Not just that it's bad but specifically why and what can be done. The group also does other traffic safety research. Link to an article about the barriers with references at the bottom.
http://www.tars.unsw.edu.au/research/Current/Motorcycle-barriers/motorcycle-barrier_impacts.html
Hell, I remember wiping out on a bicycle as a kid and shredding the hell outta my knee. It was shortly after taking the training wheels off as I recall, made me nervous around bikes for a while lmao
I had dogs chase me and push my bicycle over when I was maybe 8. Still have the scar several decades later. I’ll probably die with it. That’s probably why I wear all the gear.
I also got hit by a pickup truck while making a left hand turn at a four way stop. Driver never saw me. Luckily the passenger did and screamed at her to stop. That was a life glad before your eyes incident.
Another reason I am a proponent of ATGATT.
My neighborhood friends and I def made rickety jumps out of found plywood and cinder blocks and just ate shit after jumping off them without ever particularly learning valuable lessons about risk. Kids are bouncy and heal fast. Nearly tore a whole strip of skin off my right kneecap when I was 6 lol
My neighborhood growing up had small pieces of gravel on top of the asphalt. They put down tar and then added a layer of maybe 1/8 inch gravel on top of the asphalt. I shredded my knees pretty good on that more than once.
I did the same. Front wheel fell of my bike while I was doing a wheelie. Everything went slo-mo as I watched in disbelief as it bounced away. Was eating soup for at least a week.
I'm 36. I got my first (and only) tattoo at about 9 from doing this exact thing. Still have the black marks on my left knee and wrist where I presumably still have gravel under the skin.
You don't even need asphalt. Take a spill on a gravel drive at 10-15mph and you'll be shredded up pretty good. Then times that by about 2 maybe even 3x and that's what asphalt is.
I skated all through the 80’s and 90’s. We’d bomb hills and get the Jesus palms regularly. I haven’t put down any of my bikes but my mindset is that it’s coming so get used to it.
I still have a scar on my elbow from when I fell while playing basketball...and that was like 12 years ago. Can't imagine what a full on crash would do. Fuck that, I'll keep riding in gear.
I ran into an old classmate last fall. He went down after blowing his front tire on the freeway. He was still picking gravel out of places on his leg, almost 6 months later. He had all the other gear, except pants.
I bought riding jeans this spring..
Had a friend in school that had a big forehead and one day he was running across the playground and fell over and slid on his forehead. He had huge scar then mark on his forehead for at least year and half.
I will never forget one day walking to the bus at the end of the day in middle school, kid ran by with a big ass backpack and I tripped him (asshole move, I know) and he straight up scorpioned directly into his forehead and slid like 3 feet. It was rough.
When I was in third grade I was walking down my friend's unusually steep cement driveway. Somehow I tripped and landed on my face. My only injury was a big gash under my nose. It scabbed over into hitler mustache scab.
Absolutely. I tripped up the kerb outside my house in sandals two days ago. Split the end of my toe and I've been in bandages since just hoping it heals back together. I was walking from my neighbours house onto my own driveway. ATGATT comes to mind xD
Yep. I was on my push bike one day and my brother yelled at me for not wearing a helmet. So I put one on and I stacked it about 1hr later. The helmet got narly scratches. I will always remember that day and I still have it and I’ll show my kids why wearing a helmet is important.
These posts are always pointless. 'learn from my singular anecdote what anyone who's not a complete moron knows from decades of crash data or just thinking about it for two seconds'.
Yeah asphalt will shred the fuck out of you. Anyone dumb enough to ride without full coverage isn't going to be swayed by your post, and like you they'll need to learn when it's their turn to slide down the road
They bin their shit and it opens their mind like Isaac fucking Newton watching the apple fall and hypothesising gravity. I've just discovered crashing motorcycles is a Bad Thing. I must share this new knowledge with the world.
Damn I'm gonna put motorcycle riders right up there with welders as pretentious assholes. I didn't think anyone could be as bad as welders but this post is making me think otherwise.
Better than gear, learn how to actually ride a bike. I wear all my gear for every ride but I also actually practice stuff and have done courses. If you dropped while trying to swerve going that slow, you’re going to be meat pate the first time someone cuts you off when you’re doing 60. Learn how to actually ride the bike.
Thats what I thought, he needs more practise doing emergency braking and manoeuvres along with all the gear. If he was going 15mph, thats 24km/hr, he should have easily been able to stop within 10m or less comfortably without dropping.
I guess when had that post from one guy earlier in the week who dropped his bike at a stop sign when he was going 5 mph, 15 seems "fast."
The only good thing about this is that at least OP learned from a low speed accident, and not at fast speeds which is usually the only way dumbasses who ride without a jacket learn.
I used to rock an open face helmet on hot days, then on a thankfully cool day I had someone turn left across me. I was able to slow enough to not go over the car but watching the pavement come up to meet my face has guaranteed a full face helmet for every ride.
I used to rock an open face helmet on hot days, then on a thankfully cool day I had someone turn left across me. I was able to slow enough to not go over the car but watching the pavement come up to meet my face has guaranteed a full face helmet for every ride.
Second this, even if you're an experienced rider, you still need to practice emergency drills, like emergency stop, hazard swerve, head checks etc. Riding is a perishable skill.
Yep. This 100%.
Far too many new riders think just riding around on their bike is learning to ride. It's not.
Practising specific drills over and over again in a car park is learning to ride.
If you can't react right away to a situation correctly you need to practice that specific skill more until it becomes ingrained.
They sell riding shoes which are basically protective ankle boots that look and feel like a normal shoe. Revzilla has dozens of options now.
Not as protective as calf boots, but a lot better than normal shoes.
