"Hey man, are you OK?"

Those were the first words I heard, as I lay face down in the asphalt with scattered gravel on it. I was also conscious of the distinct sound of a German engine on it's side.

I was making a right turn at about 15-20mph, and the bike slid out from under me.
I did not see the gravel in advance. Pilot error. And I am not going to make that mistake again.

First my right shoulder hit, my right arm was tucked inside as my elbow impacted my rib cage, then my left hand hand, and then KA-WUMP as the right side of my face/forehead hit the pavement. Then I slid about 10 feet. Bike slid about 30 feet.

I was ATGATT with First Gear armoured mesh jacket and pants, and an Arai Q-II Helmet. I had summer gloves on. The gravel tore through the top layers of the right shoulder of the jacket and bruised my shoulder. Gravel also tore through the same layers of the right right knee of the pants and bruised the area above the right knee. I had some road rash where there was some gap between the jacket and the left glove.

The helmet saved my a*s-and my head. It took the brunt of the impact. The impact knocked the pin and protective cover off on the right side of the face shield housing. The right vents on the face shield no longer exist.

Three Honda riders were on scene about two seconds after my slide out. I got up-a bit stunned-walked over to my bike and turned off the engine. They picked up my bike and walked it over to the side of the road.

I have some bumps, bruises (soft tissue injuries), and the biggest bruise is to my ego. Nothing is broken, but I am sore in spots. My bike has the right turn signal stalk and right PIAA light is demolished. There are some other scratches and dings.

They told me that I was lucky to have worn a helmet. I then opened my right system case ( a bit scratched now), and got out my "touring" first aid kit. One of the Honda riders was an EMT and he helped treat my road rash and checked me out . ( They commented:" Gee, you are prepared" I responded :" us Beemer riders are compulsive about gear and equipment in a common sense kind of way".)

The deputy sheriff who wrote up the report said that based on the condition of my helmet and gear, I would be in the back of an ambulance if I had not worn all the gear, especially the helmet.

I then asked the Honda riders, where were their helmets? They don't wear them. They do not like them. I thanked them profusely for stopping, but I silently wondered about them choosing not to wear helmets.

Go figure.

I rode home-much slower than I usually would. I stopped at a MacDonalds for fluids and to make sure that both pupils were equal. I was well past the initial stun part, but I felt badly for being stupid.

I want to thank all of you people in the MOA who helped me select gear, tools, first aid kits over the last two years. Compuslively ATGATT is a good thing. You are a wonderful community, and I lived to ride another day.

Howard

PS: Last night I revisited the book "Street Strategies. My specific error was not to monitor terrain more closely.

Thank goodness you are OK.

I usually wear textiles unless I am on a BACA run.

When I crashed on gravel, it was that sharp crushed type. No armor, but the leather took a beating instead of me.

The chaps were scuffed, as were my boots a Gerbings gloves (December 23 was cold - we were delivering Christmas prsents.) My fashion H-D jacket lost half the thickness of leather in one sleve.

Leather is good, unless it rains or is hot.

Glad you're okay . That's a bad story in one sense and a good story in another. It serves as a reminder to everyone to always wear the right gear. Hope you and your bike get all healed up soon and back on the road again.

Thanks for sharing your experience. There is always something to be learned.

Wow there U-cyclist...Glad you are able to report this...Sorry you had to experience it...
It's getting warm here, but the disadvantages of no gear far outweigh a little discomfort...get the R bike and you healed soon...Life IS a lesson, thanks for affirming the positives!

Sorry to hear about your spill but I am glad that you are OK!! Good lesson in ATGATT

Gear is expendable and replaceable. I've still got my stuff from last year's event that I occasionally take to a local riding class and talk about the benefits of ATGATT.

Glad that you're relatively OK. You'll heal, the bike parts are replaceable. And as you observed, you learned something in the process.

Howard! Day'em!! Glad to hear you are ok. I had a gravel experience of my own with the RT on the way to GR3, however the results were not as nasty.

Hope you feel ok, the gear you can replace and after all that's why we wear the stuff, right? Sounds like it did it's job and good for you for riding with ATGATT!

See you at the nat'l.

Wez

Glad to hear you are ok.

You probably should go to your doctor tomorrow and get checked out.

Easy

MD tomorrow

Will do. I had planned on that anyway.

glad you're okay and it wasn't worse, way to go ATGATT!

manicmechanic said:

Gear is expendable and replaceable.

Click to expand...

So are the bikes.

Glad you are ok.

Glad you're ok, man and good goin' on gear adornment.

Been there, done that...

I had a spill on the highway about 6 weeks ago now. I had on full gear, since I was commuting. The padding of the jacket and pants, as well as the helmet, saved me from injury.

I am most certainly not a gear Nazi, what you wear is your personal choice. I can only relate how in that particular instance, the gear really protected me.

Do go to a Dr., Howard. You should get a "once over".

Living to tell the tale, that's what it's all about.
Good news.


Don't be too hard on yourself, the road does that for you.


The rally is close, so get repairs done, and we are eating Cuban right?

wsteinborn said:

Thank goodness you are OK.

I usually wear textiles unless I am on a BACA run.

When I crashed on gravel, it was that sharp crushed type. No armor, but the leather took a beating instead of me.

The chaps were scuffed, as were my boots a Gerbings gloves (December 23 was cold - we were delivering Christmas prsents.) My fashion H-D jacket lost half the thickness of leather in one sleve.

Leather is good, unless it rains or is hot.

Click to expand...

BMW's Reflect Leathers are really great. It's amazing how reflecting the sun's heating on black makes a difference. Not cheap, but the best $1K you will ever spend in the ER.

Howard,

I'm really glad that you're OK.

I REALLY appreciate you (and others) for sharing such experiences. It may help other to avoid the same trap.

You're not stupid. You are the victim of an accident. And although it's a rare occurrence, you were totally prepared with not only gear but first aid. You are to be commended (and congratulated, I suppose).

Glad your bike's not worse and your minor bruises (as you made them sound) will heal quickly.

Thank you again for sharing this valuable lesson and for reminding me: any place, any time.

I'd call that the best possible outcome, ultracyclist.

I'm glad to hear you're doing well.

Kudo's for sharing this with all of us and admitting to making a mistake. We all do, but few are willing to admit that in a public forum. I am happy for you that you were ATGATT, and a you only have a few bruises. Gravel, loose sand and ice in curves are about the worst we can encounter on the roads. (apart from those cellphone toting ^&**$#%^)
Heal up fast!

ouch

The estimate to fix my bike (mostly farkles, helmet) is about $2700.00

You cannot buy just one PIAA light, one has to buy the whole set. You cannot buy just the touring windshield, you must also get the mounting bracket and hardware per the father land.

Oh, well let the insurance company pay for this stuff.

Believe it or not, I faired much better than the bike. The worst I have is soft tissue bruise medial to the right side of my rib cage, and my right arm from shoulder to wrist is bruised. I am amazed that I did not break anything on the right side.

I am polishing up my helmet and it will be placed on the coffee table as a knick-knack.