Crash Analysis: What did you learn?

[SILENTCOREY]

So I went to the doc today and he seems to think I tore my rotator cuff in this little incident. Now I have a possible surgery to look forward to this summer! :

Thank you for your concern, injury aside I really am fine, and I did learn from this.

[tommys67]

Recap of my crash

I am riding sweep with 6 other guys from the NYMMC forum. We're about 20 miles into a planned 350 mile ride. We get into the first section of twistys in a woody state park, and I'm doing quite well. However, I get to one uphill left-hand turn and it doesn't feel right. As I am repositioning for the turn I realize I am going way too fast. I'm probably doing 40 - 45 - or maybe more... In trying to slow down I straighten up the bike, but realize I'm headed for gravel and a drop off on the side of the road. I end up locking the front wheel while on the gravel which drops the bike to its left, and I go over the bars. I may have actually bailed off the bike, but I just can't remember. I hit the ground with my left hand and helmet. Here's a pic of the aftermath to my stuff. I'm fine - not a scratch, but I mildly sprained my wrist and I overall feel like a pro football lineman on Monday morning.

Damage to the bike appears to be minimal. Broken headlamp, smashed left indicator, broken Dart flyscreen (which saved the instrument cluster from serious damage [thumbsup] - but it was bent), bent bars, clutch filed down, scratched tank and rear cowl, bent shifter. The left side frame slider got nicely ground down, and I HOPE the frame and forks aren't bent. I am HOPEFUL that it's just jammed in gear because when I started it after the crash it made a miserable noise. :'( It was picked up by a local dealer from the crash site, and I should learn more this week. Also, the right side MIVV can was dented - and I'm bewildered by that... I'm actually happy about the indicator, because I have a full set of Rizoma LED Track indicators to install [thumbsup].

Here's a shot.


What I did right:

1 - Wore full gear (dressed for the crash, not the ride). My new Helimot suit is soooo worth it. My helmet is already in the garbage. My Held gloves came through with flying colors. If I in fact DID bail, it saved me from falling downhill into rocks. I carried my AAA card, but learned a hard lesson - if you're in a state park, the towing company needs to have a special permit to come in and pick you up.

What I did wrong:

1 - I was riding at the very limits of my ability, and I got burned for it. I should have been going 10 - 15 mph slower throughout that stint.
2 - I didn't try to push through the turn, likely because I didn't...
3 - trust my abilities, my tires or the bike in general

How it could have been avoided:

Simple - going slower.

The irony:

I was using this ride as a warm up for the Lee Parks Total Control Advanced Riding Class on the 27th. Guess what I have to reschedule... :-\

What I learned:

As much as I have advanced my skills as a motorcyclist, I'm still only in my second year of riding. I need to ride comfortably - and not push myself when it isn't necessary.

I really do need to take an advanced class like the ARC class or a track day because I need a controlled environment to learn the limits of my bike - not on public roads.

I also learned that walking through Grand Central Station in the middle of mid-town Manhattan is a wee bit embarrassing if you're wearing full leathers and carrying other gear [cheeky] [laugh]

I also learned that NYMMC is chock full of quality people. They waited with me for over an hour until the truck came to get me!

Let me know if you need any more details.

[msincredible]

Thanks for the report, sorry to hear about the crash.
Good luck with the bike, keep us posted.

Glad to hear the gear did such a great job protecting you! [thumbsup]

[CDawg]

Tommy,
106? East West or West East?

[tommys67]

Originally Posted by CDawg

Tommy,
106? East West or West East?

Yep, 106, riding East to West into Harriman.

[fwtcc]

While wiggling the front back and forth to avoid putting my feet down, the guy in front of me tapped his brakes hard and I squeezed hard with the wheel turned hard, so up and over I went.
Lesson learned: Put your feet down or use rear brake in this situation. Mostly just use the feet for balance.
Was wearing: Armored leather jacket, chicane gauntlets, boots, and helmet.
The damageMe) Jacket has light, barely noticeable scuffing (I am more of a roller), gloves are scuffed, boots and helmet didn't touch the ground. Hips hurt, bruised and scuffed but pants didn't tear so, no serious rash.
(Bike)bar end, shifter, kickstand, and tank chip.

All in all, I have a lot to be thankful for. Even at low speed my hand and shoulder would easily be meat if I wasn't wearing anything. I still have a knick on my hand through the glove, I could only imagine if I hadn't been wearing it.

[Triangleforge]

Originally Posted by tommys67

I also learned that walking through Grand Central Station in the middle of mid-town Manhattan is a wee bit embarrassing if you're wearing full leathers and carrying other gear [cheeky] [laugh]

Glad you're OK -- and if it's any consolation, leathers & MC gear aren't the weirdest outfit to parade through Grand Central Station. Not even close.

[Triangleforge]

Originally Posted by EvilSteve

I'm no expert on training on these things but I actually try to train myself by looking at things and then looking away. I also try to stare at things like leaves on the road and then miss them. Target fixation is something you can reduce the effects of IMO but it can also be used to your advantage by looking through the corner.