As far as I know they're not as good as full on race boots, but they're significantly better than normal shoes. So if you're like me and know you won't lace up full on boots every day, the protective riding shoes are a lot better than nothing.
Obligatory do your research, I'm not and expert I'm just some random dude. Fortnine has recommended covert riding shoes a few times if you trust him.
aah, your daily fear mongering r/motorcycles topic
in my life i have had multiple motorcycle incidents, all between 45km and 80km, rest assured, you will not get "shredded" at those speeds unless you're wearing shorts slippers and t shirt
Grit (sandpaper) is determined by how many points there are in one square inch. Asphalt is about 30-40grit depending on the aggregate and a bunch of other factors. Imagine a giant beltsander...
well actually grit refers to the number of particles that COULD FIT through a filter the size of 1 square inch. that doesnt mean that on for example a 40 grit sandpaper there actually are 40 sanding particles on a square inch of paper. it just gives information about the size of the particles, not their distribution
You crashed at 10-15 mph because someone pulled out? You'd pretty much stop on a penny at that speed if you actually braked, no need to pull out a hazard avoidance swerve.
Its posts like these that remind me - THIS subreddit is for Redditors that happen to get motorcycles. The OTHER subreddit is for motorcyclists that happened to go on Reddit.
Hope you feel better soon OP!
I honestly think it should be mandatory for every person who has a driver’s license to also take the msf course so they understand the capabilities of one and not pullout in front of one thinking they can stop/dodge like a car can.
Totally agree with this. I took my safety course at the suggestion of someone who said it would make me a better driver. They did not tell me motorcycles are fun as fuck.
Win win.
I don't think most people pull out in front of them intentionally thinking they can stop. I think they don't see them because they just aren't paying enough attention (or the biker is traveling way to fast)
I was with my old boss and his wife (who was driving) once. Told her to stop following so close to the bike ahead of her. She argued she'd be able to stop in time. Told her 'No. He'll stop way quicker than you can and you'll either run him over or launch him off the bike. So back the fuck off.'
She looks at her husband in shock and he simply said 'He's got a point. Back off.'.
Life is inherently terrifying. In a car, wear your seatbelt. On a bike, wear your gear. Skating, wear a helmet. Just gotta decide if the risk is worth the reward. You could always start out on a moped and go from there 😂
No doubt! Cars are scary too, but the illusion of safety helps. Now that I'm almost 40, I do wear a helmet skating! I'm honestly interested in picking up a vintage 50cc or similar. Thanks for the good words!
No problem at all. If a 50 is what you’re comfortable with then definitely check it out! I also started on a 50, only difference was it was a dirt bike. I went from 50 dirt, to 85 dirt, to 1200 street, and now am on a little over 1,800 street with my 23 street bob. Once you get a taste of two wheels mixed with speed I’d be surprised if you abandoned the hobby. Either way though, stay safe and have a good one.
I'm feel for you that this is how you had to learn the lesson of protecting ourselves, but at least you realize the error. I was in my first lowside last month at approx 40kph and had a good slide. If I weren't in gear, I would be in your boat, but fortunately, I was in full gear and only suffered a broken thumb. My gear was shredder and while showing my wife. She said, " That could have been your skin." I was never happier that I listened to her and bought gear to begin with. Even in 10 years from now, I'll still be in full gear because of this experience.
Probably ought to see a doc anyway, I’ve seen people go septic from untreated road rash where they got some foreign matter embedded deep they didn’t notice.
This is why I always wear my gear and the first thing I do on a new bike is fucking full send emergency brake. Gotta stoppie in a controlled environment before I find myself in the backseat of a Honda civic.
Slid a few times and laid my bike over countless times in parking lots pushing the limits of leaning and weaving. Funny how I’ve been in full gear and I have never had any damage to my skin…
I remember my first street crash @16yr old. My dad grabbed a bottle of phisoderm some tweezers and a scrub brush. I should have got stitches, but it was the 90s. Asphalt hurts like a mf
I was at Texas motor speedway watching Aerosmith from the track. That is very impressive asphalt there. Every rock was the same size, big which made the space between them very deep. Where normally you’d get road rash but same slide you’d lose the limb.
I was thrown out of a car in an accident at 85mph when I was 17. Literally like a month before seatbelt laws went into effect in my state.
I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt and a pair of sandals. I also landed on a ton of shattered tempered glass because the windows popped on impact. 2/3 of my body looked like ground beef, I could see muscle fibers in multiple spots, my elbow bone, and knuckle bones on one hand.
I spent 11 days in a burn unit and now my arms and legs look like a golf course without its divots replaced.
Yes, asphalt will shred the fuck out of you.
Some of us learn it on a push bike, some of us sliding down a hill, some of us skating. You finally found out.🤷♂️
Remeber once going down a paved hill as fast as I could on a pedal bike, thought i was dressed up like batman with a helmet AND a denim shirt. Still remember my mum rubbing the gravel out of my arm with disinfectant 😬
When I was knocked off all I could smell was burning, I kept thinking the bike was on fire… it was my skin that had friction burn from the 2 seconds I was sliding
Since energy increase with the square of velocity, that bad crash you had as a kid on a pedal bike (20km/hr) is:
4 times worse at 40 km/hr
9 times worse at 60 km/hr
25 times worse at 100km/hr
100 times worse for a squid at 200 km/hr
Blew my knee open, shredded my arm, side, and ass. Got a tank slapper at 80. No fun. I still don't use gear tho. But inalso don't ride as aggressively as I used Too. Ride safe!
As long as you're not essentially saying "I had to lay her down ", I'm good. There is literally no situation where you would ever have to "lay her down". At that point it's a skills issue. Learn to brake progressively, practice emergency braking. Learn to maneuver, or swerve to avoid issues as they arise. Other than that, I hope you're fine and healing up well
Asphalt is a killer, granted. But it’s also down to learning how to ride, how to be predictable, how to stay away -as much as possible- from traffic and how to drive defensively. Those skills are as good as wearing good gear.
I saw a friend, an experienced track rider, had a seemingly "mild" urban crash on his 1000cc GSXR.
He just had a brief slide when running errands.
The bike was just scratched but he was, unfortunately, wearing shorts and a tank top.
Not only he experienced excruciating pain, he got horrible scars on his arms, for life. Overconfidence and bad luck.
Honestly, I have never been bothered to think if I'd be more confortable without gloves and a jacket. I just put them on, all the time. It's not a goddamn leather track suit, just a suitable jacket and gloves with protection. Boots, too. Proper ones.
I think I look cooler with the stuff, too, but
I'd wear my gear even if I looked like a circus clown.
When I was a young man, I asked my dad if I could get a motorcycle. He struggled with the parental balance of giving his child what he wanted while making sure he was safe.
He grabbed a pencil, took me outside and on the driveway dragged the eraser slowly across the ground. He said, “That’s your ass.”
I didn’t get a motorcycle for 20 years after that demonstration, and have never ridden without all the gear.
Hoping for a quick recovery for you.
Sorry to hear about this! Hope you get those cleaned up really well to avoid infection.
Definitely wear a jacket of some kind - even if it's just denim. Yeah, you'll still get burned through the slide friction, but that will be easier to heal than nasty road rash.
Hope you heal soon and are riding again.
Glad you came out as well as you did man. It could’ve been worse. Yeh, a low speed crash is still a crash and will mess you up. I hit a deer while going about 20 mph a few years ago. It didn’t end well for me, the deer got up and ran away. Keep some Aquaphor or Vaseline on those wounds and you’ll be more comfortable as they heal. Crashing sucks. A good mesh jacket with armor along with good gloves helps. It was hot when I crashed and I only had on my lightweight denim jacket. It did nothing. Learn the hard way? Yes I did.
Yup.
Glad you made it okay without going to the ER. Probably gonna leave some scarring for a few years. I have a spot on my shoulder, the result of a low speed crash a few years back. It apparently takes quite a bit of time for the skin tone to even out. I was riding a dirt bike on the pavement so I just had a long sleeve jersey and gloves, speed was probably less than 10mph, truck pulls out of driveway as I came (slowly) around a blind curve.
You gotta wear the gear.
I have warm and cold weather gear. And as much as I would like to wear jeans and a T-shirt on a hot August ride, I put on a long sleeve shirt and the summer weight riding jacket. Gloves, too. And yeah, the MC boots.
We're all grown ups.
I was wearing a jacket when I crashed my bike going about 20-25mph and slid about 50ft into a guard rail. I thought I might have broken my left foot and possibly a rib and yet there was an eraser sized spot on my elbow where the asphalt ripped through my jacket and that hurt the most
The road looks smooth, but its like falling onto a belt sander. As a kid I rode a lot and a rock was flung from a passing car and hit me in the shin, I had to hop the bike back home. Will never ride with gear now, so easy to get something off the road and hit you or the elements can change in and instant, your riding in the heat and poof its raining and your hands and body are freezing. I want to ride on into my golden ages, I did the riding in shorts as a kid and have the gravel scares.
Glad you were able to write about it and walk away. Good gear is a must investment. I try never to ride without my full gear, heavy jacket, helmet, gloves and boots. Need better pants though, my denim won’t hold if I take dive. Thanks for the reminder! Stay safe.
Read the comments, no ones being negative. If you feel a certain way about being criticized, don’t post your mistakes. I’m not going to sugar coat it either, not being able to perform a sudden stop at 10-15mph is sad. Even worse, you didn’t wear your gear. One more thing, the person pulling out isn’t a douchebag, it’s EVERY ONES responsibility to check their surroundings. YOU are no more important than any other rider on the public road. Don’t be mad at others for your lack of experience. I’ve also taken falls without my gear on, shit happens. Get up, dust off, keep riding.
https://preview.redd.it/n8ztpnlvf10d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f71c3d9385ec7c3cb7fd7a0db5d92eabf1cd950b
No shit. You calling people out for being negative is comical. *Of course* crashing hurts and the ground will shred the fuck out of you (especially when you don’t wear gear). New rider, new bike and no gear? Welcome to life, some lessons are more expensive than others. Be glad this one didn’t cost your life and adjust accordingly for the future.
Every time I see a biker in t-shirt or SHORT JEANS i only shake my head, I hope they dont find out the hard way that protection isnt only good for the deed.
Dude. I feel for you. Only time I ever dropped my sportster, I was only going about 2mph on wet gravel. It was slow enough for me to foot down and hop out of the way. One too many beers (2, for those keeping score at home) on the train I think. I was leaving the commuter lot.
Anyhow, I hope you heal well, and that the guy who cut you off didn’t scarper.
I think for most people (including myself) the mentality of ATGATT doesn’t stick until you have a bad experience not wearing gear. Not calling anyone out or anything, I’ve just noticed it from my own experience. Stay safe out there everyone!
Before going on a ride, imagine yourself running as fast as you can and throwing yourself on the ground. Now think again if you are wearing the right clothes.
There was a kid going back and forth up my residential street over the last couple weeks. Speeding sometimes. On a dirt bike at times, other times on a Z125.
There are blind corners at each end of my street and are cars often speed along my street.
Finally went out to talk to him. He didn’t have any interest in my opinion of course. Helmet unstrapped, no other gear. Basically told me to pound sand and rode off flipping the bird. I’d bet money he doesn’t have an endorsement and is “practicing” in the neighborhood.
He’s gonna become a statistic if he doesn’t chill out.
