If You Had A Bad Accident

[eek]

Curious about this one because a few months back i had a pretty nasty bike accident. Concussion and stitches and fractures. Long story, but, could not wait to ride again. Although still tentative, my confidence is rising. Enjoyment outrides my fear. As an aside i also find whenever i tell anyone of the accident, so many look at me aghaust that i would still be riding. But, I cant really imagine giving up a bike.

Just wondered if you or anyone you know gave up riding after an accident even if physcially able to ride again..or if you were to have one (although knock wood, wish you do not!), do you think you would still ride again or not?

[CMX]

I admit to paring down. Nothing broken but my confidence really, a matter of degrees as I drop a bike and skin us up. In my case advancing age figures in, since i have to admit (or at least should admit) that I'm not as quick anymore - not even in healing.

Basically, I drop faster and more complex bikes nowadays but have retained full confidence on my scooter. I far prefer the scooter to the car still, except for long trips.

I really think it's all about confidence, however, and many factors (such as long experience) are part of it. With confidence and lessons learned, the rider should get better and better. Old saying: "Everyone drops their bike."

[Slaps]

Had a bad skydiving accident years ago, everyone thought I was brown bread, took me a year to recover , then carried on where I left off, some say it's better than sex but that aside as Roger Daltrey say's in the film McVicar

Never Give Up, Never Give Up

.

[nikster]

Accidents are not random - every single one I had, I did something wrong; so no, not curbing the enthusiasm, but making me a better rider - by better I mean safer. Usually it comes down to failure to pay attention, really... failure to read traffic, failure to read road conditions... or doing something incredibly dumb..

Edit: Better than sex, that depends on the riding you're doing. And the sex you're having. Just sayin'....

Edited March 5, 2012 by nikster

[ludditeman]

Was this after your foot infection?

You seem to be having a run of bad luck in the last year.

Hope the next year is better for you.

[KRS1]

Accidents are not random - every single one I had, I did something wrong; so no, not curbing the enthusiasm, but making me a better rider - by better I mean safer. Usually it comes down to failure to pay attention, really... failure to read traffic, failure to read road conditions... or doing something incredibly dumb..

Edit: Better than sex, that depends on the riding you're doing. And the sex you're having. Just sayin'....

Accidents can be random, when i was 14 i ran into a 5 foot hole going 65 mph on a trail i use to ride every single day, one day someone just decided to dig a hole in the trail. Ruptured a disc and could barely walk for a month, flying 6 feet in the air head over heels and all i could remember was looking up and seeing the bike about to land on top of me, take one like that and its hard to breath after you land. (think my helmet came off, cant remember) Was back on in two months training for the Houston Supercross like a psycho. My friend got the same thing, same trail, different hole, sprained his wrist...one month later he ran into another hole (LOL) and called it quits with his tail between his legs, but he was the type that just rode to show off though.

Another time i took a corner wide and ran into an abandoned tilling machine hidden by overgrowth and flew over the bars - almost got decapitated on that one ! Next day some people that saw me go flying pulled the tilling machine away with their truck, that thing was completely hidden and only 3-4 feet off the trail. Rode that trail 100's of times and never once noticed it.

Lord knows i should've been dead so many times by now.

Edited March 5, 2012 by KRS1

[eek]

Yes ludditean, a different accident. Very different cirumstances. Wayy too close together. Knocked me big time. This second accident was on a bike trip in November. Took the 1263 from Khun Yuam to Mae Chaem. Didnt make it to Mae Chaem. On a turn my bike (apparently-as dont recall it at all) hit a massive pot hole and i went over the handlebars. Glad to be here to write about it. Glad wasnt much worse considering.

[eek]

Accidents are not random - every single one I had, I did something wrong; so no, not curbing the enthusiasm, but making me a better rider - by better I mean safer. Usually it comes down to failure to pay attention, really... failure to read traffic, failure to read road conditions... or doing something incredibly dumb..

Edit: Better than sex, that depends on the riding you're doing. And the sex you're having. Just sayin'....

