Ive only been riding for 1 year on the road, but i use my bike every day to travel to and from work, about 60km each day.
I definatly rode way too hard when i first got my road licence (coming from a dirtbike background) and though i had a few close calls, the first accident i had was unavoidable.
I was coming down a street behind a hatchback, when a van reversed out of a concealed drive way, the lady driving the hatchback instantly slammed her brakes on and slid into the back of the van. I had a split second to react and i braked as hard as i could, the bike went down and slid into the rear of the car. All superficial injury for me, bit of gravelrash and skin missing from my hands, very sore leg (bike landed on my leg). I managed to pull myself up onto the bike and off the road for a split second before the impact and that saved alot of gravel rash. My bike was pretty trashed, fairings busted, rearset and pegs busted, headlights and dash smashed in, big gouges on engine bloc, brake lever broken off etc..
When i got up off the road i realized there was smashed concrete dust all over the road and little pebbles from a construction site.
This crash made me realize how quickly a situation can change, and was a real eye opener for me, completely changed my attitude to riding on the road.
The second was a few months later and is an embarassing story, but ill tell it anyway.
i was mucking round with a few guys from work in a industrial parking lot.
just being stupid, trying to be tricky. My funds werent good at the time and i let my maintance slide on my bike. the rear pads were f**t but i didnt realize just how bad they were until after this crash.
I was caining around the lot, tapped my rear brake for a little rear slide and it locked on, i lost control and whipped the bike and went over the handle bars and hit a brick wall. I had just repaired my bike and from the damage from the last accident (minus brake pads..) by myself and this time i really screwed the bike. dented tank, smashed up front end dash, dented rim. again i walked away with no major injurys. spent a few days in bed unable to move round much. really hammerd my right knee elbow and shoulder, as i hit the wall on the full (airborne). everyone who was there thought i had broken my collarbone at the very least. i was very lucky.
This taught me two things:
maintain your bike, and dont risk yourself or your bike just for the sake of showing off.. probably two things everyone here knows, but i learnt the hard way.
And although they cost me alot of cash those two incidents probably saved me serious injury or death. i sumtimes think back at some of the stuff i did and cant believe i did it, i was really reckless and stupid..
doing 90km between backed up cars leading to an intersection springs to mind.