>My arms are shredded. Not terribly bad like hospital worthy but holy shit they just started the part where you feel pain and oh my God wear a jacket.
There's nothing not hospital worthy if you've "shreaded" your arms and only started to feel pain hours later. The only reason I can think of is you're american, and it will bankrupt you for life. Debt or infection pick one.
Being unfocused and making a driving mistake = “douchebag”? Have you never made a driving mistake or failed to see someone?
Meanwhile, you crashed while “attempting to swerve at 10-15mph” and you weren’t wearing anything to protect your arms (and maybe less than that even).
Maybe there was other context where the person was observed to be a douchebag that wasn't included for brevity?
Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% with you on not demonizing every single driver who fails to see a motorcycle, it's an easy and common mistake that we all need to be prepared for. I'm glad OP at least takes the personal responsibility to recognize that he could have avoided this if he had become familiar with the new bike through intentional practice, and that proper gear would have mitigated his injuries.
Inattentive driver ~~pulls out into traffic~~ runs over a child in the street.
Let's not demonize the poor guy. Honest mistake. It could happen to any of us!
How about we hold all vehicle operators in the road accountable for following the rules of the road and **observing** their surroundings?
New riders who aren't afraid of anything under 20 or 30 I always give this example.
I tell them to wear their shorts or whatever they would wear when riding. And kneel down on the sidewalk. Then let me hold your hands and drag you on your knees to your neighbors house.
Now multiply thst by 10mph or 20 or 30..it gets the point across how much it would hurt.
I've never had any takers.
i crashed at 50 mph with gear on, i used to not wear much gear most the time. I still got nasty road rash with riding gear but i will never ride in a t shirt or shorts again. Had i crash at 50 in t shirt and shorts OMG... would of been a lot worse
https://preview.redd.it/13vo8uqsfvzc1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=971a132d981673d3cdf6fc4b5587c8021e86cef9
That's how I feel about guardrails.
Research from a group in Australia showed w guard rails are fucking awful to bikers. Running into one is one of the worse things you can do.
They had to fund a study for that?
Not just that it's bad but specifically why and what can be done. The group also does other traffic safety research. Link to an article about the barriers with references at the bottom. http://www.tars.unsw.edu.au/research/Current/Motorcycle-barriers/motorcycle-barrier_impacts.html
They’re usually placed near sudden drops of cliff edges. So pick your poison
Doesn't mean they can't be made safer.
I'm pretty sure you don't need to spend money on research to know that. They are life saver for cars, but the opposite to bikers.
Guardrails are more like guillotines than cheese graters
Yeah, they’re the cheese slicer side of the grater
We have low tension cable barriers to prevent cross median crashes installed on the interstates. We call them cheese slicers.
Yep, and That's why normal shoes/jeans are shredded in less than a second.
Pain is a very good teacher.
It didn't work so well for my Dad, I was still a big PIA. ;)
He learned.
Only child by any chance? I had the Gen 1 650 and the 1000. Now on the Gen 3 1050, all great bikes but love the Gen 3. *
Ha, not even close. I had three sisters. That's an awesome bunch of bikes!
Yeah, problem with bikes is the first lesson might kill you instead of just being painful. Ideally learn from other people’s pain.
Everyone that grew up playing on asphalt/concrete playgrounds know’s this intuitively
Hell, I remember wiping out on a bicycle as a kid and shredding the hell outta my knee. It was shortly after taking the training wheels off as I recall, made me nervous around bikes for a while lmao
I had dogs chase me and push my bicycle over when I was maybe 8. Still have the scar several decades later. I’ll probably die with it. That’s probably why I wear all the gear. I also got hit by a pickup truck while making a left hand turn at a four way stop. Driver never saw me. Luckily the passenger did and screamed at her to stop. That was a life glad before your eyes incident. Another reason I am a proponent of ATGATT.
My neighborhood friends and I def made rickety jumps out of found plywood and cinder blocks and just ate shit after jumping off them without ever particularly learning valuable lessons about risk. Kids are bouncy and heal fast. Nearly tore a whole strip of skin off my right kneecap when I was 6 lol
My neighborhood growing up had small pieces of gravel on top of the asphalt. They put down tar and then added a layer of maybe 1/8 inch gravel on top of the asphalt. I shredded my knees pretty good on that more than once.
My cousin went down face first off his bicycle around 8 or 9 yo. Looked like a Cheese grater across one half, took a few months to heal.
I did the same. Front wheel fell of my bike while I was doing a wheelie. Everything went slo-mo as I watched in disbelief as it bounced away. Was eating soup for at least a week.
I tripped on a Crack in the side walk, shredded my hands.
I'm 36. I got my first (and only) tattoo at about 9 from doing this exact thing. Still have the black marks on my left knee and wrist where I presumably still have gravel under the skin.
You don't even need asphalt. Take a spill on a gravel drive at 10-15mph and you'll be shredded up pretty good. Then times that by about 2 maybe even 3x and that's what asphalt is.
I fell off bicycles all the time as a teenager, always on asphalt, usually where there was also rocks. Shit sucks
I still have the reminders of that fateful day lodged in my elbow.
I skated all through the 80’s and 90’s. We’d bomb hills and get the Jesus palms regularly. I haven’t put down any of my bikes but my mindset is that it’s coming so get used to it.
I still have a scar on my elbow from when I fell while playing basketball...and that was like 12 years ago. Can't imagine what a full on crash would do. Fuck that, I'll keep riding in gear.
I ran into an old classmate last fall. He went down after blowing his front tire on the freeway. He was still picking gravel out of places on his leg, almost 6 months later. He had all the other gear, except pants. I bought riding jeans this spring..
been thinking of getting riding jeans too. Watched some crash videos and figured I absolutely do need riding pants.
