Motorcycle Accident while riding with my Brother in law

[DavidS]

A few days ago, I called my brother-in-law to see if he wanted to go for a ride. He recently added a new bike to his collection and was happy to go out with me to ride around the mountains near Fresno CA. We headed up the mountains and were having a pretty awesome ride. We ran into a bit of traffic, due to some event at Shaver Lake in the mountains where we were headed, but it was a beautiful day for riding, and traffic was moving.

We dropped down out of the mountains and started riding along some slightly curvy roads in the valley. It was a two lane road, with a small ditch on the right and a few feet beyond the ditch was a 3 foot barbed wire fence.

By now I'm sure you can guess, but he got distracted with something on his bike, and as he came over a hill the road, there was an elevation drop, and he was caught off guard. I was riding in front, and didn't see him leave the road, but heard something that caused me to look in my mirror and saw his bike, and it wasn't oriented wheels down. 

I quickly found a place to turn around and go back, and when I got to his location several cars had stopped the traffic behind him. I parked my bike on the shoulder at the front of all the cars, slightly off the road, and worked my way down a short hill and over the barbed wire fence into a field. 

Honestly, he looked much better than I expected, definitely has a ton of scratches from the barbed wire, and his right leg (where he fell) looked pretty bad. I did a quick assessment and figured the leg was broken, and he had a ton of cuts and scrapes from the barbed wire fence. (Why do they put that stuff as fencing on the side of a road? I'll never know.....)

I stayed with him while we waited for the EMT's and I tried to keep him hydrated and cool, not easy in the heat of the day with 100+ degree weather. While the heat was comfortable on the road riding 45-55mph, it was brutal on the road surface and in the field.

The car who was right behind him called the accident in, and within 20-30 minutes, the EMT's arrived.  They collected him and put him in the Ambulance and I provided them the necessary contact information and insurance details from his wallet. I made sure I knew which hospital they were going to, and that I had the contact information from the EMT just in case.

Once they left, I called my sister to let her know that he had had an accident. She is a nurse, so the conversation was a bit different than I expected. I gave her all the medical information I could, and let her know which hospital he was going to. I told her I had all his personal belongings, and would keep them for her until she was ready. I let her know that I left his wallet with him, as I'm sure he would need identification and insurance cards when he arrived at the hospital.   

Then it kind of just hit me like a ton of bricks.I went back up to the roadside and using my personal Motorcycle Swivel technique, I rotated the bike around on the kick stand so I was pointed in the right direction. I did a personal check to ensure I had all my gear with me, and I hadn't left anything lying around, and finally took a deep breath, got on my bike, and headed back home.

I talked to my sister today and she said he was doing pretty good. He has road rash over a lot of his body, mostly because he doesn't believe in wearing protective gear. He always makes fun of me for wearing boots, jacket and pants with body armor, leather gloves, and a full face helmet every time I go for a ride. I'm pretty sure he will never get on a bike again, at least not before getting a divorce from my sister. She told me his motorcycle was totaled, and the 3 wheeler he owns will not be started again unless it is for a test ride for someone who is going to purchase it from them. He has more than a few surgeries over the next few weeks/months that he will need to complete before he is fully healed, and I'm sure it will be many months before he is done with the medical visits and procedures. 

But...........He is alive and will likely fully recover from his injuries. I have had mixed feelings over the last few days. I know that he wasn't a very skilled rider, and I always tried to pick routes that are well within his skill level. He said he felt the bike start to shake and then he lost control. While I can't say this is wrong, I was just ahead of him and had just gone over a hill with a surprising drop after the peak. The dropped surprised me, even though we have both ridden this road many times. I think he was distracted lost control over the hill, landed wrong, and couldn't recover control.

I think we all know the dangers we assume while riding motorcycles. I spent a few days assessing if it is time for me to stop riding, but I'm not sure I am capable of hanging up my boots just yet. My wife is supportive, but would prefer I didn't ride. I'm not ready to give up my motorcycle yet, I have a ride planned for tomorrow :).

Be safe out there, it isn't always our fault, but we pay the price if something goes sideways.

 

[TomTracer]

3 hours ago, DavidS said:

A few days ago, I called my brother-in-law to see if he wanted to go for a ride. He recently added a new bike to his collection and was happy to go out with me to ride around the mountains near Fresno CA. We headed up the mountains and were having a pretty awesome ride. We ran into a bit of traffic, due to some event at Shaver Lake in the mountains where we were headed, but it was a beautiful day for riding, and traffic was moving.

We dropped down out of the mountains and started riding along some slightly curvy roads in the valley. It was a two lane road, with a small ditch on the right and a few feet beyond the ditch was a 3 foot barbed wire fence.

By now I'm sure you can guess, but he got distracted with something on his bike, and as he came over a hill the road, there was an elevation drop, and he was caught off guard. I was riding in front, and didn't see him leave the road, but heard something that caused me to look in my mirror and saw his bike, and it wasn't oriented wheels down. 

I quickly found a place to turn around and go back, and when I got to his location several cars had stopped the traffic behind him. I parked my bike on the shoulder at the front of all the cars, slightly off the road, and worked my way down a short hill and over the barbed wire fence into a field. 

Honestly, he looked much better than I expected, definitely has a ton of scratches from the barbed wire, and his right leg (where he fell) looked pretty bad. I did a quick assessment and figured the leg was broken, and he had a ton of cuts and scrapes from the barbed wire fence. (Why do they put that stuff as fencing on the side of a road? I'll never know.....)

I stayed with him while we waited for the EMT's and I tried to keep him hydrated and cool, not easy in the heat of the day with 100+ degree weather. While the heat was comfortable on the road riding 45-55mph, it was brutal on the road surface and in the field.

The car who was right behind him called the accident in, and within 20-30 minutes, the EMT's arrived.  They collected him and put him in the Ambulance and I provided them the necessary contact information and insurance details from his wallet. I made sure I knew which hospital they were going to, and that I had the contact information from the EMT just in case.

Once they left, I called my sister to let her know that he had had an accident. She is a nurse, so the conversation was a bit different than I expected. I gave her all the medical information I could, and let her know which hospital he was going to. I told her I had all his personal belongings, and would keep them for her until she was ready. I let her know that I left his wallet with him, as I'm sure he would need identification and insurance cards when he arrived at the hospital.   

Then it kind of just hit me like a ton of bricks.I went back up to the roadside and using my personal Motorcycle Swivel technique, I rotated the bike around on the kick stand so I was pointed in the right direction. I did a personal check to ensure I had all my gear with me, and I hadn't left anything lying around, and finally took a deep breath, got on my bike, and headed back home.

I talked to my sister today and she said he was doing pretty good. He has road rash over a lot of his body, mostly because he doesn't believe in wearing protective gear. He always makes fun of me for wearing boots, jacket and pants with body armor, leather gloves, and a full face helmet every time I go for a ride. I'm pretty sure he will never get on a bike again, at least not before getting a divorce from my sister. She told me his motorcycle was totaled, and the 3 wheeler he owns will not be started again unless it is for a test ride for someone who is going to purchase it from them. He has more than a few surgeries over the next few weeks/months that he will need to complete before he is fully healed, and I'm sure it will be many months before he is done with the medical visits and procedures. 

But...........He is alive and will likely fully recover from his injuries. I have had mixed feelings over the last few days. I know that he wasn't a very skilled rider, and I always tried to pick routes that are well within his skill level. He said he felt the bike start to shake and then he lost control. While I can't say this is wrong, I was just ahead of him and had just gone over a hill with a surprising drop after the peak. The dropped surprised me, even though we have both ridden this road many times. I think he was distracted lost control over the hill, landed wrong, and couldn't recover control.

I think we all know the dangers we assume while riding motorcycles. I spent a few days assessing if it is time for me to stop riding, but I'm not sure I am capable of hanging up my boots just yet. My wife is supportive, but would prefer I didn't ride. I'm not ready to give up my motorcycle yet, I have a ride planned for tomorrow :).

Be safe out there, it isn't always our fault, but we pay the price if something goes sideways.

 

Hope his recovery goes well. Lots of people don't ATGATT.  Must be a macho thing but it's not at all.

[dazzler24]

Not great news for the BIL but he is OK otherwise it seems, so that's the upside.

It's obviously given you pause for thought though, as it should for all of us I guess.

I ride with some friends who dress for 'the look' rather than for the safety.  Sure, it takes me 3 x as long to get back on my bike as it does them after a stop with all my ATGATT but I wouldn't have it any other way.  They like to take the pi$$ about it but my thoughts are, have a good laugh, I just hope you never come off your machine wearing your open face helmet, everyday jeans, converse canvas shoes and no gloves!  How 'cool' would you be then?!

I have a cousin who separated company from his bike in some gravel on a corner many years ago and he took on a safety rail which won the contest of course.  Left him with significant injuries that took him over 18 months to recover from AND he was wearing ATGATT!

Anyway, all the best for your BIL and here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

[johnmark101]

Damn sorry about your brother-in-law.  I hope he fully recovers.  It's tough to get back on the bike after something like this.  I had a nasty accident las year and my left leg is still not 100%, but not bad enough to keep me from doing anything I want.  I contemplated things over the winter but now I am back riding again, but taking things at a more relaxed pace.  I still contemplate giving it up as I know I cannot control all factors and one accident can change your life and the lives of those around you forever.

 

[DR_DR3I]

Hopping on that saddle requires making a conscious choice knowing full well the risks you're about to take. This is even more true on a new bike, or after some time away (think seasonal).

If there's ever more doubt than normal, I take a pass. It'll never be "second nature" because man wasn't meant to fly on 2 wheels (or off them). 

Life is precious. Here's hoping your brother-in-law continues to heal and that you'll support him throughout his ordeal. Having the right support can make recovery an easier road.

Continue to ride safe, keep it rubber side down.

[peteinpa]

Sorry to hear, that sucks. Hope the healing goes well.

With all life's dangerous choices it's good to reevaluate from time to time.

You could spend your life in a underground rubber room and get really old, you'd be alive, but is that living?

[petshark]

Thank you for sharing this. I am glad that he is ok and as always a personal tale about these things we'd rather not dwell upon gives lots of food for thought. 

[DavidS]

I Went to see my brother-in-law a few nights ago at a family gathering at his home. He has several surgeries scheduled over the next few weeks/months. He is wrapped up in gauze all over his arms and legs, and I suspect most of his body as well. He didn't move from his chair the entire evening, I'm guessing he would need assistance to get out of the chair due to both the leg break as well as the pain from the road rash.

Listening to him recall of the accident was very different than what I observed, but I kept my mouth shut and let him tell his story. He is paying the price with the road rash and broken bones, I have no desire to add to his embarrassment in front of his family. My sister won't let him ride again anyway, and I'm guessing that he had to agree to that as a condition of his coming back to their home from the hospital.

Sometimes we have to give up things we like to preserve the important things like your family and wife. I think he is choosing the right path, but I'm sure it is hard for him.

His surgeries start this week, two mid week, and depending on the outcome of those potentially more down the road.

Last night, my wife commented that I hadn't been on the bike since his accident, and that is correct. I'm not afraid or worried about riding, but my time off the bike has given me time to assess my skills and think about what I want out of my motorcycling experience going forward. I'm not 100% sure yet, but I've been looking into becoming a Motorcycle Instructor. I was a Scuba Instructor when I lived in Los Angeles years ago, and always enjoyed helping people learn how to safely enjoy sports that can be dangerous if not treated with respect. If there are any motorcycle instructors (past or current) that want to provide me with feedback, advice, or even just to tell me I'm crazy - I'm open to advice - either on the forum or in a PM. 

Meanwhile, I will be taking the bike out this coming week, likely tomorrow. Solo for now, I want to remind myself why I have always enjoyed riding so much, and hopefully start to settle on my motorcycle path forward. 

Thanks everyone for your kind words and advice, while I may not be able to respond to everyone, I appreciate all the advice and support from my friends here on the forum.

Here's to keeping the rubber side down, a phrase that has new meaning for me going forward.

Cheers.....

[knyte]

I, too, am recovering from a leg break - I'm not sure I'll be able to ride at all this season, but let's just say I've been doing some of my own physio to be as strong and prepared as possible when the time comes for weight-bearing on my broken leg.  I REALLY want to get at least one bike trip in, possibly two, and as much off road / gravel as possible before the end of the season, however much or little that might be.

I was chatting with an uncle (in his mid 70's) who recently had a knee replaced.  He told his surgery team that he often lifts heavy things like hay bales, and has a hobby farm + equipment he maintains.  Hearing this, they gave him a larger artificial knee than he'd otherwise require.  I've a friend who had both knees replaced because of all the years and miles of hardcore cycling he's done.  In both their examples, the doctors never once told them to change their lifestyles or do anything differently.  The medical community wants us to live how we want to live, to continue to do the things we enjoy, even if some of those things might be a bit dangerous.  Living this way allows us to live LONGER.  If we give up a lifestyle we love, we simply languish.  Our life expectancy drops dramatically.

To be honest, I did contemplate selling the 250 while en route to the hospital.  After several weeks of thinking about it, I'm keeping it.  I'm getting right back on this horse.  I know what I did wrong, and what do to to fix it (as usual, it's mostly about mindset, but I was also wearing the wrong gear that day).  I run the very real possibly of breaking something again, not because I'm reckless, but because my bones are thin and I'm basically made of eggshells.  It doesn't have to mean the end of the road, it just means I have to adjust to suit.  So, no tabletops or supermans for me , but I can still have all kinds of fun.

Like you, I've been considering becoming an instructor - possibly a retirement job / career.  The small town where I plan on retiring doesn't have any training, nor is there any nearby, so a thoughtful business might do well there.  I wish to have as much experience as I can achieve as a rider before taking that on, and that means riding as many different types of bikes as possible, dangerous or not.

All that said, your BIL's decision to move forward makes sense to me.  There comes a point where, as you say, we may have to evaluate what we're doing and determine if it's worth it or not, for us, but also (mostly) for our families.  For him, it may mean leaving two wheels behind and moving on to something else he enjoys, and I sincerely hope he finds it.  Having hobbies and passions is what makes us feel alive, it's what helps fuel us, gives us drive.

I'm glad you were there, kept your presence of mind, and were able to assist.  That likely helped him far more than if he were alone, even with people stopping and whatnot.

[1moreroad]

19 hours ago, DavidS said:

I'm not 100% sure yet, but I've been looking into becoming a Motorcycle Instructor. I was a Scuba Instructor when I lived in Los Angeles years ago, and always enjoyed helping people learn how to safely enjoy sports that can be dangerous if not treated with respect. If there are any motorcycle instructors (past or current) that want to provide me with feedback, advice, or even just to tell me I'm crazy - I'm open to advice - either on the forum or in a PM

I applaud your interest and hope you have the time to do this. I got my start in motorcycling as an adult over 20 years ago in an MSF course with no prior moto experience. Good coaching is so important when you get started riding a moto. No advice, just thanks for considering this. 

[PhotoAl]

I think you did an amazing job of taking care of your BIL at the accident site.  Just having someone you know that cares about you during a crisis like that is so comforting even if he never tells you.  I'm not sure I would have been able to have the presence of mind afterwards to stop and take a moment to look around and make sure I had everything.

Great your BIL had someone like you to ride with not only to look after him during the aftermath of the crash but also to be mindful of his abilities during the ride.  I know it will weigh on you somewhat but you did what you should have done and were mindful of him and is abilities during the ride.  He chose to not wear the gear and I'm guessing with that attitude was probably not a disciplined about riding as he could have been which could also be a contributing factor.  No need to worry about his description of the crash to his friends.  You and his wife know what happened and he is done riding.

I didn't have to describe what happened during my scooter crash to my wife - she was on the back and told me what happened as I was knocked out and don't remember part of it.  15MPH no gear leaving me with a concussion and a shattered kneecap.  She is done riding with me on anything with 2 wheels but I still ride.  

I love to take long solo motorcycle trips but find riding in heavier traffic more and ore difficult.  I avoid large cities wherever possible and generally pick interstate free routes.

[DavidS]

23 hours ago, PhotoAl said:

I think you did an amazing job of taking care of your BIL at the accident site.  Just having someone you know that cares about you during a crisis like that is so comforting even if he never tells you.  I'm not sure I would have been able to have the presence of mind afterwards to stop and take a moment to look around and make sure I had everything.

Great your BIL had someone like you to ride with not only to look after him during the aftermath of the crash but also to be mindful of his abilities during the ride.  I know it will weigh on you somewhat but you did what you should have done and were mindful of him and is abilities during the ride.  He chose to not wear the gear and I'm guessing with that attitude was probably not a disciplined about riding as he could have been which could also be a contributing factor.  No need to worry about his description of the crash to his friends.  You and his wife know what happened and he is done riding.

I didn't have to describe what happened during my scooter crash to my wife - she was on the back and told me what happened as I was knocked out and don't remember part of it.  15MPH no gear leaving me with a concussion and a shattered kneecap.  She is done riding with me on anything with 2 wheels but I still ride.  

I love to take long solo motorcycle trips but find riding in heavier traffic more and ore difficult.  I avoid large cities wherever possible and generally pick interstate free routes.

Thanks for your kind words, It is hard to have a clear head in situations like this. Fortunately, I had training as a Scuba Diving Instructor, and got some great tips on handling emergency situations, and how to react during events like this. Unfortunately, when it is someone close to you, it is a bit harder to focus and remember what you need to do. I know I did ok, as my BIL is safe. just heard from my Sister that they are on their way home from the hospital tonight after his two surgeries. All he has to do is relax and recover, which will probably be a challenge if I know him.

I took my first ride yesterday, and although it was a bit weird at first, I had a good time, and enjoyed the ride. Had to stay ahead of the forest fires here in Central California, but I was able to have a good carefree ride, with very little traffic, and no police handing out tickets.

Life is good.........