.
What is sleep?

- ericalm
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- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
Really depends on when you crash, what color you need and which pieces you need. I think the headlight bezel is the most-frequently broken piece in these crashes, along with mirrors. Both should be in stock @ Scooterworks. For body panels, well… anyone need panels recently?Jake wrote:Those who had to have plastic replaced; how long did it take to receive them? And the headlight/guage area, too, if that applies to anyone.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
- ericalm
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bumpitty bump
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
- Becktastic
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- Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA
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Braking + turning + rain = closeup of pavement
1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
125cc/lt blue
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
Yes. I braked and turned -at the same time- in the rain! I was downright beggin for it! It was only 6-7ish, but it was dark from the storm clouds.
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Yes. I will drive slower in the rain and not decided to turn right at the last minute when there really isn't enough time and it is slippery.
4. Was the rider injured?
Minorly. A couple small bruises and scratches. The worst was my right knee, missing some skin.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Scratches to lower side panel and foot peg. Very light scratches to headlight rim and front tire panel.
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
$1 metallic sharpie prettied up the footpeg. The rest is okay for now. I might just stick some decals over it...
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
less than 2 weeks/permit
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
no, but I plan to now!
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes
10. How fast was the rider going?
30MPH
11. How far was the rider from home?
just around the corner
I was turning onto my street.
125cc/lt blue
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
Yes. I braked and turned -at the same time- in the rain! I was downright beggin for it! It was only 6-7ish, but it was dark from the storm clouds.
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Yes. I will drive slower in the rain and not decided to turn right at the last minute when there really isn't enough time and it is slippery.
4. Was the rider injured?
Minorly. A couple small bruises and scratches. The worst was my right knee, missing some skin.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Scratches to lower side panel and foot peg. Very light scratches to headlight rim and front tire panel.
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
$1 metallic sharpie prettied up the footpeg. The rest is okay for now. I might just stick some decals over it...
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
less than 2 weeks/permit
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
no, but I plan to now!
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes
10. How fast was the rider going?
30MPH
11. How far was the rider from home?
just around the corner

- pugbuddy
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- mtrugger
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- Location: Whitefish, Montana
Why yes, I have crashed!
1: My 125cc blue Buddy
2: I assume it happened due to rider error. It happened at exactly 9:05 am (because that's when my watch stopped!)
3: Since I assume it was rider error, yeah, it probably could have been avoided. I pay A LOT more attention to gravel when I am making turns now to avoid crashing again.
4: Not horribly since I was wearing a full face helmet - if I hasn't been I would probably have knocked out a few teeth and broken my jaw. But I had contusions and/or open wounds on every limb of my body
5: Tore up the headlight cover, cosmetic damage to right brake lever, the passenger foot rest and that bottom body panel
6: I used a black sharpie to color in the hand brake and left the footrest and panel alone b/c it's not that noticeable. $20 for the headlight cover
7: At the time I had been riding for a little less than a month and I was actually coming back from the DMV after having just gotten my motorcycle license. Oh, the irony!
8: I have completed the MSF course (if that's the motorcycle riding safety course)
9:You bettcha
10: Less than 30 mph
11: About 25 miles from home
2: I assume it happened due to rider error. It happened at exactly 9:05 am (because that's when my watch stopped!)
3: Since I assume it was rider error, yeah, it probably could have been avoided. I pay A LOT more attention to gravel when I am making turns now to avoid crashing again.
4: Not horribly since I was wearing a full face helmet - if I hasn't been I would probably have knocked out a few teeth and broken my jaw. But I had contusions and/or open wounds on every limb of my body
5: Tore up the headlight cover, cosmetic damage to right brake lever, the passenger foot rest and that bottom body panel
6: I used a black sharpie to color in the hand brake and left the footrest and panel alone b/c it's not that noticeable. $20 for the headlight cover
7: At the time I had been riding for a little less than a month and I was actually coming back from the DMV after having just gotten my motorcycle license. Oh, the irony!
8: I have completed the MSF course (if that's the motorcycle riding safety course)
9:You bettcha
10: Less than 30 mph
11: About 25 miles from home
- Becktastic
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Sorry to hear about your fall mtrugger. That gravel can be wicked. I rode with a motorcycle friend of mine yesterday and his bike had some added character from a misjudgment on gravel. He said "There are those that have gone down and those who will...hopefully we got ours out of our systems now!"
Ride safe
Ride safe

- Becktastic
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- Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA
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- Sumosamurai
- Member
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:38 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
125cc/ Orange
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
No/9:00 Pm
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Possibly, if I had swerved sharper...
4. Was the rider injured?
Road rash on back, bruised foot
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Going to find out tomorrow, The center stand is definitely gone, It starts up with some effort, getting it looked at
6. Cost of repairs, if any? Unsure
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
6 months/Permit
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
Definitely looking into it now
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes
10. How fast was the rider going?
35MPH
11. How far was the rider from home?
less than a mile
125cc/ Orange
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
No/9:00 Pm
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Possibly, if I had swerved sharper...
4. Was the rider injured?
Road rash on back, bruised foot
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Going to find out tomorrow, The center stand is definitely gone, It starts up with some effort, getting it looked at
6. Cost of repairs, if any? Unsure
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
6 months/Permit
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
Definitely looking into it now
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes
10. How fast was the rider going?
35MPH
11. How far was the rider from home?
less than a mile
"Everybody wants to ride a buddy...Scooter"
- ericalm
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Hey, sumosamurai, sorry to hear about your crash. What happened?
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
- MarkTur
- Member
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- Location: Boynton Beach, FL
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The Buddy is SO EASY to ride, it appears that we forget we're on only two wheels at times...seems like a repeating pattern: no MSF, Bad Weather or bad riding conditions...close to home, so the guard is down.
This is why there is no "good" time to not wear your gear.
I had this discussion with my wife when she said "I'll wear my riding gear when we go out for more than 15 minutes". I said to her, "Do you plan on crashing while on a longer ride?"
She thought about it for a minute, then repeated what I said "An accident is an unplanned incident"...
This is why there is no "good" time to not wear your gear.
I had this discussion with my wife when she said "I'll wear my riding gear when we go out for more than 15 minutes". I said to her, "Do you plan on crashing while on a longer ride?"
She thought about it for a minute, then repeated what I said "An accident is an unplanned incident"...
Cya!
Mark Turkel
http://www.PalmBeachSoftware.com
http://www.BeGreenSaveTheWorld.com
Genuine Buddy 125cc
Powder Blue - (Yes, I picked "that" color cause I likes it!)
Like someone else said "Saving Gas and Sticking it to the Man!"
Mark Turkel
http://www.PalmBeachSoftware.com
http://www.BeGreenSaveTheWorld.com
Genuine Buddy 125cc
Powder Blue - (Yes, I picked "that" color cause I likes it!)
Like someone else said "Saving Gas and Sticking it to the Man!"
- BigColdMartini
- Member
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:44 pm
1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? 125 Color? Red
2. Was the crash due to rider error? No What time of day did it occur? Late afternoon, raining
3. Could the crash have been avoided? No What will you do differently next time? Stay in bed
4. Was the rider injured? No
5. What was the damage to the Buddy? Superficial scratches on right cowl protector and exhaust
6. Cost of repairs, if any? None
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Several years Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither? Motorcycle license
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course? Yes
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner? Yes
10. How fast was the rider going? 20-25 mph
11. How far was the rider from home? 30 miles
I'm gonna copy and paste my detailed description from another post for the record in this thread:
I had one of those classic cases of being caught between Scylla and Charybdis and had to lay her down and take a little slide. Coming home from work Friday afternoon and a misting rain had been falling all afternoon. I'm riding in the far right lane of a multi lane road in Midtown to avoid the slick street car tracks in the left lane. So far so good when suddenly as I'm going through an intersection a car pulls out from the right side of another car stopped at the light, another 1 second faster and he would have t-boned me. I was prepared for this to happen so I braked and then took an evasive swerve to the left lane. Unfortunately the street car tracks are greasy and wet. In a split second the Buddy is sliding on its right side and I'm sliding down Madison Ave. on my left.
