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Begin my commute home yesterday afternoon in the pouring rain... not the most enjoyable riding as we all know but after spending the 90+ degree day on the non-air conditioned second floor hot box it feels good...stings a little anytime I get above a crawl in rainy rush hour with people barely able to handle a vehicle in ideal conditions.

Sitting in a line of traffic, the painful procession of four or five cars per light cycle and I am calculating that three more lights and I will be through the intersection of he11. Rain stops, I am stopped, everything is stopped.. put the bike in neutral and remove my glasses to clean off the drops of distortian and then I enter the black hole of time and space..... as the black hole starts to loosen its grip, I am now aware that I am laying face down on the ground. What the?!?!?! Who are all these people? Why am I laying against a curb, rolling over, no easy task as it feels as if I just executed a rather sloppy half-gainer full twist into an empty swimming pool.... I find myself surrounded by twenty or thirty individuals from Chicago's melting pot of humanity. Looking over I see a similiar scene surrounding a crunched up, broken black Triumph. Noting, hey, that looks just like mine! Oh, gawd, it is mine. The chorus starts up as everyone in unison starts talking/explaining their version of the "scene". I am watching as four fireman stand my bike up, bits falling off it, rolling it to the curb so I am unware that this chorus also has members of Chicago's finest.... they are not retelling the story, they want details.... all I can say is, dunno, listen to the crowd.

Seems as I was sitting at that light, the car behind me was launched onto my backside by forces of another vehicle slamming into it... I get shot forward, like a golf ball off the tee into the car in front of me...I and the vehicle complete the creamy center of an Oreo cookie. The chorus is still singing, everyone has to line up as if at a wake, and one by one, "dude, you okay, we thought you were dead, look at your bike, that guy hit you, dude you okay, (didn't they ask me that already?)"

I guess I am telling the paramedics I don't want to go to the hospital.... I'm a city dude, when you leave your stuff laying around unattended it disappears. They convince me to at least take a walk over to the ambulance and let them clean up my hand... My hand? Looking down I see this red covered object, is that a hole? Foaming peroxide and forceps to pull out the chunk of street confirm there is indeed a hole....nice.

Spend the next forty five minutes watching the crowd dwindle, the cops are all in their cars writing furiously and a few die hards are sticking around offering advice and opinions on my attempts at amateurish body work on the cycle. Get the fender pulled back off the rear tire, bending back levers and pedals, picking up assorted parts and pieces. Five blocks from home, figure if I have to push it there I will, my back and hip are rooting for it to start up.... start up it does. Cops give me paperwork and more verbal info than I can digest at once, put it in gear and limp it home. Have a couple glasses of my best Scotch and call up the lizard company.... now the fun begins.

Called off work today, not moving very well, kinda feels like, well like I got hit by a car. Gieco is all over it, several phone calls, emails, more phone calls, everyone wants me happy and fixed. Hopefully their wishes will come true....

Alright.... time to call the dealer and the tow and get sorted out how fast I can get the thing back on the road.

Everybody be careful out there..... they all want a piece of you.

DUDE That SOO SUCKS!!! Glad your OK enough to recount this tale!!!! rest up and HEAL up!!!

Dude, glad to hear you still bounce well at your age. I hope ya' heal up fast. Yeah, I had the pleasure of riding home in the rain after work yesterday. I knew I felt a shift in the force. Man, what is it with these folks rear ending your bikes. You must have a nice tail, ---- fender that is.

Anyhow, glad to hear you weren't out of Scotch. By all means Steve, please let me know if there is anything I can do. I may have some parts laying round the garage. Let me know. Freaking Bummer!!!!!

Dang brother. Glad to hear your ok.

That REALLY SUCKS, BUT you are alive, and semi-mobile, and the bike is repairable!! Hope things work out in the end Steve!

Neatly written. Sorry it wasn't fiction.

Get well!

Gerry

Wow. Glad that you got out of that one alive. I guess that the lesson here is to not let your guard down, even when there is a cage stopped behind you - but who would of ever thought of that! Makes me sick to think of it.

Glad to hear you are reasonably OK. Sorry to hear of the accident.
Mike Sr.

