A sobering story about wearing your gear and emergency braking

[colobluefox]

My company put together and camping/fishing trip this weekend for its employees.  I had a great time btw.  I was coming home from this high mountain lake down a back road I had never driven before, just to check it out for a possible bike ride when I get more experience. 

I was driving my dodge 2500 because of all the camping gear.  About twenty miles from the lake I saw a group of four motorcycle riders come up on me in my rear view mirror.  I pull off of this two lane, very twisty road to let them by knowing that I was just going to hold them up.  Hard to pass due to the limited sight distance but there was very little traffic and I was in no hurry.  I was just enjoying the scenery.

When the passed every one of them waved and I was pleased to see that they were so polite.  They were all fully leathered, helmeted, and were driving four very nice Harleys.  I was also kind of wanting to follow them a bit and see how they were handling the curves.  Being new to this sport I'm always on the look out for ways to improve.

I was only able to keep up with them for four or five miles before they pulled away from me and I soon lost sight of the group.  I was feeling pretty pleased with myself and was looking forward to getting home to a shower and an air conditioner. 

I was tooling along just looking around, enjoying the scenery when I rounded a gentle corning and saw about 9 or 10 motorcycles stopped on the left side of the road.  My first thought was that it was a turnout with a nice overlook but then I saw skid marks and lots of debris on the road.  I pulled over real fast when I saw a guy flat on his back with three or four people tending to him.  I have quite a bit of First Aid training and a good first aid kit in my truck. 

One fella asked me if I could go up the road till I got cell service and call the ambulance.  I said I could and asked if the rider needed emergency first aid.  The guy said 'no, he's not bleeding much but he dislocated a wrist'.  I turned on my GPS so I could tell the EMT's exactly where to go.  While I was waiting for it to acquire the satellites they came back and asked if I could just give the guy a ride to the closest hospital. I agreed that was probably the fastest way get him treatment.  We loaded him in the passenger seat and I took off. 

I knew the closest hospital was about 50 miles away so lets just say I didn't waste any time moving him down the road.  While we flew down the road I was talking to him to make sure he wasn't going into shock or suffering from a concussion.   He told me his name (I'll just call him Bill here) and that he and his group of friends were taking advantage of the beautiful weather and make a 90 mile or so trip to eat lunch.  He was 62 and that he was an EMT.  He was pretty shaken up and in a great deal of pain.  His right wrist was in a very scary S curve down to the left and bleeding a little.  His left wrist didn't look so bad but was swelling and bleed a bit also.  Bill was very concerned about losing circulation to his hands and fingers due to the dislocation and probable breaks to both wrists.  There were no other injuries that I could tell.  His leathers were scraped all to hell but were still intact.  Bill said that he knew his helmet hit the pavement at least twice.  I didn't see his helmet or bike so I don't know what kind of condition either were in.

I asked Bill what had caused his spill.  Bill told me that when his group rounded the corner there was a cow on the road.  (It was open range up there so that didn't surprise me)  Bill was riding in the back of the group and he was braking to avoid them.  His back tire locked up, the bike started to slide out and high sided.  It all happened so fast he only had in instant to react.  I didn't think that Bill was really in the mood for a friendly chat so I didn't press him for the details.

"Thank God for my leathers" 

I told Bill that I had bought a bike in January and was learning to ride.  He looked me square in the eye and said, "Wear your leathers! And your helmet.  They saved my life and they'll save yours one day."

We met the ambulance about 20 miles from town.  Got Bill transfered and on his way.  (I was driving faster than the ambulance was.  I think I cared more   and FYI the 911 operator will tell you not to speed when transporting an injured party.  Ya, whatever lady.

So the lessons I learned this morning.

1) When riding in a group leave plenty of room in front of you.
2) I need to practice my emergency braking more.  A lot more.
3) I always wore my gear before, and I always will.

[Jay_wolf]

Thats a really good story , also , i love the fact u stopped to help , and cared ,. ppl just seem to pass you ussually like u mean nothing , showing so much love to a Stranger  Good effort dude , Its True , Always Well Leather , i always do , plus Leather racaing jackets look good

[pingpong]

That's great for karma.  to you. Luckily, it doesn't get too hot here to make wearing leathers uncomfortable. Heck, most of the time it's pretty chilly at speed with the leathers on!

[Average_Joe]

Well i dont know what you guys learn in your licence courses but here in Australia we are told

1. Alwasys maintain a 3 second gap between traffic in front ( othere riders included )

2. Practise, practice and practise and if you cant see 5 seconds infront of you clearly......... SLOW DOWN

3. WEAR PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT!!!!! The best you can afford, you cant put a price on skin......


So anyway thats just some of the suff we learn to keep safe....... Do other countries lean this sort of stuff before you get a bike licence?

[bosozoku]

So anyway thats just some of the suff we learn to keep safe....... Do other countries lean this sort of stuff before you get a bike licence?

Not sure, but I know that in Germany every vehicle has to carry a first aid kit and you get fined if you get caught without one...

-b.

[Zack]

+1 on practicing emergency stopping! Stay safe all. Ride your own bike (stay within your skill level).

[ratz]

"His back tire locked up, the bike started to slide out and high sided."

Hopefully he was using the rear brake because he just ran out of stopping power with his front.
Using the rear brake is a rookie move. It is a move carried over from guys who grew up riding dirtbikes, or bicycles.
On the road, approximately 80% of your braking should be done with the front brakes.

[colobluefox]

Thanks guys.  I can't believe that I didn't do what anybody else would have done.

Bill was over sixty by a little bit but I didn't ask how long he had be riding.  My guess is that it had been quite a long time.  He said "It happened so fast... I didn't have time to think"

I'm not going to criticize since I wasn't there.  Like I said before, I am going to practice my emergency stops a LOT more.