Now for something Not so funny

[Speedy1959]

I have told Seth about this incident when I spoke to him on the phone earlier and also Barmy via text earlier today...

2 weeks ago on Saturday 21st of September I was at a well know Biker meet up place called Glasson Dock which is about 8 miles or so from where I live..
I was chatting to an older biker guy I know (in his 70's) called Malcolm.. He has a Black/Red GSX like mine. In fact he bought it on my recommendation. He had at that time a Pan European..
He lives in Lancaster and regularly does a circuit that involves coffee stops at Caton (another biker meet up venue) and then Glasson Dock..
He said to me "This time I have done it in reverse as I am meeting my son later in Caton so I have come here first (Glasson Dock)..
I had just started my coffee when He got up and said I had best be off or I will be late..
I would normally have ridden with him as Caton was my next stop but my coffee wasn't going to waste so I said "I will probably see you in half an hour or so as I am going there next).
Anyway after half an hour or so I did set off and made my way towards the village of Caton through various country lanes..
About 10 miles or so into my journey there was a Police car parked across the road and several police officers were turning the traffic around..
I cursed into my helmet as it was quite a big detour to go through Lancaster to get to Caton. Anyway I did this as did quite a few other bikers and eventually got to the Caton meet up..
I met a German friend (Not Andre Lol) there I know very well and I asked if he was diverted. He said "Yes and we saw the air ambulance Helicopter landing"..
I never really thought anything of it as it this area its unfortunately not exactly rare for there to be accidents..
Anyway Hans suggested we went on a ride.. We went back towards where the accident was and by this time the road had been re opened..
I came around a sharp left bend and saw on the back of a flatbed truck . . . . .
A Black/Red GSX
It never bloody dawned on me till this point that it could be Malcolm.
I felt literally quite sick at realizing I was with him a little earlier.. In fact if I hadn't had a hot coffee I would have been riding with him!

Unfortunately I have never had Malcolm's mobile number and had no way of contacting him. I didn't even know where he lived as I only saw him now and again at bike meets.

To cut a long story short after a lot of asking around, today I finally managed to get his contact details.. At least I now know he is still alive!

I phoned him earlier and this is what he said happened:

"I was going along the Quernmore road along the straight bit which leads towards a sharp right bend. As I approached the bend a Range Rover came flying round the bend on my side of the road.. It crunched hard into my leg and both my Bike and I were pushed off the road and through a hedge into a field.
The car was in the field along with me and my Bike..
I laid there screaming. I have never had such pain"...

I will spare you some of the details..
The police questioned the driver and this is what he said:
"The sun was in my eyes as I approached the sharp left bend so I thought I would take it wide so I wouldn't scuff my paint"

Can you bloody believe That

The police have charged him with a mix of Dangerous Driving and Driving without Due Care and Attention.

At least this means Malcolm shouldn't have too much of a battle getting compensation..

As for Malcolm.. Shattered Fib & Tib and a totally detached foot from ankle joint.
He has an 18" pin going from the knee down through the Tibia.
He cant put any weight at all on it for 6 weeks and then it will be a long and no doubt painful rehab.

You just don't know whats around the bloody corner..
Literally !

He has already been told his bike is a write off..
He said on the phone he wouldn't mind buying it back to eventually put it back on the road.

Please Ride safe my friends..
And watch out for MORONS with the sun in their eyes !!

[Andre]

You just don't know whats around the bloody corner..

Not just around a corner. A can driver veered and came at me on my side of the straight road. I could see him clearly fumbling with his sun visor. I gave him a huge scare, I hope, when I honked at him while we passed each other with only 2-3 foot to spare. Moron had been driving into the setting sun long enough to take proper visor action. Who knows but probably drunk, on drugs, seeking a radio station, dealing with his navi, his "smart" phone, or all of the above at the same time.

In situations like that I am very calm. Don't want to share here what goes on in my mind afterwards though.

[seth]

Unfortunately it's a common story if car drivers not paying attention or driving to the conditions .
Yes bike riders can be as bad .
I do hope MALCOM make a full and quick recovery and gets the compensation he deserves and the driver gets the book thrown at him .

What I take from this story after talking with Simon are several things .

Live everyday to it's full for as long as your able as you never know what's around the next corner MALCOM is in his 70 s and still enjoying life
Don't worry about it as there is as good a chance that there is an open road full of fun rather than a disaster and if it does come meet it head on and know there are people who will help you through the hard times .
Once MALCOM is ready if he does want to get his bike sorted I'm sure there will be people here that will be willing and able to help him .

Pass on my best to MALCOM when you see him @Speedy1959

[KiwiCol]

Thanks for sharing Speedy. Yes, hope Malcom gets better, but the fact that he's 70 means he don't heal very fast or well. Poor bugger, I really feel for the guy, as for the twat driving the RR, hope he gets done for all he's worth.

[Mick_J]

Low winter sun is quite dangerous, a couple of years ago my nephew came over a slight ridge and was blinded by the sun so he slowed down, the car behind speeded up "to get through it quicker" and you can guess what happened.  Glad that your mate Malcolm survived and is planning on riding again, hope it doesn't take too long.

[Mister Fishfinger]

Yeah low sun is a big problem.

Another common cause of car drivers veering into your lane - cyclists. There were hundreds out today, which is fine, except car drivers coming towards me seem to think it's OK to pull out into the middle of the road because it's 'only' a motorbike coming at them. Obviously I am happy to dive into a hedge at a moment's notice so as not to impede their progress in any way.

As others have said, you've got to be on your toes all the time. And accept that even then, it might not be enough.

[froudy]

I hope Malcolm makes a good recovery too...I don't thinkit's going to be quick by any means though after the injuries he suffered.

Just before I logged on here this morning and read this I was editing a couple of camera stills from two of my early morning commutes  earlier this year to post on another forum. One shows the danger of low sun in the sky and the other is a very near miss caused by a driver not checking her mirrors when changing lane on a motorway slip road. I was lucky. Unfortunately Malcolm wasn't quite so lucky.
As already mentioned...You just don't know what is around the corner!

[grog]

For half my year, i ride into sun, morning and night. Been similar for many years. Always very careful, visor cleaned every day. Im used to it, hard to believe how easy on days when no sun.

[GSXKING]

I think we all wish Malcolm a speedy recovery, also every other rider who's been the victim of stupid drivers. 

[VladTepes]

Glad to hear he survived for sure, but otherwise not a great day for Malcom eh.

Sadly I'm not surprised at the reason for the accident, but I am surprised that the driver was stupid enough to actually say that to police. It's good for malcolm that he did, of course, but not having had an accident would cetainly be better 'compensation'.

They're out there, and in numbers.


Low sun - one of the things we have here in Aussieland is that our headlights have to be wired permanently on when riding. Sure, there are times when having the headlight on makes perfect sense, but for someone driving toward us into low sun it actually breaks up our silhouette making us harder to see.  Dumb &&&&

Another common cause of car drivers veering into your lane - cyclists. There were hundreds out today, which is fine, except car drivers coming towards me seem to think it's OK to pull out into the middle of the road

Yeah same issue here. But in their wisdowm rather than banning cyclists from roads, they made it legal for people to cross double white lines "when safe" in order to pass cyclists.  Problem is thaty most car drivers don't seem to have any concept of "when safe" and I've seen cars cross the double lines around a blind corner to pass bicycles.

Frankly I'm surprised the number of accidents isn't subtantially higher than what it already is.

[Mrg]

so sad to hear this and i feel for anyone having a crash at car drivers lack of consuntration  in driving  they just need to learn and be aware      not to hard is it
get well soon malc

[Mal]

Hello, Folks thanks for the good wishes. It has taken a long time to get this far but I have been riding short distances on a Burgman 400 for the last few days. The break aches still. The surgeon says it will take between 12 and 18 months for it to get back to how it was before the impact. After 6 weeks of hopping behind a zimmer frame (no weight-bearing allowed), I have graduated from needing two crutches to one crutch and now to a walking stick which breaks down and fits under the bike seat.
My 1400 was written off but I managed to buy another black and red (the slower colour) and had a 10-mile ride on it today. It felt very strange. Because my left foot points outwards gear changing is difficult. When the rod was put in through the bone and the bits screwed back together I'm told they have to estimate the future foot position but have to be sure it's not pointing inwards as that would make walking very difficult.

Hey, Ho life goes on. It won't stop me riding that's for sure.

Best wishes to all for the new decade.

Mal

[Andre]

Good to hear that you are making good progress. Back on a 14 is a huge step. Congrats. Bummer with the left foot. Fortunately the 14 can move quite well with little changing of gears.

[KiwiCol]

Hi Malcom, it's great to hear you're mending and at a fast pace. To be back riding at all, let alone after 4 months, is very impressive.  You obviously have a good mindset & attitude.   Can't keep a good man down for long eh!  Well done & best of luck on the R&B 14.   


Cheers.

[Boa]

Now there's positivity for you!

Thanks for keeping us updated Mal, hope your pain eases. If you get rid of the red bits you'll find the black goes quickest of all