Poll: Biker Injuries Thread

Q: Have you had an accident as a biker after passing your full test?

  • Yes, and it required hospital treatment and surgery

    Votes: 24 16.3%
  • Yes, it required hospital treatment

    Votes: 13 8.8%
  • Yes, but it didn't require hospital treatment

    Votes: 33 22.4%
  • No, I haven't had an accident whilst biking

    Votes: 30 20.4%
  • Pancake. I'm not a biker but I feel the need to press a button.

    Votes: 35 23.8%
  • Not passed full test

    Votes: 12 8.2%

  • Total voters
    147
Permabanned
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lol... if that counts i'll tell you about my drop...

My first bike, aprilia rs125... got a dog from a dodgy trader :(

Anyhoo... last outing before it was going back to him, engine compression's in such a bad state the starter motor won't get it going, can only bump start.

I'm running with the bike, jump on ready to grab the clutch and my right hand grabs what it shouldn't... the front brake.

So there's me travelling ~10mph, both feet off the floor, in mid-air above the motorcycle about to land and i grab the frikkin front brake!

So... picture the bike stopping dead and me still moving... I go heals over head and land square on my back, bike falls over in slow motion.

Laugh my arse off...

Mirror pops off and footpeg bends... so nothing more than hurt pride really.

Couldn't stop laughing...
 
Soldato
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Only 5 times? Must try harder . . . . ;) I was once told that is you don't crash you're not trying hard enough.

I think I'm running a total of about 10 crashes in two years of racing. Most of those were in practise/qualifying though as I learnt where to push and where to ease up.

Not raced in over a year now, really getting the itch badly now but finances dictate at least another year out (buying a house really is expensive!).

Unfortunately all mine came in races, had a few moments in practice or qualifying but not actually dropped it somehow. I think I might be doing that bit wrong though :p

I've had a bit of a delay due to money issues, went and spent a load of money on a new road bike in feb, and didn't want to start racing with no 'spare' money put aside so skipping the first 3 rounds and started again at Silverstone next month, looking forward to it, just need to remember how to ride around a track again, god bless fridays :p
 
Associate
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Scotland
Accidents (no hospital fun):

1. Slowing down at traffic lights (was basically stopped behind a car) and the kind man behind me decided to accelerate through me rather than stop in the queue with everyone else. Result, no bike and sitting on his bonnet. No injuries.

2. Fell over on ice getting out the street. Result sore wrist, no real damage done.

3. Got caught out by a car cutting off my planned route round them. (they were turning right, parked cars on the left up ahead but space to get through, car moved left as a lorry came up the road = no place for me to go) Locked up the front and dropped it, no injuries to me, bike got a good beating, smashed crank case etc.
 
Soldato
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24,262
I developed a pilonidal cyst after 2/3 years of commuting by bike, I'm pretty sure it's the bike that did it. It's one of the common causes of it.

So injury no, but hospital yes :(

It's not a very cool scar. It's in my bumcrack.
 
Soldato
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On a related note, my dad's not been so lucky (much longer riding career though). He broke his spine, a compression fracture, while racing grasstrack sidecars before I was born, and lost about half an inch in height.

The irony being that it was his turn to hammer in the wooden staves and he did a really good job, and it was one of his staves that he slid into and it was hammered down so well that it didn't come out of the ground and broke his back. That taught him!

Dislocated his thumb as well riding MX with me. Then landed on his head and put himself in A&E on boxing day a couple of years ago. Mum wasn't happy when I went out and bought a bike that was pretty much identical to the one he nearly killed himself on six months later :/
 
Soldato
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Definitely, if you feel the need to do it you need to do it!

Since my op I'm gagging to get back on it, I don't ride as much as I did, fair weather commuting now, but I really hope I'm back on it before the sun goes away.

Loads of stuff in life's a little risky, you have to do some of it! I can't help it, it's genetic.. bike family!

I've had four accidents on the road.

Once I bumped into someone in traffic because if I'm honest I wasn't paying attention, but it was so gentle, and he just drove off.

I fell off on a roundabout that had diesel on it. Low speed, I was fine, bike was scuffed up but fine.

Someone pulled into the side of me while I was filtering, pretty good bang but I didn't come off because I thought I was coming off and went floppy and it straightened out. Lucky.

Same bit of road, someone pulled into my lane in front of me leaving me no chance at all to avoid them, I clouted the rear right corner fairly hard and came off. Bike was perfectly rideable but written off by insurance, scuffed and a few bent bits, dent in the tank and several panels (which is what wrote it off), but I was fine, just achey for a few days. Sore neck where I landed on my backpack.

Basically if you commute, they'll get you eventually, probably more than once. But life's for livin' and you have to do what you love.
 
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Associate
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Broke my left leg and ankle in 2 places when a nobber in a Capri (it was 1988) pulled out of a junction as I was riding down the main road. Swerved to miss him and hit the kerb, which in turn knocked my foot of the footrest and my leg wrapped itself around the Bus Stop pole that was situated there. **** then drove off, but luckily I had witnesses. It hurts trying to hold your bike up when your bones are sticking out :(
 
Soldato
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5 degrees starboard
Two acccidents both a long time ago,

Riding pillion on a mates 250 yamaha, rear wheel puncture and tank slapper, we slid off and rolled, just gravel rash but lucky as it was pre helmet law and we were not wearing one.

Rode off the edge of a quarry on an old AJS 650 track bike, broke my leg but lucky to leave bike which was mangled at the bottom.
 
Soldato
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3 accidents in 5 years, none required hospital treatment as were all slow speed and silly.

First one, locked the front wheel, went over, broke foot.

Second, locked the front wheel, went over, cracked rib.

Third (a month ago), span up the back pulling out of a junction, went down, cracked rib.
 
Soldato
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Nope. Interestingly I've only ever had accidents wearing full protective gear (leather trousers, boots, jacket). Though I spend most of my time riding in jeans and bike jacket. There is definitely something to be said for protective gear providing a misplaced confidence in riding ability. Maybe my leather trousers are bad luck. :D
 
Soldato
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Wiltshire / Winchester
Quite possible :p
My first accident was on my SV and I was only wearing Jeans, some road rash but that's about it, from then on I have worn full protection though, and I had the full works on when I had my major accident, back protector the lot, if I didn't then I would have lost my leg at least. But you are right about gear aiding confidence, or not so much confidence but if I'm not wearing my full leathers I am a hell of a lot more cautious.
 
Associate
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I think the question should have asked about injuries received where 3rd parties are involved i.e. cars, pedestrians, animals etc , as theres no accounting for silliness, running out of talent or just plain bad luck for the self inflicted ones ;)
 
Man of Honour
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I think the question should have asked about injuries received where 3rd parties are involved i.e. cars, pedestrians, animals etc , as theres no accounting for silliness, running out of talent or just plain bad luck for the self inflicted ones ;)

I wasn't really interested in why an accident happened, just that it did. I know that if you're an Arctic fisherman, regardless of whether you it's your fault or not, there's a lot that could go wrong. I know biking isn't as safe as driving, but I just wanted an idea of how many people had accidents resulting in injuries.
 
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