Re: Crash Analysis: What did you learn?
recap:
on a two lane blacktop passing a car under hard acceleration to get back into lane before the solid yellow line as we approach a slight hill. I crest the hill and spot the road we need to turn left onto. I am on my brakes going downhill, going faster than I should. I check the mirror to see where the car I just passed is because I may be stopping faster than he can. No car behind me. when I check the intersection, there is a patch of sand/gravel at the end of the road on the left as it meets the road I am on. I brake harder to scrub off more speed and plan to turn in earlier to miss the debri but I hit it anyway and the front end tucks and the bike goes down. It drags maybe 2-3 feet. broken mirror, turn signal and scratches on the front fairing, side fairing and carbon muffler as well as bent centerstand. Bike damage is mostly cosmetic but my left little finger is broken and my right thumb is badly bruised. 5 months later and my fingers still hurt.
what I did right:
I had on protective gear. Helmet and faceshield are lightly scratched. leather pants and jacket are slightly scrathed. padded knees saved my knee, gloves saved me from road rash but not from broken and bruised fingers :'(.
what I did wrong:
I was the lead bike on a section of road I was unfamiliar with. The passing maneuver set me up for going too fast eventually going downhill with a hard left turn coming up. I decided to take a chance and take the turn hoping to avoid the debri on the road.
how it might have bee avoided:
I should have recognized that the debri would have been impossible for me to avoid. I should have not turned the bike in and just gone past the left turn, stop down the road and turned around.
If I had not overtaken the car, I would not have been at that speed and would not have to worry about whether the car was directly behind me. I would have had enough time to spot the left turn and slowed down with enough time to turn and avoid the debri.
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