First off, I'm fine. Don't worry.

I got out of class at 8:00pm and met my girlfriend and friends at this wonderful Indian food restraunt near campus called the Clay Pit. We waited over an hour for a table, but were finally seated. After dinner was over my girlfriend took my backpack in the car with our other friends and I took the bike home. They were stopping off at people's apartments/dorms to pick up various things for the rest of the evening.

When i got back to the apartment complex I pulled behind a truck who was waiting at the gate. I was behind him, on the left hand side (very left). He obviously didn't have a clicker to open the gate, so I fumbled around in my pocket trying to find mine to let the guy in. All of a sudden I see white lights from his taillights as he shifted into reverse. I couldn't believe he was actually doing this. I backpedaled as fast as I could, but it was an incline. He reversed faster than I could move and his bumper hit my front wheel/fender. He kept reversing even after he hit my bike and caused it to fall over on the bike's left hand side, toppling me with it. I hit the ground twisted, with my right palm, left leg, left elbow, and eventually my head (but thankfully lightly).

When I got up I hit the kill switch and sat down for a little while. After that I turned the bike off and hefted the bike up from it's nap-like position and walked it to a parking spot away from the main drive. The guy kept repeating "Oh f%$k." and "I didn't even see you." I was very calm through the whole procedure, collecting his information and avoiding going off on him for not looking before he backed up. I felt the bike over as best I could for the limited light I had.

Damage to the bike (my guess):

• Scratches on the case gaurd
• Scratches on the left bar end
• Scratches on the left mirror
• Scratches on the left footpeg
• Bent bars
• Chip in the paint on the tank

Damage to my gear:

• Scrape on my right glove palm
• Very minor scuffs on my helmt
• Minor scrape on my jacket
• Scrapes on my shoes

I'll be taking it to a shop today, hopefully, to get their look-over on it. If the forks are bent or there is a scratch on the frame, they will probably total it. But then again that means I could buy it back for cheap and make a track bike out of it.  Sweet.

I'll keep y'all posted.

  damn, glad to hear you're all right though and that your girlfriend wasn't on the bike at the time as well.

Wow dude...that's ridiculous. Glad you're alright.

He's lying.  We all know he was fumbling for his clicker, and just then, he sneezed and went over.




Glad you're all right, Alpha.

Yeap Yesterday was Friday the 13th.I know of Several guys thathad some sort of Accident Yesterday.

Yeah I didn't ride yesterday.

Alpha. Sorry to hear man. If you need someone to pummel his face until it no longer resembles face let me know.

Alpha,

I'm sorry to hear about your accident.  How are you feeling physically today?  You said you landed twisted, I hope you didn't stress your back or neck.  I hope the insurance claim goes well.

Chilly

good to hear your ok, but couldnt this be avoided?  Possibly not being so close or pulling up so you are not actually behind the guy, but off to the side so when something like that might happen he would miss you or you would be able to get out of the way? Are you a squid that cant get in a line behind a truck correctly?

Sorry Man. But, at least you got to eat at the clay pit. Haven't been there since I moved from Austin. I love that place.

Even if he was a full car-length behind the truck, reverse gear (especially on an incline) is much faster that backpedalling on a motorcycle. I was schooled in a similar way a few days ago, after pulling up behind a Chevy Cavalier at a stop sign. It stalled and began to slide backward towards me, with no brakes on. From what I could tell (through the rear window), the driver was trying to learn standard, had stalled the engine, kicked out the clutch but neglected to hit the brake pedal. In the moment that it took me to realize this, the car had rolled about three feet closer (I try to stop about 6 feet behind cars and about 8-10 behind bigger trucks). Backpedalling might have kept the distance, if I had started right away. Of course the car stopped before it collided with me, but it was a lesson learned. Good luck on the recovery and insurance, Alpha.

Glad to hear your ok Alpha. Its one thing im particularly worried about doing as its so hard to back peddle a bike quickly so im always trying to offset myself when riding behind vehicles which cant see me, even if that means riding close to the white lines.

I can't be bothered to start another depressing crash thread so i just thought id let you all know i took a spill too, although it was 2 nights ago. Doing about 45-50mph approaching 30mph signs into the village i live in. The road was wet and slightly muddy due to heavy storms weve had last week so i was being pretty careful but obviously not careful enough. Applyed the front brake and the front wheel just locked up and was gone in a flash the bike slapped down on the left side. Just going through the 30 signs. Bike slid about 100ft i slid about 80 over a raised gate. Damage to the bike was: Worn away and cracked generator cover, worn away clutch lever end, worn bar end, scuff on rear tail plastic and crack and scuff in left plastic. Damage to myself: bruised left side, cracked rib (from sliding over a raised steel grate in the road). No road rash as the leathers held up fantastic. Scuffs on both arms and on my back (i slid and rolled) left leg knee was scuffed and knee slider worn away. Helmet was undamaged. All came out ok, doesn't appear to have bent or twisted anything, just going to check the engine mounts as it took most of the force, will be repairing and repainting the panels but probably the whole bike so it can all look nice Just thought id let you guys know.

Dammit Alpha! Now I'm scared to ride. Cuz we both know whatever happens to you happens to me the next day!

uhm.


HORN!

It seems that people missed that I was fiddling in my pocket trying to find the clicker for the gate when this guy started backing up into me. From the time he shifted into reverse and started going backwards (very little delay between the two) I had barely got my hands on the bars. He had his music blarring pretty loud and all his windows closed, not sure the GS's piddly little horn would have done anything had I managed to press it.

I feel fine today, no soreness or anything outside of the ordinary aches and pains. I have an appointment to get my bike looked over by the dealer next Saturday. I'm going to have them add my gear, or at least the helmet, gloves, and shoes, on there as well. I've already got my new helmet picked out and everything.

Quote from: 94suzuki500 on October 14, 2006, 11:25:46 AM
good to hear your ok, but couldnt this be avoided?  Possibly not being so close or pulling up so you are not actually behind the guy, but off to the side so when something like that might happen he would miss you or you would be able to get out of the way? Are you a squid that cant get in a line behind a truck correctly?

If you actually took the time to read what I posted, you'll note that I was offset from his centerline, like you're supposed to be when you pull up behind someone. And, as noted by Flywheel, a truck's reverse gear beats a distracted backpeddling motorcyclist on an incline any day. Yay reading! You jackass.

Quote from: bobmelvin on October 14, 2006, 11:33:21 AM
Sorry Man. But, at least you got to eat at the clay pit. Haven't been there since I moved from Austin. I love that place.

Yeah, I had never been there before, but damn was it good! For a special treat I wouldn't mind going again, but I don't have the funds to make it a regular affair, unfortunately.

Glad you survived and are still with us!

Quote from: scratch on October 14, 2006, 06:03:26 PM
Glad you survived and are still with us!

+1



Between me, Alpha, ( and I think one more person), that is ENOUGH WITH THE CRASHES!!!

Sorry to hear about what happened, Alpha. Glad you're okay.

Quote from: Kasumi...cracked rib (from sliding over a raised steel grate in the road)..

that must have hurt.  I guess you won't be riding for a bit?

Alpha, if you had your full fairings on, I'm sure the dude in the truck would have seen you.  You have no one to blame but your naked self.

Well you should have been smart enough to know that something like taht could happen because your no squid, right?  And if you would have offset yourself enough that when he came back that he wouldnt hit you then it would have been just a scare and no collision.  You can be offset but it still wont mean anything till you are offset enough that you are no longer in his line forward or backward.  I think your just mad cause you got ran over and it could have been avoided.   

glad you're alright man!