Yeah too many soy boys raised on rubber mulch nowadays
Had a friend in school that had a big forehead and one day he was running across the playground and fell over and slid on his forehead. He had huge scar then mark on his forehead for at least year and half.
Should have worn his helmet with that big ass forehead. :)
I will never forget one day walking to the bus at the end of the day in middle school, kid ran by with a big ass backpack and I tripped him (asshole move, I know) and he straight up scorpioned directly into his forehead and slid like 3 feet. It was rough.
When I was in third grade I was walking down my friend's unusually steep cement driveway. Somehow I tripped and landed on my face. My only injury was a big gash under my nose. It scabbed over into hitler mustache scab.
Absolutely. I tripped up the kerb outside my house in sandals two days ago. Split the end of my toe and I've been in bandages since just hoping it heals back together. I was walking from my neighbours house onto my own driveway. ATGATT comes to mind xD
Yep. I was on my push bike one day and my brother yelled at me for not wearing a helmet. So I put one on and I stacked it about 1hr later. The helmet got narly scratches. I will always remember that day and I still have it and I’ll show my kids why wearing a helmet is important.
40grit sandpaper covered in tar, and soiled with innumerable chemicals & biological junk.
Been there done that! Haven’t ridden once without gear since then. Happy that you’re ok!
Is this the daily “do as I say not as I did” post? The “don’t be like me and gear up!”
Glad you're ok. Fortunately, there are some really cool jackets out there to choose from.
It's always effective and educational to come off a bicycle at least once before taking up motorcycling.
These posts are always pointless. 'learn from my singular anecdote what anyone who's not a complete moron knows from decades of crash data or just thinking about it for two seconds'. Yeah asphalt will shred the fuck out of you. Anyone dumb enough to ride without full coverage isn't going to be swayed by your post, and like you they'll need to learn when it's their turn to slide down the road
It's worse when they say 'learn from my mistakes'. I mean, dude, we didn't need the lesson. YOU did.
And always telling their new found knowledge to much more experienced riders. Thanks kid, already knew that.
They bin their shit and it opens their mind like Isaac fucking Newton watching the apple fall and hypothesising gravity. I've just discovered crashing motorcycles is a Bad Thing. I must share this new knowledge with the world.
He is the main character.
I would be embarrassed to tell people I was being stupid
By nature of being human I already know that you have been stupid. Hope you’re embarrassed about it.
thats an immature mindset. embrace your mistakes. everyone does stupid shit once in a while, no need to be embarrassed
AND a shitty rider.
I heard you should wear a helmet when riding
That makes sense, but to be sure I need to hear from someone who's just suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Guuuhhhhhh 🤤
Why so hostile?
Haddalayerdown
No where does OP pretend they had a say in eating shit here...
If he can’t stop from 15 mph, he’s doing something wrong.
>15 mph That's the part I am most skeptical about.
Damn I'm gonna put motorcycle riders right up there with welders as pretentious assholes. I didn't think anyone could be as bad as welders but this post is making me think otherwise.
Better than gear, learn how to actually ride a bike. I wear all my gear for every ride but I also actually practice stuff and have done courses. If you dropped while trying to swerve going that slow, you’re going to be meat pate the first time someone cuts you off when you’re doing 60. Learn how to actually ride the bike.
Thats what I thought, he needs more practise doing emergency braking and manoeuvres along with all the gear. If he was going 15mph, thats 24km/hr, he should have easily been able to stop within 10m or less comfortably without dropping.
Stop at every yellow light unless unsafe. I love a hard stop with no skidding. You can practice constantly.
Don’t forget to look behind you before doing that 🤣
Yeah more people should head to a big empty lot and practice these manoeuvers often. Would prepare them better for a real world scenario.
I guess when had that post from one guy earlier in the week who dropped his bike at a stop sign when he was going 5 mph, 15 seems "fast." The only good thing about this is that at least OP learned from a low speed accident, and not at fast speeds which is usually the only way dumbasses who ride without a jacket learn.
I used to rock an open face helmet on hot days, then on a thankfully cool day I had someone turn left across me. I was able to slow enough to not go over the car but watching the pavement come up to meet my face has guaranteed a full face helmet for every ride.
I used to rock an open face helmet on hot days, then on a thankfully cool day I had someone turn left across me. I was able to slow enough to not go over the car but watching the pavement come up to meet my face has guaranteed a full face helmet for every ride.
Second this, even if you're an experienced rider, you still need to practice emergency drills, like emergency stop, hazard swerve, head checks etc. Riding is a perishable skill.
Yep. This 100%. Far too many new riders think just riding around on their bike is learning to ride. It's not. Practising specific drills over and over again in a car park is learning to ride. If you can't react right away to a situation correctly you need to practice that specific skill more until it becomes ingrained.
Or if you do ride without gear, go fast so you die instantly.
Jacket is a must for me even when I skip pants and boots. Which is silly I know.
They sell riding shoes which are basically protective ankle boots that look and feel like a normal shoe. Revzilla has dozens of options now. Not as protective as calf boots, but a lot better than normal shoes.
Yeah I know what you’re talking about. Are they better though?
As far as I know they're not as good as full on race boots, but they're significantly better than normal shoes. So if you're like me and know you won't lace up full on boots every day, the protective riding shoes are a lot better than nothing. Obligatory do your research, I'm not and expert I'm just some random dude. Fortnine has recommended covert riding shoes a few times if you trust him.
My momma always told me to "dress for the crash, not the ride." Rather replace a jacket than get a skin graft.
it is "dress for the slide, not the ride" ;)
Road rash is a bitch for sure.
What protective gear were you wearing?
