[ishlinea7260]

My first tarmac kiss occurred on one fine afternoon in 2004.
I had just started riding couple of months ago on my very own Honda Activa.
I was riding my scooter and doing around 60-65 kmph and suddenly a big piggy comes out of nowhere and I did not get sufficient time to brake to a safe speed.
As a result I hit it and went flying across the tarmac , my arms and legs were badly bruised by abrasions as a result of the skin coming in contact with the extremely hot road (it was noon after all).
Thankfully didn't break any bones and even the piggy was also fine.

As a result ever since this incident I have stopped riding two wheelers.

[Divya Sharan]

A little OT and the mods may well delete my post if they wish.

I see a lot of posts from members who left riding just because they met with a small accident (mostly due to their fault/ignorance etc which was no way even 10% close to fatal types).
Is that the right thing to do?
I'm not saying that because I primarily move around on 2 wheels, it is a question in general to all.
Would the same folk stop driving if met with similar accidents on 4 wheels?

[tharian]

Originally Posted by Divya Sharan

A little OT and the mods may well delete my post if they wish.

I see a lot of posts from members who left riding just because they met with a small accident (mostly due to their fault/ignorance etc which was no way even 10% close to fatal types).
Is that the right thing to do?
I'm not saying that because I primarily move around on 2 wheels, it is a question in general to all.
Would the same folk stop driving if met with similar accidents on 4 wheels?

I am guessing it is more of a family pressure to leave riding and move on to driving.
A small fall off a bike can prove fatal if there is a vehicle behind and it is understood that it can happen to anyone especially knowing the scene on our roads.
There is always a sense of safety in a car.

Coming back to the topic, my first fall was on a damp road at a curve which I usually take at good clip on my Bullet.
It was post midnight returning from work when I lost the front end and fell on my right with a good impact and just missing a divider. The bike went scrapping away. A cabbie and a security close by helped me up and gave me some water. Since the bike was not damaged much, I rode to a hospital close by and got my wounds dressed which were on my right elbow, knees and waist.
Few years later, a dog decided to cut across to visit a chicken shop and ended up visiting me instead. Got the same wounds, but much worse on my left side this time.

I was asked to sell off my bikes and take to driving as a suggestion. Hasn't happened and don't see it happening either.

[slicvic]

Second Incident

Time: Sometime in 2000.
Bike: RX135, a friends bike, was riding in the rain from a cafe to his house. Wet roads and a light drizzle. Twilight. Failed to notice a really old Rickshaw without any lights or reflectors. Swerved left to avoid rear ending him. Took a spill due to the wet surface went sliding for probably 50 meters.

Damage to the bike: The headlight needed to be replaced. The crash guard was bent. The handle was bent.

Damage to self: Torn jeans, broken watch, bruises all over the leg and shoulder.

But invaluable lesson learnt: Slow down on wet surfaces.

This was in a time when i was immature and full of teenage blood, weaving in and out of traffic just for the heck of it.
There was no deadline to reach, not meeting to rush to. No appointments to keep up with.

Was not wearing any riding gear. Don't think any riding gear was available here at that time. Other than helmets of course.


Incident 1, 3, 4 were all when i hit a dog or rear ended a vehicle, but without falling on the tarmac and without bodily damage.

The last incident was in 2004, I haven't stopped riding but have become more mature and a safer rider.

Yes i don't touch the speeds I used to as a teenager but i still ride. Responsibly.

[GTO]

I was an active rider for only 2 years in India, and a handful of months in the US when my flatmate had bought one of those 750cc Honda cruisers.

Luckily, have never crashed myself and I hope it stays that way.

On the other hand, I've had a bad fall when teaching my kid brother how to ride. Taught him the basics on a Kinetic Honda and he was rather comfortable with the controls. One end of our lane is the beach. As we're approaching the end, he brakes too hard at the front....the tyre slides on the sand and we 'kiss the tarmac'. Had a minor bruise on my left arm, but the mark is still there today (20 years on).

Had a full-on accident on my cycle though. Was cycling fast in the lane on the same day that the BMC was fixing the street lamps. Got distracted when passing my building, looked to the left and rammed straight into their wooden ladder (the big red one, with wheels on it). Lights were out for 5 - 10 minutes , I think I lost consciousness for a bit. Luckily, nothing serious.

