We probably don't want to talk about it for various reasons but if you don't mind sharing, if you did take a fall, can you identify the reason (might help others/newbies/me).
It does thanks DD but wondered whether there have been contributory causes like gravel/oil/leaves etc etc. Watching a gently heaving hot pant whilst mindfully removing them etc etc
Came off three times: First time, when still a learner and I was filtering on the outside of static traffic, when one knobhead decided to suddenly turn right into a no entry side street, I dropped the bike and slide on my arse and had to push myself off the side of his car to prevent myself going under his wheels Second time, going past a parked bus, and some twat ran out from behind the bus straight in front of me, I thankfully avoided the twat, but ended up on the pavement with the bike on top of me Third time, going around a bend at hardly any speed in a town center and didn't see a diesel spill right on the bend The first two you learn to expect and avoid, and the third you can also learn to see/avoid but always can be an unexpected hazzard.
My off in the early 80's two up on a MZ250 [yes I know] taking my younger Brother to college bike has drum brakes front and rear traveling along when a Transit van pulls out right in front, two choices as I could not stop in time 1/ hit van as not being able to stop 2/ drop bike I chose to drop the bike me and our kid rolled off into the verge but was safe, damaged foot pegs on bike hammered straight with a piece of metal nearby and continued onto the college once home changed underpants.
Thanks folks........all very helpful.........in my recent reincarnation have had minor potential incidents......two turning right into my path and a car door opening. In the past, nearly rolled bike and sidecar coming down hill from Church Street into Marlborough Place in Brighton (sharp left hander) too fast and nearly broke my right leg trying to keep it upright. Cause.....being an inexperienced tnuc.
I was given what I believe are two good bits of advice when I was learning: Always try to get eye contact with other drivers who are on entry to a roundabout, or adjoining roads. Try not to panic, look for an escape route, and remember that you are only about two feet wide on a bike and there is usually somewhere to go. I have found both helpful.
Sorry this turned into a Stephen King novel. I totaled my 2005 Kawasaki Nomad in 2007. It almost cost me my right hand but after 3 surgeries, wearing an external fixator for 6 weeks, and months of rehab It's about 90% good, thank God. It was a sunny hot day in Texas and the road was in great condition. Traffic was not very heavy and I was in great shape for riding. I was wearing a mesh, armored jacket, khakis, and hiking boots along with mesh gloves and a FF helmet. Legally, my fault. I was cruising at 70-ish and began to slow to take a 50 mph exit when 2 cars in front of me (according to witnesses) a woman driving an SUV decided that 50 mph off ramp would be a good place to stop. All I saw was the pickup in front of me light up his breaks and start sliding. I got on the binders but I was not stopping in time to keep from hitting the pickup, so I gripped a little tighter on the front break. This lightened the back of the bike too much, I guess, because it started to fishtail -a bigger swing each time. I managed to miss the truck by getting the bike to swerve right of it, but on about the fourth oscillation I took a huge high side. I didn't hit anything but the asphalt, but my bike eventually bounced over me, the front tire hitting my helmet (it left a cool black mark), and I rolled or slid to a stop in the middle of the road. I thought my arm was broken, but it was much worse -my wrist was destroyed and the six little bones in it were scattered all over my hand and forearm (still under my skin). The contributing factor (besides the dumbass that decided to stop on an off ramp) was me being too close to the pickup in front of me. No excuses, I just failed to keep a safe distance -I usually apply the 5 second rule believing the 3 second rule may work for cars, but not for me on my bike. That helmet saved my life. Here's the kicker; when it was hot I'd usually wear the half helmet (just so I could ride onto the military installation where I worked), but that day I chose the FF and I don't know why -I call it divine intervention, you can call it what you like. Anyway, the asphalt almost destroyed the helmet, but the helmet saved my head and face. Oh, yeah. I wouldn't advise wearing khakis when you ride.
I had a mini van once upon a time that came with a concertina, vinyl sun roof.......cool. Any road up, travelling back from Suffolk to Brighton one night, the engine died and the lights went out. Coasted to a stop. Eventually discovered by the light of a torch after grovelling about on hands and knees that the battery cable, whether by accident or design, had been pinned into the same tunnel as exhaust, had melted and intermittently melted the steel bodywork to form a hole. I found I could start and keep the engine running by pulling the cable taught behind the driver's seat which kept it from shorting out. But this meant there were some aggravated movements when coming to junctions or when a manual gear change was needed. In an emergency situation........who knows what the outcome would have been?
Saw two pretty young ladies walking along my mates street as I was going to visit him. Aha! Thinks young heroic Dawsy, 'I will do a huge wheelie on my mighty steed (SR500) and their clothes will drop off!' Hoisted a wheelie while looking at them, looked ahead and realised I was heading straight for my mates car. Snapped the throttle shut and grabbed a handful of front brake which locked the front wheel. Slid along the floor and came to a halt about 2 inches from his car. He heard the scrape, came out saw me on the floor and said, 'Best put kettle on then.' I never looked to see what the ladies were doing
No cell phone incidents, but a guy in a Jeep Grand Cherokee ran a stop sign because he was busy trying to get a smoke lit with two hands right in front of me. Unlucky for him I wasn't on my bike, but driving an F-250 Power Stroke pulling a 15,000 pound fifth wheel at 35 mph. Man, I punted that Cherokee 30 yards. Thankfully the geezer wasn't hurt and his insurance paid the minor damage to my truck.
Going into a down hill, slow to 15mph, off camber turn there was some diesel mid way thru... No time to react, luckily. I was on the street watching the bike do a barrel roll that would have been a nasty high side had I tried to save it.
Another one was leaving Braddan Bridge during TT week on an early GSX R1100. Started it up will putting helmet and gloves on, jumped on and set off but I had left the frame mounted steering lock on! Big circle then toppled over the high side and as I rolled off the throttle opened alerting the throng that some numpty had cocked up. My missus was wetting herself!
on my 50, following the school bus at 25mph, girlfriend and mates on the bus back seat looking at me 'cus I was the first with a bike. Soooooo cool..... Bus slows down and I thought it was to let me overtake..... So, I pull out to see a horsebox van coming the other way besides the bus.... Queue one scrape and ejection out the back of the bus. Bus stops and I was lying on the floor, behind the bus with all my mates laughing at me hysterically when I looked up at the rear window. To be fair, the horsebox driver knew my dad and chucked the bike in the back of it and dropped me off at home. If it's you out there, THANKS!!!!!
Not my accident as such but had been mountain biking and while driving through Ulverston spotted a lady who had dropped her Bonnie at a junction. Loads of passers by ignoring the bike on the floor and a damsel in distress so I stopped to help her. Picked up the bike but the weight caught me off balance and we fell the other way! Burnt my shin on the exhaust but fortunately I didn't cause any more damage.
My most ridiculous fall was outside a girls bike group disco (this is way back in the eighties by the way) where I was so pissed I got on one side and fell straight off the other - in front of about 20 young ladies insult was then added to injury when the throttle cable stuck open, couldnt pull the clutch in (old meridian Triumph T100) and crashed into a roundabout They were fun days