Accidents can be random, when i was 14 i ran into a 5 foot hole going 65 mph on a trail i use to ride every single day, one day someone just decided to dig a hole in the trail. Ruptured a disc and could barely walk for a month, flying 6 feet in the air head over heels and all i could remember was looking up and seeing the bike about to land on top of me, take one like that and its hard to breath after you land. (think my helmet came off, cant remember) Was back on in two months training for the Houston Supercross like a psycho. My friend got the same thing, same trail, different hole, sprained his wrist...one month later he ran into another hole (LOL) and called it quits with his tail between his legs, but he was the type that just rode to show off though.

Another time i took a corner wide and ran into an abandoned tilling machine hidden by overgrowth and flew over the bars - almost got decapitated on that one ! Next day some people that saw me go flying pulled the tilling machine away with their truck, that thing was completely hidden and only 3-4 feet off the trail. Rode that trail 100's of times and never once noticed it.

Lord knows i should've been dead so many times by now.

I replied before i read your story. My helmet didnt come off, but it did ride up..so i sustained lacerations on my face. Cut tongue, lip, forhead, nose, chin, mushed up my nose catrillidge,fractured part of my right hand, and have a deep cut on my right hand. Have had two deviated nose sectum surgeries and still not quite right and its given me a dorsal hump. My hand needs checking again as im still in pain. BUT, considering all that, i came off with very little scaring per say. Im healing really well. My jacket was a right off...dread to think what would have happened to my body if i wasnt wearing armoured gear. Now have an alpine allstars jacket and heavy duty boots, draggin jeans, gloves, and of course a good helmet (imported). I dont use all that for day to day town driving, but for out of town trips, even day trips, you bet the gear goes on!

[KRS1]

Its ok, ive broken my nose twice, but snapped it back in place myself. It gives you character !...and a menacing Al Pacino look no one wants to mess with .

cheers to you for staying a rider.

[manarak]

Accidents are not random - every single one I had, I did something wrong; so no, not curbing the enthusiasm, but making me a better rider - by better I mean safer. Usually it comes down to failure to pay attention, really... failure to read traffic, failure to read road conditions... or doing something incredibly dumb..

Edit: Better than sex, that depends on the riding you're doing. And the sex you're having. Just sayin'....

Accidents can be random, when i was 14 i ran into a 5 foot hole going 65 mph on a trail i use to ride every single day, one day someone just decided to dig a hole in the trail. Ruptured a disc and could barely walk for a month, flying 6 feet in the air head over heels and all i could remember was looking up and seeing the bike about to land on top of me, take one like that and its hard to breath after you land. (think my helmet came off, cant remember) Was back on in two months training for the Houston Supercross like a psycho. My friend got the same thing, same trail, different hole, sprained his wrist...one month later he ran into another hole (LOL) and called it quits with his tail between his legs, but he was the type that just rode to show off though.

Another time i took a corner wide and ran into an abandoned tilling machine hidden by overgrowth and flew over the bars - almost got decapitated on that one ! Next day some people that saw me go flying pulled the tilling machine away with their truck, that thing was completely hidden and only 3-4 feet off the trail. Rode that trail 100's of times and never once noticed it.

Lord knows i should've been dead so many times by now.

I replied before i read your story. My helmet didnt come off, but it did ride up..so i sustained lacerations on my face. Cut tongue, lip, forhead, nose, chin, mushed up my nose catrillidge,fractured part of my right hand, and have a deep cut on my right hand. Have had two deviated nose sectum surgeries and still not quite right and its given me a dorsal hump. My hand needs checking again as im still in pain. BUT, considering all that, i came off with very little scaring per say. Im healing really well. My jacket was a right off...dread to think what would have happened to my body if i wasnt wearing armoured gear. Now have an alpine allstars jacket and heavy duty boots, draggin jeans, gloves, and of course a good helmet (imported). I dont use all that for day to day town driving, but for out of town trips, even day trips, you bet the gear goes on!

