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Had a bad ride
- Thread starter The_Veg
- Start date
There are too many of us taking tumbles these days, including myself. I beat you to the ER by a few days, in a remarkably simlar scenario, except that I hit the ground instead of the truck with no brake lights. And, like yourself I've got one hand out of commission (and the other gradually healing from getting bashed.) However, I'm managing to touch type, and retraining my little finger to find the p key.
I suppose one good side to having experienced riders crash is that we serve as a repeated reminder to all our fellow riders that bikes really are potentially dangerous, so it's important to stay on top of the risks.
That includes controlling heat-related problems as well as knowing the affects and symptoms of our illnesses and medications.
Remember our crashes, fellow riders, as you prepare for every ride. Not only ATGATT, but being sure you are physically and mentally fit for "duty." And yes, your prescription meds can affect your condition, which becomes more of an issue as we age.
pmdave
I suppose one good side to having experienced riders crash is that we serve as a repeated reminder to all our fellow riders that bikes really are potentially dangerous, so it's important to stay on top of the risks.
That includes controlling heat-related problems as well as knowing the affects and symptoms of our illnesses and medications.
Remember our crashes, fellow riders, as you prepare for every ride. Not only ATGATT, but being sure you are physically and mentally fit for "duty." And yes, your prescription meds can affect your condition, which becomes more of an issue as we age.
pmdave
The_Veg
D'OH!
The_Veg
D'OH!
Once I get the X-ray CD back from the doctor, I can post a complete study.
I haven't forgotten! I'm doing pretty well, but I'll definitely ring if I need anything. Thanks for being available.
If your medical insurance has high deductibles etc. , it might be a good idea to add some medical coverage to your bike insurance to cover that gap. Won't cost very much.
The only downside is that there might be some bitching between the insurances as to who's responsible for what. Still better than paying out of pocket though.
The only downside is that there might be some bitching between the insurances as to who's responsible for what. Still better than paying out of pocket though.
M
MAYLETT
Guest
Battle scars, bionic parts, good stories and a new bike come from these sorts of crashes. It's not exactly a fair trade off, but you might as well look at the positive side of it all.
I crashed myself about five weeks ago, but I was on a bicycle, not my motor bike. I hit a hole in the road at about 30 mph and took a quick dive right over the handlebars to the pavement. A separated shoulder, cracked clavicle, some awfully achy ribs and six or seven good-size patches of oozing road rash made for an uncomfortable couple of weeks. The shoulder is gradually getting better, but geech, did it ever hurt.
Motor or no motor, these two-wheeled things we ride are dangerous. Good luck with the recovery ÔÇö I hope it's fast.
I crashed myself about five weeks ago, but I was on a bicycle, not my motor bike. I hit a hole in the road at about 30 mph and took a quick dive right over the handlebars to the pavement. A separated shoulder, cracked clavicle, some awfully achy ribs and six or seven good-size patches of oozing road rash made for an uncomfortable couple of weeks. The shoulder is gradually getting better, but geech, did it ever hurt.
Motor or no motor, these two-wheeled things we ride are dangerous. Good luck with the recovery ÔÇö I hope it's fast.
Speaking for myself, when crashes and nasty injuries come my way, I try to think through what it means. As my (bicycle riding) doctor asked, "Do you think there is a message in this?"
However, it's not simply a matter of riding motorcycles or not. A guy died in Port Angeles last Saturday, hit by a left-turning truck. That got the headline, but in the same issue there was a report of a young girl found dead in a tent, and an oldster dying of a heart attack as he stepped out of his trailer. The bottom line is that life isn't safe, and few of us get out of this alive.
So, my thinking is heading in the direction of learning from mistakes, and trying to get smarter rather than dumber. For instance, I will never again swap bikes with someone in the middle of a ride. I will never again allow myself to be talked into doing something I don't want to do. I will do a better job of monitoring my own physical and mental suitability for riding a motorcycle. When I'm tempted to head out when not in the right state, I will remember the terrible feeling of slamming into the pavement.
pmdave
However, it's not simply a matter of riding motorcycles or not. A guy died in Port Angeles last Saturday, hit by a left-turning truck. That got the headline, but in the same issue there was a report of a young girl found dead in a tent, and an oldster dying of a heart attack as he stepped out of his trailer. The bottom line is that life isn't safe, and few of us get out of this alive.
So, my thinking is heading in the direction of learning from mistakes, and trying to get smarter rather than dumber. For instance, I will never again swap bikes with someone in the middle of a ride. I will never again allow myself to be talked into doing something I don't want to do. I will do a better job of monitoring my own physical and mental suitability for riding a motorcycle. When I'm tempted to head out when not in the right state, I will remember the terrible feeling of slamming into the pavement.
pmdave
That heat effect stuff is under rated as a cause of problems. Having owned an RT for the past couple years, I'm doing longer runs than ever before and seeing the early signs of it all too frequently. Reminds me very much of being a little buzzed on EtOH- i.e. it reduces situational awareness, increases reaction times, warps judgement, etc etc.
