My First Real Motorcycle Accident
December 25th, 2006
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.
***
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.
Entry Filed under: Motorcycling
19 Comments Add your own
1. BT - Babu Tharikh | December 26th, 2006 at 6:16 am
Hey Anil,
Cool blog……with an important message on protective gear! Thumps Up !
Looking forward to happier biking moments !
BT
2. jsr | December 26th, 2006 at 10:55 pm
Hey Anil,
Nice blog, though you had to start it with a crash, I know it was a really stupid silly crash, (but most of my crashes were too the same)
Looking forward for a cool biking blog ahead!
–
jsr
3. Luttan | December 27th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
Hi,
What about that KID?
luttan
4. anil | December 28th, 2006 at 6:03 pm
Kid must be safe. I didn’t hit the scooter. I don’t know them and cannot recognise if I see them again. I guess they will read this blog someday
5. Gopukrishnan Pillai | December 29th, 2006 at 3:05 pm
Hi Anil,
I am happy to know that you are well. I had to leave for kozhikode about an hour after I reached tvpm, so I could not come to KIMS. As it is, that was just the beginning of a week long tour of Northern kerala that I took. I am writing this from Kanjangadu in Kasargod district. I hope to be back by 1st, and then hopefully we shall meet.
Take care,
yours Gopu
6. anil | December 29th, 2006 at 5:55 pm
Thanks Gopu!
I’m getting well. And planning to buy a new set of protective gears to start all over again
Wish you a nice trip.
7. Vijayakrishnan | January 3rd, 2007 at 10:56 am
Hey, Never thought an accident could happen to you. You were a safe and careful Rider all the time.
This proves one thing - given the condition of our F****ng Roads, not even the best of riders/drivers have a chance!
Thank God that nothing serious happened and thank god you were wearing that helmet. Time now to Change to a Full Helmet, though.
I am Calling you right away!!!!
8. Kamlesh | January 3rd, 2007 at 11:34 am
Hey Anil,
I hope your wounds would have been recuperated by now. Nice blog & yeah - falling is what makes one a still better rider.
Wishing you happy safe journeys ahead
Cheers!
Kam
9. anil.org.in » Blog &hellip | January 7th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
[…] Then came the Ponmudi trip. This time I had an idea: I told him in advance that you write the trip story but I take the T this time. If you do not know what happened in that trip read this blog. […]
10. sreejith | January 8th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Heard about this mishap from Varghese yesterday. Wish you a speedy recovery and many more safe rides to come. As you realised, yes, a full-faced helmet is always a must. Don’t worry, no rider can think of laws of physics a split second before an accident.
Once again, wish you a speedy recovery.
11. umesh kumar | January 16th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
Hi anil how r u now? I heard about ur accident today only. I think u r already recoverd from this accident .I wish you safe riding in future
12. sanish logtech | February 17th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Hi sir how r u now? I heard about ur accident now only. I think u r already recoverd from this accident .I wish you safe riding in future
13. Dr Harreendranath | April 14th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Thank god !!People & riders with poor SENSE& trafic sense makes makes things worse in road…….
14. ajayan .m | April 15th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Hi sir
I think you are right now, I wsih you safe riding you use the helmet
your life save the helmet ”thanks too god”
Take care,
yours Gopu
15. Sarath | July 10th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Hi Anil,
Did u buy a full face helmet after that?
TC
sarath
16. anil | August 5th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Yes I did, Sarath. I have a full-faced Bieffe now. Invested in a new jacket too. Thanks for asking!
17. Nitish Kamath | September 3rd, 2007 at 12:50 am
Hi Anil,
your website and blog look innovative … and different .
and our work is commendable .. of course i have heard abt this story from you when i was in Tvm last. But did not think at that time you would have posted a blog like this .
Take care
Nitish
18. anil.org.in » Blog &hellip | December 24th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
[…] Today happened to be the first anniversary of my first real motorcycle accident. It is an interesting coincidence that I wrote something on motorcycle safety on the same […]
19. Jaydeep Lakkad | August 26th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Hi Anil
Great Message. In line of message you provided here I wanted to talk to you. If you feel all rite can you drop your contact detain on my email address Jaydeep.Lakkad@****
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed