A bikers story

tkachev

Del I read it. I have a friend who has been in a wheelchair following a scooter accident some 27 years ago(he hit a patch of diesel). He has a successful business now distributing music and promoting bands so is still very much part of our scene.

Elizabeth

joanlawson

I have read this too, Del. He is a very brave man.

It reminds me of an accident I witnessed when I was about 12. I was standing alone at a bus stop when a car pulled out without looking in front of a motorbike. I watched in horror as there was a very loud collision, and the motorcyclist flew through the air and landed right at my feet. I remember looking down at him as he lay motionless on the pavement in front of me with blood everywhere. He wasn't wearing a crash helmet as it wasn't against the law then, so you can imagine the sight. The man in the car was also injured, and he was semi-conscious and moaning.

I was so shocked at what I had seen, and didn't quite know what to do, so I ran like mad to a shop round the corner and told the people there what had happened. They all ran to the scene of the accident so I just went back home. I was the only witness to the crash, but no-one asked my name and I didn't hear any more about it. I don't know why, but I never told my parents about it and I had flash-backs of the accident for ages afterwards. I have often wondered whether the man died. He didn't move at all when he landed at my feet, and that was definitely due to dangerous driving by the man in the car.

frogmorton

Terrible Del :sad:

The man writes so well. Bawled me eyes out when l read this yesterday.

Love

Toni xx

traluvie

Del..

I remember the man in the hospital, i had just started work there...His spirit in hospital was amazing and was an inspiration to so many..
I wonder how he is now??

Stu69

Very well worth the time spent reading all of that. Sadly, this sort of thing happens every day and I know of 3 bikers that have had pretty bad experiences, one of whom - my cousin, now deceased - was, like this guy, laid up for some time in hospital too after t-boning a vehicle that failed to see him and pulled out. My cousin went over the car and hit some street furniture. I have memories still of the state of his legs after visiting him in hospital. He never walked properly again either.

As it's a two-way street, I have had 2 accidents in the last year. Both times being hit by bikes... both times 100% not at fault... both accidents resulted in a total cost 4k in damage repairs to my vehicle, let alone the flash-backs I had as a result of worst one, just before Christmas last year when a biker failed to stop at a mini roundabout I was actually on, turning right, and sailed passed the queued traffic that was giving way to the moving, right turning queue that I was in, down the centre of the road and past the give way lines, and rode straight into me. I can still hear the bang and see the young lad, all 6 and a half feet of him, hit my off-side front bumper, bonnet then finally the A pillar before bouncing and laying inert, in the road. The other incident; I was stationary, and hit by one of those stupid noisy things being ridden by a numpty who looked younger than my 13 year old son!!

I have a lot of time for bikers - I really do, but sometimes they just 'use' the road like they are more superior on two wheels and that is a shame if and when they get hurt or they cause accidents, like mine.

It all ends well though - I mean, the guy who hit me on a roundabout actually caught up with me some months later after he recognised my vehicle. I was being followed, or so it seemed, by a rider on my way home one day and pulling up at a local store, the biker pulled in behind me. I got out, didn't recognise him of course, but was certain I hadn't done anything to piss him off, so when he said 'remember me?' the penny dropped. we had a good laugh about it, he apologised, said he just didn't or couldn't stop and rode into me. Turns out he was 18 at the time, had just passed his test the week before and was riding a restricted 650cc Honda. He was riding the same bike - it suffered £450.00 of damage. My vehicle cost £2,500.00 and was off the road for 6 weeks. His insurance even said they were contesting the claim despite 3 independent witnesses, Police reports and aportion of blame at scene, to the rider! Only just got the flipping excess back on the policy!!

Anyhooo - gone into one now. Love bikes and most bikers, and empathise with them, but for every tale of a bikers woes there is blame on one or more sides, including them sometimes too.

As for me, I can't fall off of four wheels - I'd kill myself or be killed so I'm no way taking the chance.

Stu69

delboy wrote:

Sadly you are right Stu, a minority of bikers often give the majority a bad name because of their stupid riding.

Quite right!!

I honestly love bikes - work with bikers - have respect for them and am always looking out for riders when driving, too.

A massive degree of safety comes from time-honoured road craft with bikers. It's fair to say that they have far more to watch that us 4 wheeled motorists, think metal drain/inspection chamber covers, small pot holes, road markings, oil, diesel spillages etc etc etc, so it's fair to say they have to 'see' more even before idiots don't look twice, or better, 3 times before pulling out in cars, so their safety can only be as good as they can make it, which leaves a lot of room for error from car drivers.

I don't ride - don't have or ever will take the test, but I would love a Triumph Speed Triple, just to look at it for hours and hours. :oops:

joanlawson

My niece's husband was a very keen biker, but he had a terrible accident in which his back was badly injured and it was touch and go as to whether he would be able to walk again. Luckily, after surgery and months of treatment, he made a good recovery. They have four young children, so my niece begged him to give up the bike because of the risk of accident involved. However, he refused and was back on the bike as soon as he was able. My niece thought he was irresponsible in not considering his family, and sadly, this led eventually to divorce. I don't think this was the only reason for the divorce, but it was a major factor in it.

Do you think it was selfish of him to continue biking, or do you think it was reasonable to allow him to carry on with it :?: They have two cars, so don't need the bike for transport.

joanlawson

delboy wrote:

joanlawson wrote:

Do you think it was selfish of him to continue biking, or do you think it was reasonable to allow him to carry on with it :?: They have two cars, so don't need the bike for transport.

I don't Joan, to me he appears to be a true biker and not a weekend warrior or motorcycle enthusiast. I shall carry on biking by whatever means until they prise the throttle from my crippled hands.

He wasn't a biker until after they had the four kids. I think he went off biking with his friends as an escape :roll: Soon after his accident, one of his friends, who was also a father of four, was killed when he lost control of his bike and hit a tree. At that point, my niece couldn't take it any more.

valval

my mum has a moped and it is her life line giving her independance she was coming back from ti chi one dads birthday and a range rover pulled out infront of her she went over the handle bars lucky for mum there was police car there who saw everything and got ambalance straight away . he tried to say he did not see her the police said not suprised he did not even look . she got away with broken thumb and black and blue all over arm in sling when we went out for dads meal lol (not sure why she insisted coming ) but alls well that ends well and she still here there and every where bless her val

frogmorton

delboy wrote:

joanlawson wrote:

He wasn't a biker until after they had the four kids. I think he went off biking with his friends as an escape :roll: Soon after his accident, one of his friends, who was also a father of four, was killed when he lost control of his bike and hit a tree. At that point, my niece couldn't take it any more.

I take it a born again or direct access both of which statistically speaking are more likely to be killed or injured than a lifetime biker.

Are these the 40 somethings who rode a 125 in there youths and can now afford a decent bike so buy one far too big for their capabilities and go off killing themselves??

joanlawson

delboy wrote:

frogmorton wrote:

Are these the 40 somethings who rode a 125 in there youths and can now afford a decent bike so buy one far too big for their capabilities and go off killing themselves??

Thems the wunz.

Yes, my niece's ex was definitely one of those- hence the divorce :roll: