Had first bike 3 months - first serious crash

Soldato
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Just glad to hear the OP is OK..

The thing with bikes, is if you are lucky you have a little time before impact to try and control the bike, after you demount, you are to some extent in the lap of the Gods!

But assuming the Gods a looking down on your favourably, you do need 'proper' kit to make sure you minimise whatever injuries you may get..

I never felt invincible in my full gear, but I did feel amazingly vunerable without it!


The other thing that I would mention is that I am always a little weary when people say the car just pulled out and I had no time to react.. I sometimes think this may be down to 'hazard perception', you tend to be quite defensive on bikes when it comes to junctions etc, and should half expect cars to be pulling out, it's not always avoidable, but from the many times I've had people not see me and pull out, I've always had enough time to take evasive action.. Of course, I'm sure that a lot of times it really is a case of nothing can be done, but you need to assess if truly this was the case, always see if you can improve your riding technique/awareness!
 
Man of Honour
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Sounds like you were lucky. I've had a similar experience myself, but the bike came off worse than I did. You could have trapped your leg between the bike and the car and have it snapped, or broken your neck/back on landing, or even your arms and legs on landing. So yes, very lucky. :)

However, glad you're ok, just make sure you replace your helmet! :)
 
Soldato
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As said above, you were lucky. I had a similar accident and my ankle got trapped between the bike and the car. Wasn't pretty.

You could have hit the car more directly, you could have landed under a lorry travelling the other way. Anything could have happened, and this time you were very lucky.
 
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OP
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Yea aching today. Just did the insurance claim. Insurance guy was AMAZED I said I was totally uninjured. He said in 13 years of taking claims he'd never heard of a 30mph bike collision with zero injuries!!

I am aching and have a few bruises. Tomorrow the insurance are delivering me a hire bike. They say that when I hand it back I get to keep the helmet they are bringing (woot!).

The bike got picked up off the road-side this morning by the garage. They didn't need a key or anything, and with the wheel locked and chain on, two big burly men from the garage picked it up and put it in their van. No-one battered an eyelid or thought to challenge them - the whole operation taking under 15 seconds! Goodness these things must be easy to nick!
 
Associate
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Crikey. Lucky flight and landing... and launch, by the sounds of it. I'm relieved to see you haven't any injuries anwyay. I hope the lid they send you fits. Well, there's no point saying what to do if it doesn't, as that is kind of obvious, what!
 
Soldato
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I have had 3 bad off's, totalled my first 748 thanks to the "just a wee bit more" attitude whilst surfing a roundabout lol, high side at fast speeds is not fun.

Anyway, each time, I have had full gear and have never hurt anything further than a scratch/bruise.

It's people in hoodies and jeans that will pay the price, big time.

ags
 
Soldato
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I fell off my bike at about 30 but hit a ditch hard, concussion, bruised ribs and my shoulder popped itself out breifly, im totally fine now though and was back on the bike as soon as I could get the parts ! :D.
You were lucky though, its very easy to find lots of nasty solid things to hit when you come off the bike
 
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I'm sure motorcycles are great fun, but this is precisely why I refuse to have anything to do with them.

I am glad you survived OP. I presume the driver's insurer will buy you a new bike?
 
Soldato
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As soon as I did it I stood up, took off my gloves and for some reason chucked them at the bloke getting out of his Micra. I ended up with no medical problems at all, he ended up suffering shock and going to hospital.

Best thing was a policeman was on the beat and saw it all, and we're all fully insured and the driver said to the copper, on the record, it was 100% his fault.
So does this make me incredibly lucky?
Yes it does. go buy a lottery ticket. :D It's great it was so straightforward. the best you can expect of a motorbike accident is no injuries and not your fault. :)
I reckon I could come off a bike at 60 and, if I just fly over whatever I hit and smack into the road and slide, walk away no big deal!!

i can assure you that you do not wish to test that theory. Believe me - it hurts!!! :p:D:eek:
 
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FROM THE OP

read the OP first -- here is a horrible, horrible update .... :(

Here is 'Micra driver's current story.

He was waiting at a junction and a motorbike flashed him out and waved him out with my hands (he was turning right). He proceeded forward with caution. At that point the motorcyclist (me) seemed to lose control slightly of the bike, accelerate towards him like I couldn't ride the thing properly, and smash my bike into his Nissan Micra !!!!!! :( :( :( :(.

He is therefore claiming I am 100% liable, he did nothing wrong :( and wants his Micra fixed at my companys expense. In fact, funny enough, his 'mate' mechanic thinks it's a write-off and he needs a new one .. :( . He is claiming the fact he was saying to everyone including the policeman ON RECORD it was 100% his fault (about 500 times) was ‘under duress as I looked like I was about to give him a kicking’ – so all his admitting stuff has immediately been thrown out of the window. Policeman didn't see the accident it happened behind him :( his mate in passenger seat is backing up HIS lying version of events.

My insurance company now says this is probably going to go down to a 50/50 ‘deal’ between insurance companies. So my insurance will be paying for half the cost of getting my bike fixed, my new helmet, and getting HIS car fixed.

Which means next year my bike insurance premiums will be mental after a first year claim. Like £800 mental. And stay mental for the next 5 years.

I am absolutely gutted. I feel sick to my stomach. I have lost a great deal of faith in mankind. I could have claimed 'bad neck, need two weeks off work, loss of earnings please' or 'mobile phoned smashed in my pocket' or 100 other things. I didn't even claim for my clothes (just the helmet). Please please please when you have an accident and the other person seems like the nicest person on the planet during the event I promise you IT IS A LIE! THEY WILL LIE JUST 2 DAYS LATER ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. DO NOT TRUST THEM. 2 DAYS LATER AFTER CHATTING WITH THEIR MATES DOWN THE PUB THEY WILL CHOOSE TO START LYING 100%. Proceed with your post-crash actions accordingly.

The world is a horrible place. People are scum. I can not make a single contact with the original guy as my insurance company is saying that whatever I say, within 10 second he'll have a 'threatening behaviour' and 'under duress' complaint about me and everything will swing 100% against me :( amazing :( oh yea, no CCTV

Where on earth can I go from here? He is prepared to 100% lie about events. The bike estimate came in at, including helmet, £1700 (from a Honda dealer).
 
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Soldato
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sucks on the insurance front, I suspected when I read the first thing it would go 50/50 but seriously, thats some fabrication from the other guy :(
 
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Soldato
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Shouldn't a passenger in his car be wrote off straight away as a biased account of events? And surely flashing means S.F.A? Just like if you're still indicating, and someone shoots out infront of you, the fact you were still indicating means nothing or very little? Not that you were flashing, but that's why I never flash anyone in the car or on the bike, unless I am miles away and going slower than usual.
 
Soldato
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I know everyone flashes your headlights to let people out, but the actual highway code term is to let other know you are there, so you could try that one against them ;)

110

Flashing headlights. Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070289
 
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OP
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I know everyone flashes your headlights to let people out, but the actual highway code term is to let other know you are there, so you could try that one against them ;)

110

Flashing headlights. Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070289

I think that's why he invented that I also let him out by a hand movement.

I'm frankly at this point surprised he hasn't said 'The biker was clearly drunk' :( yes, his lying seems that outrageous ..
 
Associate
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Here is 'Micra driver's current story.

He was waiting at a junction and a motorbike flashed him out and waved him out with my hands the bikes headlights (he was turning right). He proceeded forward with caution. At that point the motorcyclist (me) seemed to lose control slightly of the bike, accelerate towards him like I couldn't ride the thing properly, and smash his bike into his Nissan Micra !!!!!! :( :( :( :(.

Right....

Well even IF you had "flashed him", a flash simply means, "I am here", nothing more. Even then this could simply mean a pothole meant your headlight bumped up and looked like you flashed even if you didn't.

Waving him out, that's going to be hard to prove.

It sounds like a right of way violation on his part, I think It'll hinge on the "waving him out", if I were you contact Anniesdad on Pistonheads now, he will be able to assist far more than me.
http://www.europaconsultants.co.uk/

Best of luck
 
Soldato
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I think that's why he invented that I also let him out by a hand movement.

I'm frankly at this point surprised he hasn't said 'The biker was clearly drunk' :( yes, his lying seems that outrageous ..

Just gotta wonder if the OP wants to push for the I was signalling my presence with both my lights and arms, not conveying any other message. If all else fails.

Arm signals are in the highway code and one of them is I intend to slow down or stop ;)
 
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