Who's Crashed? [Crash Reports]

alexnick · Post by **alexnick** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:15 am

gearhead wrote:
JasonH wrote:has anyone not been in an accident? lol where'd that who hasnt crashed thread go, this is getting depressing! On the other hand this thread is the most valuable source of safety information i've ever seen. And a very strong motivator for wearing All gear All the Time even in summer!
i have never been in an accident

You're very lucky! I was in one accident on my first scooter (a 50 cc kymco) during the first two weeks I had it, just some scrapes luckily.

I did have a close call on my week old Buddy however. I was driving down a dirt road, pretty badly maintained. Well, I accelerated up to around 15 (bad move!) hit a patch of loose sand and immediately lost traction, but my reflexes came around and I was able to stabilize the scoot with my feet, and keep going. No injuries, yayy

One heck of a nerve racking experience though!

jmsmith802 · Post by **jmsmith802** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:47 pm

Got hit on my scoot today =[ Hopefully it can be fixed, and ill be riding again really soon!

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
Buddy 50 - Black

2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?

No, driver failed to yield in a roundabout and pulled out in front of me - 5:30 PM

3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?

Probably not. Ill avoid that roundabout at rush hour, or go thru it at 10mph lol

4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?

Small injuries, just some scrapes and a bruise on my leg

I was wearing sneakers, a winter coat, jean, gloves, and a helmet.

5. What was the damage to the Buddy?

Just about all the plastic parts have scratches, headlamp flew out, the whole top part around the spedo is smashed, the wheel is bent sideways, and the engine isnt running quite right. I'll find out when I take it into the shop this week.

6. Cost of repairs, if any?

TBD - I'll follow up

7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?

Over a year and 2,500 miles

Niether

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?

20-25

11. How far was the rider from home?
about half a mile

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:23 pm

thank goodness you are ok. Round abouts are are bad news for 2 wheelers...people in cars just don't get we have rights too.

I call the one near me the "vortex of death" b/c it is a nightmare most times I go round. I guess I shouldnt call it that.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:51 pm

peabody99 wrote:thank goodness you are ok. Round abouts are are bad news for 2 wheelers...people in cars just don't get we have rights too.

I call the one near me the "vortex of death" b/c it is a nightmare most times I go round. I guess I shouldnt call it that.

Yeah, but then you have an excuse to make "I survived the vortex of death" T-Shirts

jmsmith802 · Post by **jmsmith802** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:03 am

Got a crappy camera phone pic of my poor scoot. I also realized my only injury (besides being sore) was a bruise caused from my cell phone being in my pocket. I dunno if I would have still gotten it if it wasnt in my pocket. It was 20 feet or so down the road; I think it got smooshed out of my pocket like in cartoons when they smoosh bananas and they shoot out of the peel. Except I was the peel

The thing that really concerns me is how the wheel is facing right when they steering is straight

broke · Post by **broke** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:28 am

jmsmith802 wrote:The thing that really concerns me is how the wheel is facing right when they steering is straight

Crap. Sorry this happened to you! Very glad to hear that you don't sound too beat up. Heal fast and be sure to get your scoot checked over by the pros.

nuttmeg75 · Post by **nuttmeg75** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:54 am

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
10. How fast was the rider going?
11. How far was the rider from home?

1. Red 125.
2. Partially due to rider error. 7:30 pm
3. Hard to say. I was riding home from work. It started raining about a half hour earlier. About 2 blocks from home, a car backed out in front of me. I was doing about 25 mph. Under normal circumstances, I would have had plenty of time to stop. I braked gently but I still slid on the wet pavement and basically rode the Buddy to the ground, about 10 feet behind the car backing out. I couldn't swerve to the left because another car in the left lane had stopped while waiting to turn left. Next time, I'll either not ride in the rain or ride just ride slower (more likely, the first choice).
4. Some road rash on my left knee. Otherwise, I'm fine. I was wearing my Fieldsheer jacket.
5. Broken headlight bezel, a scrape on the front fender and the left foot peg connected to the crash bars is bent back.
6. TBD
7. About a year. Licensed.
8. Yes.
9. Yes.
10. About 25 mph.
11. 2 blocks.

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:23 pm

nuttmeg75! Damn sorry to hear you went down but of course glad it wasn't worse for you or the scoot. It's like you're fated to have a busted headlight bezel.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:30 pm

I'm glad both of our latest casualties came out on the light side! Heal up and repair your poor Buddies! God bless!

kendora · Post by **kendora** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:51 pm

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
Seafoam 125.