Dang Steve! Glad to hear your ok for the most part.
Maybe its a sign ?


Edit -
Jen says get well soon!

Ouch! Steve, that sucks. Heal well brother!

Good to hear you're OK.

Wow! Glad you're OK. I hate 5:00 traffic.

Steve, Dang man. Get well soon! and take care of your injuries. Trama shows up 24 to 72 hours LATER. Get to an xray machine now if your parts don't feel right. I hope your ink didn't get smudged. Think about some antibiotics for that hole.

Well, I know one thing for sure Dude: You must have been wearing a helmet...'cuz nobody on this planet could have written a better first-person account of this sad experience who had suffered any brain damage!!!

Sorry to hear this, Steve.

Just in case there's something you may have missed in your self-diagnosis here, I hope you'll go see your doctor.

(one other thing...I suppose lane-splitting is illegal in IL, huh?!...too bad if it is...incidences like this tend to be reduced in frequency where it is allowed, ya know)

Glad to hear that you're mobile. Hope your body and bike are still useable.

No Dwight, no helmet... funny I couldn't string a sentence together for doo doo until (dum dum DUUUUN!) *dramatic pause*.... "The Accident".

Not a mark on the skull, not even sore... my butt is extemely ouchie right now though.... good lord, it has been suggested many times in the course of this life that perhaps my head was located there. I'll have to ponder this for awhile.

Thanks for all the well wishes and concerns. I really apprecitate it.... you guys are the best and it's proven daily. Got a hold of the dealer and they set up a tow so "the dude" should be here shortly to haul the scooter away.... need to hobble out there and get some pics so I can dispute any "no, that's how the thing is supposed to look."

Glad you're not hurt worse. This sort of thing is the scariest part about riding. You're sitting there minding your own business, doing everything right and someone else launches you into hard, hard asphalt. Remind me not to tell my wife about this one . . .

Steve, dude, the white walls have to go. Them things are cursed. Glad you are around to joke about this. Like Stewart said, perhaps this is a sign.

Ryan

glad you are ok ( relativly speaking )
just remember , you have 3 months to get fixed up for NY 07
and you have 11 months to get fixed up for GA 08

it's not like you were looking 2 cars behind you for that
one coming.
stuck between 2 cars can't be good, go get looked over.

Pete

Hope you feel better man. don't let the insurance company screw you. They are EXREMELY scared of motorcycle accidents. Leave your claim open as long as you can incase you have long term injuries. As Dwight said, go get checked out by a Doctor. It is WELL worth it. When I had my accident I got an extra $800.00 for rework on my tattos that were scarred. Good luck man, Get back on her!

Youch Steve,
Glad you're still with us. Let me know if there's anything I can do. Chicago is not that far away, unless you're walking. Peroxide and scotch, I need to remember that just in case. Get well soon!

Steve- sending thoughts for a speedy heal-up for you and your bike.

I'm going to add my female "nurture" suggestion that you do get checked out. Any costs would need to be covered by the insurances of the vehicles behind you, I'm thinking, and it might be good to know if there were any internal injuries, concussion, back injuries, or bone fractures, even minor ones.

Wow Steve,
Happy to hear you're still with us!
Get checked out, and heal up,
Uncle Charlie

WOW what a bummer but at least you are OK and can even type with the hole!! Your bike started and made it home so thats a step in the right direction too. I hope the damage is covered and not too bad! Speedy recovery dude!

wow! glad you made it.

Yipes, that story's scarier than waking up next to Rosie O'Donnell after a night of drinking Cutty Sark. On second thought .... yeah it is.

Glad to hear you belive your injuries are superficial, but let the guy's/gal's insurance company pay for a medical. Hard to tell what may show up a long time from now.

I grew up in that area, so I'm curious, which intersection?

Mend Quick .....

Tom

Wow, that's quite a story . Let me be the third or fourth here to add: get a good check up! I've had a friend or two get tossed off a horse or ATV or m/c. An early, through checkup can be important, once the adrenaline wears off.

jh

CRIPES MAN!!!

I'm glad you are ok.. bike can be fixed.. us.. not so quickly

Get well soon and get back on the road!

Trev

It's good you weren't hurt worse and I'm glad you'll heal well. Really sucks wrecking when you weren't even moving. That's a really well written account BTW so you should consider a bit for the "Tales from the Road" thread (of course, you'll have to go somewhere on your repaired scoot).

Glad you're OK Steven. Similar happened to me couple of years ago. Realised there's not a lot you can do to prevent rear end accidents apart from leaving bike in gear/ checking rear view at junctions if you're last in cue. That wouldn't have helped in your situation though!
As has been said tho, I would get a thorough checkout - especially if you're hurting. Hopefully everything's fine and just a bit of bruising but should be checked. Anyway medical opinions as far as insurance claims go should work in your favour, which might lead to more payout to help repair/ custom your ride...?

Glazer, brother sorry to here about the incident.
Glad you'll be ok. Dang that was a nice looking bike.
Hang in there bro, you'll be back on the road soon enough.
One of the biggest fears of a motorcyclist, rear-ended!
Whew, glad you're still with us.
Mike

Oy, it's such a pretty bike, too. Both of you need a thorough check up by qualified personel.

just checking up on your condition.
how are you feeling. have you see a doctor.
have they fixed the hole in the road left by your head.

No Pete, the road has not been fixed.... Been looked at by 27 county officials, 18 departments heads including the Chicago Park District, seems Daley wants to put a planter there with native grasses.
Again, thank you so much to everyone for your concerns and well wishes. I did go get looked over, read Paula's post and seems I am a sucker for a mother's nurturing. Of course showing up in an emergency room three days after an accident I had to suffer a mother's lectures. The ER nurse just had to keep tellin' me how dumb I was and she just didn't know what was with kids these days... of course she was actually only four years older than me but I could sense the love so nothing was taken personal. Hairline fracture in one my metacarpal thingies and some lovely multi-colored areas on my backside (by the way all the tattoos are fine) and repeated assurances that I didn't too bad at all for a near fifty-year old who got a Honda Accord shoved up my posterior end.

Bike got towed out to the dealer and a phone call today for a brief rundown of the damages... seems I am just shy of $4000. When asked if my right exhaust pipe was previously chewed up, as in before the accident, I informed them that they were new and not damaged prior... is it wrong of me to say what the he11, write it up anyway, what ya askin for? So that should push me over the 4G mark. One of my concerns is that is purely for the cosmetic ends of things... they haven't rode it, I did, and something seemed wierd. So how's that work, you make it look all purty again and then see if she rolls down the road all nice like? Not sure what is the standard approach on something like this, plus NADA shows my bike worth somewhere between 4,200 and 5,600. Guess I gots to talk to the Geico folks... New Guzzi in glazer's garage?

Steve,

Glad to hear you are alright. Take care of yourself.

Glad to hear you survived it Steve. Let's hope the offending party's insurance carrier is smart enough to keep you happy. After what you've been through, they oughta spot you a little rhythm on things. You'd look right proper all up on a shiny new Guzzi. I believe some chrome fish tails are indicated as well.

Quote:

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I did, and something seemed wierd.

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with that kind of impact , the rear wheel may not be striaght.
it may be bent or just need aligned.

you may have been riding down the street like a crab ( a bit sideways)

and the front forks may be a bit bent

This is my greatest fear getting hit from behind. Glad you are ok.

official call from the lizard king today, Mr. Geico says the bike is totalled.... dammit anyway. So that means I get median book value, less a 500 dollar deductible. Great, not what it's worth and I get to take out another loan. I asked about buying it from the insurance company... seems IL state law prohibits that, guess too many people were totalling out vehicles then making profits on salvage.
They were kind enough to allow me to take my bags off and with the exception of those, anything else I want as long as I replace it with stock parts or something. Have to head out there tomorrow though as they are hauling it off Monday... anybody wanna overnite me a junk motor? Stock tires?
Timing couldn't be any worse either, dealer says the earlist they would expect the new mid size cruiser is late October, oh but it did look great in the pics! I don't think I can hang four months without a bike, he11 I'm already getting batty after a week. Watch, it will be sweeter than the Guzzi.