Well, I am now officially part of the "those who have" crashed club, I just got home from the ER.

I decided not to wear my jacket today on the way to pick my gf up from work. It was pretty hot outside but i knew I still should have worn it. On the way to her work I was thinking about how it's always that one time you're not prepared (I was wearing my boots, gloves, and helmet though, like always) and about the two types of riders.

Anyway I picked her up, it got dark, and on the way to her house it started pouring down rain. So I dropped her off, secured her helmet and my soda to the cargo net, and took off for home. I was about 2 miles away when this HUGE white F-250 longbed diesel truck pulled out in front of me, I don't know how far exactly, really close, the speed limit was 40 and I knew I wouldn't be able to stop. Maybe twenty or thirty feet...

It took up the WHOLE ROAD, the two right lanes AND the turning lane. WTF. So I tried to stop, but I knew I wouldn't be able to, I think I locked up my back wheel. I decided to try and go around him, I fishtailed left a little, then I came over HARD to the right.

Then I don't remember anything. So I think I high sided and slammed my face into the ground. I don't even remember coming to. I just remember that someone (not who pulled out in front of me, they didn't even stop at all  :x ) stopped to help, and I remember trying to pick up my bike and they did it for me. Then they called 911 even though I decided I didn't need an ambulance. I think I was going to try and ride my bike home.

My helmet was missing the visor and when they showed it to me I think at least one whole side was badly scraped. I didn't get a good look at it.

When the paramedics got there, I didn't even know what day it was. I didn't know where I was or anything. My gf said I called her three times to make sure I had already picked her up and taken her home, and my grandmother said I called her and talked to her, but I don't remember. I remember using someone's cell with a speakerphone on it, but i don't remember talking to her. I also don't know where my right glove went.

So they strapped me down to one of those stiff boards and put a neck brace on me even though my neck didn't hurt or anything and took me to the ER. I got checked out, I got xrays of my neck and an MRI on my head. I was there for a few hours i think... my grandmother and gf came and got me.

I have what I would say is minor road rash, I was very fortunate. On my right arm, like a nickel sized spot and a dime sized spot maybe, a two and a half inch scrape of road rash on my bicep, and little spots on each of my elbows. Nothing on my left arm cept the little scrape on my elbow.

My legs are fine. My right calf is a little sore, my ankle feels like it may have been pulled or twisted a bit. If I wouldn't have been wearing boots it might have been sprained or something, my right one was a little looser than the left.

My back has abrasions and my shirt is holy, it has some green on it like grass stains, so I don't know if I got thrown into the grass or what. My back is also sore down by my left kidney. I don't think I hit that truck or anything. It kind of feels like a handlebar maybe.

I have a little headache now but I think it might have been from the neck brace and the board. Apparently I must have slammed my head into the concrete pretty hard because I was totally incoherant. I had to think about what my name and age were, and I didn't know the date or where I was at all, although i eventually remembered the date, but only cause I know I get paid tomorrow (today actually, Friday).

I didn't get a very good look at my bike. I don't even know who towed it. I know the throttle side was bent pretty bad, there was a dent on the left side, small one in the gas tank... didn't see the other side. They better have taken my helmet and stuff with the bike, cause I want it back. I want to see how bad it is and all. I know if I wouldn't have had a helmet on, I probably wouldn't be talking to everyone right now.

Overall I'd say it was a humbling experience, and probably a needed one at that you know. I'm definitely going to ride again, but I definitely need to learn from this. I'm really just glad I'm ok and that my friends and family were there for me tonight. And I'm glad someone took the time to stop and help me out. I said Thank You to them for stopping and all, but i don't really think that does it justice.

Well I don't have any pictures cause y'all probably don't want to see my road rash anyway. I'll see about getting pics of my bike when I get it back, hopefully soon.

I'm leaving for boot camp in a little over a month, to the Marines, so I don't know if I'll try to fix it before I leave or not.

Anyway, I'm gonna try to get some rest and heal up. Gonna go make friends with the Vica-profin (Vicadin+Ibuprofin). Although i'm really not too sore, all things considered.

Thanks for all the great advice everyone here has given me throughout the time I've been here. I know it helped me tonight.

And in case anyone is curious, I was wearing a Vega Altura XPV helmet. It's only DOT approved, but it worked great tonight. And it *was* super comfortable, with great air flow.

Glad you're OK.

Here's to a quick return to two wheels.  And if not before boot camp, a safe Marines experience and a whole lotta biking when you return.

Wow...glad you're ok.  Weird things certainly do happen after an accident.  When I had my car accident when I was 18, I was coming back from getting some spare keys cut at the local mall.  After I was t-boned and my windshield was totally smashed up, I started searching the car for the keys I just cut because I had put them on the shifter console.  Nevermind taking my seatbelt off or getting out of the car.  :dunno:

Get well soon.

Glad you're Ok!  

Thank goodness for those people willing to stop and help.  They are far and few between these days.

