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Road Rash Article

kantuckid

New member
Via the F650 Forum I post this link to a woman riders tale of road rash that will chill you out! Read the wiki on that topic @ this website: www.fzronline.com - See the "WIKI" section when you search via google. (perhaps the next person can post/paste a more direct link?)

I assure you, it will cause appreciation for an ATGATT approach to riding!
 
Sad story mainly because she really had no control of what was about to happen to her...

"Approaching mile marker seven on highway 550, I noticed that I had to start fighting the wind to stay behind Shaun without pulling on him too much. I placed my hands on the gas tank and pushed myself into him as much as possible without crowding him. As we came around to the right and went down the hill, we kept accelerating. I was scared, but thought I could handle the force of the wind as it suddenly picked up much more than in the moments before. I started to slide back on the seat and felt the cool air fill the small space between my chest and Shaun's back."

Sure, ATGATT may have helped, but what it really should drive home to every one is 'Don't ride as a pillion with an idiot'....

How fast would a person have to be going to slide almost 2 football fields worth of asphalt?
 
Just forwarded to my wife, she thinks tennis shoes, designer jeans, lightweight jacket and open gloves are fine. While i'am dressed like the Michelin man
Fortunately our riding buddies have convinced her otherwise
 
Sad story mainly because she really had no control of what was about to happen to her...

"Approaching mile marker seven on highway 550, I noticed that I had to start fighting the wind to stay behind Shaun without pulling on him too much. I placed my hands on the gas tank and pushed myself into him as much as possible without crowding him. As we came around to the right and went down the hill, we kept accelerating. I was scared, but thought I could handle the force of the wind as it suddenly picked up much more than in the moments before. I started to slide back on the seat and felt the cool air fill the small space between my chest and Shaun's back."

Sure, ATGATT may have helped, but what it really should drive home to every one is 'Don't ride as a pillion with an idiot'....

How fast would a person have to be going to slide almost 2 football fields worth of asphalt?

I was thinking the same thing. I would say north of 80mph, may be over 100. I am surprised he wasn't cited. When someone get lifted off a bike from the force of air, they are moving along.

If I was her father, I would have taken my 9" Milwaukee grinder to him.
 
I was thinking the same thing. I would say north of 80mph, may be over 100. I am surprised he wasn't cited. When someone get lifted off a bike from the force of air, they are moving along.

If I was her father, I would have taken my 9" Milwaukee grinder to him.

I'm guessing speeds north of 150mph. Just a guess.
 
There are darn few people on this planet with whom I'd ride pillion at such speeds and even then it would have to be on a track and not the public roads. As we know, there is no gear guaranteed to keep you alive in an off at that speed if you hit even a slightly resistive object or tumble the wrong way.
ATGATT sure, but that's not even close to a subsitute for the type of crappy judgement displayed here..


Re her injuries, I have spent part of my career working on drugs designed to prevent life threatening infections that start in such wounds and I can guarantee to you that there is little you can surivive that is as likely to cause pyschological damage as major skin injuries. The pain is intense beyond any type of normal pain experience and while it will subside after grafts, never goes away. She will be reminded of that day as long as she lives without having to look iin a mirror. If she should end up addicted to pain drugs as a result, that will be yet another permanent and possibly life threatening problem traceable to that day- deaths from such drugs now out number vehicle crash deaths by several fold in this country according to FDA and my daughter who used to manage a database tracking this info.

Those of you who might have had a skin biopsy have a small inkling of what she feels- your tiny biopsy scar burns ever time it sees a bit of sunlight but its likely in a place where your body doesn't have max sensitivity so you can live with it. The article is good but if you want to leave someone with an absolutely carved impression of what can happen, take them to a hospital burn ward and see what happens there- that's where major skin injuries get treated. Most people have no idea that humans can survive only a certain amount of skin loss and how badly significant injuries like hers can impact every body system from the simple protein losses that go with it (and BTW, that ability decreases greatly with age). Every patient with major skin loss has their own story that they never forget and all are as sobering as this one.

I find nothing surprising in the article- its a pretty typical of what results from such injuries.
Exactly as for those who continue to smoke, many think it can never happen to them, until it does. Those who don't want to learn from the experiences of others better hope for good luck- that's all they've got left as protection.
 
Nice young lady. Met her in Austin in the spring. She was out as part of a Kevin Schwantz track day at Harris Hill race track during the MotoGP race week. Here is her site: http://www.theroadrashqueen.com/

She is pushing a wearing gear all the time now and rides her own bike and fast too.
 
Sounds like she learned from the experience so good for her and her efforts to teach others so they don't have to lern the hard way.
 
