February 20th, 2014, 11:13 PM | #1 |
Towster ['__'`,-,
Name: Josh
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green Ninja 250 SE Posts: 379
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5000 miles and two years in, First Accident Story
Riding since Feb 2012, with 5000 miles under my belt. Yesterday was my first accident.
Lane splitting west on Washington through Culver City, CA during morning rush hour after my 35 mile commute. Just two blocks away from work. When all of a sudden, as I am coasting between the two lanes of dead stopped traffic at 20MPH, I notice an Infiniti eeking its way through a small gap of cars in the left lane, trying to turn left from opposing traffic. Its path perpendicular to mine. I brake hard, lock the front wheel, skidding, front end drops out, skid a foot or two to a stop, nearly damaging the BMW SUV on my right as the bike drops. Right leg somewhat pinned, but easily comes out. Get up without much pain other than a skinned right ankle, deployed the kickstand, and tried to pickup the bike using the back on the seat, squat technique. Too heavy. Business man gets out of car to help. Bike up. Other witnesses get out of car to check up on me. Felt unusually happy that cagers were so nice; LA rush hour cagers no less. Bike won't start. Shift to neutral. Push to the side. Infiniti driver apologizes. BMW SUV driver assures me there was no damage to his car without the friendly, "Are you OK?" As you can see in the photo above, the road is two lanes on each side with random, small center turn lanes between large tree planter medians. Could the overgrown trees contributed to both of our lack of visibility? It is a distinct possibility. Damage report: Right blinker sheered off. Probably glueable. Need new bulb. Scratches on right fairings, decals, brake lever and a massive crack on the left fairing! Seems as though the force was transferred to the left side of the bike somehow. Steering felt very slightly off center but it could be my brain playing tricks. Gear report: was wearing leather/textile overpants and some motorcycle boots. Definitely saved my leg from burn or deeper damage. Still useable. Bike report: Got the bike started after some throttling during startup. The gas tank tipped on the side probably flooded the engine. Just needed more oxygen. Who's fault: Nobody's. Conditions made it so we both could not see each other. Gaps between dead stopped traffic can be VERY deceiving. A car 5 feet wide can fit into a 6 foot gap and I couldnt see that gap until it was too late. I guess you could say my fault since I was splitting lanes, which is dangerous by itself, but I still consider it to be nobody's faults except the conditions. What I learned: Use the rear brake. I didn't use any engine braking or rear brake to stop. It was 100% front brake. I am now consistently covering my rear brake at all times, something that a 6' 2" guy has trouble doing on these 250s. |
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February 20th, 2014, 11:21 PM | #2 |
crash 250, get supersport
Name: Richard
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Apr 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250R SE (Sold 6/9/14), 2009 ZX-6R (Sold 6/25/14), Subaru BRZ Posts: A lot.
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Good to see your analysis and that you were left uninjured.
I thought you would've had a lot more miles within the past 2 years. |
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February 20th, 2014, 11:39 PM | #3 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Mitchell
Location: las vegas NV
Join Date: Dec 2013 Motorcycle(s): ninja 250 Posts: 114
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I'm 6 feet 125 pounds (I know super skinny) and I can lift my bike up pretty easily I found that lifting it up with an underhand dead lift technique is easier than the squat technique.
What kind of boots were you wearing? because since my last accident where I broke my ankle I'm looking for boots with the best ankle protection. |
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February 20th, 2014, 11:54 PM | #4 | |
Your face
Name: Wes
Location: SF Bay Area
Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2014 Honda CBR650f Posts: A lot.
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Sorry to hear about your accident . For what it's worth, 5k miles in 2 years isn't really that much at all.
You sure it wasn't anybody's fault? http://www.chp.ca.gov/programs/lanesplitguide.html Quote:
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February 21st, 2014, 04:57 AM | #5 | |
Daily Ninjette rider
Name: Hernan
Location: Florida
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Quote:
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=114555 It is great that you are well and that the bike is repairable,
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Motofool .................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí |
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February 21st, 2014, 05:22 AM | #6 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much.
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Glad your ok.
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February 21st, 2014, 09:08 AM | #7 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Ryan
Location: OC, CA
Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R (Sold), 2007 SV650S Posts: 161
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glad to hear you're OK.
I see this same thing coming back home during rush hour. If i'm lane splitting in that situation i definitely slow down and also blip my horn a few times to let the driver know i'm coming through and have the right of way. Had you collided with the infiniti they would be at fault. What he was doing is illegal despite drivers stopping and letting him through for the very reason you nearly hit him. Either peds, bicycle, or a lane splitting cycle could still be coming through. |
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February 21st, 2014, 09:27 AM | #8 |
Intrepid Adventurer
Name: Josh
Location: Rochester/Buffalo NY
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2004 GSXR 750 , 71 cb350streettracker, 07 Polaris Predator 500 Posts: A lot.