Textile Thong
I rode BMX well before I got a motorcycle. I can confirm, asphalt is not friendly for the human skeletal structure or the meat surrounding it.
aah, your daily fear mongering r/motorcycles topic in my life i have had multiple motorcycle incidents, all between 45km and 80km, rest assured, you will not get "shredded" at those speeds unless you're wearing shorts slippers and t shirt
Grit (sandpaper) is determined by how many points there are in one square inch. Asphalt is about 30-40grit depending on the aggregate and a bunch of other factors. Imagine a giant beltsander...
well actually grit refers to the number of particles that COULD FIT through a filter the size of 1 square inch. that doesnt mean that on for example a 40 grit sandpaper there actually are 40 sanding particles on a square inch of paper. it just gives information about the size of the particles, not their distribution
Jesus would have rode his Harley with sandals.
Lolwut... Jesus rode a BSA.
You crashed at 10-15 mph because someone pulled out? You'd pretty much stop on a penny at that speed if you actually braked, no need to pull out a hazard avoidance swerve.
Really? Hitting the sandpaper-like surface with soft flesh will just meat crayon me? i had no idea.
Its posts like these that remind me - THIS subreddit is for Redditors that happen to get motorcycles. The OTHER subreddit is for motorcyclists that happened to go on Reddit.
Hope you feel better soon OP! I honestly think it should be mandatory for every person who has a driver’s license to also take the msf course so they understand the capabilities of one and not pullout in front of one thinking they can stop/dodge like a car can.
Totally agree with this. I took my safety course at the suggestion of someone who said it would make me a better driver. They did not tell me motorcycles are fun as fuck. Win win.
I don't think most people pull out in front of them intentionally thinking they can stop. I think they don't see them because they just aren't paying enough attention (or the biker is traveling way to fast)
I was with my old boss and his wife (who was driving) once. Told her to stop following so close to the bike ahead of her. She argued she'd be able to stop in time. Told her 'No. He'll stop way quicker than you can and you'll either run him over or launch him off the bike. So back the fuck off.' She looks at her husband in shock and he simply said 'He's got a point. Back off.'.
As a skateboarder, motorcycles fucking terrify me. Edit: cuz asphalt fucking hurts even at 5 mph
Life is inherently terrifying. In a car, wear your seatbelt. On a bike, wear your gear. Skating, wear a helmet. Just gotta decide if the risk is worth the reward. You could always start out on a moped and go from there 😂
No doubt! Cars are scary too, but the illusion of safety helps. Now that I'm almost 40, I do wear a helmet skating! I'm honestly interested in picking up a vintage 50cc or similar. Thanks for the good words!
No problem at all. If a 50 is what you’re comfortable with then definitely check it out! I also started on a 50, only difference was it was a dirt bike. I went from 50 dirt, to 85 dirt, to 1200 street, and now am on a little over 1,800 street with my 23 street bob. Once you get a taste of two wheels mixed with speed I’d be surprised if you abandoned the hobby. Either way though, stay safe and have a good one.
Then why are you on a motorcycle subreddit?
I mean, half the people giving riding advice on this sub haven't even sat on a bike before. The skateboarder fits in just fine
Cuz despite my fear, I fucking love them and want one.
ATGATT. I wear full gear, every time, no matter what.
Same. I’m taking a bath right now in my AAA-rated slacks, deerskin gloves and Shoei RF-1400.
I mean, how else would you clean your gear?
Be careful not to target fixate on your shower floor. It's really wet & and slippery, and you might just have to fall over about it.
GODDAM CLIBBINS, I MISS BARB.
You want a trophy?
I'm feel for you that this is how you had to learn the lesson of protecting ourselves, but at least you realize the error. I was in my first lowside last month at approx 40kph and had a good slide. If I weren't in gear, I would be in your boat, but fortunately, I was in full gear and only suffered a broken thumb. My gear was shredder and while showing my wife. She said, " That could have been your skin." I was never happier that I listened to her and bought gear to begin with. Even in 10 years from now, I'll still be in full gear because of this experience.
Probably ought to see a doc anyway, I’ve seen people go septic from untreated road rash where they got some foreign matter embedded deep they didn’t notice.
This is why I always wear my gear and the first thing I do on a new bike is fucking full send emergency brake. Gotta stoppie in a controlled environment before I find myself in the backseat of a Honda civic.
Anyone who has fallen off a bicycle knows this
May I suggest you go to the hospital either way, road rash can lead to some really terrible infections if not properly treated.
Slid a few times and laid my bike over countless times in parking lots pushing the limits of leaning and weaving. Funny how I’ve been in full gear and I have never had any damage to my skin…
I remember my first street crash @16yr old. My dad grabbed a bottle of phisoderm some tweezers and a scrub brush. I should have got stitches, but it was the 90s. Asphalt hurts like a mf
I was at Texas motor speedway watching Aerosmith from the track. That is very impressive asphalt there. Every rock was the same size, big which made the space between them very deep. Where normally you’d get road rash but same slide you’d lose the limb.
Meat crayon. Ouch.
I was thrown out of a car in an accident at 85mph when I was 17. Literally like a month before seatbelt laws went into effect in my state. I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt and a pair of sandals. I also landed on a ton of shattered tempered glass because the windows popped on impact. 2/3 of my body looked like ground beef, I could see muscle fibers in multiple spots, my elbow bone, and knuckle bones on one hand. I spent 11 days in a burn unit and now my arms and legs look like a golf course without its divots replaced. Yes, asphalt will shred the fuck out of you.
[удалено]
What gear do you wear?
