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No real big point to this accident. I didn't lose a limb or anything. I put this up on Facebook a couple days ago, figured I'd splash it up here.
Ten Things to Know About My Motorcycle Accident
1. The Facts: On October 15th, 2010, my Ninja 250 was involved in a collision at somewhere between 25 and 35 mph with the side of an SUV. The driver of the SUV was elderly and was lost. The road was very twisty and tight, one lane each way. It was early and it was dark. The driver of the SUV stopped her vehicle in the middle of the road, right after a sharp curve, behind a large amount of tall foliage, but off to the right side by a couple of feet. My Ninja 250 attempted to circumvent the obstacle by moving slightly to the left and into the other lane (clearly no traffic was coming). The driver of the SUV then initiated a sudden U-turn with no signal. Two objects cannot occupy the same space simultaneously. The two vehicles were halfway between perpendicular and parallel at impact. The Ninja 250 and I, weighing together only one-tenth what the SUV weighed, were flung to the left and into the ditch on the other side of the road.
2. An Ounce of Prevention: I could have prevented the accident, but the driver of the SUV could have prevented the accident more. I could have stood the Ninja 250 up from cornering and come to a complete emergency stop and hung out behind the SUV for who knows how long. The driver of the SUV could have learned how to drive on a twisty road, followed directions better so she didn't get lost, not stopped in the middle of a two lane road right after a tight curve, signaled her intention to make a U-turn, or looked behind her before initiating the U-turn.
3. Bodily Harm: I got out of the accident with only a bruised and sore right shoulder and a cracked left ankle. This is due to the safety gear I doggedly refuse to ever ride without. My jacket armor helped diffuse most of the right shoulder impact, preventing a dislocation or breakage. The Icon knee/shin armor I wear turned what would have been a surgical nightmare for my left knee into something I didn't even feel. Same thing for my left elbow, my left palm, and my head. My boots prevented an even worse ankle crush. My medical expenses were minimal. A week after the impact there was no sign of any trauma, save for my ankle which took a good three months to really allow running and jumping without pain.
4. The Good Samaritan: A guy who lives on the twisty road about three doors down had pulled out right behind me in his Mercedes. He saw the impact. He stopped. He helped pull the Ninja 250 out of the ditch. He waited. He told me out of earshot of the driver of the SUV that it was her fault and that she did not signal. He took pictures of both vehicles and later emailed them to me. He helped me walk the Ninja 250 to his house and put it up in his garage. He drove me to my house so I could drive my car to work. The next day he actually brought my Ninja 250 to my house on his trailer. He received huge kudos and a Christmas card from me.
5. The Bad Samaritan: The elderly driver of the SUV was utterly unconcerned with the state of the Ninja 250 or my body. She was, in fact, overly concerned with the dent in her door caused by my shoulder. As the good samaritan helped me take stock of my joints and bones and pull the Ninja 250 out of the ditch, the driver of the SUV, who might have been slightly mentally unstable, was heard to earnestly exclaim, "why doesn't anyone care about MY vehicle!" The driver of the SUV was unaware of how to operate the basic functions of her mobile phone. With assistance, she called her poor husband to explain that "some kid" with one of those fast motorcycles (Ninja 250) damaged the SUV. She was somehow worried the minor dent had somehow rendered her enormous SUV somehow undrivable.
6. Cynical Police: The Keller PD officer assessed no tickets, merely facilitating the exchange of information between the two of us. He stated later on that although the driver of the SUV was obviously missing a few marbles, the insurance companies would likely find in her favor due to the fact she was in front and the Ninja 250 came up behind.
7. Like a Good Neighbor: The driver of the SUV filed a claim against my insurance company, Progressive (bought through USAA), for damage to her SUV. She further claimed the damage had caused her SUV to be undrivable. The Progressive insurance agent took my statement over the phone. He also contacted the good samaritan who was happy to provide a statement. The insurance agent later contacted me and stated that the driver of the SUV was 100% the "proximate cause" of the accident due to unsafely and unnecessarily turning herself into a road obstacle, attempting to perform an illegal U-turn, failing to signal, and failing to check any mirrors or rear windows. He stated that the good samaritan's statement swayed the decision and further stated that the driver of the SUV was quite misguided in trying to claim that the accident rendered her vehicle undrivable. The accident has not and will not affect my insurance or driving record and no money was transferred.
8. My Insurance Claim: I didn't file one. There's a huge "home-court advantage" when it comes to insurance claims. I didn't want to antagonize the driver of the SUV, her poor husband, or her insurance company. The police officer had offered his opinion that both insurance companies would find in her favor. My medical issues were relatively minor and at any rate short-lived and my medical expenses were minimal. My motorcycle was unridable but was so inexpensive to purchase in the first place that I wasn't overly concerned about it. In addition, I was not carrying collision insurance myself, so I did not file a claim of my own for the accident with my insurance company.
9. Bike and Gear Debris: The Ninja 250 was obviously unridable. The front fork was bent, the steering was off-center, the front light/fairing/mirrors/instrument panel assembly was hanging down loose, various parts were broken off or bent, and the ignition and key were non-functional. My helmet touched down and must be replaced. The rest of my riding gear, including my jacket, my knee/shin armor, my boots, and my gloves all held up admirably. The jeans I was wearing for jeans day bear large left knee holes where they scraped the ground.
10. Next Steps: I had little appetite for fixing the Ninja 250 back up. I placed an ad on Craig's List and quickly sold the bike to a guy who is an SME on the Ninja 250, having renovated several of them already. I got a decent bid that further mitigated any financial loss. I didn't ride all winter long. I've been shopping for a new bike for several weeks now. I want something with a little more aggressive riding position and a little more wind protection, with a bit more power, a bit stronger brakes, and a bit more sophisticated suspension, and it must have fuel injection and acceptable passenger accommodations (torque, seat padding, passenger position, and rear shock stoutness). I'd prefer to buy a new Yamaha FZ6R, but none of the local dealers bought any 2010 or 2011 models due to the 2009s failing to sell. There are a few 2009s around, but they are either pink or the dealer is bizarrely asking MSRP. The concurrent used bike search also goes on and on...
I want something with a little more aggressive riding position and a little more wind protection, with a bit more power, a bit stronger brakes, and a bit more sophisticated suspension, and it must have fuel injection and acceptable passenger accommodations (torque, seat padding, passenger position, and rear shock stoutness).
Indeed. I've had bigger bikes -- VF700F, ZZR600, and ridden my father's ZRX1200R quite a bit. But I like lighter and something I can go full throttle on sometimes without going nuts. My commute is pretty winding and tight.
I test rode an SV650 recently, but this one had some problems. It strong resisted handlebar inputs and wanted to stand up and run wide on every corner.
The FZ6R appeals to me, at about 64 rear-wheel HP.
Something must have been wrong with the SV650. It is usually given high marks for handling.
I agree. I think part of it was a badly cupped front tire, and part was that it had aftermarket suspension that wasn't tuned very well for my weight or for balance. The fork may have been set way too stoutly while the rear suspension was a little floppy. However, I couldn't be sure it wasn't some kind of frame, fork, or alignment problem, so I passed. It fought tenaciously to stay bolt upright throughout my test ride.
Hoping to buy today: 2009 YAMAHA FZ6R 700 Miles (http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/mcy/2300433132.html - broken link)
I am also glad to hear that you emerged relatively unscathed. And, that was very nice of you not to pursue claims against the idiotic driver who caused the crash. Best of luck in the search for the new motorcycle.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
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Best of luck in the search for the new motorcycle.