Ouch!

I'll keep driving a scooter!

[wana]

Accidents are not random - every single one I had, I did something wrong; so no, not curbing the enthusiasm, but making me a better rider - by better I mean safer. Usually it comes down to failure to pay attention, really... failure to read traffic, failure to read road conditions... or doing something incredibly dumb..

Edit: Better than sex, that depends on the riding you're doing. And the sex you're having. Just sayin'....

Accidents can be random, when i was 14 i ran into a 5 foot hole going 65 mph on a trail i use to ride every single day, one day someone just decided to dig a hole in the trail. Ruptured a disc and could barely walk for a month, flying 6 feet in the air head over heels and all i could remember was looking up and seeing the bike about to land on top of me, take one like that and its hard to breath after you land. (think my helmet came off, cant remember) Was back on in two months training for the Houston Supercross like a psycho. My friend got the same thing, same trail, different hole, sprained his wrist...one month later he ran into another hole (LOL) and called it quits with his tail between his legs, but he was the type that just rode to show off though.

Another time i took a corner wide and ran into an abandoned tilling machine hidden by overgrowth and flew over the bars - almost got decapitated on that one ! Next day some people that saw me go flying pulled the tilling machine away with their truck, that thing was completely hidden and only 3-4 feet off the trail. Rode that trail 100's of times and never once noticed it.

Lord knows i should've been dead so many times by now.

I replied before i read your story. My helmet didnt come off, but it did ride up..so i sustained lacerations on my face. Cut tongue, lip, forhead, nose, chin, mushed up my nose catrillidge,fractured part of my right hand, and have a deep cut on my right hand. Have had two deviated nose sectum surgeries and still not quite right and its given me a dorsal hump. My hand needs checking again as im still in pain. BUT, considering all that, i came off with very little scaring per say. Im healing really well. My jacket was a right off...dread to think what would have happened to my body if i wasnt wearing armoured gear. Now have an alpine allstars jacket and heavy duty boots, draggin jeans, gloves, and of course a good helmet (imported). I dont use all that for day to day town driving, but for out of town trips, even day trips, you bet the gear goes on!

Ouch!

I'll keep driving a scooter!

yeah ,because scooters are safe !

[manarak]

I replied before i read your story. My helmet didnt come off, but it did ride up..so i sustained lacerations on my face. Cut tongue, lip, forhead, nose, chin, mushed up my nose catrillidge,fractured part of my right hand, and have a deep cut on my right hand. Have had two deviated nose sectum surgeries and still not quite right and its given me a dorsal hump. My hand needs checking again as im still in pain. BUT, considering all that, i came off with very little scaring per say. Im healing really well. My jacket was a right off...dread to think what would have happened to my body if i wasnt wearing armoured gear. Now have an alpine allstars jacket and heavy duty boots, draggin jeans, gloves, and of course a good helmet (imported). I dont use all that for day to day town driving, but for out of town trips, even day trips, you bet the gear goes on!

Ouch!

I'll keep driving a scooter!

yeah ,because scooters are safe !

Not really!

555 excellent vid! Some of the noises are hilarious!

But at least 90% of the crashes shown are caused by stupid driving from the scooters.

I ride slower and don't risk being ejected by a badass pothole.

The cars coming from behind and running a scooter over are just scary though.

[GooEng]

I had been a very keen biker for over 25 years owning many different bikes both at home in Scotland and here in thailand.

I'd have had a few very minor spills in Thailand over the last 20 years which did nothing to deter me - fender benders in town or low speed spills in the grit with cuts briuses and no major damage to machines.

I have also had 3 pretty serious major smashes, the first 2 of which did little to deter me. Broke an arm and ribs in krabi 8 years ago and a leg on ekkamai in BKK about 3 years befor that - not my fault in krabi, totally my fault on ekkamai.

I just sort of shrugged these incidents off - the krabi thing was 100% his fault and the ekkamai leg break was a minor fracture and I rode my bike home from it befor realising I was hurt.

