Crashes On being hit by a four wheel armored cage.

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reddbak

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First-up let me say this; during my 56 plus years, I've had a very strong sense of fight or flight, have usually had to fight due to 'SNAFU' circumstances and traumatic events/accidents are recollected quite clearly in slo-mo and very visual possibily due to my targeting/artistic abilities. This event occurred on Monday July 9 at 11:45am EST.

It has taken time to record due to eight days of MBI (Minor Brain Injury) aka concussion aka a state of 'Dazed and Confused', severe back and hip pain, an annoyingly painful left elbow injury and minor road rashes to the RH elbow and the outside of both ankles. I also carry two herniated discs from a work-related injury in '86 and an annoying case of vertebrae degeneration both of which are medically classed as chronic. I know, I shouldn't be riding, but I like the feeling and freedom of a bike. I have a wheelchair but can stay out of it most of the time.

Finally, on approach to any intersection whilst driving any type of vehicle, I have programmed myself to watch the front wheels of approaching vehicles to see when and if they move or turn. I fitted the 66cc Zbox, 2-stroke petrol engine to my custom-built mini-Harley frame for acceleration out of danger and the odd small hill around town. I always approach and proceed to go through intersections/round-a-bouts with the engine on at least idle mode. The bike is kitted-out with full 12V lighting including motorbike size front and rear high lumen LED turn signals and brake lamp.

On with the movie!​

So I'm riding my motoredbike on a return trip from the local butcher shop with 3kgs of ripper beef mince in the right, rear saddlebag and two and a half kilos of chicken pieces in the left bag. I decided to take another route as the Arterial road round-a-bout outside the butcher has nearly seen me collected a couple times by 4x4's who don't giveway to roundy traffic, especially a bicycle.

Which is exactly what happened when I diverted through backstreets to the roundy further north on the same road. I approached the roundy with the intention of continuing directly through along the same street. Noticing the car approaching the round-a-bout from my left, I pedalled onto the roundy and passed the first exit left, filcked on my turn signal to show I was intending to continue straight through. I saw the white car approach from the next left entry point and stop before entering the roundy. I was watching the front road wheel and saw it begin rotating forward when when my front wheel was aligned with the RF headlamp.

:eek: BANG!

I remember watching the grille of the Magna closing on me like an angry shark. I yelled at the fool as I twist back hard with the right hand to WOT, lifting my leg clear of the impact zone and strangely bronging my booted heel down hard as I could on the car's hood, like that was gonna stop 1500kgs, lol. Then I'm launching into space sideways away from the impact, I went limp letting rotational forces take me to their limits, then felt that mongrel roadway trying to suck my brain backwards outta my skull as the regulation foam helmet split under impact. After rolling another five metres I lay mid-lane dazed and confused. I flexed my toes and fingers, which said to me I wasn't spine-snapped, and decided to arise.

Walked over to the bike, now with a boomeranged rear rim that was strangely carrying a fully inflated 3" tyre. This seemed to fascinate me. Brain fixation to block pain signals I later reasoned. The middle-aged male car driver exited his vehicle and rushed over to me as I held my left hand up to stop the ingnorant fool trying for an inside pass directly through an accident scene. It was then that I felt the warm blood pouring down my elbows, watching, fascinated as the stream fell to the roadway.but no pain, that's called shock!

I looked at bike, which still had the saddlebags attached and no meats spilling out, yes it was a new and improved set of the recycled paper cooler-bags from the album pics. Another fascination! I bent down straight-backed to pick the bike up, feeling the pain hit both knees as I took the strain of lifting the unit and it's meaty load, then ankle pain as I try to walk.then my head.pain.

Oh geez, my back.strange.no pain, more shock as I found out later.

I begin listing portside and collapsing but feel my right forearm, bike in hand, being grabbed and supported to be helped off the roadway by someone, later to realise it was the driver who it me. I looked ahead through the corner of the intersection, seeing the former petrol servo, now a caryard, as the mechanic attending a vehicle on the lube-bay hoist looked over. He downed tools and was dashing towards us across the driveway to assist, He lifted the bike outta my hands and carried it to rest against the steel corner fencing section on the footpath. I had a flash memory of my motor-racing days and ploughing into the Armco on one occassion. The driver was appologising for hitting me, saying he just didn't see me, asking if I needed an ambulance as I lowered myself onto the fence. I have since reasoned how the driver may have not seen me and this is noted later in this story.

I took off my helmet, saw that is was cracked vertically up the rear and gingerly felt the back of my skull for that familiar stickyness of blood. Another surprise, there wasn't even a lump. I then remembered the IC motored-bicycle was illegal in my state of Queensland, carrying a near $400 fine for merely having it installed and pedalling on a public thoroughfare. Well that little engine just saved me a lot of injury in this accident, had I not accelerated, the car would have hit my front wheel, spinning it clockwise and causing me to be slammed up the rear-end, so screw the pompous cagers who make the legislation.