Problem is that I'm not sure that there is anything very satisfactory to do about it on a bike in a climate where evaporative cooling is close to useless unless you want to strip protective gear and ride in a wet blanket. (Some recent rides have exceeded 6 hrs where temps have never gone below 102 and total ride distance was 600-800 miles but I can sometimes notice effects in only 300 miles- that's the type of situation I need to address, not a brief 150 mile lunch run)
So far, I start my rides in the dark and work them around a planned arrival time to stay out of mid afternoon heat, when possible, but that limits range to around 500 miles. (Not many critters or people where/when I start). Have used evapodanna type stuff and have excellent mesh gear. Drink plenty, including from a tube out of my tank bag setup. Still not enough when the temp is maxxed out. I tend to ride out a tank if at speed (about 3 - 3 1/4 hrs run time) so doubling up the stops might help when there is A/C available but there is a limit to what one can do to cool core temp in a short stop. I try to do an extended mid day break on the long ones and drop the core temp. Other than that???
If I towed a trailer, I'd rig lines from an ice cooler to a cool shirt. No room on my bike for that stuff, especially with camping gear on board.
Ben- be interested in your thoughts about what might have prevented yours
Problem is that I'm not sure that there is anything very satisfactory to do about it on a bike in a climate where evaporative cooling is close to useless unless you want to strip protective gear and ride in a wet blanket. (Some recent rides have exceeded 6 hrs where temps have never gone below 102 and total ride distance was 600-800 miles but I can sometimes notice effects in only 300 miles- that's the type of situation I need to address, not a brief 150 mile lunch run)
So far, I start my rides in the dark and work them around a planned arrival time to stay out of mid afternoon heat, when possible, but that limits range to around 500 miles. (Not many critters or people where/when I start). Have used evapodanna type stuff and have excellent mesh gear. Drink plenty, including from a tube out of my tank bag setup. Still not enough when the temp is maxxed out. I tend to ride out a tank if at speed (about 3 - 3 1/4 hrs run time) so doubling up the stops might help when there is A/C available but there is a limit to what one can do to cool core temp in a short stop. I try to do an extended mid day break on the long ones and drop the core temp. Other than that???
If I towed a trailer, I'd rig lines from an ice cooler to a cool shirt. No room on my bike for that stuff, especially with camping gear on board.
Ben- be interested in your thoughts about what might have prevented yours
We're at a definite disadvantage on a bike rather than inside an air-conditioned cacoon. Riding in the cool of the night and early in the morning is one tactic, but of course that puts us at risk of wild animal strikes.
I agree that overheating is underrated as a factor in crashes. One big problem is that riders from normally cooler climates have learned that taking off clothing in hot weather is the way to cool down.
The fact is, when ambient air temps rise above body temp, removing insulation results in the body abosorbing heat from the air rather than giving off heat. And, as the body gains temperature, lots of bad things happen, starting with cramps and ending with death.
Out west, with low humidity, evaporative cooling works well enough. I use both an evaporative vest and an evap neck wrap. But, as noted, in some humid location such as Virginia or Missouri, a soacked swamp cooler can't give off any water to the already saturated air, so there is little or no evaporative cooling.
There have been a few attempts to build cooling devices, including a head wrap you chill in the refrigerator, and vests you chill in icewater. The problem with those is that they soon warm up, and there is no easy way to get them cooled down again during the ride. I have yet to see any cooling garments that are practical for an all day ride in hot, humid conditions. The closest I have come is to buy a bag of ice and pack it in the front pockets of my Darien jacket. That lasts about half a tank, but can be repeated all day (at the expense of buying sacks of ice)
I have heard of jackets or vests that circulate chilled water, but I haven't seen any in person. It would be necessary to have some sort of onboard water chiller, and of course that would compete for space and electrical power. One summer I built a cooling water gadget composed of a reservoir and a windshield washer pump. A handlebar-mounted switch powered the pump, which s prayed water onto my neck cooler. It worked, but the complexity of the reservoir, power plug, switch cord, and water line was way too much bulk. It was just a PITA.
Maybe the smart tactic is to make short trips in the early morning in your local area when it's hot and humid--and to keep a bike somewhere else in a cooler climate for longer trips, say Seattle, Denver, or San Francisco. Yes, I know that runs against the grain of just getting on your bike and heading out any time you feel like it, regardless of the weather. But of course we already take the time for ATGATT, so it's not like we don't believe in gear.
Is there some sort of 12V chiller available that would fit on a motorcycle? Would it be practical to power a refrigerating device with propane from a "torch" bottle? Building a vest with tubes would be simple enough, sort of the opposite of an electric vest, or even combined with electric wires. Quick detach cooler lines to the chiller. We need some inventors here!
pmdave
I agree that overheating is underrated as a factor in crashes. One big problem is that riders from normally cooler climates have learned that taking off clothing in hot weather is the way to cool down.
The fact is, when ambient air temps rise above body temp, removing insulation results in the body abosorbing heat from the air rather than giving off heat. And, as the body gains temperature, lots of bad things happen, starting with cramps and ending with death.
Out west, with low humidity, evaporative cooling works well enough. I use both an evaporative vest and an evap neck wrap. But, as noted, in some humid location such as Virginia or Missouri, a soacked swamp cooler can't give off any water to the already saturated air, so there is little or no evaporative cooling.