What a painful tale! Being side swiped last month at 40 mph was enough for me. A young lady who just got her drivers license swerved left into my lane and took me out. I was knocked unconscious and slid into a curb dividing north and south bound traffic. I woke up with EMTs standing over me asking me who the president is. Fortunately, ATGATT was in play and my skin loss was limited to a spot on my wrist the size of a quarter.
I felt bad for the young lady in that article and can't imagine what she endured afterward. Poor decisions that day led to life changing events for her.

For those of you who haven't had the thrill of sliding down the road...




I landed on my left side as evidenced by the marks on the helmet and damage to my Roadcrafter. Five rib fractures on my left side, soft tissue damage to my left shoulder and hip were the extent of my injuries. No doubt the shoulder and hip pads saved me from worse injuries. My Lee Parks deerskin gloves held up well too. The left glove had abrasions to the palm and back of the hand but no split seams or holes.



 
Those of you who might have had a skin biopsy have a small inkling of what she feels- your tiny biopsy scar burns ever time it sees a bit of sunlight but its likely in a place where your body doesn't have max sensitivity so you can live with it.

I just had a biopsy done an hour ago. I probably have another basal cell skin cancer: they'll let me know in a week. I rode the bike up to the dermatologist's office. It's a beautiful day here and why not ride there? So I did. Of the other bikers I saw, I was the only one ATGATT. I also wore my hi-viz vest. More than one rider had on a tee shirt and jeans, and not even any gloves. I stand out as one of a very small minority who wear ATGATT for any trip out of town. Of course, you also have riders in fake helmets, even though DOT-approved helmets are required in New York.

I just don't feel all that lucky. I know how dumb many drivers are...

Harry
 
Eleven years ago my R90/6 and I took flying lessons courtesy of an SUV that rear ended me while I was stopped at a pedestrian crossing.

It was a 32 degree day and I almost didn't wear the pants to my riding suit as it was so hot in downtown traffic.

The bike, my riding suit, my boots, gloves, and helmet all needed replacement.

Me? Fine except for a lot of bruising, as I fly well, it's the landing I'm not good at.

I shudder to think of what the outcome might have been if I wasn't an ATGATT type of person.............Rod.
 
I just had a biopsy done an hour ago. I probably have another basal cell skin cancer: they'll let me know in a week. I rode the bike up to the dermatologist's office. It's a beautiful day here and why not ride there? So I did. Of the other bikers I saw, I was the only one ATGATT. I also wore my hi-viz vest. More than one rider had on a tee shirt and jeans, and not even any gloves. I stand out as one of a very small minority who wear ATGATT for any trip out of town. Of course, you also have riders in fake helmets, even though DOT-approved helmets are required in New York.

I just don't feel all that lucky. I know how dumb many drivers are...

Harry

I too have a biopsy scheduled in a couple weeks and may ride the bike for the hour trip each way. I live on a back road popular with riders of all stripes and figure the ATGATT types are less than 5%. I've had two crashes in my riding career. The first, I levitated off the bike (yes, I know that is unbelievable) but if I had worn shorts instead of full gear, the damage would have been two slightly skinned knees. The second crash totaled my bike, hurt but didn't break my left leg, and proved the value of wearing a good helmet. (Good half hour after the crash before I even wondered if I had hit my head on the pavement. Yes, I did.)

But we need to face the fact that we WILL NEVER convert those folk who ride in T-shirts and shorts that is actually more comfortable to ride with good gear, not to mention safer. I read somewhere that over half of all MC riders NEVER crash. And I wish all those riders with minimal clothing the best. But for myself, I know there are bad drivers, suicidal deer, and I too am less than perfect. The gear usually minimizes the damage.
 
ATGATT saved me a ticket awhile back. LEO said, "We're glad to see you've got on a helmet and boots," and gave a warning. Last week on a fifty mile loop out in pristine curves and pasture, spotted by Leo up a farm lane, followed for over a mile, riding very lawfully, first stop, perfect feet down, perfect signaling lights and arm, another unmarked Leo waiting around the corner, maybe the gear saved a ticket again? I too see rider after rider no gear at all. In my state in the month of July, 36 riders have been killed on bikes, and the media is having a field day with the news. Next legislative session the pols certainly will be looking to remedy the crisis.
 
I read her story years ago. I forward it to every one I can an try to just give a little insight to what the road can and will do. If a person has never had a road rash it is really hard to explain the feelings. I laugh when I see the guys pointing and laughing at me putting on all my stuff for a short ride but I have hit the ground and I DON'T LIKE IT!
 
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