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[jjribs]

  I would like everyone out there to think everyone is trying to run over you at all times. One year ago I was hit head-on at an intersection. Not my fault. Trust me $. First time in my life to ride in an ambulance. I was dragged under an SUV for over 40 feet. I was crushed. Literally. Eight crushed ribs, punctured lung, and a broken nose. And I still love my Scooter!  Just remember, 80% of all two-wheeled accidents result in death. No big deal, I guess. We all gotta go sometime. But, are there Scooters there?!

[jackrides]

There must be. After all, the Lord made people which proves He has a sense of humour.

[ThaiGyro]

Hi jjribs, sorry for your pain and recovery. I know. I have had more on the street, by far, than in my racing days.

However, your data is not completely accurate. Looks like you quoted an NTSA figure of a few years back. No issue there, but That 80% number is all recorded motorbike accidents resulting in injury or death. If that were just a death number, bikes would be banned. As a comparison, only ~20% of all cars accidents result in injury/death.

I believe the US death rate the past 5 years or so floats around 5 to 8 percent. Still big.

Your warning will always be valid and appreciated. Here, accidents in intersections occur super often. No good data to quote.

[harleyracer59]

I hate the saying only because its so true: there are 2 types of riders, those that have been down and those that are going.
I've been down and down again. of course I still ride. but I realize that it might happen again some day. no one is excluded from this except those that never ride. both times were not my fault also. xmas day will be the 15yr anniversary of my first time down.
hope your recovery is speedy, and my condolences to the families and friends of those that weren't as lucky as those of us that live to ride another day!

[ThaiGyro]

jjribs and all...Our beloved sport, has its share of problems. The least of which is keeping the rubber-side down.

If you give yourself enough time to learn how to really ride, and then how to really maintain your scooter... You will be better off than 90% of people people in the world who attempt to call themselves riders.

Much of that knowledge can be gained right here on this site. Really!

[FrankenMech]

I have heard they are only Cadillacs and roller skates upstairs. I dumped my scoot lots of times until I learned to turn right. It is hard to dump a 3-wheel R-trike...

[ThaiGyro]

Here a a thought comparison...from an American who has driven scooter and road bikes and race bikes globally:

Yes, you will crash. I took real shite in the early 80's for teaching new racers how to fall down. However, it works! I learned by trial and error, whilst learning how to snow ski. I was also a good diver, as in 3 meter flipping and twisting. Combine those with some cerebral sense, and you have an envelope of crash damage control.

You must have "situational awareness" at all times. You must also be as physically flexible as possible. I am 63 and becoming more limited, so I reduced my range of controlled riding. I am not in bad shape, still have pecs! No man boobs. That has saved my life to be honest.

For my experiences, being in good shape, wearing top gear, training my mind and learning to crash awesomely is the envelope you need to open.

When your awe-shit develops, have a sight plan, (split second) bail, which is pushing with legs and turning bars away, tuck a shoulder to begin body twist....and use your butt cheeks to slide.

If you must low-side to minimize crash impact, simply do the bar twist first, while beginning rotation. Believe me, on your back puts you in better control. Nutting the asphalt does not, plus you want your head and neck furthest away from impact. When you go on your back, your position will naturally be feet first. Collar bone breaks, shoulder injuries... better than neck/head.

I recall, my only standing ovation, racing, was a turn 4 low side at Sears Point Raceway. I was riding crazy well, in P3, behind Fred Merkel and Jeff Leggitt. I over cooked the downhill approach and lost the front tire, at ~115 mph. I pulled my body under the bike, with the right bar, holding the bike from damage as I slid into the gravel. Only damage was both front and rear brake levers were gone...last lap. Third to 15th. Fourth place was 20 seconds behind.

Experience? Yes. Learned it by falling down skiing. Never hit my head/helmet on the ground until 4 years ago. Sound body, sound mind. (unless you ask my family)

[90GTVert]

When I was in my 20s, a few friends and I raced little midbikes in parking lots and starting to ride scooters and they were getting into big bikes. I suggested that maybe we try crashing the little bikes to learn how to lay the bike down as a precautionary measure. They countered with the idea of it being dumb to crash on purpose and risk injury with the hope of avoiding injury in a crash that may never happen. I agreed. I think that was 25 year old enthusiasm and invincibility at play in my head to have that idea.

I've had 3 kinda big crashes on scooters to date and all 3 were different and no one practiced method would have likely helped in all three anyway. Sometimes stuff just happens that you would never think to plan for. How many people do you think would plan for a hay bale landing in front of their front tire at 45-50MPH with traffic on the left and a fall into a swamp on the right? That happened to me. It's like someone suddenly tossed a big brick (trust me, a hay bale is not as soft as you think) in front of you out of nowhere and there's nowhere you can go and no time to stop.

When I crashed trying to take a sharp 90 degree turn into a parking lot at ~45MPH, that one was just damn dumbness. Basically not being an idiot and slowing down a little would have saved me.

When I hit a deer, I had been riding for 16 hours that day. I was so tired I was humming weird songs just to try to stay awake for the last few miles before I was home. I'm pretty sure I could have got on the brakes earlier and at least slowed down a little more before impact. Other option may have been to swerve left and possibly avoid it. The deer came from my left though and it looked to me that swerving would put me in his path for sure. Deer aren't the most predictable creatures and I don't think many people recommend swerving vs braking either. Anyway, regardless of any skills I could have possessed, being dead tired is a bad thing when riding. I've done it too many times on long day trips, but it's one of those things that may catch up with you.


Some of us will never be athletes or naturally adept at various aspects of judgement, reaction or motion, but I do think that everyone will have a better success rate if you learn to assume that people around you aren't paying attention, don't see you, etc... and try to learn basic control. If we had good sense we'd also never speed, race, or ride tired. Definitely never impaired by drugs or alcohol. Even if you do everything right though, you have to be aware that there are situations that you cannot get out of. Maybe you'll be a lucky one and it will never happen, but anyone that rides should be aware that they are at risk.

[PDub]

AND ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR!!! LINK