I asked the driver to assist me in walking west along the footpath to the caryard driveway some ten metres away. This he was happy to do and I made it slowly there and returned. I asked if he would drive me home a couple of klicks west and pay to have my bike returned to my home. He said this he would do and also pay for any damages incurred. In my dazed state I had to trust him on this and he seemed a decent working family man, so I said, "okay, let me get my meats oughtta the bags". I then locked the front wheel to the Armco and he assisted me to his car and drove me home.

I unlocked the front door to 'Ye Ol' Shoppe' and he helped me through the doorway, sitting me down in an office chair. He removed his wallet, handed me his driver's license which I asked him to please write out his details on the notebook I had removed from my back pocket. He did this and I checked through blurred vision that the details matched, I was fairly certain they were. I then looked at 'Barry' for the first time, having subsided my anger at his stupidity for not having seen a bike directly in front of him before accelerating. He appologised again and handed me $40 asking if it would be enough to cover having my bike returned. This I accepted and he told me to contact him on his phone number which he also recorded for me on my notebook when I had assessed my damages. He saw himself out my door.

Three days after the event I contacted him with a $300 damage bill for my replacement wheel, disc brake kit and a good helmet. The bike frame's rear dropout legs are of 25mm mild steel and were unaffected by the impact, the exhaust was pushed against the bottom rail but relaxed back in position due to rubber mounting midway along it's length. The chicken meat in the LH saddlebag absorbed the initial impact shock and is still being consumed, lol. The wheel rim was steel and bent nicely under impact, alloy rims may be light and strong but they do NOT absorb impact and I refuse to use them on my rides, but each to their own on this one.

:geek:In finalising, I wish to inform other riders of some points to remember:
1] Never assume you will not be involved in a road accident. No matter how experienced you may think you are, there are many uncontrollable variables which determine the cause of an accident in any form.

2] Check your local government Bicycle legislation for application legality before buying and fitting a petrol engine. If it's illegal be aware that you will be fined if involved in an accident. I was fully aware I was outside the law when I bought my engine, but that's what personal conviction and freedom can mean. When I can afford to and know which size unit to fit I may be going electric. But I'm sure it would not have carried me out of harm's way in this scenario.

3] I was very fortunate to be hit by an ex-biker who gave a bugger and appreciates how fortunate he is for my not involving the law. I am informed that he was always telling his wife, "Look right - look bike!' He feels very foolish after she pointed this out to him, lol.

4] For human's sake, choose the best head protection you can afford and research how to fit it properly. Loose helmet straps are useless and that pretty plastic membrane which made you select that skid-lid must never be cut, torn or have deep scratches in the surface as it is the membrane which gives the foam core it's compression for impact resistance. My helmet had a few tears in it and may well NOT have split had I replaced it. I would still have MBI but that's the brain slamming against the skull.:helmet:

5] My sportster style frame has been a wonderful ride and has withstood this impact only because two and a half kilo of packed, saddlebagged, meat absorbed the force, I tend to think the overly stiff rear legs would've pinwheeled the bike counter-clockwise, either throwing me further in the process or just dropping me under the front wheels of the car. My next design will hopefully absorb and giveway a little under an impact of this severity.

6] I highly recommend Kenda tyres as the flametread unit on my rear stuck like glue upon impact, which not so nicley tossed me into the air, lol. But I've put this sucker round some pretty fast tarmac corners on the motored at WOT without a hint of drift.

7] If you have an accident like mine, have that ambulance called! I seem to think I'm a tough old digger and rode out the dazed & confused situ with headaches and pain for three days on codien, caffiene and nicotene, before making a doc appointment. Do NOT do this, get thee to a medical professional ASAP.

Damage was increased to my hips and spine but I'm quite accustomed to those areas aching and it won't stop me riding that's for sure. BTW, my medicals were covered via my Australian Goverment's Disability Pension card, but you may be up for quite a bill if not medically covered wherever you live. Three doctor visits, one head CT Scan (MBI), one Elbow X-ray and a quantity of semi-serious narcs, I know, lucky-bugger eh.

Finally, a strange and quirky, but lucky-break has come out of this traumatic event. The CT Scan on my brain has revealed a rather large cyst :alien2: attached to my Anterior Cortex, a part of which is like the harbour for all the other ventrical canals. I may have had this alien presence all my life and it's no biggie unless it dislodges from it's mooring and decides to take a trip into a canal and causes flow blockage, resulting in my head exploding all over a project. But er. I'll go with the flow on this one.:unsure:

Well I hope this helps someone somehow and it's been good therapy for my recovery mentally. Thank-you all who bothered to read such a lengthy post.

BTW, today I had a milestone in my recovery, I was able plan and undertake the following light duty; I used a power-drill to insert a screw into a wall to hold a thermometer.:rolleyes:

Cheers
 

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Verry glad you survived relatively lightly injured. Good write-up, and your points about the Kenda tires and the overly stiff rear frame triangle are excellent - looking at that rim it is amazing that the tire was still holding air.

