So last week, Tuesday morning...on the way to work and had an encounter with a BMW I'd rather forget! Freeway stop-and-go, oh-so close to my exit (maybe quarter mile) and said BMW decided he needed my space in the road. I was about midline on him and saw the head-snap-sorta-look and the car came at the same time. Almost got away (braking practice came in handy), but he clipped the very front of my tyre.
From there, things are a bit hazy for a few seconds as the next thing I remember is staring up-close and personal at the road surface. He stopped eventually and came back. Surprisingly, couple people jumped outta the car to help me pick the bike up. This is on the 10 Fwy West into LA at 745 in the morning up near the 710...so you know how jammed up it is.
After I peeled the rear-brake lever from being bent up against the frame, everything seemed to be in working order. Bike went down on the right side. Panel scratched, radiator hose-coupling banged up, engine case scratched badly, passenger peg mangled, bar-end & front brake lever scratched and bent (but not broken). Various dings and scratches. Thankfully, no damage to frame, swingarm or akra's. Tank has a tiny abrasion on the top, looks like the material coating is torn a bit. It was ridable and I ended up putting another 70miles on it that day to get to work and home back down here to OC. Since he swiped me there was no front-end impact and everything stayed straight.
I got a little banged up. Broke my left thumb. Nasty bruise on front of right shoulder and my right hip/thigh redefines black & blue. Gear took the brunt and saved my hide. Scorpion Deuce pants were torn in two places and armor underneath scored. Shark RSR2 has grind-planes on the chinbar area (went down face-first). Icon Neo-Daytona jacket abraded in a number of places. Held Steve gloves abraded and left palm rivets show serious grindage...but they held up. I didn't know the thumb was broken until the next day when I went to the doc. Really didn't feel that bad...kinda like a jammed finger from playing ball. But it swolled up nasty that night and the pain got a little more severe. Sure enough, clean break right above the big joing at the base. No riding for a couple weeks now...
So the other driver. Jacka$$. At first, when he came up to me...checking on me, ready to call paramedics nad whatnot, seemed like an alright guy. Later on, we're exchanging info and he starts asking if I plan on filing, right there!! Saying things like, "well, you know in California, if the damage is in the rear it's usually the rear-ender's fault", and "you should have seen me" and various other shite like that. I couldn't believe it. So we're doing the whole insurance song and dance now. Damage to his car? None to speak of. There was a 3inch tyre smudge on his back bumper at the very left side, and I think there was a small bracket on the lower rear quarter-panel that was popped out or something. Basically nothing and he said that it would likely rub out.
I'll likely be going back to the doc today or tomorrow. Wanna get full check-out and I think there's some shoulder issues going on that may be related. Basically been sore, uncomfortable and generally pissed off for the last week or so. First off in some time. Not fun.
I'll get some pics of the bike tonight and get them posted up. Wear your gear people. If I had jeans and shorty gloves like I sometimes wear in summer...things would be significantly worse.
Shot with the glove is of the shin...absolutely no bruise or anything there! Amazing.
From there, things are a bit hazy for a few seconds as the next thing I remember is staring up-close and personal at the road surface. He stopped eventually and came back. Surprisingly, couple people jumped outta the car to help me pick the bike up. This is on the 10 Fwy West into LA at 745 in the morning up near the 710...so you know how jammed up it is.
After I peeled the rear-brake lever from being bent up against the frame, everything seemed to be in working order. Bike went down on the right side. Panel scratched, radiator hose-coupling banged up, engine case scratched badly, passenger peg mangled, bar-end & front brake lever scratched and bent (but not broken). Various dings and scratches. Thankfully, no damage to frame, swingarm or akra's. Tank has a tiny abrasion on the top, looks like the material coating is torn a bit. It was ridable and I ended up putting another 70miles on it that day to get to work and home back down here to OC. Since he swiped me there was no front-end impact and everything stayed straight.
I got a little banged up. Broke my left thumb. Nasty bruise on front of right shoulder and my right hip/thigh redefines black & blue. Gear took the brunt and saved my hide. Scorpion Deuce pants were torn in two places and armor underneath scored. Shark RSR2 has grind-planes on the chinbar area (went down face-first). Icon Neo-Daytona jacket abraded in a number of places. Held Steve gloves abraded and left palm rivets show serious grindage...but they held up. I didn't know the thumb was broken until the next day when I went to the doc. Really didn't feel that bad...kinda like a jammed finger from playing ball. But it swolled up nasty that night and the pain got a little more severe. Sure enough, clean break right above the big joing at the base. No riding for a couple weeks now...
So the other driver. Jacka$$. At first, when he came up to me...checking on me, ready to call paramedics nad whatnot, seemed like an alright guy. Later on, we're exchanging info and he starts asking if I plan on filing, right there!! Saying things like, "well, you know in California, if the damage is in the rear it's usually the rear-ender's fault", and "you should have seen me" and various other shite like that. I couldn't believe it. So we're doing the whole insurance song and dance now. Damage to his car? None to speak of. There was a 3inch tyre smudge on his back bumper at the very left side, and I think there was a small bracket on the lower rear quarter-panel that was popped out or something. Basically nothing and he said that it would likely rub out.
I'll likely be going back to the doc today or tomorrow. Wanna get full check-out and I think there's some shoulder issues going on that may be related. Basically been sore, uncomfortable and generally pissed off for the last week or so. First off in some time. Not fun.
I'll get some pics of the bike tonight and get them posted up. Wear your gear people. If I had jeans and shorty gloves like I sometimes wear in summer...things would be significantly worse.
Shot with the glove is of the shin...absolutely no bruise or anything there! Amazing.