bye (for now...)

x-mojito50mod · Post by **x-mojito50mod** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:10 pm

So I was on my way to work Monday morning and I fell victim to a cluless cager once again. Said cager was in a paralell parking spot and pulled out about ten feet in front of me, not even glancing in his mirror before doing so. I was in the right lane, coming to a stoplight, no cars in front of me, maybe doing 20-25mph. My reaction was to swerve to the left, but there were cars stopped in the left lane from the red light. So, I grabbed more brake and laid her down low-side to avoid being a cargo van's new trunk door. Result: broken clavical (collar bone), bruised ribs, bruised hip, and various other abrasions... and totalled Buddy number two. I'm glad to still be here. It could have been a lot worse if I was less experienced and not wearing the full face helmet (which was dented/scratched right behind the ear area...with a half-helmet, it would have been my skull). I love scooters and they have been my only source of transportation over the past few years, but because of the poor driving skills of L.A. drivers, not paying attention, I am hanging up my helmet for a while

. Sometime in the future, when/if I live in a mellower place, I'm sure I'll be riding again...
Just be safe and extra cautious out there, and know, as you pass by me sitting in my cage, I'll be cursing the logical side of my brain!
Bye for now,
-Matt

justscooten · Post by **justscooten** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:22 pm

man i am so sorry to here of stories like this and im sorry this as happened to you . it scares me in thinking of not getting a scooter .( i am waiting till spring) and to keep with my f-150 but i to love the scootering world . coming back to it after some many years. i hope at some time you can get back on two wheels. !

healingpath · Post by **healingpath** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:37 pm

My best wishes for a speedy and fairly painless recovery go out to you, Matt. Your story makes me feel the powerful gratitude that I have for living in a more rural area, and commuting to a relatively small town/city (Santa Fe). Not that there aren't careless drivers everywhere, but I guess it's safe to say there are just FEWER of them where I am.

Be well, take good care, and hopefully you'll be able to be back to the 2-wheel world before too long. Good for you for having the right gear, too.

Matthew

tempalte · Post by **tempalte** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:56 pm

Did the guy at least stop?

jetboy · Post by **jetboy** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:51 pm

Sorry to hear this. I guess I don't blame you for laying off the two-wheelers for while. Glad your OK though.

All the best and here's hoping to seeing you back here someday.

-jetboy

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:49 pm

Sorry to hear about your crash!

Hope you heal up soon.

Did you or the buddy end up making contact with the vehicle that pulled out in front of you? Also, just curious what other gear you were wearing. Post-crash analysis can help the rest of us should we ever be in a similar situation...

tempalte · Post by **tempalte** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:49 pm

I am also interested in some more crash info. Where you thrown off the scooter?

I read a story on CNN about rider that was saved by an airbag jacket from Impact Jackets. They inflate when you crash. From the pictures they also inflate behind your neck to help support it. I wonder if that would have helped prevent the broken collar bone.

The only problem I see is they only get triggered if you are thrown off the bike. They have a cord that attaches from the jacket to the bike, and if that cord gets pulled, the jacket inflates.

So where you thrown off the bike or just slid?

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:11 pm

Matt,

Damn sorry to hear about your crash, man, but glad you weren't more seriously injured.

Hanging up the helmet is a tough thing to do, especially when you love scootering as much as we do. We'll miss having you on MB/MV and seeing you at rallies and rides.

hcstrider · Post by **hcstrider** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:55 pm

tempalte wrote:I read a story on CNN about rider that was saved by an airbag jacket from Impact Jackets. They inflate when you crash. The only problem I see is they only get triggered if you are thrown off the bike. They have a cord that attaches from the jacket to the bike, and if that cord gets pulled, the jacket inflates.

This would be the worst jacket in the world for me because I would look like a scene from "Dumb and Dumber" every time that I jumped off my Buddy to get a Starbuck's coffee and had the Impact Jacket inflate because I forgot to detach the cord from my Buddy.

x-mojito50mod · Post by **x-mojito50mod** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:05 am

Thanks all...it really sucks to have to stop riding b/c I love it so much. I just really can't trust the cars on the roads in LA anymore...at least the roads I travel to get to work. My broken-down Mojito will be a project for me to possibly get back out on some side streets someday. After this crash, looking forward to starting a family in a couple years, I just don't want to put my loved ones through this again. I'm not discouraging anyone from riding...I'm all for it; I was lucky both times I went down, and I don't want to push that luck anymore. Both accidents were out of my control, and this one made me feel uneasy. As far as safety goes, just review in your mind all your options at all times...that's what saved me this time. I swerved to avoid the car pulling out from the curb and didn't have enough room in the next lane to stop, so I stayed in riding position (hands & legs in) and dumped it low side as last resort. There was no contact made, but if there was, I may not be here typing this. I would have t-boned the car that cut me off, getting thrown over, or slammed into the van in the other lane head first. By not putting my hands out, I saved a broken arm or wrist, and my feet were on the floor, keeping my legs from getting crushed. My safty gear was a full face helmet (which now has a dent behind the ear area), thick jacket (didn't rip at all), and good gloves. I had my work clothes on under it. I'll still be reading the forums and daydreaming at work...and ride again someday in a slower-paced environment.
-Matt

scooterstud · Post by **scooterstud** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:17 am

Matt, sorry to hear about your accident. I wish you a speedy recovery and am glad to hear that you feel you minimized the harm done to yourself with your actions at the time of the accident.

Just curious, did you by any chance honk your horn at all? I sometimes ride with my thumb on the horn ready to honk at someone who pulls in front of me when I am in dangerous situations and I sometimes wonder if it would make any difference?