Then just recently I had another ghastly smash which miraculously I walked away from almost unscathed, but it has put me off biking almost completely.

I turned into a familiar stretch of straight road round a pretty fast corner and to my horror was faced with an articulated truck - the kind with 2 wagons joined in the middle - approaching me at speed as he overtook a car - completely on the wrong side if the road.

There was no chance to go round him on my side as he totally filled the road and there was a steep wooded verge off that side, so I opted to try and go right and swing past him on that side as the car he was passing had seen what was going on and pulled off into a bit of open ground on the that side, so there was space to go round him. However slammed on his brakes and skidded sideways full broadside and out of control bring the front half of his truck back into his side of the road and right into my path ..... So I saw myself heading for what I thought would be almost certain death for long enough to form the thoughts "this time I am going to die", "who will care for my kids!!", "its that stupid bastard's fault", and "will this hurt?" - in that order - and i kid you not those were my thoughts as we bore down on each other ....

By some miracle when we collided - head on - i was thrown clear and missed the truck totally and went skidding down the roadside and sustained a sprained ankle and a grazed knee. my bike - a honda magna 750cc - ended up jammed right under the front axle of his truck - so far both his front wheels were off the ground - the bike completely mangled.

I'm still haunted by it and although I have another smaller bike, The urge has gone.

Needless to say the ever helpful boys in brown deemed the accident to be 50/50 and that we should each cover our own costs, despite the fact that every single one of the many witnesses and the truck driver himself told me in the immediate aftermath that it was all his fault.... The owner of the trucking company appeared at the cop shop and went thru the back for a chat with the cops and they came out smiling and gave their verdict.

I was advised that I could pursue it in court if I wished but that the cost would outweigh the reward and that my chances would be slim of a favourable verdict.

So, cars it is from now on.

Edited March 5, 2012 by GooEng

[BSJ]

I was riding my scrambler (moto-x) around a private track at the back of my parents property when it happened. Some a$$hole that wasn't supposed to be there came onto the track the wrong way and slammed into me on a jump. I didn't see him until the last second. I was buggered for months. That was 44 years ago! Didn't kill my love for riding though. Live 2 ride...ride 2 live, ay!

PS: How old will I be before I call it quits?

Edited March 6, 2012 by BSJ

[IanForbes]

Sorry to hear of you accident, eek. I had a couple in the past few months and the one back in December tore the rotator cuff in my left shoulder. But, like you it hasn't stopped my love of riding. I won't give it up and plan on buying another motorbike when I get back to Canada. Too bad that we don't get many months in Canada when it isn't raining and cold. I can almost always expect dry weather for the 5 months I'm in Thailand. A car would be handy occasionally in Thailand, but parking and traffic is horrendous in any city.

[jvs]

Used to ride in Europe and Thailand,after losing a few buddies decided to call it quits and sold my bike.Still riding small bike around the area but big bikes,no more.

[harrry]

I lost my leg in a scooter accident in Australia. WHen I came here I bought a honda and sidecar for my chair. It took me 400 km riding at 10 km hr round Mor Chor till confidence came back.

I knew about the one you had with the foot but did not know about the second. Glad you are OK.

Safety gear works a lot though I know it is not always practical here. I always made sure I wore shoes and a helmet and luckily I was wearing a good motorcycle jacket whne I had mine or I would not be here.

Good luck and remember those things that go round on the bike are supposed to stay on the ground.

[thaicbr]

Accidents are not random - every single one I had, I did something wrong; so no, not curbing the enthusiasm, but making me a better rider - by better I mean safer. Usually it comes down to failure to pay attention, really... failure to read traffic, failure to read road conditions... or doing something incredibly dumb..

Edit: Better than sex, that depends on the riding you're doing. And the sex you're having. Just sayin'....