[ebonho]

In 1986 I think. Riding my dad's LML Vespa with my younger brother sitting behind. Crashed headon into an oncoming Yezdi when turned across the road without any indication. It was night time and we were coming back from the club after a swim. Summer vacation time. I got a nasty gash on my chin which was sutured by an intern (a very bad intern) without local anesthesia. My brother was thrown clear and luckily he was unhurt. He was to participate in the shoot for one of the old "WE ALSO MAKE STEEL" ads of TATA STEEL the next morning.

I remember each of my falls very well. I guess all bikers do. Negative reinforcement in its purest form.

[//M]

I first kissed the tarmac when I was in Class 7th in the year 2002. I decided that I will sneak out when everyone is asleep and would ride my father's bike and come back till everyone gets up.

I sneaked my father's Suzuki Shaolin on an early Sunday morning, pushed it to some distance, started it after multiple attempts, slammed the gear without properly using the clutch and twisted the wrist. The result?

The front wheel popped up, I got scared and fell down with a twisted ankle. With a fractured leg, I pulled the bike again and started it. This time with more caution and could ride it momentarily before it stalled. Repeated it 2-3 times till I realized my leg was hurting badly. I rushed back home and explained my father about the incident.

Instead of ensuring that I am fine, my father rushed to check his beloved Shaolin. Petrolheads.

[DevilzzzzOwn]

I have a habit of stepping out of my house for a bike ride only when carrying my helmet.
On June 30th 2014, that didn't happen. Just hopped out to buy Milk from a nearby shop.
Didn't realise this would be a huge mistake.

While returning from the shop, at the entrance of my society, a Swift driver lost control and crashed into my P220 from behind. I was thrown clear from the bike and into the gate and suffered major injuries on my forehead and face. 29 stitches in total.

Permanently scarred for life.

Bike was ok though. Made the driver of the Swift get the bike repaired.

Lesson learnt. Now I don't carry my helmet with me at home. I let it remain locked on my fuel tank. That way I can't ride without putting it on.

Parents are constantly asking me to get skin graft surgery. Don't know if and when I will get it done.

Here's a snap.

Cheers.

[Tushar]

Kiss #1: Honda Shine

This was when I was 18 and went Diwali shopping with my brother. Brother was generous enough to let me ride his bike. I was riding up to a signal where I was to the left of a BEST bus at about 45-50 km/h, when a rickshaw guy popped out of nowhere and came up right in front of me. Couldn't brake soon enough, crashed into the auto and snapped my right knee. Needed surgery and still have two screws in my knee along with a large surgical scar. Fortunately my brother walked away without a scratch.

Kiss #2: RE TBTS 350

Around 3 years ago on route Goa from Mumbai. Truck spilled diesel all over a bridge near Mankhurd and bikers were dropping like dominoes. Crashed at around 60 km/h, but had armoured gear on, so no harm. Bike and I were sliding on the diesel while I was looking at a few kids in a car staring at me sliding. Oddly funny.

Kiss #3: RE TBTS 350

On the way back from work during the monsoons. I was barely 1.5 kms away from home when my rear tyre slid on some loose wet gravel from the damaged roads. Left with a large heart shaped scar near my wrist.

In all cases bikes were fine.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by //M

Instead of ensuring that I am fine, my father rushed to check his beloved Shaolin. Petrolheads.

To be honest Arunabh, I did the same when my son wheelied and dropped my Baby Duke.LOL

[Sojogator]

My First Kiss:
This was in 2005. I was just learning to ride. On a morning just before a english literature term exam, decided to ride my friend's Dio. Was around 20 kmph cutting beside a hump when the front wheel gave away. No injuries other than a few cuts. Had nothing on, not even the helmet ! Idiot 16 year old me. Some broken plastics. Seems the service center guys didn't tighten the nuts properly the first time. As they say, we always remember our first kiss. Still got a phobia of riding scooters and have my eyes fixed on the front wheel at all times.

Lesson : Helmet always !

The Junction of Kiss:
Had just started riding a 2 wheeler that was mine, a yamaha blue 2008 R15 . It was 2009. Rode with helmet and nothing else. There is a 4 way junction. Auto comes in from right, grabbed a hand-full of front disks, front skids on dust. Minor cuts and bruises. Same place again in 15 days time under same scenario. Funnily, both times were journeys to the RTO. First for application and second for collection of DL.

Lesson: Learnt braking techniques.