2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
Yes, it happened about 7:30 pm.

3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Yes, I accidentally throttled at the same time as trying to break on a turn and the thing pretty much flew out from under me. I'm learning, so I guess it's to be expected.

4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
Only a bruise on my back and a little rawness on my back and palms. I wasn't wearing any protective clothing (eep. Helmets + etc are on order.)

5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Scrapes on the metal shield on the exhaust, very small scratches on the rear fender, a little scrape along the edges of the metal footrest/bottom edge of body. The tip of the right brake handle is scraped. The worst part's a crack in the plastic headset and nasty scraping around the silver rim around the headlamp.

6. Cost of repairs, if any?
To be determined. I HOPE it's not too much, I only plan on replacing the headset and plastic parts.

7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
I'm JUST learning to drive. So this was my first day of experience. (That really pissed me off, scraping her up on the FIRST DAY. Ugh.) I have neither, but working on it.

8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
No, I plan on taking one.

9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes.

10. How fast was the rider going?
Probably not even more than 10 mph

11. How far was the rider from home?
About 3 miles, I was practicing in an empty parking lot.

broke · Post by **broke** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:07 pm

Sorry about your crash Kendora. The EXACT same thing happened on my wife's first day with her brand new Buddy. She was attempting a U-turn in the street and the motorcycle pamphlet says "always use both brakes when wanting to slow down". I warned her however that using the front brake is tricky until you are used to it (since that hand is also throttle).

She wasn't leaning or countersteering, so she wasn't turning fast enough and was headed to the curb so she tried braking but ended up throttling at the same time. That happened in July 2008 and her shoulder is still not healed. The Buddy has been mine ever since.

Hope you heal fast! Don't worry about scratches... it happens. Better to get it over with

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 9:49 pm

Hi, Kendora,

Sorry to hear about your crash. You're far from the first person to lay a Buddy down on the first day, but I know it's heartbreaking to have something new like that then damage it so soon.

The headlight panel and bezel are probably the most often broken pieces in a spill. The good news is that any body damage is fairly easy and cheap to fix. The bad news is that in the past, these pieces have been in short supply at dealers. You might want to call yours ASAP to see if they have it or can order one pronto.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 10:28 pm

Chin up, Kendora! Falling while you're practicing in an empty parking lot is far better than doing it in traffic. Keep practicing and enjoy your new scoot--it's awesome!

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 1:15 am

kendora wrote:... I was practicing in an empty parking lot.

So far so good...

kendora wrote:What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
I wasn't wearing any protective clothing (eep. Helmets + etc are on order.)

EEK! Okay, you may have burned up one of your nine lives there. I'm glad you're okay. Older and wiser is good, isn't it?

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 2:34 am

Gee kendora, glad you were not badly hurt. I suppose I don't need to say this part but I will. No permit, no MSF training, no helmet. You are going about this the wrong way. Get the gear, take the course, build your skills - then have fun.

broke · Post by **broke** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:23 pm

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
ORANGE! 125
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
My fault! 8am
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Yes, if I had been giving the car in front of me more room especially with the wet roads.
4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
Right knee and right elbow are sore. Very little blood. Leather boots, jeans, textile jacket, FF, Frogg Toggs.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
More scratches on the right side (same side my wife laid it down on our first day with the scooter). Nothing broken.
5a. Did the headlight bezel break?
NO! Can you believe it?!?! I couldn't. I have no idea why, but when I stood up to inspect the bike this was the first thing that I looked at, and when I saw it was scratched but not broken I thought "OH GOOD!" stupid...
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
Not going to replace the panels. I will probably have to replace my Frogg Toggs though! That sucks... will cost $80
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
9 months experience. 2700 miles total. Licensed.
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?
5-10 mph
11. How far was the rider from home?
7 miles.

I was a few cars back at a red light. I am signaling for the right turn as is the car in front of me. The light turns green and we go. There is a seperate turn lane at this intersection with a cross walk through the middle of it. The car in front pulls into the turn lane, through the cross walk but then stops abruptly before entering the new street. I was anticipating a stop for the cross walk, but was accelerating into the turn after that. I was too close for the stop, hit the brake enough to lose traction and down I went. SUPER AMAZING FAST! You cannot believe how few milliseconds there are between being relatively upright and DOWN on the ground! WOW.

