DrBunsen
Well-known member
I was riding home from work last night after dark and while riding on the highway a couple guys on Harleys went by me. Since the traffic was a little tight I figured 3 motorcycles would be more noticable than a single one, so I just settled in behind them, with the 3 of us staggered in the lane. I was kinda surprised when they ended up taking my exit since that'd never happened in the 19 months that I've been riding in this area. There are motorcycles around (even the neighbor 2 doors down has a Harley), but I've not encountered any of them on the streets near the house while I was riding (though I have occasionally seen them when in my car).
Anyways, I trailed them on the frontage road of the freeway, and then they turned at the street that I turn down. Then - screech screech - they're both down, right after the turn, with low speed low sides. I slowed to a stop, then eased onto the street, and immediately felt the loose gravel and dirt that had apparently been put down on the street that we turned onto. When my wife and I moved out here that road was a gravel road, but it got asphalted over shortly thereafter. But it constantly develops potholes so the county resurfaces it every year or so, and each time they seem to use a different technique. This time, adding dirt and gravel was the recipe.
In the dark the gravel and dirt looked essentially like the road has always looked, but was now an unsafe turn for unaware motorcyclists. The first guy was almost certainly going to bite it no matter what. The 2nd guy didn't have a chance to know why the first guy was going down because he'd already started to go down when it came time to react. I only stayed up because I saw them both go down and I had plenty of time to fully stop before even coming to the turn.
I stopped to assist (of course). First guy down was convinced that he'd broken his ankle (he'd done it before, so he knew what it felt like). 2nd guy was fine. Both Harleys suffered from some chrome-ectomy and scratches, but both were mostly OK (it really was a slow low-side). I helped get both bikes safely off the road, assisted getting the injured guy over to his bike, then used my flashlight to go over the area of the accident to make sure there wasn't anything left behind (e.g. wallets falling out of pockets or whatnot). They were only a mile or so from home, so I stuck around until the injured guy's wife showed to take him to the Emergency Room.
I still can't help but feel like I was blessed last night. I've never followed a motorcycle on that route so that was totally strange. If I'd have been by myself, or if I'd have decided to pass them up and had gone first, I would've gone down. If there had been only one of them and if I'd been following closely, I would've gone down. While I don't want to say "better them than me", I still have to say that without them going right before me I would've had some big repair costs, and possibly emergency room bills as well (I wear full gear, but the guy with the busted ankle had some pretty stout boots on).
Sheesh. We've all seen road conditions change, like gravel, sand, or oil patches one day that weren't there the day before. But all 3 of us said that the turn looked essentially like it always has. I've always thought that the reason that I've never dropped a bike is because of how vigilant I am. Now I realize that luck (and/or Divine intervention) plays a big part as well.
I just realized while writing this that I need to go out there and put up a sign that warns of loose gravel & dirt to warn other riders. I *should've* done that last night.
Bunsen
Anyways, I trailed them on the frontage road of the freeway, and then they turned at the street that I turn down. Then - screech screech - they're both down, right after the turn, with low speed low sides. I slowed to a stop, then eased onto the street, and immediately felt the loose gravel and dirt that had apparently been put down on the street that we turned onto. When my wife and I moved out here that road was a gravel road, but it got asphalted over shortly thereafter. But it constantly develops potholes so the county resurfaces it every year or so, and each time they seem to use a different technique. This time, adding dirt and gravel was the recipe.
In the dark the gravel and dirt looked essentially like the road has always looked, but was now an unsafe turn for unaware motorcyclists. The first guy was almost certainly going to bite it no matter what. The 2nd guy didn't have a chance to know why the first guy was going down because he'd already started to go down when it came time to react. I only stayed up because I saw them both go down and I had plenty of time to fully stop before even coming to the turn.
I stopped to assist (of course). First guy down was convinced that he'd broken his ankle (he'd done it before, so he knew what it felt like). 2nd guy was fine. Both Harleys suffered from some chrome-ectomy and scratches, but both were mostly OK (it really was a slow low-side). I helped get both bikes safely off the road, assisted getting the injured guy over to his bike, then used my flashlight to go over the area of the accident to make sure there wasn't anything left behind (e.g. wallets falling out of pockets or whatnot). They were only a mile or so from home, so I stuck around until the injured guy's wife showed to take him to the Emergency Room.
I still can't help but feel like I was blessed last night. I've never followed a motorcycle on that route so that was totally strange. If I'd have been by myself, or if I'd have decided to pass them up and had gone first, I would've gone down. If there had been only one of them and if I'd been following closely, I would've gone down. While I don't want to say "better them than me", I still have to say that without them going right before me I would've had some big repair costs, and possibly emergency room bills as well (I wear full gear, but the guy with the busted ankle had some pretty stout boots on).
Sheesh. We've all seen road conditions change, like gravel, sand, or oil patches one day that weren't there the day before. But all 3 of us said that the turn looked essentially like it always has. I've always thought that the reason that I've never dropped a bike is because of how vigilant I am. Now I realize that luck (and/or Divine intervention) plays a big part as well.
I just realized while writing this that I need to go out there and put up a sign that warns of loose gravel & dirt to warn other riders. I *should've* done that last night.
Bunsen
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The Harley riders should be able to get compensation from your local street works department.
