[jtsteve]

On my way to work, 19 July,2006, the chick in the crew cab is on the cell and has the thousand yard stare as she crosses 6 lanes , right in front of me. I'm doing 55 in the right lane, no where to go except behind her into oncoming traffic, I lock up (30 foot skid mark with about 10 inch right 90 degree turn, @ 55 mph = approx. 0.3 seconds) the brakes, brain is telling me to modulate the brake, silly brain, then it's asking me why is this happining, telling me it is going to be ugly and it's going to hurt. I end up 181 fet down the road, legs are on the sidewalk, my bike, a VTX1800C weighing in at 768 pounds has come to a stop on top of me, I was told this by the fellow who pulled the bike off me and called 911.I come to and a cop is in my face "how fast where you going", screw you. My right hand is killing me then someone grabs my left arm...ok, I'm gona die right here...that hurt so bad. This happend at 7:29 in the am, watch ground up and stopped.
I woke up at 12:15 while being imaged in the cat scan machine. My best bro Tom was there to see how I was, then to inform me my bike was totalled. I was arguing with him. As Tom described it, "take a full size photo, wadd it up, open it up and thats it". Really I just did'nt want to face that part, I loved that bike. They did totall it though. She never left me and nothing ever broke in just over 120,000 miles. Anyway I was covered in road rash, my right nipple is now white. My left thumb was crushed as was the shoulder joint. After a couple of surgeries they went back in a third time and replaced the entier right shoulder joint with a prothsetic. Well I still have my arm but I do not have my old life as you can not be productive as a mechanic (good by 37 year carear) with one arm. My helmet saved my life, it was ground almost all the way through. Was blind in right eye for 22 days, woke up day 23 and sight back, happy day indeed!
So now as I don't trust anyone out there on the road I have resigned myself to no more riding but I still want that speed so I am starting to build a lakester for bonneville salt flats. In fact I picked up a 2007 CBR1000RR yesterday. Going to start out full stock and go from there.

[cmack72]

Glad to hear you made it. Building a bike for Bonneville is a great way to scratch an itch. You will have to keep us posted on your progress with pictures and post.

[jtsteve]

I will post the progress. It is not a bike, I'm building a lakester, powered by an 2007 CBR1000RR which I just won last week on ebay for $1500.00.

[Doomwitha929]

What happened to the lady in the truck? Did she stop? If it were me I would like to pay her a visit once I was back on my feet. She needs a visit from the UZI fairy

[jtsteve]

She went home I supose, or where ever you go to trade places...It took almost 7 weeks to get the police report, which states "Mr." so and so said he "felt a bump but did not see anythig but he had to go around the block to return to the scene which took him 5 minutes". My brother Tom got a phone call from the scene & borowed a car, drove to the scene (takes 5 min. in good trafic to get there from work) and was listening to 2 cops arguing about the wreck being a "single vehicle" involved. Tom said "Mr so and so still was not there. When I called the Palm Springs police I was informed they had the report as is, no way to prove my recolection of the event...yhea I was quite angry for a while, I even sent my coach gun to my Dad sense I had the address of "Mr" so and so & was very tempted to pay him or her (whom ever answered the door)
a visit & rhe gift of a 12 ga. slug to their right shuolder...I got over it, it can't give me back my life, my career as a mechanic, making good bread, the use of my right arm with no pain...sorry I tend to get carried away with this subject, so no, she suffered nothing, zero, nada.
PLEASE ride safe around cagers!

[Doomwitha929]

Just hearing your story makes me damn angry I cant imagine what I would do if it actually happened to me.

[Broker872]

You see, this is what effen sucks. Some one I loved was killed by a squid. The squid took a blind corner way too fast, was driving on a bike that didn't belong to him he was here from Philadelphia (accident happened in VA) on a SUSPENDED license, but sense he wasn't drunk, he got off with barely a slap on the wrist. His punishment for taking a corner too fast, shooting across 2 lanes of traffic and killing someone: a reckless driving charge. For whatever reason, they dropped the driving on a suspended liscence charge all together. Oh, and he wasn't allowed to drive in VA for a year. Big effen whoop to do. Yes, I am bitter.

[Broker872]

Uzi fairy.... I'm with you.

[bulldog12]

Sorry to hear, glad your in good spirits. cager's suck period. they need to make it Mandatory to ride a bike for a year before you get your DL for a car. that way the really bad drivers wouldn't ever get a DL to drive a car. but we'd have plenty of RIP's to give'm. Mean i know, but my son wants a bike, and this very reason is why i continue to tell him NO. (he's 18, just a matter of time and $ until i see him getting one).

