[zenx]

[ Cut-pasting from my blog since my wrist still hurts - apologies or all the non-compliant parts ]
Wanted to go to Wayanad/Coorg for a weekend. Left around 8:40,am yesterday got the helmet beading fixed and refuelled right after Bidadi.

Wrist still hurts, so here's copying from a mail i'd sent out earlier to folks:

ran into an innova. nobody/nothing serious but everything/me hurt.
innova at a u turn with indicators a km after wonderla, me switches to left lane.
innova swings to the left as i get close (later realized he was swinging to accomodate his huge turning radius) and i move to the right.
he moves to right too.... braaaaaaaaakkkkkkkeeeee.
Boom (probably at 40-50ish) and the Pulsar's tyres and fork took a lot of it, and the Innova took the rest. Me flew onto the rear windscreen or thereabouts (tough to be precise abt these moments, really) and helmet took the windscreen out, and the sheet metal made glorius contact with my pelvic region, thighs.
Me on the road - ppl around - get up - things moving! Specs ok, jeans dont even have a scratch, hands, fine.
Someone points to the chin/neck - thick drops of blood, and pieces of ex-indicator from the Innova around two semi-deep wounds. Wash, wash, wash, drink water, Innova guys help me catch my breath.
Someone says hospital/stictch and all that. I just sit.
Innova guys were on their way to Kerala too and had decided to take a u-turn for breakfast. Everyone pretty civil and nice.
Both said sorry to each other - and i guess both of us had indeed screwed up.
Called wife (who was on her way to Vadakara for a rendezvous) and asked her to return to Tvm.
My right wrist hurt a little and palm felt sore. So pleaded with Venkat to send help to pick bike.
Finshed some juice i had, felt ok, ate chikki, washed some more blood. Meanwhile Innova guys said bye after confirming with me if i'd be alright.
AutoSvc guys, one rode the bike, i went pillion on the other. Interceptor charged the guy 300/- for 74kmph
Went to AS and to the hospital closeby - got an ATS in the rearside, wounds cleaned and dressed and hazaar antibiotics etc. That *really* scared me.
Anyhow - took an auto back home. Visions of a great weekend mauled and oh-man-what-do-i-do-for-3-days
-now on my mind.

Oh well

Now that I look back at it - the hit was probably at 20-25, and I must have braked hard enough by then. The bike was actually ridden back to Banashankari, None of my clothes, jacket etc had even a major scratch - and even after one night I'm not hurting too badly. The wrist is still sore but given how the crash happened, got away cheap.

First "proper" crash in my riding life - there've been a couple of the usual city - scrapes and slides but nothing really. Partly a funny and late overtaking manouvre, partly my error of judgement, partly mushy front brakes.

But for all you riders out there, invest in good quality safety gear - it really really helps. Not just a helmet, but a good jacket, riding pants and possibly even boots. I do not have the last two and that will soon be corrected. The jacket and helmet surely saved me majorly. I could not believe I had such (relatively) little injury when I saw the Innova later - possibly also its crumple zone or whatever ?

Anyhow - my long solo ride's still pending...

[aaggoswami]

Nice to hear that you are out of major injuries. Hope you get well soon.
Its a big positive point that you had helmet. Yes you really are lucky given the intensity of the accident, you have no major injuries.

People laugh at me if I wear helmet.I had one major injury during my exams and missed it.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by zenx

But for all you riders out there, invest in good quality safety gear - it really really helps. Not just a helmet, but a good jacket, riding pants and possibly even boots. I do not have the last two and that will soon be corrected. The jacket and helmet surely saved me majorly.

Kevlar riding suits have been on the market for years now. They are expensive but so are skin grafts at the hospital. Wear all the safety stuff you can stand and crash during work days. No sense recovering on your own time off. Three crashes for me including a broken jaw and oral surgery decided me in favor of heavier 4x4 jeeps. I no longer feel the need to get in touch with my adrenal glands.

Congrats on surviving nicely.

[srijit]

Whew. I am glad that you are all right. Am also glad that both parties were civil towards each other. That rarely happens nowadays even though genuine accidents happen. And yes, safety equipment is cheaper and less painful than skin grafts

[zenx]

Originally Posted by srijit

Whew. I am glad that you are all right. Am also glad that both parties were civil towards each other. That rarely happens nowadays even though genuine accidents happen. And yes, safety equipment is cheaper and less painful than skin grafts

Thanks. Actually the crowd did start off a little hostile to the "bigger vehicle" but I intervened as soon as I'd caught my breath - after all we were both partly at fault. I should've realized he was trying one of those funny u-turns as soon as i saw the Innova's nose in my lane, but i guess the short distance between the bike and van made me react, not respond.

[redfire]

Sorry to hear that. Most of the big vehicles take a left swing to take a U turn. I have escaped with some close shaves.

BTW you riding a Pulsar, reffering Venkat and your name given Sameer. Are you the same Sameer from BP/BN? If yes I am Jay from Tvm.

[zenx]

Originally Posted by redfire

Sorry to hear that. Most of the big vehicles take a left swing to take a U turn. I have escaped with some close shaves.

BTW you riding a Pulsar, reffering Venkat and your name given Sameer. Are you the same Sameer from BP/BN? If yes I am Jay from Tvm.

Nice bumping into you here, Jay. Long time! Yep - same Sameer. I've had the left swing experiences too, but i guess the mind just reacted differently this time around.

[redfire]

Originally Posted by zenx

Nice bumping into you here, Jay. Long time! Yep - same Sameer. I've had the left swing experiences too, but i guess the mind just reacted differently this time around.

Yes Sameer, long time. Glad to see you. Take rest and get well soon

[Technocrat]

Thats Bad one Sameer, btw I missed this on BN.

Anyways I think you must be more than 20 to break the rear windshield of Innova.

Btw where was the exact injury I mean where was the blood coming from

Thank God nothing more than what happened.

EDIT: Wow Jay & Veeru oops Sameer meet at TBhp after a long time

[zenx]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Thats Bad one Sameer, btw I missed this on BN.

Anyways I think you must be more than 20 to break the rear windshield of Innova.

Btw where was the exact injury I mean where was the blood coming from

Thank God nothing more than what happened.

EDIT: Wow Jay & Veeru oops Sameer meet at TBhp after a long time

Well - I posted this under an older thread - about the halogen bulb for the Pulsar.

Yeah - my first instinct was that I hit at 40-50ish - but the helmet looks so intact, the jacket (cramster) has zero signs of damage, my jeans have not a scratch and even the bike was then ridden back to the workshop - these made me think. Of course am not authority on accidents and impact, but I do remember as I started to panic brake - "This is a biiiiig one" - and was a little surprised when I could get up after having rebounded off the sheet metal/windscreen.

Injury: small cut on the chin, and a similar tiny gash on the neck. The doctor was pretty convinced at first it was not a bike injury, and that I'd been trying "something else"! There's some swelling in the wrist and the thighs and lower back muscles are a little stiff. This much I had after the first attempt at running after a long time (except the cuts)

[Technocrat]

yeah Doesnt matter what speeds as long as your safe

[hyper123]

Glad that you came of that without major injuries. What are the damages to your Pulsar? Please post the repair costs, whenever possible.

[mtnrajdeep]

Hi Sameer
Saw Gliff's response to your mail in BP. I'm a silent member in BP since 2004. Nice to know that you are safe and sound.

Rajdeep

[esteem_lover]

Looks like you need to take your OHC out more often.

[hrag]

Whoa Sherpa, glad you're safe! Venkat and his assistance to people (at any time) deserves a separate thread, if not a forum.