I know that lots of people are OK to ride in the rain but I try to avoid it if possible.  Stopping distances are much longer and chances are that emergency braking in the rain will end you up on the ground.  Just because it is hard to practise this.  This is not a criticism of Eklipse .. just something for people to consider.   Of course, where I live there seems to always be a 30% chance of thunderstorms (which only happen about 10% of the time).  If I always went by the weather forecast, I'd only ride about 2 days of the year.  However I have left my bike in exchange for a cab ride one time due to weather.  

Heal well and good luck in the Marines!  I have a lot of respect for those who choose to serve their country in this way.

Rob

Man glad you are OK... and you are such a new member too... we not going to have you quit biking are we ...
In cases like this... I usually just lightly touch the brakes... never enough to lock up and usually not enough to slide or skid... I'd rather plant the bike in the damn offending vehicle, cos then they'd have to stop. I recently had a person make a left from a side road in front of me... in some pathetically little car of course, and when she did eventually see me... I was honking and not slowing that much... and I was on the eli... and she was so afraid I was going to slice through her car, right at the drivers door, That look of terror on her face was a lovely reward... but she floored it, and ended up running straight into the grass in someone's front yard... and I didn't stop... and in my neighborhood this crap happens a lot. Loud horns and light on the brakes... I'd rather T bone the car, than fall innocously on the side of the road and have them leave the scene.
Cool.
Srinath.

Glad you are okay.

Laura

Wellwishes.

Glad it wasn't any worse.

Concussions suck.

Hope you get well and get the bike back together soon!

Dude, glad to hear that you didn't become another statistic.
Live and learn.

Quote from: EklipseI decided not to wear my jacket today on the way to pick my gf up from work.

I have what I would say is minor road rash, I was very fortunate. On my right arm, like a nickel sized spot and a dime sized spot maybe, a two and a half inch scrape of road rash on my bicep, and little spots on each of my elbows. Nothing on my left arm cept the little scrape on my elbow.

I am glad you are ok!
But there is a big NO NO that you did NOT wear a jacket!!!! You are lucky to have only minor road rash... Always wear the gear even it is hot outside!!!!

Get well soon
~*Brat*~

Damn. Sorry to hear that. Glad to hear that your road rash was minor. And glad that you're ALIVE and intact (mostly). But hey, if you find your helmet, it'll make a swell conversation piece.

And give the guy a break, so he didn't wear his jacket during his short hop in town. At least he wore a helmet, which is what saved his life. I admit, I'll wear long sleeved shirts and do without a jacket sometimes when I'm riding only in the city on hot assed days. My own philosophy is that you should try to maintain a personal minumum of gear that you won't go without;i.e. Always at least helmet and pants when riding mostly low speed/short distance and always full gear when on the highways. That's just me. Peace out.

thanks for posting... makes me wanna be more careful
and good luck at boot camp!

Glad to hear you're okay bro, it could've been a *lot* worse.

Yeah just woke up, I'm feeling a little more sore in a few places. Neck muscles are a little sore but that could just be from my pillow Glad I was wearing my gloves and boots and my helmet.

You know I just got off of the phone with the wrecker service, and even the guy on the PHONE said the helmet saved my life. I was really out of it last night when I went down but I remember hearing that over and over. Go helmets.

They picked it up so I'll try to find my digicam and get some pics of it for all of you. I can't wait to see it myself this evening.

I had a helmet strapped to my cargo net on the back seat, too. I'm going to inspect it for damage and all, I'm wondering if it's still safe.

When you buy your new helmet- pick up a mesh jacket.  

Glad to hear you are ok.
Scary man, scary!

Damn Dog, I musta skimmed your post too fast. I'm a former Marine myself. I left as a sergeant back in '99. I enlisted shortly after Gulf War 1 so now its all deja vu, only much more f%&ked up now and the shits still going on.
Before you're shipped off to PI/San Diego make sure to get your head rechecked ( both literally and figuratively, Hah!   :mrgreen: ). But seriously, you don't want to show up to boot camp with an unresolved medical condition. Everything will be hurry-up-and-wait and done "by the numbers", which means that unless your head falls off, no ones' gonna notice that anythings wrong with you.
I'm seriously considering going back myself, but this time to get my butter bar in Quantico and becoming a mustang. So maybe our paths will cross.

GOOD LUCK AND GOD SPEED Devil pup ( ..Dog when ya make it :mrgreen: )

.....and if anyone asks, your 12th general order is to walk your post flank to flank and not take shaZam! from any rank.  

general order #13
to walk your post round and round, f%$k this shaZam! I'm sittin down.

Quick rcovery Eklipse!!!  And try a Joe Rocket Pheonix mesh jacket next time.  Good in hot weather and reasonable in price and protection.  

I have a Joe Rocket. I live in Texas, down by Galveston. If you get stuck in traffic in a mesh jacket here you can have a heat stroke .

I usually do wear it when I ride, it or my leather one, 95% of the time. Now that number is going to be 100% though.

Glad you're OK there too. I've had a couple of concussions from accidents. They are freaky. I went into the windshield once in a head-on(pre seat belt law days ). I didn't feel too bad after getting stiched up. Later that night though, I started shaking. The next day I was back to normal. Definately make sure you are checked out well before you start training. Best of luck.