Accidents can be random, when i was 14 i ran into a 5 foot hole going 65 mph on a trail i use to ride every single day, one day someone just decided to dig a hole in the trail. Ruptured a disc and could barely walk for a month, flying 6 feet in the air head over heels and all i could remember was looking up and seeing the bike about to land on top of me, take one like that and its hard to breath after you land. (think my helmet came off, cant remember) Was back on in two months training for the Houston Supercross like a psycho. My friend got the same thing, same trail, different hole, sprained his wrist...one month later he ran into another hole (LOL) and called it quits with his tail between his legs, but he was the type that just rode to show off though.

Another time i took a corner wide and ran into an abandoned tilling machine hidden by overgrowth and flew over the bars - almost got decapitated on that one ! Next day some people that saw me go flying pulled the tilling machine away with their truck, that thing was completely hidden and only 3-4 feet off the trail. Rode that trail 100's of times and never once noticed it.

Lord knows i should've been dead so many times by now.

I replied before i read your story. My helmet didnt come off, but it did ride up..so i sustained lacerations on my face. Cut tongue, lip, forhead, nose, chin, mushed up my nose catrillidge,fractured part of my right hand, and have a deep cut on my right hand. Have had two deviated nose sectum surgeries and still not quite right and its given me a dorsal hump. My hand needs checking again as im still in pain. BUT, considering all that, i came off with very little scaring per say. Im healing really well. My jacket was a right off...dread to think what would have happened to my body if i wasnt wearing armoured gear. Now have an alpine allstars jacket and heavy duty boots, draggin jeans, gloves, and of course a good helmet (imported). I dont use all that for day to day town driving, but for out of town trips, even day trips, you bet the gear goes on!

Ouch!

I'll keep driving a scooter!

worst accident I've had was on a scooter. broke a clavical and was unconscious for 12hours.

[DualSportBiker]

I dumped my bike in a hole at the side of the 'rural road' I was on in Ratchaburi on the border - broke my arm, nose and cut my face. That was December 2 on a trip with Simon Pavey who expressely told us to avoid the edge of the track which was cut away by fast-moving water... So much for being a good student.

I've been busy since (and 6 weeks in plaster) but I ride to Mae Sot and Umphang on Friday - can't wait! It is one of the toughest roads in Thailand... 1,219 corners in 100 km over three peaks of 1,500 meters!

[Gonsalviz]

I dumped my bike in a hole at the side of the 'rural road' I was on in Ratchaburi on the border - broke my arm, nose and cut my face. That was December 2 on a trip with Simon Pavey who expressely told us to avoid the edge of the track which was cut away by fast-moving water... So much for being a good student.

I've been busy since (and 6 weeks in plaster) but I ride to Mae Sot and Umphang on Friday - can't wait! It is one of the toughest roads in Thailand... 1,219 corners in 100 km over three peaks of 1,500 meters!

+1

[villagefarang]

I don’t slot well into the biker community, it would seem. I have zero tolerance for accidents. If I can’t keep my bike upright and out of trouble then I have no business riding it in my opinion. To that end I prefer riding alone and if I were to drop my bike I would probably take that as statement of my level of competence. That’s just me though and I doubt there are many others with this view.

That said it doesn’t keep me from riding. I did all the major Northern routes this year without incident.

[wana]

i have never dropped a proper bike but ive had 2 -3 minor spills on the elegance when the stock irc tyres were on

also i think people take more chances on these little bikes because they are so nimble and easy to flick around through moving traffic

i take more risks on the elegance ( a scooter! ) than i do on the er6n ,cb400 or the r1 i can borrow sometimes but dont own that

[ALFREDO]

Going down can happen, happened to me 8 times in 35 years driving.

I always like to ride again, never thought of stopping.

1999, I had my biggest accident, this time without fault.

A Mini stroke during a bike ride, a Blackout (MRT confirmed bleeding in my brain)

and for that reason, a nasty accident going in a Taxi on Patong, Kathu hill in Phuket.

I did not know and remember anything, but I must have disturbed the traffic flow a good while.

