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While setting up this blog tool I never thought that I would be writing something like this as its first post.

In my eighteen years of motorcycling I never got injured from a bike in any manner–though I knew that someday or the other I would fall from my motorcycle; I mean every rider will, if he pushes the limits of his riding skills. I used to be that kind of a person ever since with my first motorcycle. And even now I am.

This happened on a short trip organised by Silver Bullets to Ponmudi and back on 24 December 2006. We had a not-so-smooth ride up to Ponmudi hills as we had to stop at several places for Gopu to catch up as his Bullet ran into a seizure besides other problems. Inspite of all these JSR managed to get some very cool snaps on his Nikon.

On our way back we had a simple (but slightly heavy) lunch from Vithura. After a short break we started riding again. This time we were a little over 70kmph with me behind JSR while Jay leading the ride. Babu was about a hundred meters behind me.

We reached Anad junction at around 3:30PM. Traffic was a little high at that time. I was riding at around 50kmph. Suddenly a scootter (if I remember it correctly, there was a child standing on the platform) ran across my way while he tried to negotiate a gutter (probably without watching the oncoming traffic). I turned the bike to the left quickly to save them. But I had to slam the front brake as I could not find enough room on the road for me on my left. The front wheel got locked and bike fell on its right side (I violated a very fundamental rule here; but I couldn’t help).
A little bit of physics here: as I was riding at aroung 50kmph, though the bike had stopped, my body was still moving at that speed. My head, with the body “hinged” on the handle bars through my arms, vigorously struck the ground to dissipate the momentum. All that happned in less than a second. That scooter was saved and so was the kid.

My half-faced helmet absorbed the impact of that fall. But the severe shock which had transmitted to the head put me in total imbalance for the next fifteen seconds. I couldn’t balance myself. Some how I managed to sit on a fencing stone on the right side of the road. My leather jacket too absorbed its share of impact as it was torn appart at seveal stitches.
I was severely injured with cuts on my lower and upper lips and a deep cut on my chin. After the first aid at Nedumangadu Taluk Hospital we rushed to KIMS. All the cuts were cleanly sutured at the Oral and Maxillo Facial Clinic at KIMS hospital by Dr. Surej Kumar. Thanks to him and to his team! They did a great job, indeed.

I also thank the taxi driver who took me to the hospital so quickly through the evening traffic. Jay, JSR, Babu and Ajith were wating outside the Emergency while my cuts were being sutured. Thanks to you all dudes! Your presence turned out the scenario a lot light and joyous.

Update: Read this trip story published in Royal Enfield web site. Thanks to BT.

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Without my helmet, I would have died on the spot. If I were wearing a full-faced helmet, I would have easily walked away from the scene.

Hey, riders, consider wearing protective gears while riding irrespective of the length or duration of the ride. A helmet is a must. A jacket with protecttive padding is a necessity, combined with this, a pair of knee pads and riding boots would be excellent.