My life 1 year later. (long)

[DCrider]

Ride on RT, maybe part of the plan was to keep you around to help others?

[mrbreeze]

WOW!

I had an accident June 1, 2011. This is your thread, so I will not go into all the details here. I just wanted to say that I understand where you are coming from. I am sure I will never be the same. I am riding again, but there is a fear there that wasn't there before. It's hard to explain. One of the young guys I work with rides a sport bike. I have been riding with him a few times. He mentioned signing up for a track day today. I just can't afford to take any chances any more.

I have thought about selling the bike and buying a little two seater sports car - never would have allowed that thought in my head prior to the accident.

Thanks for your service, and may the Good Lord bless and keep you.

[catzor]

I was in an accident a few month ago, and just as the previous poster said, I'll keep it brief so as to stay on topic. I was in my car (the "safe" vehicle, I thought) when a very large pickup suddenly hit me in the passenger side at a very sharp angle while traveling at freeway speeds. My little Sentra went airborne and rolled. Sliding down the freeway on your head definitely changes you. I was lucky enough to to survive with virtually no injuries though my car, even structurally, was demolished. It really made me reconsider riding (No doubt I'd have died, were I on my bike) and my riding hasn't been as confident and relaxed since. Your bravery in the face of much greater challenges gives me hope and confidence that I have made the right choice by staying in the saddle. Get well, man, you deserve it.

[DirtyOldMan]

Glad you're on the mend. I admire your perseverance to do all that painful therapy you have to do to get back on your feet. That alone is what scares me most about a bad crash.
I hope you heal up beyond the docs expectations, I love it when you tough guys prove them wrong.

[BalancePoint]

Glad to hear ( or should I say see) your story. Just the fact that you're around to type it is great thing.
It's stunning how everything can be changed so irrevocably in an instant, and the precipitating factor- a moment of distraction by either party in a crash- can have such a horrifically wide spectrum of result. It can range from a shout and a middle finger salute to your situation, to even worse, needless to say. I wonder if the truck driver that appeared to cause your crash even to this day knows what he did to your life.
I had a comparatively minor crash a couple years ago, and like your story, it was over before I even knew it was beginning. I was much luckier than you were, but I can attest that it was just luck. Unlike your story, my crash was all my fault.
In any case, I admire your spirit. You're damn sure a survivor. I hope you continue to improve physically.

[Mambo Dave]

Originally Posted by catzor

I was in an accident a few month ago, and just as the previous poster said, I'll keep it brief so as to stay on topic. I was in my car (the "safe" vehicle, I thought) when a very large pickup suddenly hit me in the passenger side at a very sharp angle while traveling at freeway speeds. My little Sentra went airborne and rolled. Sliding down the freeway on your head definitely changes you. I was lucky enough to to survive with virtually no injuries though my car, even structurally, was demolished. It really made me reconsider riding (No doubt I'd have died, were I on my bike) and my riding hasn't been as confident and relaxed since. Your bravery in the face of much greater challenges gives me hope and confidence that I have made the right choice by staying in the saddle. Get well, man, you deserve it.

Similarly, one of the most awakening experiences I had in the last year was in my truck, not on one of my bikes, when a light turned green ahead of me and the first car, two cars up, proceeded across the intersection and got taken out by a red-light runner in another car. Jesus is that a wake-up call for riding the bike, and I hope I don't forget it.

...

I'm sure I will though.

[Entheogen]

I'm glad you made it back to us. You sound like a good cop, and anyone who knows me knows I really don't say that often at all. After my hit and run (I went down hard in rush hour too, people drove AROUND me laying in the street.) it was difficult to get back on and ride, but probably unavoidable as I simply love to ride...like you. If motorcycling is a crime, then I'm a perp! Glad your back on two wheels my brother from another mother, hope to meet you on the road someday.

[Mambo Dave]

Sorry I didn't write in that I'm glad you're back out and ambulatory, Royal. I was running late there (admittedly posting from work, had other things going on) and forgot to finish my thoughts and post apparently.