There have been a few attempts to build cooling devices, including a head wrap you chill in the refrigerator, and vests you chill in icewater. The problem with those is that they soon warm up, and there is no easy way to get them cooled down again during the ride. I have yet to see any cooling garments that are practical for an all day ride in hot, humid conditions. The closest I have come is to buy a bag of ice and pack it in the front pockets of my Darien jacket. That lasts about half a tank, but can be repeated all day (at the expense of buying sacks of ice)
I have heard of jackets or vests that circulate chilled water, but I haven't seen any in person. It would be necessary to have some sort of onboard water chiller, and of course that would compete for space and electrical power. One summer I built a cooling water gadget composed of a reservoir and a windshield washer pump. A handlebar-mounted switch powered the pump, which s prayed water onto my neck cooler. It worked, but the complexity of the reservoir, power plug, switch cord, and water line was way too much bulk. It was just a PITA.
Maybe the smart tactic is to make short trips in the early morning in your local area when it's hot and humid--and to keep a bike somewhere else in a cooler climate for longer trips, say Seattle, Denver, or San Francisco. Yes, I know that runs against the grain of just getting on your bike and heading out any time you feel like it, regardless of the weather. But of course we already take the time for ATGATT, so it's not like we don't believe in gear.
Is there some sort of 12V chiller available that would fit on a motorcycle? Would it be practical to power a refrigerating device with propane from a "torch" bottle? Building a vest with tubes would be simple enough, sort of the opposite of an electric vest, or even combined with electric wires. Quick detach cooler lines to the chiller. We need some inventors here!
pmdave
Anyname
Active member
Sorry to hear about your accident. Best wishes on the recovery.
The titanium plate may let you qualify for the new TSA full palm pat downs.
I doubt that the titanium implant will show on metal detectors. I have a shoulder full of stainless steel (I fell walking my dog, not even a good story) and it doesn't get me any special attention from the TSA.
I asked my surgeon how is was that I got lowly stainless when my friends all got titanium and he just said it works and it's cheaper. I think I'll keep it since he went to a lot of trouble to install it and I would hate to appear ungrateful.
Anyname
Active member
The message I always get from my injuries is "Pay attention!!!". (Emphasis provided by the pain receptors in my aging body). It seems like nearly everything bad that happens to me follows a lapse in judgment or alertness. The only mitigating factor is that even people who live very safe (dull) lives are gonna end up dead. I'm not yet in a hurry to cash in my chips, and I try to be careful, but if I gave up motorcycles and everything else that occasionally bites me, I wouldn't have much to live for.
Anyname, I highly agree with you that disasters most often are triggered by lapses in judgment.
What Ps me Off is that I had rather hoped that with age and experience my judgment would improve.
All the same, I just can't see myself sitting on the sidelines rocking back and forth. I need to be involved to keep my brain functioning. I can't see much point in NOT doing things as a way to avoid injury or death. You can be relaxing in the bathtub and have a heart attack, or sitting in an easy chair and get clobbered by a falling airplane.
However, I can't ignore the risks of whatever I'm doing. I continue to hope that I'm getting smarter about that, rather than dumber--whether it's taking a bath or riding a motorcycle.
pmdave
What Ps me Off is that I had rather hoped that with age and experience my judgment would improve.
All the same, I just can't see myself sitting on the sidelines rocking back and forth. I need to be involved to keep my brain functioning. I can't see much point in NOT doing things as a way to avoid injury or death. You can be relaxing in the bathtub and have a heart attack, or sitting in an easy chair and get clobbered by a falling airplane.
However, I can't ignore the risks of whatever I'm doing. I continue to hope that I'm getting smarter about that, rather than dumber--whether it's taking a bath or riding a motorcycle.
pmdave
womanridge
New member
There'a a product called the Veskimo that I read about.
I have a very low tolerance for heat and humidity, so I bought it.
Google "Veskimo" if you want more info, but it's a mesh vest with tubes running all over and circulates ice water from a 9 qt cooler or 5 qt backpack unit. My friend Copilot calls it my spacesuit.
The 9 qt has a 12 volt pump that circulates the water and I plug it into my acc. outlet on my RT. It holds a bag of ice and can last from 4 hrs to all day, depending on the temperature. The back pack unit runs on battery power within the backpack.
It's costly but allows me to ride in 100 degree temperatures. I believe it was originally designed for race car drivers.
My apologies to the OP for hijacking this thread.
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When riding over 50 miles in hot/humid weather I use a 70oz capacity Camelback.
Load the Camelback with 16oz of water and ice and refill when stopping for gas.
Hope you heal quickly and find a new set of affordable wheels.
Ride Safe
PS. When finished taking a sip or two blow back thru the bite valve. Otherwise the fluid in the tube gets warm.
Load the Camelback with 16oz of water and ice and refill when stopping for gas.
Hope you heal quickly and find a new set of affordable wheels.
Ride Safe
PS. When finished taking a sip or two blow back thru the bite valve. Otherwise the fluid in the tube gets warm.