Luckily, no one was behind me in that turn lane. I got up. Made sure the bike was off and that I didn't have any broken bones, then moved the bike to the sidewalk where I could check my injuries. My right foot hurts a little, and my right boot is scuffed pretty good. I think the bike probably landed on it, but it will be fine. No scratches at all on my helmet. I don't think I knocked my noodle. My new top case got knocked off kilter, but works fine otherwise. Both scooter mirrors were knocked loose, but aren't broken and I was able to cinch them back into place fine. I'm icing my knee as i type this.

I'm embarrased to have to post here

But I really appreciate all the great info in this thread so it is my duty

Here is the lesson you can learn from Broke:

A) Wear foot protection!
(Well, all the gear really, but the boots are a little bit more of a hassle than the rest, but worth it in my opinion!)

B) Don't follow too close in turns.
(Braking in a turn is BAD. BAD BAD BAD. Without the wet road I would not have fallen, but it still would have been scary. Again, following too close is bad all around, but it is easy to get lazy in a slow turn... don't.)

C) When your wife crashes the scooter and scratches it up, don't fix it. It will mask your own wreck later!

Angela · Post by **Angela** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:26 pm

broke, I am sorry to hear this, but I am very happy you were able to walk away with minimal damage to your scoot and yourself.

Hope your foot feels better.

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:30 pm

Damn, broke, sorry to hear you went down.

What I learned from laying down at about 5mph:
No matter how fast you're going, coming to a stop on the ground with a 300lb. scooter on top of you hurts.

broke wrote:C) When your wife crashes the scooter and scratches it up, don't fix it. It will mask your own wreck later!

LOL. Sorry for your pain, but this is funny.
Also: Don't let your wife ride your scooter. Get her one of her own!

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:33 pm

Ohh nos! Broke's broke! Sorry to hear about that Man!

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 5:47 pm

I hear ya on foot protection. I had to learn the hard way. The one day I didn't wear my boots because I was on a tight schedule was the day I laid it down.

Glad to hear you're alright!

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:07 pm

I need some good summer boots. Any recommendations? Seems like Eric recommended some in another thread. I'll have to do a search....

Sorry to hear about the accident! Take good care of that knee!

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 8:02 pm

So sorry to hear you went down Broke. Very glad you are OK and that both you and your Buddy are not too terribly injured.

broke wrote:...I will probably have to replace my Frogg Toggs though! That sucks... will cost $80...

I was looking at Frogg Toggs on Ebay recently and I think you should be able to find a new suit for about half of what you mention. Also, the latest Scooterworks catalogue has a First Gear rainsuit on sale for $29.99...

Sending thoughts of a speedy recovery Broke!

Coffeejunkie · Post by **Coffeejunkie** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:11 pm

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
150 Buddy Blackjack
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
Yes and it happened on a sunny mid afternoon.
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
I should have turned my head a little sooner. I was traveling down a side street took a sharp turn failing to notice some gravel in the road. I'm still new too all of this, and I should have known better.

4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
I sprained my left wrist, bloodied my knee (without ripping or even scuffing my jeans) and few extra bumps and bruises here and there.

5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Victoria isn't too bad, she needs a top plastic piece for the headlight, the chrome headlight bezel in front needs to be replaced, the lower panel that runs under the floor board needs to be replaced, lost the right side mirror, and other then a few minor scuffs she should be fine.

6. Cost of repairs, if any?
Twist n Scoot said it should be under $250 for the replacement parts, and they were nice enough to give me a replacement mirror for nothing. They also let me use their first aid kit, checked to make sure my alignment was O.K., and let me hang around as long as I wanted to make sure I was fine before leaving.

7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
I'm only on week 3 of riding full time, so on the upside I have gotten that out of the way.

8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
Yes and I'm glad I did, it probably saved me from more serious injury.

9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yup

10. How fast was the rider going?
No more than 10mph

11. How far was the rider from home?
About 1.5 miles

All in all my spirits are fine, I'm a little scuffed up, but really the main thing that was damaged was my pride. Also I'm glad that I'm not in the hospital for my 4 year wedding anniversary.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:22 pm

Coffeejunkie wrote:All in all my spirits are fine, I'm a little scuffed up, but really the main thing that was damaged was my pride. Also I'm glad that I'm not in the hospital for my 4 year wedding anniversary.

We're glad, too!

Sorry to hear about the spill.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:24 pm

Bummer, coffeejunkie. Glad to hear there was not too much harm done. Gee, a fellow lover of good coffees goes down. That's hittin' pretty close to home.

If you look back through all the "who's crashed" posts, you'll see that the large majority of all avoidable crashes involve going into a corner too fast or loose sand/gravel on the road (or some combination of both). Always somethin' to watch for.

broke · Post by **broke** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:52 pm

Coffeejunkie wrote:...but really the main thing that was damaged was my pride.