Does anyone have any experience with this, avoiding a collision by using their horn?

gt1000 · Post by **gt1000** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:50 am

Threads about giving up riding crop up all the time on the forums I visit regularly. While I have no stats to back this up, the conventional thinking is that the majority of riders either give up riding for a while or seriously consider giving up riding. While I suffered no broken bones, I too gave up riding for a long time in the early 80's for the same reasons as you. Relax, heal up and move on; you'll know when or if it's time to return to the saddle.

Conventional wisdom also suggests that riding in rural areas is safer. In fact, I do believe this is backed up by stats, although the stats are not recent. My experience was the opposite. I gave up riding in rural western KY. Even though there were fewer drivers, they were FAR more clueless than Denver drivers. I also ride far differently now than I did as a 20 something or 30 something and feel much safer on the road than I did "back in the day".

It's not really safe out there, no matter what you're riding or driving. But, it's more important to feel at ease on two wheels than it is on 4. Good luck and heal up fast!

vitaminC · Post by **vitaminC** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 3:04 am

If the scoot never hit the car while sliding, I wonder if you had really gotten on the brakes if you could have stopped in time? Rubber does grip the road better than plastic.

Either way, we all respect your decision, because riding a two-wheeler in a four-wheeler world is an inherently dangerous thing. I've actually tried giving it up before, but find that I can't do it. Sorry, mom!

To everyone else: go practice your panic stops!

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:25 pm

Matt,

Sorry to hear about the crash, but I respect and understand your decision and I'm glad the damage to you isn't worse.

Scooterstud,

I believe using my Stebel air horn has saved me from similar circumstances more than once, though it's hard to say for sure what would have happened in any given circumstance if some variable had been different. Depending on the horn is tricky - what if they don't hear you or ignore the horn or react in the wrong direction?

scullyfu · Post by **scullyfu** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:30 pm

get well, friend. we'll be here for you when you get back.

scooterstud · Post by **scooterstud** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:42 pm

lobsterman wrote:Matt,

Sorry to hear about the crash, but I respect and understand your decision and I'm glad the damage to you isn't worse.

Scooterstud,

I believe using my Stebel air horn has saved me from similar circumstances more than once, though it's hard to say for sure what would have happened in any given circumstance if some variable had been different. Depending on the horn is tricky - what if they don't hear you or ignore the horn or react in the wrong direction?

What is a Stebel air horn? Is is a mod for the buddy?

I'm not suggesting anyone depend on their horn alone. What I am asking is if people have found the horn to be of help when a driver might not have seen them. I would never use the horn and not be ready to react, but I am wondering if using the horn perhaps could help keep you from needing to react by helping drivers see you better.

There have been a few times where I could see a driver at an intersection scanning the road ready to pull out, and I could tell that they may not have seen me, so I've just given a quick honk to help them know I am there.

Whenever I am around a lot of cars and or intersections, I just leave my thumb on the horn so if someone starts to do something stupid I can perhaps head off an incident where I might crash or where I would have to use evasive manuvering to avoid a crash. I am just wondering if others have had success with similar techniques or if generally people do not react to the horn so well. As you said, it's hard to know exactly what WOULD have happend had you not done what you did in a particular instance, but I am just looking for what people feel helps.

My idea is to do as much preventative stuff as possible and I feel liberal use of the horn could be a good preventative measure. I mean you can honk your horn AND do evasive manuvering, which is the beauty of the horn, it's a heads up for the other driver and it doesn't stop you from doing what you have to do to avoid a collision.

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:50 pm

scooterstud wrote:What is a Stebel air horn? Is is a mod for the buddy?

You're joking right?

dannyW · Post by **dannyW** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 6:29 pm

Matt-

I ride a creme buddy also, and along similar routes so when ever a buddy goes down in Los Angeles it really gets me thinking ... I hope you get back on soon, but if you don't I feel you.

as for the horn..,. I honk that thing constantly, I flash by head light constantly, and it has saved me a handful of times already....

my stebel is NOT installed yet, (because I can't seem to fit it into the cavity of the bike) but once it is, I'll be honking that m-f-er ALL the time...

x-mojito50mod · Post by **x-mojito50mod** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 6:56 pm

yep, used the horn...seemed useless in this case...three kids in the car with the radio up and the dvd playing. my problem is cars have become offices, beauty salons, coffee shops, daycares, theaters, etc. whoever decided to put dvd players and vanity mirrors in cars should be hung for all the accidents, deaths, and injuries they have caused. a car is to move you from one place to another, and weighs quite a bit, and travels fairly quickly; they hurt when they hit things. if the manufacturers wanted to make a safer car, they would make it with one front seat, a steering wheel, pedals, gear shifter, light switch, and horn. they wouldn't just load it up with more airbags, making the drivers feel invinsible. then, with nothing to distract, they'd actually have to do nothing else but DRIVE. (wait, that's like being on a scooter or motorcycle...

)
good questions and points by all.
thanks again
-matt

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:14 pm

x-mojito50mod wrote:whoever decided to put dvd players and vanity mirrors in cars should be hung for all the accidents, deaths, and injuries they have caused.

IAWTC. In our litigious society, I'm surprised the case hasn't come to fruition. I suppose it's just a matter of time. A gal can dream, right?

Anyway. I'm so sorry you're so banged up that you are giving up riding, x-mojito50mod. I hope you heal quickly and thoroughly!

x-mojito50mod · Post by **x-mojito50mod** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:35 pm

just giving up for a while...I may not live in LA forever...

Elm Creek Smith · Post by **Elm Creek Smith** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 1:10 am

Sorry to hear about your wreck. It sounds lots worse than mine! Hope you get your "Mojo" back, soon.

ECS