[Broker872]

Dude, I am there with you. As a biker, its just scary. Personally, I am against teenage bikers. No prejudice you understand, just inexperience. Riding a bike takes experience. My husband had it. He had all the gear. He did it right. Someone, however, didn't. And you know, it wouldn't be so bad if he would have showed half an ounce of remorse, but he didn't. effer. I live with the pain and the legacy. Slow down peeps We are not immortal

[Broker872]

I love the ride. I love the adrenaline. Go figure. Just because he died, I can't stop living, right??? Because I suffer tremendous guilt that I wasn't there that day. I always rode with him. That day, there was stuff to do around the house. I was like "sweetie, go out, have a great time, I need to do laundry, blah, blah, blah. 2 days later I was sittin in a funeral home. I care about my biker buds. Its a fine line, it really is. Love biking, but there is a price, dammit.

[BALDGONZO]

Hello

[Broker872]

Hello!! I'm just a little pissed off right now. Sorry.

[BALDGONZO]

Was meant as a reply to JTSTEVE post. Sorry for your loss Broker872.

[tymeshare]

i am truly sorry for what happened to you...

i treat EVERYONE in a cage like they are there to kill ME..and me alone..

you new guys listen to this story and learn...NO-ONE in a cage is your friend..

and i agree with doom...uzi fairy time

[Twincam]

Originally Posted by bulldog12

Sorry to hear, glad your in good spirits. cager's suck period. they need to make it Mandatory to ride a bike for a year before you get your DL for a car.

I couldn't agree with you more...

Im glad she never put you off riding, that would have been the worst thing to do (apart from kill you)

UZI Time! (I cannot be held responsible for any actions taken after my post was submitted )

[x[corwyn]]

Originally Posted by jtsteve

She went home I supose, or where ever you go to trade places...It took almost 7 weeks to get the police report, which states "Mr." so and so said he "felt a bump but did not see anythig but he had to go around the block to return to the scene which took him 5 minutes". My brother Tom got a phone call from the scene & borowed a car, drove to the scene (takes 5 min. in good trafic to get there from work) and was listening to 2 cops arguing about the wreck being a "single vehicle" involved. Tom said "Mr so and so still was not there. When I called the Palm Springs police I was informed they had the report as is, no way to prove my recolection of the event...yhea I was quite angry for a while, I even sent my coach gun to my Dad sense I had the address of "Mr" so and so & was very tempted to pay him or her (whom ever answered the door)
a visit & rhe gift of a 12 ga. slug to their right shuolder...I got over it, it can't give me back my life, my career as a mechanic, making good bread, the use of my right arm with no pain...sorry I tend to get carried away with this subject, so no, she suffered nothing, zero, nada.
PLEASE ride safe around cagers!

I had a single rider accident with no witnesses even though a lady caused it be making a left turn in front of me.

My lawyer got me everything I needed, and took care of me. Its well worth it as its free fifty free to you. His name is Woody Woodland 562-983-2533 . It cant hurt to call and get some options. People that drive like that deserve to have a lawyer after them if they cant take responsibility.

[Broker872]

Originally Posted by jtsteve

She went home I supose, or where ever you go to trade places...It took almost 7 weeks to get the police report, which states "Mr." so and so said he "felt a bump but did not see anythig but he had to go around the block to return to the scene which took him 5 minutes". My brother Tom got a phone call from the scene & borowed a car, drove to the scene (takes 5 min. in good trafic to get there from work) and was listening to 2 cops arguing about the wreck being a "single vehicle" involved. Tom said "Mr so and so still was not there. When I called the Palm Springs police I was informed they had the report as is, no way to prove my recolection of the event...yhea I was quite angry for a while, I even sent my coach gun to my Dad sense I had the address of "Mr" so and so & was very tempted to pay him or her (whom ever answered the door)
a visit & rhe gift of a 12 ga. slug to their right shuolder...I got over it, it can't give me back my life, my career as a mechanic, making good bread, the use of my right arm with no pain...sorry I tend to get carried away with this subject, so no, she suffered nothing, zero, nada.
PLEASE ride safe around cagers!

I am saddened and extremely angered by this. Please tell me she at LEAST got a ticket... You've had things taken from you that you can never get back. And, in my case, I just don't understand how it is you can kill another human being and basically get away with it just because it was motorcycles involved and not cars. Had they been in cars, he would have prob been charged with at least vehicular manslaughter. Particularly since he was on a suspended license to begin with. I don't get it. Are there any lawyers out there that can explain to me why this is????

[ghbzorro]

Originally Posted by jtsteve

went back in a third time and replaced the entier right shoulder joint with a prothsetic. Well I still have my arm but I do not have my old life as you can not be productive as a mechanic (good by 37 year carear) with one arm.

I cannot imagine what you're going through. Hopefully with rehab and the improvements that have been made to prosthetics you will be a going concern soon.

