Part 1.
I’m nursing a very sore and battered body tonight. A little quiet joyride this afternoon ended in a big “off”. Can’t explain what went wrong. I was probably only doing 30 clicks following a couple of slow-moving vans down hill. I just touched the front brake so that I could keep a safe distance from them and the front wheel just tucked under.
The bike skidded quite a few metres with my left leg trapped under it. When it came to rest I couldn’t lift it up, my shoulder was so sore, so a friendly passing motorist helped me and I bump-started it and rode it home. Quite how I got the 20-odd k’s from there to here I really don’t know.
The bike is very battered on the left-hand side and, once I’d got out of my riding gear, I realised that I was more injured than I first thought. My lovely daughter called my wife and took me to Casualty where I underwent the gamut of tests, X-rays, evaluation of the neck and vertebra, etc.
The good news is that there isn’t anything broken, but I’ve banged up my ribs and left shoulder and moving even the smallest amount is hugely painful. The doc says that it will feel worse tomorrow (thanks).
My helmet is trashed (5 years old so due for replacement anyway): my Joe Rocket jacket is also finished. My Draggins are badly scuffed but can probably be rescued and my new Falco boots are scuffed but re-useable and did their job, as did all the rest of my gear.
A moderately long recuperation they reckon and a fight with the insurance company to prevent them from writing BBII off, I expect.
ATGATT is the message yet again.
Too sore to take any pictures, I may do that tomorrow.
BUGGER!!!
Part 2.
Went to the doctor’s today. He’s got the full X-ray results from the hospital. 3 undisplaced fractured ribs. No wonder I’m in pain. He’s prescribed uber pain killers, rest, and told me I can look forward to 4-6 weeks before it gets better. That’s going to really mess things up in so many ways, but I’m going to have to work around as best I can, I guess.
Thanks for all the good wishes, anyway. I really do appreciate them.
Pictures below.
The reason why the damage seems reaonably light is that, for most of the time the bike was sliding down the road, my left leg was trapped underneath it and was preventing more damage. 🙂
Some new mirrors will be needed.
Only this small scratch on the tailpiece and the tank (thank God) is unmarked.
Won’t be wearing this one again, And HJC have discontinued the Symax, unfortunately.
These did their job also, but I recall still hanging onto the handlebars when the bike was down, it happened that quickly. Just a couple of small abrasions on the knuckles of the right one.
*sniff* my brand new Falco boots took a beating. This is the one that was trapped under the bike.
One of a number of similar tears in my Jacket. It, too, did its job perfectly.
I’ve been told that Draggins will repair damaged jeans. That would be good as these are only a bit over a year old.
Sorry about this, but here’s the only external damage that I received. The two wounds are from places where the kevlar isn’t present in the jeans. The rest of me is unmarked. Pretty impressive advertisement for Draggin’s eh? And, they have a programme whereby, if you have been in an accident and return the jeans to them, they will supply a new pair for half price. Why would you bother repairing when they offer a deal like that?