It sounds wierd, but it was actually kind of fun. I wasn't hurt in the least ATGATT. Not even a hair out of place and I guess the wet road made for a 20 foot long slip and slide. My pants weren't even ripped but I did hear my head hit the pavement on my left side and have a scrape along the outside of my helmet as my battle scar. (Probably should buy a new helmet now)
Believe or not, the Buddy doesn't have a scratch. The cowl protectors are more than just ornamental. The right protector is a little scratched but really not that noticable. There's a small scratch on my new Prima pipe but it's not too bad either.
A car traveling behind stopped and blocked all lanes of traffic while I picked her up and straightened the handle bars, adjusted the mirrors and rode the remaining 30 miles home.
Been riding all weekend with no other problems. Moral of story... watch out for bad drivers and wet streetcar/train tracks.
2. Was the crash due to rider error? No What time of day did it occur? Late afternoon, raining
3. Could the crash have been avoided? No What will you do differently next time? Stay in bed
4. Was the rider injured? No
5. What was the damage to the Buddy? Superficial scratches on right cowl protector and exhaust
6. Cost of repairs, if any? None
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Several years Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither? Motorcycle license
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course? Yes
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner? Yes
10. How fast was the rider going? 20-25 mph
11. How far was the rider from home? 30 miles
I'm gonna copy and paste my detailed description from another post for the record in this thread:
I had one of those classic cases of being caught between Scylla and Charybdis and had to lay her down and take a little slide. Coming home from work Friday afternoon and a misting rain had been falling all afternoon. I'm riding in the far right lane of a multi lane road in Midtown to avoid the slick street car tracks in the left lane. So far so good when suddenly as I'm going through an intersection a car pulls out from the right side of another car stopped at the light, another 1 second faster and he would have t-boned me. I was prepared for this to happen so I braked and then took an evasive swerve to the left lane. Unfortunately the street car tracks are greasy and wet. In a split second the Buddy is sliding on its right side and I'm sliding down Madison Ave. on my left.
It sounds wierd, but it was actually kind of fun. I wasn't hurt in the least ATGATT. Not even a hair out of place and I guess the wet road made for a 20 foot long slip and slide. My pants weren't even ripped but I did hear my head hit the pavement on my left side and have a scrape along the outside of my helmet as my battle scar. (Probably should buy a new helmet now)
Believe or not, the Buddy doesn't have a scratch. The cowl protectors are more than just ornamental. The right protector is a little scratched but really not that noticable. There's a small scratch on my new Prima pipe but it's not too bad either.
A car traveling behind stopped and blocked all lanes of traffic while I picked her up and straightened the handle bars, adjusted the mirrors and rode the remaining 30 miles home.
Been riding all weekend with no other problems. Moral of story... watch out for bad drivers and wet streetcar/train tracks.
- Sumosamurai
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- Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:38 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
I was driving down sunset at 9pm. A girl pulled out of the Shell across from the home depot, not seeing me. I was literally a few feet away. I tried to swerve, hit the back corner of her car, did a full front flip double roll reverse handspring. Ended up walking away with a little road rash on my back and a bruised foot. I have to say I LOVE my full face helmet and leather boots!
"Everybody wants to ride a buddy...Scooter"
- Jrman
- Member
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:46 am
- Location: Florida
Re: Why yes, I have crashed!
I agree 100% and that is exactly what I do. I want to "SEE" exactly what is in my path on a turn. Sand, oil, rocks, debris, etc. If I see it I can at least have a chance to avoid the hazard.mtrugger wrote:I pay A LOT more attention to gravel when I am making turns now to avoid crashing again.
That being said it is the exact opposite of what the MSF's Basic Rider Course taught me. In the course they stressed not looking at whats in front of you but looking at where you want to go.
Sorry.. but I want to see what is in my path in a turn. I take the turns slightly slower and know exactly what is in my path. I don't see any point in looking ahead in a turn and actually lowing my chance of making it there safely.
My 2 cents..
Great Scooter Safety Site: http://www.highviz.org/
- BigColdMartini
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9.5 9.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 6.5 (Russian Judge)Sumosamurai wrote:did a full front flip double roll reverse handspring.