I know that feeling! Glad to hear you aren't hurt too bad. I also was bleeding under my jacket and jeans from my fall earlier this week. It must be abrasion with the fabric.

Why exactly do you think your MSF training made your fall less injury prone? I'm still trying to decide if I should spend the $180 for the class... and I cannot imagine doing ANYTHING differently in the midst of my fall this week. It seemed instantaneous. (of course I should allow more room for cars that make sudden stops unexpectedly... but I don't need to spend $180 to hear that)

Coffeejunkie · Post by **Coffeejunkie** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:53 pm

Dooglas wrote:Bummer, coffeejunkie. Glad to hear there was not too much harm done. Gee, a fellow lover of good coffees goes down. That's hittin' pretty close to home.

If you look back through all the "who's crashed" posts, you'll see that the large majority of all avoidable crashes involve going into a corner too fast or loose sand/gravel on the road (or some combination of both). Always somethin' to watch for.

Thanks, I feel that not only the training helped, but that the coffee kept me strong!

Coffeejunkie · Post by **Coffeejunkie** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:57 pm

broke wrote:
Coffeejunkie wrote:...but really the main thing that was damaged was my pride.
I know that feeling! Glad to hear you aren't hurt too bad. I also was bleeding under my jacket and jeans from my fall earlier this week. It must be abrasion with the fabric.

Why exactly do you think your MSF training made your fall less injury prone? I'm still trying to decide if I should spend the $180 for the class... and I cannot imagine doing ANYTHING differently in the midst of my fall this week. It seemed instantaneous. (of course I should allow more room for cars that make sudden stops unexpectedly... but I don't need to spend $180 to hear that)

One of the things that they teach you is, if you're going to wreck accept it. In short I felt my scoot hit the point of no return and I just rolled with it. If I had tensed up I would certainly not be able to write this response. Also there have been a lot of other instances in the past three weeks that I was able to avoid well before they even became a problem (actually noticing gravel, cars about to jump out in front of you, busted up street lights etc...). It really does teach you to be a better rider despite this little spill I had.

ZQ8 Blazer · Post by **ZQ8 Blazer** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:08 pm

1. 09 Buddy 125. Black
2. I guess it was, hit a cat, didn't really have time to react. approx. 10:45pm
3. If I was going slower, or didn't make the trip at all. Probably not going to drive at night for a while.
4. Hand hurts some, left knee had blood under skin in a spot about the size of a quarter but entire knee hurts, entire right knee has blood under the skin and was bleeding, entire knew hurts. Joe Rocket mesh jacket, cover-alls, overalls, Sketchers, Olympia reflector gloves. Joe Rocket jacket did the trick!
5. Pics towards the bottom: topic10592.html
6. Should find out tomorrow
7. Rode dirtbike for a few years about 10 years ago, 1 month exactly on the Buddy. Permit
8. No
9. Yes
10. 40-45 indicated
11. 2 miles

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:33 pm

ZQ8 Blazer wrote:1. 09 Buddy 125. Black
2. I guess it was, hit a cat, didn't really have time to react. approx. 10:45pm
3. If I was going slower, or didn't make the trip at all. Probably not going to drive at night for a while.
4. Hand hurts some, left knee had blood under skin in a spot about the size of a quarter but entire knee hurts, entire right knee has blood under the skin and was bleeding, entire knew hurts. Joe Rocket mesh jacket, cover-alls, overalls, Sketchers, Olympia reflector gloves. Joe Rocket jacket did the trick!
5. Pics towards the bottom: topic10592.html
6. Should find out tomorrow
7. Rode dirtbike for a few years about 10 years ago, 1 month exactly on the Buddy. Permit
8. No
9. Yes
10. 40-45 indicated
11. 2 miles

Yikes! Sorry to hear about that ZQ8! At least you were geared up. Heal quick!