Take care, and recover well - your attitude toward your health issues is inspiring.
 
WOW! At least you didn't get killed! Lick your wounds and get better soon. BTW, you seem to have a good way with words!

Terry
 
I know that feeling way too well, "shock" and watching the flow of blood, and thinking ooooh this is gonna hurt latter!

Lucky it didn't happen here in the States, you'd have been left as road kill.

Wish you a fast recovery!
 
What a very well written story! What a very saddening yet important message it carries.
I an glad that you were able to walk away from it, and share the event with us.
I hope that you will recover completely and quickly, with no after effects.
 
Thanks all, this community has always had a decent brotherhood eh.:cool:

The doc has put me on Diazapan for muscle spasms and lack of sleep. Forgive me if my ramblings are nonsense.:geek:

@ Terry, never been complimented for my wordsmithing. I used to write song lyrics back in the day (folk-rock), failed miserably at english in high school, always doodling and drawing hotrods and brit roadbikes, lol.

Dave

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@ Machiasmort, there were six other vehicles parked around the intersection and none of the drivers budged to assist. Nor did the staff/patrons at the corner pub. I have always been first on the scene if I could, in various scenarios. Never thought I would see the day Aussies, especially regional Queenslanders, would be so complacent. Kinda depressing to think your locals are this way.:unsure:

******** ******** ********

Gearnut, yeah I feel quite lucky that I wasn't hit again by the fool trying get the inside pass through the scene, she stopped only a few metres short of me.:whistle:

I'm a worker-bee through and through and this not being able to focus issue is getting' a bit boring. So what does the loverly wife do? Well she received her tax refund and buys me a new Mig welder, doh. I've never enjoyed one before and I look at it each day and drool with delicious anticipation of it in hands, lol.

Ah well, back to GT4.:helmet: If I can stop turning-in so early to hit the inside walls I may just win a few.:rolleyes:
 
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I love my MIG welder. It is soooo much better than my stick welder.
You can make lots of things or lots of messes with it in short time.
Check out U tube for some good video how-to's. Some are ballyhoo, but alot are very educational.
 
I bought a used one a few years back but it was so crappy when i got time to try it I never got a full weld bead. Yes I've been researching online and there's plenty of vids. Like any tool though, practice makes perfect. Oh and I have me one o' them auto-darkening helmets. Of course, I'll dustoff the airbrush and wrap a graphic on 'er first,lol.

Apart from a new motored frame I look forward to metal sculpture and restoration of the thin body panels on our '78 Celica liftback.
 
Accident Analysis

Just realised I hadn’t added the postscript of how I think this accident occurred. :geek:

Lately I am getting a distinct visual memory of when I stoodup after coming to rest. I looked directly at the car which had hit me and the driver, who seems to be in shadow, was still behind the wheel with I believe, his left hand held close to his ear. Was he finishing a call on his mobile? He sure wasn’t calling an ambulance.:whistle:

I think that when he approached the intersection he was on a mobile phone and glanced in my direction, but the thin section bike visual did not register, a halogen headlamp may have. He would also have had to think of braking and to where the braking limit was before entering the round-a-bout proper. A reasonable amount if distracted by voice in one’s ear. When I was approaching I eased off the pedals as I thought he was going through, but then he did stop, about a foot or so into the throughway. I think that when he finally checked right again, I was passing through his frontal field of view, but in the blindspot of his A-pillar. Still looking right, he then accelerated forward without checking his forward field of view, and so not seeing what was so obviously directly in front …. me.:rolleyes:

It didn’t help that I was dressed in a dark blue t-shirt, black work shorts, wearing a helmet with dark coloured side sections and sitting on a charcoal coloured, low profile bike. In fact the only bright colour in profile was the bright blue rear saddlebag which may have been hidden by his car’s A-pillar.

My final mistake was perhaps not giving a wider berth to his frontend which was on metre/yard left of line I was intending to follow through to my exit. But then it all happened so flamin’ fast, I could be mistaken of what distance I did allow. I also did not have my halogen headlamp on nor was I wearing my customary yellow vest or fingerless gloves which have flouro-yellow uppers. I had decided that morning not to add two new blue dummy-bags draped across the top-tube as engine concealment. Reckon I will add flouro side strips to both front and rear bag sets along the top edge. Oh and a good size Aussie flag as a final visual statement.

Anyway it’s just my nature to analyse such events and the good news for me today was actually being able to focus on some work. Reckon I may just give the Mig a tickleup. The effects of concussion have mostly cleared and I am moving without a walking-stick for the first time in 9 days. :D

On with the show I say, tally-ho, hey what, and all that jazz, lol. :giggle:

The End
 
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Congratulations on your quick recovery! Bright colors certainly help the cagers see you.
Good luck with your metal melting endeavors.
 
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