Glad you're ok.
Last edited by BigColdMartini on Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- jfrost2
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- Jrman
- Member
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- Location: Florida
'jfrost2 wrote:They meant to look ahead to see if there were any hazardous debris in the area you will be turning/leaning into, if not, then continue looking into the turn, of course if there is debris, you arent going to ignore it like it cant hurt you.
I hear you and I agree that what you say and it is totally logical. However, in our test they wanted you to turn your head "look" way ahead and "not" down at all in a large turn. If not, you would get points deducted from your driving test. in the case of the riding course it was clean of any debris and so it was not an issue. Real life is just as you stated. To bad the course i took does not mention that..

Great Scooter Safety Site: http://www.highviz.org/
- ericalm
- Site Admin
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- Location: Los Angeles, CA
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The "red Buddys don't crash" theory disproved once again.BigColdMartini wrote:1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? 125 Color? Red
Glad you're okay.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
- MikieTaps
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- BigColdMartini
- Member
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- ericalm
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Yeah, you need a Ducati…MikieTaps wrote:BUT.... BUT.... BUT... I thought I was invincible!!!!ericalm wrote:The "red Buddys don't crash" theory disproved once again.BigColdMartini wrote:1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? 125 Color? Red
Glad you're okay.

Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
- sunshinen
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- Posts: 794
- Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 2:21 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
Re: Why yes, I have crashed!
I think there is a big difference between paying attention to gravel and staring directly at it.Jrman wrote:I agree 100% and that is exactly what I do. I want to "SEE" exactly what is in my path on a turn. Sand, oil, rocks, debris, etc. If I see it I can at least have a chance to avoid the hazard.mtrugger wrote:I pay A LOT more attention to gravel when I am making turns now to avoid crashing again.
That being said it is the exact opposite of what the MSF's Basic Rider Course taught me. In the course they stressed not looking at whats in front of you but looking at where you want to go.
Your goal and the MSF instruction are one and the same: look ahead/where you want to go, so that you can see obstacles and take action before you are on top of them. They just want to emphasize the need to keep looking out in front of you, rather than letting your eyes get hung up on a fixed point that's really not that far ahead of where you are.
If you are staring at the stuff right in front of you, you are failing to see the stuff that is coming up next. And that is the stuff you need to be acting on now in order to properly negotiate it. Once you're on (or practically on) top of the debris, it's too late to brake or swerve. And riding is a never ending obstacle course — just because there's debris in the intersection, doesn't guarantee there isn't even more debris after it. Your eyes need to keep moving ahead at the same speed you are moving ... and they do need to be looking WAY out in front of you.
It may seem counter intuitive, but where you look IS where you go: this principle is true whether on a scooter, a bicycle, skis, a balance beam — look down, go down; look at the cone, run over the cone. Even if you have to ride over some debris, you still want to be looking ahead, not down at it.
- pugbuddy
- Member
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- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:31 am
- Location: Tulsa OK
+1 with Sunshinen.I hear you and I agree that what you say and it is totally logical. However, in our test they wanted you to turn your head "look" way ahead and "not" down at all in a large turn. If not, you would get points deducted from your driving test. in the case of the riding course it was clean of any debris and so it was not an issue. Real life is just as you stated. To bad the course i took does not mention that..
The theory is that you've already scoped out your turn and know that there is no debris (or holes or sand, etc...) in your way. So you can look through the turn to better control where you are going (you go where you are looking) and to see if there are any other obstacles coming up.
There are always those turns that you cannot see around very well and there's no good way to approach them except by slowing down. Exceptions happen, but the rule is still good (and accounts very well for real life occurences).
- BigColdMartini
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- Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:44 pm
Believe me, I count my blessings everyday and I never take anything I love for granted. Metaphorically speaking, I've had a couple of times in my life when I wasn't able to 'pick it up and ride home' but I've had a great ride overall.Jake wrote:Seriously, all these crashes with minor scratches, unharmed buddys, 'I picked it up and rode home', etc. You guys are all so lucky.
BTW, I hope no one was offended if I made it sound as if my accident wasn't a big deal. It's just my personality to not dwell on the what if's and to stay optimistic. The guy in the car who blocked traffic for me said I looked pretty happy for someone that had just crashed. I told him I was just glad it turned out so well. Probably that euphoria soldiers feel when they make it out alive from a battle. But like everyone else has said, I was very lucky.
- Jake
- Member
- Posts: 274
- Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:18 am
- Location: Sheboygan, WI
I wasn't offended. I'm more surprized that there are so many crashes where nothing even somewhat serious happens.BigColdMartini wrote:Believe me, I count my blessings everyday and I never take anything I love for granted. Metaphorically speaking, I've had a couple of times in my life when I wasn't able to 'pick it up and ride home' but I've had a great ride overall.Jake wrote:Seriously, all these crashes with minor scratches, unharmed buddys, 'I picked it up and rode home', etc. You guys are all so lucky.
BTW, I hope no one was offended if I made it sound as if my accident wasn't a big deal. It's just my personality to not dwell on the what if's and to stay optimistic. The guy in the car who blocked traffic for me said I looked pretty happy for someone that had just crashed. I told him I was just glad it turned out so well. Probably that euphoria soldiers feel when they make it out alive from a battle. But like everyone else has said, I was very lucky.
- Lostmycage
- FAQ Moderator
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- Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:36 am
- Location: The Interwebz!
Re: Why yes, I have crashed!
Very well written. I agree completely and just wanted to add a nod to what you've said.sunshinen wrote:I think there is a big difference between paying attention to gravel and staring directly at it.
Your goal and the MSF instruction are one and the same: look ahead/where you want to go, so that you can see obstacles and take action before you are on top of them. They just want to emphasize the need to keep looking out in front of you, rather than letting your eyes get hung up on a fixed point that's really not that far ahead of where you are.
If you are staring at the stuff right in front of you, you are failing to see the stuff that is coming up next. And that is the stuff you need to be acting on now in order to properly negotiate it. Once you're on (or practically on) top of the debris, it's too late to brake or swerve. And riding is a never ending obstacle course — just because there's debris in the intersection, doesn't guarantee there isn't even more debris after it. Your eyes need to keep moving ahead at the same speed you are moving ... and they do need to be looking WAY out in front of you.
It may seem counter intuitive, but where you look IS where you go: this principle is true whether on a scooter, a bicycle, skis, a balance beam — look down, go down; look at the cone, run over the cone. Even if you have to ride over some debris, you still want to be looking ahead, not down at it.
There's a good bit of knowledge to be gained from reading this particular thread. I hate that these things have happened to fellow 2-wheelers, but I'm very thankful for having a place to read over the circumstances. With every mile (and now Blur Distance Units) I find more and more things to scan for as I ride. As much as I love my XM radio, I don't miss it at all. While riding, I find a multitude of things to keep me engaged. Me, the road, that moron on the cell phone, the sand trap ahead and my Nautilus.... I really couldn't be happier.
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Scoot Richmond's new site: My awesome local shop.

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Who's Crashed?
1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
Italia 150
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
Totally rider error. Happened around noon.
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Crash could easily have been avoided if new rider had practiced a little before heading out on the road.
4. Was the rider injured?
Yes. Drove head-on into a wall at about 20mph. Tons of bruises. Happened three months ago - neck and back still not quite right.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Fork and frame bent. Most everything on front end broken.
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
Totalled.
7a. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have?
Rider had zero riding experience.
7b. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
Neither.
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
No.
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes, for about two hours.
10. How fast was the rider going?
20-25mph.
11. How far was the rider from home?
1/2 block. Was inaugural ride.
12. Is rider big dummy?
Yes.
Italia 150
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
Totally rider error. Happened around noon.
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Crash could easily have been avoided if new rider had practiced a little before heading out on the road.
4. Was the rider injured?
Yes. Drove head-on into a wall at about 20mph. Tons of bruises. Happened three months ago - neck and back still not quite right.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Fork and frame bent. Most everything on front end broken.
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
Totalled.
7a. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have?
Rider had zero riding experience.
7b. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
Neither.
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
No.
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes, for about two hours.
10. How fast was the rider going?
20-25mph.
11. How far was the rider from home?
1/2 block. Was inaugural ride.
12. Is rider big dummy?
Yes.
- ericalm
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Chicago, what a sad first post! Unfortunately, you're not the only new rider to crash within the first few weeks of ownership.
That said, thanks for stepping up and telling us about it.
Are you replacing the Buddy?
That said, thanks for stepping up and telling us about it.
Are you replacing the Buddy?
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
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1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? 125 Color? Black
2. Was the crash due to rider error? Yes, he fell asleep!!
Who falls asleep on a scooter! Who drives a scooter when they're tired enough to fall asleep! What time of day did it occur? Early morning
3. Could the crash have been avoided? Yes. What will you do differently next time? My brother hasn't ridden my scooter since.
4. Was the rider injured? Just minor scratches and bruises.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy? Cosmetic scratches on right side(foot peg, right fork, throttle grip, brake lever, exhaust cover thing)
6. Cost of repairs, if any? None yet, haven't bothered fixing.
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? A month or so. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither? Motorcycle license
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course? No
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner? NO!
10. How fast was the rider going? 20-ish MPH.
11. How far was the rider from home? 2 blocks.
2. Was the crash due to rider error? Yes, he fell asleep!!

3. Could the crash have been avoided? Yes. What will you do differently next time? My brother hasn't ridden my scooter since.