ZQ8 Blazer · Post by **ZQ8 Blazer** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:15 pm

Oh I will, I got the broken rear brake lever rigged up to work and I'm fixing to ride it here in a sec.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:22 pm

Was wondering what happened to you when I read your thread about panel pricing! Scared me to hear all of the panels you wanted to replace, now I see what happened, glad you're ok!

verdecalavera · Post by **verdecalavera** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:43 pm

I'm happy to report that me and my buddy got reacquainted last weekend for the first time since I wrecked on 03/17. I've gained dexterity and strength in my thumb index and middlefingers(with growing strength in my ring and pinkey) that I thought I could handle it. I just had to ride with a bit of an angle to gripping the left handle bar/brake. I know the metacarpal below my pinkey is not fully healed so I wanted to avoid hitting it. But I figured if it's healed enough for me to approach making a fist, it's on it's way. My scoot had been at the my dealer since my wreck. after hanging out and watching everyone ride around, I went for broke, did a few loops around the parking lot and then did some city ridin' in downtown b'ham. Then I rode it all night long. woohoo! fun! fun! fun!

verdecalavera · Post by **verdecalavera** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:48 pm

Coffeejunkie wrote:One of the things that they teach you is, if you're going to wreck accept it. In short I felt my scoot hit the point of no return and I just rolled with it. If I had tensed up I would certainly not be able to write this response.

I think if I'd not tried to stay up when I wrecked, I'd have been better off, I'd definitely went low side rather than high. Not a lot of time to react and I think having gotten my first crash out of the way, I'd probably handle another occasion differently but here's to not having another occasion.

ZQ8 Blazer · Post by **ZQ8 Blazer** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:10 pm

jfrost2 wrote:Was wondering what happened to you when I read your thread about panel pricing! Scared me to hear all of the panels you wanted to replace, now I see what happened, glad you're ok!

Thanks, I am too. I got out and rode it today, got it up to 60mph. Everything seems to be in working order and the panels aren't screwed up too bad.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:10 pm

Glad to hear you two are healing well and back in the saddle! ZQ8, how is that right knee? It sounded bad....

ZQ8 Blazer · Post by **ZQ8 Blazer** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:19 pm

I'm gonna take a pic of it, haven't had the bandage off since last night so it's time to be changed anyway.

N/M, it looks almost 100% better than it did, I can't believe it. I have the R/X ointment called Bactraband(sp?) it's A LOT better than Neosporin, the bloody area has litterly shrunk by 70% in 12 hours. It's still sore though. Anyone that goes to the doctor should ask for this stuff, it's a miracle worker.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:22 pm

I have the R/X ointment called Bactraband(sp?) it's A LOT better than Neosporin

You have to get that stuff from a doctor or is it available on the shelf?

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:50 am

[quote="kendora"]1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
Seafoam 125.

2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
Yes, it happened about 7:30 pm.

3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Yes, I accidentally throttled at the same time as trying to break on a turn and the thing pretty much flew out from under me. I'm learning, so I guess it's to be expected.

One of the best things I learned in MSF is that the starting position is with your wrists up (ABOVE the handle) this is for the following reasons:

to go full throttle from there is a little uncomfy so it reminds you that full-throttle isn't were you're supposed to be for very long.

the other reason is for what you just experienced - to reach the break with wrists high, you roll your thumb up and thus you slow down the throttle.

If your wrists are low, you do what you did- pull on the throttle as you pull on the break.

Have fun learning and be safe!

Coffeejunkie · Post by **Coffeejunkie** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:54 pm

jijifer wrote:
kendora wrote:1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
Seafoam 125.

2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
Yes, it happened about 7:30 pm.

3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Yes, I accidentally throttled at the same time as trying to break on a turn and the thing pretty much flew out from under me. I'm learning, so I guess it's to be expected.

One of the best things I learned in MSF is that the starting position is with your wrists up (ABOVE the handle) this is for the following reasons:

to go full throttle from there is a little uncomfy so it reminds you that full-throttle isn't were you're supposed to be for very long.

the other reason is for what you just experienced - to reach the break with wrists high, you roll your thumb up and thus you slow down the throttle.

If your wrists are low, you do what you did- pull on the throttle as you pull on the break.

Have fun learning and be safe!

Sorry to hear about your wreck I hope you and your scoot weren't too bad off.

The MSF course really is such a good thing. Even with my wreck it's amazing how much grief it has already saved me.

ZQ8 Blazer · Post by **ZQ8 Blazer** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:55 am

You have to get that stuff from a doctor or is it available on the shelf?

Yeah it's RX only. Next time you go to the dr say you've been getting staff infections and that you have a friend that said they use Bactraband(sp?) and it clears them up very quick. He/she should write you a RX for it no questions asked because it's not a dangerous drug or anything like that. It's very worth the co-pay to have it around for anything that might happen.

LisaLisa · Post by **LisaLisa** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:23 am

pugbuddy wrote:
I have the R/X ointment called Bactraband(sp?) it's A LOT better than Neosporin
You have to get that stuff from a doctor or is it available on the shelf?