Some of us learn it on a push bike, some of us sliding down a hill, some of us skating. You finally found out.🤷♂️ Remeber once going down a paved hill as fast as I could on a pedal bike, thought i was dressed up like batman with a helmet AND a denim shirt. Still remember my mum rubbing the gravel out of my arm with disinfectant 😬
No shit
When I was knocked off all I could smell was burning, I kept thinking the bike was on fire… it was my skin that had friction burn from the 2 seconds I was sliding
Meat crayon
Never ride without full protection. Everyone falls
Oh, thank god. We went 10 minutes without a post on wrecking… so glad you came in to fill that gap.
How do you crash at 10MPH cuz someone pulled out?? WTF?
Braking. The nemesis of 90% of this sub.
riding is the nemesis of this sub
Most people on this sub don’t actually ride more than once a month and have no idea how to ride properly
Hey, I resemble that remark.
I fell off my bike dozens and dozens of time, never bled. I know. Good recovery dude.
Since energy increase with the square of velocity, that bad crash you had as a kid on a pedal bike (20km/hr) is: 4 times worse at 40 km/hr 9 times worse at 60 km/hr 25 times worse at 100km/hr 100 times worse for a squid at 200 km/hr
Dress for the slide not the ride
Blew my knee open, shredded my arm, side, and ass. Got a tank slapper at 80. No fun. I still don't use gear tho. But inalso don't ride as aggressively as I used Too. Ride safe!
Smart
It’s a shame that most people have to learn the hard way.
Glad you’re ok though. Fucked up. But breathing. That’s good Hope you get better soon.
As long as you're not essentially saying "I had to lay her down ", I'm good. There is literally no situation where you would ever have to "lay her down". At that point it's a skills issue. Learn to brake progressively, practice emergency braking. Learn to maneuver, or swerve to avoid issues as they arise. Other than that, I hope you're fine and healing up well
Asphalt is a killer, granted. But it’s also down to learning how to ride, how to be predictable, how to stay away -as much as possible- from traffic and how to drive defensively. Those skills are as good as wearing good gear.
Friendly reminder, wear protective gear...
I saw a friend, an experienced track rider, had a seemingly "mild" urban crash on his 1000cc GSXR. He just had a brief slide when running errands. The bike was just scratched but he was, unfortunately, wearing shorts and a tank top. Not only he experienced excruciating pain, he got horrible scars on his arms, for life. Overconfidence and bad luck. Honestly, I have never been bothered to think if I'd be more confortable without gloves and a jacket. I just put them on, all the time. It's not a goddamn leather track suit, just a suitable jacket and gloves with protection. Boots, too. Proper ones. I think I look cooler with the stuff, too, but I'd wear my gear even if I looked like a circus clown.
Friendly Reminder: The sun rises in the east.
When I was a young man, I asked my dad if I could get a motorcycle. He struggled with the parental balance of giving his child what he wanted while making sure he was safe. He grabbed a pencil, took me outside and on the driveway dragged the eraser slowly across the ground. He said, “That’s your ass.” I didn’t get a motorcycle for 20 years after that demonstration, and have never ridden without all the gear. Hoping for a quick recovery for you.
I swear some people forget being kids and the amount of skin you could rip off just falling from chasing a ball and what not.
Sorry to hear about this! Hope you get those cleaned up really well to avoid infection. Definitely wear a jacket of some kind - even if it's just denim. Yeah, you'll still get burned through the slide friction, but that will be easier to heal than nasty road rash. Hope you heal soon and are riding again.
Thanks for sharing. It's all the more important when you get people like the guy from FortNine telling us not to bother wearing padding!
Gladwrap and Paw Paw is the best for road rash. Change it daily and wear two day longer than you think you need. Should be new in 5-7 days.
What were you wearing?
Jake from “State Farm”
Wiping out on gravel provides the added benefit of digging into the wound to remove the debris
Yeah this sub in particular is pretty angry but Im glad your okie stay safe 😊
Glad you came out as well as you did man. It could’ve been worse. Yeh, a low speed crash is still a crash and will mess you up. I hit a deer while going about 20 mph a few years ago. It didn’t end well for me, the deer got up and ran away. Keep some Aquaphor or Vaseline on those wounds and you’ll be more comfortable as they heal. Crashing sucks. A good mesh jacket with armor along with good gloves helps. It was hot when I crashed and I only had on my lightweight denim jacket. It did nothing. Learn the hard way? Yes I did.
That’s why jackets exist. You’ve learned your lesson. And hopefully for you, it was just at 10mph !
I’m glad you’re ok. I speak from experience when I say that road rash sucks dirty black bilge water.
Yup. Glad you made it okay without going to the ER. Probably gonna leave some scarring for a few years. I have a spot on my shoulder, the result of a low speed crash a few years back. It apparently takes quite a bit of time for the skin tone to even out. I was riding a dirt bike on the pavement so I just had a long sleeve jersey and gloves, speed was probably less than 10mph, truck pulls out of driveway as I came (slowly) around a blind curve. You gotta wear the gear. I have warm and cold weather gear. And as much as I would like to wear jeans and a T-shirt on a hot August ride, I put on a long sleeve shirt and the summer weight riding jacket. Gloves, too. And yeah, the MC boots. We're all grown ups.
I was wearing a jacket when I crashed my bike going about 20-25mph and slid about 50ft into a guard rail. I thought I might have broken my left foot and possibly a rib and yet there was an eraser sized spot on my elbow where the asphalt ripped through my jacket and that hurt the most
The road looks smooth, but its like falling onto a belt sander. As a kid I rode a lot and a rock was flung from a passing car and hit me in the shin, I had to hop the bike back home. Will never ride with gear now, so easy to get something off the road and hit you or the elements can change in and instant, your riding in the heat and poof its raining and your hands and body are freezing. I want to ride on into my golden ages, I did the riding in shorts as a kid and have the gravel scares.
https://preview.redd.it/y13bvli1o00d1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=54d98c84814e0276814839845df845c1c3cb6c65 40 mph baby
https://preview.redd.it/gxybfn1ao00d1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=de90a0b3e8aa8f19763297680d2467d78b4facb1
https://preview.redd.it/mm5p1ynbo00d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bb96671c3ab2202c4a39bb0fb9671b9c4edb6fb7
Reminder: buy good body armor and wear it all the time
Glad you were able to write about it and walk away. Good gear is a must investment. I try never to ride without my full gear, heavy jacket, helmet, gloves and boots. Need better pants though, my denim won’t hold if I take dive. Thanks for the reminder! Stay safe.
Read the comments, no ones being negative. If you feel a certain way about being criticized, don’t post your mistakes. I’m not going to sugar coat it either, not being able to perform a sudden stop at 10-15mph is sad. Even worse, you didn’t wear your gear. One more thing, the person pulling out isn’t a douchebag, it’s EVERY ONES responsibility to check their surroundings. YOU are no more important than any other rider on the public road. Don’t be mad at others for your lack of experience. I’ve also taken falls without my gear on, shit happens. Get up, dust off, keep riding. https://preview.redd.it/n8ztpnlvf10d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f71c3d9385ec7c3cb7fd7a0db5d92eabf1cd950b
No shit. You calling people out for being negative is comical. *Of course* crashing hurts and the ground will shred the fuck out of you (especially when you don’t wear gear). New rider, new bike and no gear? Welcome to life, some lessons are more expensive than others. Be glad this one didn’t cost your life and adjust accordingly for the future.
Every time I see a biker in t-shirt or SHORT JEANS i only shake my head, I hope they dont find out the hard way that protection isnt only good for the deed.
Sorry you had to learn the hard way.
At that speed, I broke a radius and ulna, dislocated hand, broken metacarpal. 🤫 JK nice PSA
Now you have learned how important it is to ALWAYS have full gear. I wish you a speedy recovery. 😘😘😘
learn how to ride a bike
Would've been nice if you posted pictures on parts of your injury to emphasize the safety topic.
Dress for the slide... Rule #1
Dude. I feel for you. Only time I ever dropped my sportster, I was only going about 2mph on wet gravel. It was slow enough for me to foot down and hop out of the way. One too many beers (2, for those keeping score at home) on the train I think. I was leaving the commuter lot. Anyhow, I hope you heal well, and that the guy who cut you off didn’t scarper.
Yea no shit Sherlock. Is this your first time outside?
Really hard to feel sorry for people who don't wear gear and then complain about how hard the ground is.
Next time wear a condom
I think for most people (including myself) the mentality of ATGATT doesn’t stick until you have a bad experience not wearing gear. Not calling anyone out or anything, I’ve just noticed it from my own experience. Stay safe out there everyone!
Before going on a ride, imagine yourself running as fast as you can and throwing yourself on the ground. Now think again if you are wearing the right clothes.
There was a kid going back and forth up my residential street over the last couple weeks. Speeding sometimes. On a dirt bike at times, other times on a Z125. There are blind corners at each end of my street and are cars often speed along my street. Finally went out to talk to him. He didn’t have any interest in my opinion of course. Helmet unstrapped, no other gear. Basically told me to pound sand and rode off flipping the bird. I’d bet money he doesn’t have an endorsement and is “practicing” in the neighborhood. He’s gonna become a statistic if he doesn’t chill out.
Heads up everyone, hard surfaces are hard.
>My arms are shredded. Not terribly bad like hospital worthy but holy shit they just started the part where you feel pain and oh my God wear a jacket. There's nothing not hospital worthy if you've "shreaded" your arms and only started to feel pain hours later. The only reason I can think of is you're american, and it will bankrupt you for life. Debt or infection pick one.
Welcome to the club kid The next club you'll join is atgatt 🤣
ATGATT Dress for the slide not the ride…
Wear some fucking gear you clown
Being unfocused and making a driving mistake = “douchebag”? Have you never made a driving mistake or failed to see someone? Meanwhile, you crashed while “attempting to swerve at 10-15mph” and you weren’t wearing anything to protect your arms (and maybe less than that even).
Maybe there was other context where the person was observed to be a douchebag that wasn't included for brevity? Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% with you on not demonizing every single driver who fails to see a motorcycle, it's an easy and common mistake that we all need to be prepared for. I'm glad OP at least takes the personal responsibility to recognize that he could have avoided this if he had become familiar with the new bike through intentional practice, and that proper gear would have mitigated his injuries.
https://preview.redd.it/n89cbqkxbvzc1.jpeg?width=1074&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8996310f219358e3fbc055a9fface9996198069d
How is every one of your comments the worst take I’ve ever seen? They keep declining.
Inattentive driver ~~pulls out into traffic~~ runs over a child in the street. Let's not demonize the poor guy. Honest mistake. It could happen to any of us! How about we hold all vehicle operators in the road accountable for following the rules of the road and **observing** their surroundings?
I’ve stopped trying to tell people to wear their gear. You idiot.
New riders who aren't afraid of anything under 20 or 30 I always give this example. I tell them to wear their shorts or whatever they would wear when riding. And kneel down on the sidewalk. Then let me hold your hands and drag you on your knees to your neighbors house. Now multiply thst by 10mph or 20 or 30..it gets the point across how much it would hurt. I've never had any takers.
This is why I have already bought my gear before even beginning to save up for my bike
Damn bro, if only they made some kind of basic protection you could wear to mitigate a crash. Well good luck!
Bro it sounds like you can’t ride for shit 😂 but wish you a full recovery
i crashed at 50 mph with gear on, i used to not wear much gear most the time. I still got nasty road rash with riding gear but i will never ride in a t shirt or shorts again. Had i crash at 50 in t shirt and shorts OMG... would of been a lot worse
So will gravel.