4. Was the rider injured? Just minor scratches and bruises.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy? Cosmetic scratches on right side(foot peg, right fork, throttle grip, brake lever, exhaust cover thing)
6. Cost of repairs, if any? None yet, haven't bothered fixing.
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? A month or so. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither? Motorcycle license
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course? No
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner? NO!

10. How fast was the rider going? 20-ish MPH.
11. How far was the rider from home? 2 blocks.
"Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery,
none but ourselves can free our minds,
Have no fear for atomic energy,
cause none of them can stop the time..."
-Bob Marley
none but ourselves can free our minds,
Have no fear for atomic energy,
cause none of them can stop the time..."
-Bob Marley
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- 7eregrine
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Right on. Seriously? If someone can fall asleep riding a scoot, they shouldn't be allowed to drive anything. That's just crazy...Dooglas wrote:He feel asleep on your Bud two blocks from home? What the heck?
I will not join a racist club that thinks one color is better then another. We are ALL BUDDY'S!
- ericalm
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A fried of mine in college had severe sleep apnea and would fall asleep on his BMW R65 while commuting to class in the mornings via I-30 in Dallas.7eregrine wrote:Right on. Seriously? If someone can fall asleep riding a scoot, they shouldn't be allowed to drive anything. That's just crazy...Dooglas wrote:He feel asleep on your Bud two blocks from home? What the heck?

I think the vibration actually helped lull him to sleep. He eventually switched to his car, which I guess was somewhat safer.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
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Who's Crashed?
Thanks for the sympathetic responses. Posted the details thinking they may be useful to other noobs. That whole "just twist and go" thing makes it all sound a little too easy.
I drove into the side of a frame garage. Almost broke through to the interior. Am a big believer in helmets now - mine put quite a dent in the side of the garage.
My insurance agent miraculously got me insured even though the accident had already happened. Three months later and my neighbor's garage has been repaired and my Buddy has been replaced. This time I got the Italia 50 instead of the 150.
Have only taken the new scoot out a couple of times and have gone from being overly confident to being overly cautious. Probably for the best until my skills improve.
I drove into the side of a frame garage. Almost broke through to the interior. Am a big believer in helmets now - mine put quite a dent in the side of the garage.
My insurance agent miraculously got me insured even though the accident had already happened. Three months later and my neighbor's garage has been repaired and my Buddy has been replaced. This time I got the Italia 50 instead of the 150.
Have only taken the new scoot out a couple of times and have gone from being overly confident to being overly cautious. Probably for the best until my skills improve.
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- Portland_Rider
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saturday crash
1. buddy 150 italia
2. yes, rider inexperience; a curve and speed mix, went too wide, yes, noon hour
3. yes, go slower, thought I had it under control; have done equally tight fast turns before
4. yes, broken left and dislocated scapula-- possible surgery needed, bruised left ankle
5. limited to steering column so far
6. unknown
7. 1.5 weeks, 120 miles, have permit
8. not yet msf
9. yes
10. maybe 20+ mph
11. 10-15 miles
2. yes, rider inexperience; a curve and speed mix, went too wide, yes, noon hour
3. yes, go slower, thought I had it under control; have done equally tight fast turns before
4. yes, broken left and dislocated scapula-- possible surgery needed, bruised left ankle
5. limited to steering column so far
6. unknown
7. 1.5 weeks, 120 miles, have permit
8. not yet msf
9. yes
10. maybe 20+ mph
11. 10-15 miles
- Becktastic
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Portland_Rider:
Damn, sorry to hear about the crash! Wow, hope this doesn't dissuade you from riding.
It's a good example for anyone who thinks you can't get hurt at low speeds. For the purposes of the edification of other riders and newbies, I have to ask—were you wearing an armored jacket? A lot of people often say they don't feel a need to gear up for scooter speeds. Regardless of what you were (or weren't) wearing, I think this show's that's not the case.
Keep us posted on your recovery!
Damn, sorry to hear about the crash! Wow, hope this doesn't dissuade you from riding.
It's a good example for anyone who thinks you can't get hurt at low speeds. For the purposes of the edification of other riders and newbies, I have to ask—were you wearing an armored jacket? A lot of people often say they don't feel a need to gear up for scooter speeds. Regardless of what you were (or weren't) wearing, I think this show's that's not the case.
Keep us posted on your recovery!
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
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hug back to becktastic
thanks, hugs are needed now more than ever, hug back to you.Becktastic wrote:aww I'm sorry PR! I hope the damage to your body and to your bud aren't too bad. ::