Yeah and for poison ivy I suggest lidex- cures it in 1-2 days no kidding.

beeporama · Post by **beeporama** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:32 pm

1. I crashed my new BlackJack with about 60 miles on it!

2. I don't think it was my fault; someone coming the opposite direction at an intersection started to turn left in front of me as I was going straight, I slammed the brakes and slid out. (Also there was gravel on the road.) It was around 4:30 pm, Wednesday, 4/22/2009.

3. I might have avoided it by going much slower than the speed of traffic...

4. I fractured my left "humeral head" (arm/shoulder) and am typing one-handed now. Also lots of bruises and scraped-up legs. Was wearing a full DOT helm & leather jacket.

5. I'm told the damage looked minimal, have to follow up w/shop. Probably a dead battery (cop yanked the keys out w/o turning it off), screwed up left brake handle, mirror. Very minor cosmetic damage.

6. I don't know the cost of repairs yet. Hopefully small.

7. I had three years experience with a 50cc scooter, and about a week on the BlackJack. M permit.

8. I scheduled the MSF course for May and have canceled. Ironic.

9. I was the scooter's owner.

10. I was probably going about 30 mph.

11. I was maybe five miles from home, on my (short) commute.

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:38 pm

sorry to hear that, beep. A car turning left in front of you is pretty much the #1 danger and often, like you said, there isn't anything you can do to avoid it other than cover your break and slow down a little in anticipation.

Glad to hear you were well geared up and the injuries (to you and the scooter) are relatively minor.

Heal quickly!

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:34 pm

Yikes! Sorry to hear that Beep!

I think you've got the dubious honor of having the first wrecked Blackjack.

Heal quick!

broke · Post by **broke** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:46 pm

beeporama wrote:2. I don't think it was my fault; someone coming the opposite direction at an intersection started to turn left in front of me as I was going straight, I slammed the brakes and slid out. (Also there was gravel on the road.) It was around 4:30 pm, Wednesday, 4/22/2009.

It totally sucks that idiot maneuvers in a cage can be corrected with a quick foot and no ill effects. And yet the typical scooter reaction to the cager's lack of concentration is nearly always a fall.

In 3+ years of scootering, was this your first crash?

Sorry to hear about the broken bones! Evel Knievel broke 37 bones in his lifetime.

beeporama · Post by **beeporama** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:26 pm

Kaos wrote:I think you've got the dubious honor of having the first wrecked Blackjack.

Heh, yeah. They should put me in a macho ad campaign or something. "The Genuine BlackJack: TOO MUCH SCOOTER FOR YOU."

broke wrote:In 3+ years of scootering, was this your first crash?

I'm not sure how much to count my one previous down. I was going slowly around a tight corner with gravel on the road and didn't know how dangerous gravel was yet. I popped right back up and was on my embarrassed way after a quick spot check on the sidewalk.

So, both my downs have involved gravel! Damn Pittsburgh and its crappy road care.

gearhead · Post by **gearhead** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:33 pm

alexnick wrote:
gearhead wrote:
JasonH wrote:has anyone not been in an accident? lol where'd that who hasnt crashed thread go, this is getting depressing! On the other hand this thread is the most valuable source of safety information i've ever seen. And a very strong motivator for wearing All gear All the Time even in summer!
i have never been in an accident
You're very lucky! I was in one accident on my first scooter (a 50 cc kymco) during the first two weeks I had it, just some scrapes luckily.

I did have a close call on my week old Buddy however. I was driving down a dirt road, pretty badly maintained. Well, I accelerated up to around 15 (bad move!) hit a patch of loose sand and immediately lost traction, but my reflexes came around and I was able to stabilize the scoot with my feet, and keep going. No injuries, yayy
One heck of a nerve racking experience though!

close calls, no crashes!

Coffeejunkie · Post by **Coffeejunkie** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:41 am

Kaos wrote:Yikes! Sorry to hear that Beep!

I think you've got the dubious honor of having the first wrecked Blackjack.

Heal quick!

Actually I think that honor might actually be mine.

brokah · Post by **brokah** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:26 am

beep, sorry to hear about the accident. Was the cage cited for the turn in front of you?

Modern Buddy

Who's Crashed? [Crash Reports]

And that's the end of that chapter.

Re: And that's the end of that chapter.

Re: And that's the end of that chapter.

Re: And that's the end of that chapter.

Re: And that's the end of that chapter.

my first serious accident

Re: my first serious accident

Re: my first serious accident