Broken arm and bruises and 5 days in a Phuket Bangkok Hospital 5 Star room,

a month headache, mobility of my arm forever restricted and a loss of Sensitivity to my left body side, the outcome.

Insurance attested 17 % disability.

Got some money, had a insurance for that!

Edited March 10, 2012 by ALFREDO

[robblok]

I got hit by a big 8 wheel truck from behind on my bike. I was certainly partly to blame if not all. I took an exit too late and i thought i could make it. Only the truck went a lot faster then i thought. The police blamed both of us. I got hit i never fell of the bike but my bike was wedged between his fender and wheel and he was pushing me forward. Bike was badly damaged. I was in shock, some cars hit the truck and were fined for following a truck too close (if you cant outbreak a truck something is wrong).

Anyway i learned from it to be a lot more careful and forget about taking exits at the last moment just take u turn later its just not worth it. I am not the best rider that is for sure but i don't push it speed wise or dangerous stunts wise. As long as i know where i have to go im quite confident driving. That changes for me when i dont know where i have to go and am on roads i haven't been before. I just go a lot slower then.

[kawapower]

I don’t slot well into the biker community, it would seem. I have zero tolerance for accidents. If I can’t keep my bike upright and out of trouble then I have no business riding it in my opinion. To that end I prefer riding alone and if I were to drop my bike I would probably take that as statement of my level of competence. That’s just me though and I doubt there are many others with this view.

That said it doesn’t keep me from riding. I did all the major Northern routes this year without incident.

Dropping your bike can happen to anyone, I have been riding bikes for over 40 yrs and yesterday I lost my balance whilst trying to turn around from a standstill I dropped my 2 day old Z1000, no damage as I had crash pads installed the day before. any damage would have seen a grown man cry!!

[harrry]

I don’t slot well into the biker community, it would seem. I have zero tolerance for accidents. If I can’t keep my bike upright and out of trouble then I have no business riding it in my opinion. To that end I prefer riding alone and if I were to drop my bike I would probably take that as statement of my level of competence. That’s just me though and I doubt there are many others with this view.

That said it doesn’t keep me from riding. I did all the major Northern routes this year without incident.

Dropping your bike can happen to anyone, I have been riding bikes for over 40 yrs and yesterday I lost my balance whilst trying to turn around from a standstill I dropped my 2 day old Z1000, no damage as I had crash pads installed the day before. any damage would have seen a grown man cry!!

Riding alone will seriously affect the time it takes for you to get aid and to hospital in case of an accident. Not a good idea here.

[sirchai]

Had a weird accident in LOS 2010, where my rear break locked up and kicked me off.the impact of 270 on one point which was my CRASH bar created pure destruction,(now I know why it's called so!)

I'm having an artificial knee joint from Europe now, as the Thai doc messed it up.

Won't even think one minute about NOT DRIVING any more......Live to Ride-Ride To Live......

[eek]

I'm having an artificial knee joint from Europe now, as the Thai doc messed it up.

Thats part of what scares me here, what happens when something goes wrong. Thai doctors have caused me many many further problems than i would have had. Thats not to say all are incompetent of course..but even Docs from expensive hospitals have messed up things to do with my health and physicality. I have little faith in doctors here. I am slowly building a list of doctors i DO have faith in and researching about ones who are highly recommended. Im still looking into fixing issues which should have been taken care of initially but, total lack of real procedure (in my case at least).

Appreciate the honest replies on here.

[seedy]

Ides of March 1972. Drove my Kawasaki 500 off of a 60 foot cliff, hit a two story brick building between the second floor windows.

Broke my left leg in three places, was in a cast from the tip of my toes to my upper waist for 6 months, and a cast from below my knee to my toes for 3 more.

My helmet split right down the middle.

Got my bike fixed, and was riding with the small cast as soon as I had enough strength in my leg.

Never surrender.

[tavarich]

I had a head on crash, and on another occasion I had to lay the bike down and slide into the car that pulled in front of me. I think what it comes down to is you either truly love to ride or you don't . There is no middle ground.