I think it's easier to control your target fixation if you're scanning ahead and not riding beyond your limits. Of course, knowing where your limits are is a really difficult question.

Has anyone seen any material regarding controlling target fixation?

One good technique for avoiding target fixation -- and one you can consciously practice -- is to look where you want the bike to go, not at what you want to avoid. Looking through the turn is a big part of that, but it takes on extra meaning when you throw obstacles into the mix. In the leaf example you list above, I'd try a different approach -- instead of staring at the leaves and then avoiding them, practice focusing on the line you want to take between the leaves and letting the leaves (obstacles) remain in your peripheral perception.

And absolutely +1 about scanning ahead & riding within your limits.

[witecap4u]

I left work after it had been raining most of the day but the streets were still wet. I was on a highway and decided to make a stop before I went home so I needed to turn around. The divided highway had a turn around in it coming up but I decided I would need to brake too had to slow down in time so I played it safe and decided to carry on to the stop light/intersection just ahead which has a left turn lane and two straight lanes. As I got closer to the intersection I saw the left tun lane and half the intersection was a giant water puddle and the left turn light was green as was the straight. I decided that my luck would be Id get over in the left turn lane and the light would turn red and I'd have to stand in the water. I looked around and no cars were close so I stayed in the left straight lane untill I got to the intersection and as the light was still green, i switched lanes moving into the puddle going about 20mph or less(felt safe) and bam im on the ground sliding through the intersection. I picked up the bike and moved off the road and check over the bike and myself. At that point a car drove down the left turn lane and it became evident that there was a pothole under the water and I must have hit it when I switched lanes. A couple days later after the puddle dried out I checked it out and found 2 holes about 18" long and 8" wide about 6" deep about 2-3ft apart on the far right side of the left turn lane. Damage: side fairing/exhaust scratched(Triumph Trophy 1200). Left side was sore the next couple days, light rash on my forearm and a cold wet ride home. Pride hurt...

What I did right... helmet and gloves on, played it safe on the first turn around, slowed to a speed that felt safe for cornering in the water, checked for cars before making an abnormal/late lane change

What I did wrong...unnessesary riding on wet roads/should have just went home, riding though a water puddle with unknown road codition underneith. No riding jacket, just hooded sweatshirt.

[sikomaniac]

sounds like your bike is still rideable. glad to hear you're ok.

EVENT:

12:00 AM last night. was heading east on California Blvd towards Fair Oaks in PASADENA. ACTIVE NIGHT CONSTRUCTION shut down two lanes to only the right lane. the construction was about one block, as i found out the hard way later, continued into the middle of the intersection. on the approach it was clear from the cones and blinking yellow barriers. i had a green and did not accelerate but continued my pace of 25-30 mph, trying to be safe. as i got closer to the intersection the light turned YELLOW and at the SAME TIME noticed a CRV in the opposite direction, middle of the intersection, prepared to make a unprotected left turn. the construction had kept her from my view until i had gotten too close. not sure if she could see me i decided to squeeze both brakes rather than gun through it, thinking if she decides to go for it, it would be perfect timing for a collision. somehow i knew it was a she driving. i had been practicing my quick stops all week and for about a second was slowing well. then i hit a wide patch of black rubbery slippery construction road repair right before the intersection. and a storm was coming so the air was humid and probably put a film of dew over that part of the road. i laid my bike down on the left side, rolled once as i watched her slide into the middle of the intersection, sparks flying from the left peg. the left frame slider took the initial impact, but the snapped off. it continued to slide on the bar ends and exhaust, digging a nice dent into my fuel tank. i will post pics of the damage later.

DAMAGE TO ME: i only suffered a scraped left kneecap and a 2 inch vertical gash on my right shin. bruised ego. Helmet never touched the ground, slid on jacket arms and jeans.

DAMAGE TO MY BIKE: broken gear shift lever, broken left peg, scraped left exhaust, frame slider snapped off (did its job i guess), minor scrapes on headlight, mirror, clutch lever, bar end. nasty dent on left side of tank from handle bars. bent handle bar?

AFTERMATH: lady was nice enough to pull over and ask if i was OK. Craig came and helped bend the remaining gear shift lever so i could at least make it home. on the way back, i actually saw very frequent flashes of lightning.

CONCLUSION:

yeah it could have been worse. so were my actions correct? i actually forsaw danger and tried to be safe. keep going over in my head the compound variables. the construction. it was night. i couldn't read the other drivers face for a reaction. the bright lights in my face. the slick road surface. the humid air. i suppose had i been going even slower this might have prevented this, but it was late and could not see the opposite traffic. my only other option would be to gun it through the yellow, but that was a risk i knew had a slimmer chance. so i tried to brake.

this one might have to go under "shit happens" as i saw the danger, reacted to it, but was taken over by horrible road conditions and weather. it sucks knowing about the danger and then still being taken over by it.

it'll be a few weeks until my wounds heal, and perhaps longer for my to repair the shift lever, peg, and tank.

LESSON: ride like a grandma through construction in an intersection (15 MPH). avoid road repair rubber, especially if it is moist. get some riding pants ASAP.