[jtsteve]

Originally Posted by x[corwyn]

I had a single rider accident with no witnesses even though a lady caused it be making a left turn in front of me.

My lawyer got me everything I needed, and took care of me. Its well worth it as its free fifty free to you. His name is Woody Woodland 562-983-2533 . It cant hurt to call and get some options. People that drive like that deserve to have a lawyer after them if they cant take responsibility.

Thank you

[jtsteve]

Originally Posted by Broker872

I am saddened and extremely angered by this. Please tell me she at LEAST got a ticket... You've had things taken from you that you can never get back. And, in my case, I just don't understand how it is you can kill another human being and basically get away with it just because it was motorcycles involved and not cars. Had they been in cars, he would have prob been charged with at least vehicular manslaughter. Particularly since he was on a suspended license to begin with. I don't get it. Are there any lawyers out there that can explain to me why this is????

No ticket...she wasn't even there, her ol man is who came back to the seane (spel?), when I got the police report it states that "mr" so and so was driving, when I called the cops I was told there was no way to prove it...d.a. said prety much the same thing...so yhea I was prety hot to put it nicely.

As to killing a biker, I don't know what to think...my good friend Tom R. was killed instantly when hit from behind by a drunk in a rental car, she fled the seane and the car died 15 miles down the road. She got 5 years man slauter, got out in 18 months!!!

Steve J

[jtsteve]

Originally Posted by ghbzorro

I cannot imagine what you're going through. Hopefully with rehab and the improvements that have been made to prosthetics you will be a going concern soon.

Thank you

I don't want anyone else to go through it, ever!

Steve J

[theblade66]

Hi steve thats pretty brutal a female behind the wheel is dangerous enough let alone a mobile phone in her hand now theres double danger.Great choice of bike you have now hopefully i will upgrade my 2000 fireblade to the 07model as well.takecare cheers mate aaron

[Broker872]

A female??? Isn't that a bit sexist??? Seriously, though, together we can all make a difference. We need to take a stand. The laws/punishments for people having accidents on 4 wheels vrs. 2 wheels seems to greatly vary. This needs to change. Together, we can make a difference. No one should have to go through what Steve went through. Spread the word. Get it out there. Let's do something about this.

[jtsteve]

Originally Posted by theblade66

Hi steve thats pretty brutal a female behind the wheel is dangerous enough let alone a mobile phone in her hand now theres double danger.Great choice of bike you have now hopefully i will upgrade my 2000 fireblade to the 07model as well.takecare cheers mate aaron

Hi Aaron,
I don't have a bike I have the engine, from the air box to the pan plug. All complete. I am building a "special construction" car for Bonneville salt flats. The class is "I" gas lakester. The record for unblown I gass lakester is 194.340 mph, set in Aug. 1992. I plan on breaking that.
Steve

[keelbolts]

I'm hoping that high gas prices will bring more people to two wheels. I gather that, outside of the US, most people ride bikes for economic reasons rather than enjoyment. Perhaps that is coming to a town near you soon. Maybe with more bikers, the cagers will learn to pay better attention.



...maybe not.

[jtsteve]

[quote=keelbolts;683572]
Maybe with more bikers, the cagers will learn to pay better attention.

And then I wake up...

[ripvanwinkle]

Originally Posted by jtsteve

... I was covered in road rash, ... and replaced the entire right shoulder joint ....

wow, man sorry to read all this. hope you're recuperating well. your strength may come back more than you fear. hope you are doing physical therapy!

i feel [some of] your painas i had my first crash labor day after riding for 30 years with no incident at all. i broke my collar bone, shoulder blade and 5 ribs, but no road rash. [i'll post details later]

i hate to ask these questions, but as i'm trying to learn from my crash (not easy since i was knocked out and can't remember), maybe we can learn from yours, too.

did your shoulder have to be replaced because of the road rash?
do you think CE armor would have saved your shoulder?

i have a friend and client who uses his previous skills as a mechanic to sell tools from his new truck and franchise. pm me if you want to know more about his career change. my friend is doing well in his second year!

hang in there, you may not have to abandon your career!

keep us posted on the project car. maybe you could find a Honda Fit with a blown motor and drop in the cbr engine!
make sure you get the power commander and ignition module to open up the top end which was neutered to drop the max rpm for the half-max-rpm noise measurement for US noise regs:
Power Commander Downloads and Product Purchases, Maps, Installation Guides, Accessories
click on the graph to show the fix

[theblade66]

thats awesome id love to see some pics once you have built it good luck with your project.

[Surffrog]

Originally Posted by Doomwitha929

What happened to the lady in the truck? Did she stop? If it were me I would like to pay her a visit once I was back on my feet. She needs a visit from the UZI fairy

Couldn't have said it better myself!