I stem from western PA, and while I'm now jealous of the areas you have to play with your new Ducati, I wish you the best in recovery and your new duties on the job. Sounds like a dream-job to me... if there can be that sort of thing. It just fits my interests and talents I think.

My reply to your thread earlier today was sorta eerie in that, hours later at the beginning of my morning motorcycle commute, I passed by the clean-up of a motor officer crash that apparently looked much worse (to me) than it was... still not sure of the details yet other than he is OK (one or the other ran the red light - very common for far too many to do so at this specific intersection, and I've been less than two inches away from a major motorcycle-vs-car collision there myself due to red light runners coming off of the off-ramps). http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region_...torcycle-crash

[Royal Tiger]

Originally Posted by NMEXPAT

What gear were you wearing in addition to your AGV rossi helmet? In addition to pure luck, this might have been the difference between life and death.

Glad you survived, had the toughness to recover and ability to ride again.

Gear:

AGV X-R2 helmet- bashed up and busted, but did its job. Is buy another AGV in a heartbeat.
Alpinestars TZ-1 full leather jacket- did great but zippers on BOTH sleeves broke leaving me with some minor arm rash.
Dainese leather gloves with titanium knuckles- did great! Love Dainese products.
Regular blue jeans. Did ok. I didn't slide much. Had some rash.
Composite toe full leather boots- did fine.

[baloneyskin daddy]

It may take years for the pains to subside or adapt to them. I was in an accident in 1988 and spent 5 days in the trauma unit and 45 days total in hospitals and rehab learning to walk again. Before the accident I was running 5 miles 3-4 times a week and playing on softball teams. It took 7-8 years before I could run again but there was still pain which gradually diminished to just a little soreness that still comes and goes but I can still do most of what I want.Took years to get over the mental aspect and I knew exactly what happened in the crash where as you are left wondering what you could have done differently. Not knowing is hard.

[dirtrulz]

Its amazing what the human body can go through and survive, also amazing how little it takes to kill it. May sound bad but I am glad you found out the first part.

[Rick G]

Dan,

It has been a while since we last communicated. I am glad that you are up and about and back to work. It is also good to see you back on a bike.

I know what you mean about the "questions" one has after a serious accident. I have had the same following mine last July 27th. As you can see my 1 yr anniversary is also coming up. Fortuanely for me, I have healed 100% with no lasting effects other than the mental ones.

Though I was back on a bike by October after my accident in July and like you I bought a replacement bike, but it isn't quite the same. I have no reservations about getting on. When I ride I don't fret. I didn't even freak out when I narrowly missed a deer on the way to BYOB last month. What has changed is my desire to get on the bike. I am many thousands of miles behind my normal bike riding. I have planned fewer trips on the bike this year and have done fewer day long rides. My desire to do them has lessoned a bit. Though one of them was to visit the site with my buddy who was with me at that dreaded time. Unbelievably there were still some deer bones left at the scene 9 months later. But we did finish the lunch ride that we started the year before which was important to me.

I have also had those questions as to why I survived with minimal injuries (my gear played a big part in that) while other folks are hurt far worse or die from lesser accidents. Questions that have no real answers.

Maybe as time passes my desire to ride more often will return. My wife whom I loved to take bike trips with has sworn off bikes since my accident, so I lost my travel partner. Still have my buddies though. This weekend we are going to Mid Ohio for Vintage. I will tell you what hasn't been diminished is that need to throw a couple of grand into a bike right after you buy it. So far I have more money than miles invested in my Bonnie. In fact pipes just arrived yesterday! But I love that bike and plan on keeping and riding her for quite some time.

Anyway, once again I want to say how happy I am that you are still progressing and are back to riding and work.

Peace,

Rick G

[84thProblem]

Thanks for sharing your story. Congatulations on your success!

[Eatmore Mudd]

O.P. I have been reading this thread and mulling it over since it was posted.
Congrats on mending and riding again and best wishes for more and better healing and many, many more good and happy days to you. Sending you the rest in a pm.

[M Singer]

Dan, gald that you still with us and glad that you are still riding. You should be very proud of yourself. Thanks for sharing.