ALMOST went down!!!

TarzanBoy · September 12, 2005, 08:41:25 PM

I can't believe it! It wasn't some crazy cager, hidden stop sign, or decreasing radius turn. I was almost taken down by......

a 2.5-inch diameter rock in an unlit parking lot!!!!

So, i get on the bike and start to slowly pull around the buildng to go home.... I'd parked behind the building where there is poor lighting, so its basically pitch black except for my headlights. I am going probably about 5-7 miles per hour in a slow turn when all of the sudden the front wheel slightly bucks and shifts and rolls to the outside of the turn. Had I been turning or leaning any harder at that speed then it would have been a 50/50 chance of putting it down.

I stop the bike, turn around and notice a freakin ROCK in the middle of the lot that had apparently rolled about 7 feet from where i ran over it.

The lesson of the day is: keep the bike UPRIGHT in dark parking lots!

pandy · September 12, 2005, 08:55:17 PM

I will not take this moment to encourage the MSF...really, I won't!

Nope, I don't blame you a bit. It sounds as though you did a great job keeping the shiny side up!

But anything that helps us to teach out bodies and brains good habits and good methods of dealing with what the road and cagers and whatever else throws at us is a good thang!! :mrgreen:

But don't worry...I'm NOT going to use your almost misfortune to shamelessly plug the safety course. I'm just going to say that I'm glad you're ok!!!! :kiss:

:mrgreen:

TarzanBoy · September 12, 2005, 09:25:21 PM

Lol, I know MSF is handy, but i'm not sure how it would have helped me out in this situation.

I'm already well aware that bikes are more prone to being dropped at slow speeds in parking lots. The parking lot was empty except for my bike and one other parked car. My lights were on and I was proceeding slowly precisely because it was so dark and I knew that there was a speed bump coming up soon.

I would have needed night vision goggles or some super-low-beams to see the rock that got under the wheel ahead of time.

I guess my point is that the same thing could have happened to anyone, regardless of msf training or no.

aaronstj · September 12, 2005, 09:36:58 PM

I just did the MSF, and I don't recall anything about rocks in dark parking lots, so...

pandy · September 12, 2005, 10:00:05 PM

Quote from: aaronstjI just did the MSF, and I don't recall anything about rocks in dark parking lots, so...

All right...it was on the second day, first five minutes of the third hour. Since you weren't paying attention, you'll have to take the course again.

:P:P

pandy · September 12, 2005, 10:04:08 PM

Quote from: TarzanBoyLol, I know MSF is handy, but i'm not sure how it would have helped me out in this situation. <snip>I guess my point is that the same thing could have happened to anyone, regardless of msf training or no.

I agree; it can happen to anyone. During the MSF, the ridercoaches do a lot of instructing about what to do in emergency situations. They might not teach directly about rocks in the middle of dark parking lots, but some of their emergency maneuvers can be applied in other situations.

I'm a mom. I want to see everyone here take the safety course! Why? Because I'm a mom and I say so! (We moms have never claimed to use reason or to be reasonable!) :mrgreen:

banner · September 13, 2005, 02:17:36 AM

the msf is pathetic..they didn't teach me much except how to turn on the bike...turn off....shift into first..etc..

aaronstj · September 13, 2005, 10:20:13 AM

Quote from: bannerthe msf is pathetic..they didn't teach me much except how to turn on the bike...turn off....shift into first..etc..

Maybe you had a crappy instructor? I imagine it varies a lot from person to person. I learned a ton in the MSF. Just not how to avoid invisible rocks in dark parking lot.

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ALMOST went down!!!