The Kiss at the curve:
Around 2011 on the same R15. Just started to work. A newly made 10+ km long fly over means great riding conditions. The road ends in a long sweeping curve which I would always make full use of to do some leaning . One fine day, a Sumo stayed stopped on the curve. Brake, lock as it was braking on a curve at decent speeds, skid, hit the Sumo. No damage to anything or anyone save some little scratches on the panel.

Lesson: Decided to get the bare minimum gear as I was scared by the thought what could have been. Learnt techniques to take a curve on properly.

[basuroy]

My first and only fall (my net riding mileage is below 8K km ) -
Rear ended a cycle when I was learning to ride motorcycle on the bullet , totally my mistake as I the old man riding the bike was moving very slow and by the time I figured out I needed to brake (I was doing maybe 40kmph , relatively busy road and the sudden appearance of a bike meant there was no room for riding past the cycle which was present until a second ago) , the rear jammed and started skidding and it only came to a stop when I lightly bumped into him . He fell off the cycle and so did I due to panic . He slightly cut his feet and his pedal was bent , the footpeg on the bullet was bent and I injured my right knee that hurts even today after a rigorous running session or during lunges .

The accident initially demotivated me a lot but my parents surprisingly brushed it off even though my mother never wished I ride a bike in the first place ( I don't begrudge her for that given the risks ) . I think given the very minor damage suffered , I learnt some valuable lessons from the fall .

Other than that , I have had 3 potentially serious accident scenarios all related to dogs suddenly appearing in front of my bike , twice I have hit them without either falling down or killing them or even injuring them (due to low speed mostly and last second braking - I never try to swerve ) but these incidents which all happened during my early riding days have made me very cautious when I spot a dog .

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by basuroy

Other than that , I have had 3 potentially serious accident scenarios all related to dogs suddenly appearing in front of my bike , twice I have hit them without either falling down or killing them or even injuring them (due to low speed mostly and last second braking - I never try to swerve ) but these incidents which all happened during my early riding days have made me very cautious when I spot a dog .

Apologies in advance to dog lovers. I am one myself. But when you see a dog, keep your legs light and free and ready. Keep him in sight, and be ready to kick should the need arise. Nothing worse than a dog getting tangled in your wheels. For both of you. A nice strategically placed DMS shod kick is far less painful. For both of you.

[Piyadassi]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Apologies in advance to dog lovers. I am one myself. But when you see a dog, keep your legs light and free and ready. Keep him in sight, and be ready to kick should the need arise. Nothing worse than a dog getting tangled in your wheels. For both of you. A nice strategically placed DMS shod kick is far less painful. For both of you.

Remembering dogs reminds me of my own deja vu. It was a pleasant sunny afternoon. There was no one on the road, hardly any traffic. I was moving at a leisurely speed.

A group of about half a dozen new born puppies were crossing the road following their mother with no concern of the world, perhaps for the afternoon siesta in the mud on the divider. I had seen them from a distance and slowed down my Rx 100 accordingly mesmerised by their innocence and wondering how soon would they learn the ways of the world and flit about with their tails tight in their back.

Then something hit me from behind. It was another motorcycle. It had negotiated the left turn at breakneck speed and rammed straight into my bike. I fall. I recall someone fiddling with my helmet. My right hand had tightly clutched my left forearm.

There was no scratch anywhere. I hear someone that he thinks that I have sprained my arms and that he was going to massage it.

"No way." I shout. "I have broken my forearm." Both the bones. Radius and ulna.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Apologies in advance to dog lovers. I am one myself. But when you see a dog, keep your legs light and free and ready. Keep him in sight, and be ready to kick should the need arise. Nothing worse than a dog getting tangled in your wheels. For both of you. A nice strategically placed DMS shod kick is far less painful. For both of you.

Dog tangles can be pretty serious. During our college days, one of my friend ended up spending about a couple of months on hospital bed as a dog somehow ended up tangling himself in between the front and rear wheels of his Bajaj Caliber. The dog himself managed to get off just fine, but unfortunately the guy suffered a few broken bones.

Coming to myself, I have never had a fall while riding myself and I would like to keep that record intact. However, had a couple of falls while riding pillion with my best friend - Once on a Rajdoot (his dad's) and once on his Pulsar. Thankfully, neither serious.

However, falling in front of the girls of your colony at the age of 19 is not a thing you dream of everyday!