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Learning experience ...
and you took some knowledge from it
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February 21st, 2014, 09:47 AM | #9 | |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Han Solo
Location: Albuquerque
Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): Had a 2008 Ninja 250, til some low-life stole it. Now riding a 2013 red cbr250. Posts: 274
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Quote:
Reason why I never lane split. Yes, it's a hassle having to wait along with everyone else, but at least I won't get my head split open. Judging by the fact you're posting your experience, I'm sure you are ok/almost ok. Glad to hear you're alive. |
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February 21st, 2014, 10:21 AM | #10 |
ᗧ•••ᗣ•ᗣᗣ•••ᗣ
Name: Nick
Location: NY
Join Date: Nov 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R and 2014 Triumph 675R Posts: A lot.
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Good to hear your not injured badly. Also good to hear that you found this to be a learning experience. Time to fix what needs done and jump right back on.
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February 21st, 2014, 10:46 AM | #12 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Rebecca
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Quote:
Hell, I've been lane splitting in my commute almost daily without even a horn or working high beams for 3 or 4 months now and found that I haven't needed them at all to keep me safe. In the few instances where I found myself wanting to use the horn, it would've solely been to make me feel better after the fact and wouldn't have changed the situation because I would have already dealt with it in the way I was riding.
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February 21st, 2014, 11:37 AM | #13 | |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Han Solo
Location: Albuquerque
Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): Had a 2008 Ninja 250, til some low-life stole it. Now riding a 2013 red cbr250. Posts: 274
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Quote:
Thousands lane split without incident. Doesn't mean it's safe. Thousands of people also meet up for screws with complete strangers based off Craigslist ads, too, but that doesn't mean it's safe either. |
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February 21st, 2014, 11:45 AM | #14 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Rebecca
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Quote:
Tons of people ride motorcycles without dying and that doesn't make it safe either, yet most stay out of trouble with good riding habits. The same applies to lane-splitting. If it's not for you, that's fine, but there's no need to knock it for those who do lane-split.
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February 21st, 2014, 03:39 PM | #15 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Ryan
Location: OC, CA
Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R (Sold), 2007 SV650S Posts: 161
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has OP taken MSF? they cover 20 to 0 emergency brake situations and test on it too.
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February 21st, 2014, 06:07 PM | #16 |
Towster ['__'`,-,
Name: Josh
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green Ninja 250 SE Posts: 379
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February 21st, 2014, 06:11 PM | #17 | |
Towster ['__'`,-,
Name: Josh
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green Ninja 250 SE Posts: 379
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Quote:
Alpinestars Fastlane Shoes Love em! Comfortable. Wear them all day, 13+ hours and feel fantastic. I don't know if they could have protected me in a more major accident, but they definitely helped for this accident. |
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February 21st, 2014, 06:13 PM | #18 | |
Towster ['__'`,-,
Name: Josh
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green Ninja 250 SE Posts: 379
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Quote:
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February 21st, 2014, 06:13 PM | #19 | |
Towster ['__'`,-,
Name: Josh
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green Ninja 250 SE Posts: 379
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Quote:
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February 21st, 2014, 06:16 PM | #20 | |
Towster ['__'`,-,
Name: Josh
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green Ninja 250 SE Posts: 379
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Quote:
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February 21st, 2014, 06:19 PM | #21 | |
Towster ['__'`,-,
Name: Josh
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green Ninja 250 SE Posts: 379
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Quote:
Link to original page on YouTube. |
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February 21st, 2014, 06:22 PM | #22 |
Towster ['__'`,-,
Name: Josh
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green Ninja 250 SE Posts: 379
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Yes. But just the beginners course. I utilized both brakes during MSF which I didnt do in this real world scenario. Plus I panicked and grabbed that front brake way too hard and fast.
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February 21st, 2014, 08:08 PM | #23 |
Daily Ninjette rider
Name: Hernan
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot.
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__________________________________________________
Motofool .................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí |
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February 21st, 2014, 09:36 PM | #24 | |
ninjette.org member
Name: Brian
Location: Cal
Join Date: Sep 2012 Motorcycle(s): Yes, please. Posts: 121
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Quote:
Thousands also ride motorcycles, too, but that doesn't mean it's safe either. Lane splitting, per se, is not unsafe. Done in a sensible way, there's no doubt it can make motorcycling safer. There's no question about that. Done incorrectly or irresponsibly, though, yeah, it is unsafe. |
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February 22nd, 2014, 12:55 AM | #25 |
Your face
Name: Wes
Location: SF Bay Area
Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2014 Honda CBR650f Posts: A lot.
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If people didn't do things because they were unsafe, nobody would skydive, hunt, downhill ski, water ski, start fires, or ride horses. But people do all of those things quite frequently. There are certain things that are inherently dangerous, but they all have specific guidelines in place to minimize the danger.
Here are the Cliff Notes to the CHP Lane Splitting Guidelines:
Although tons of accidents occur when motorcyclists lane split, I'd bet the overwhelming majority of them happen because the rider didn't follow one or more of these guidelines. In this case it seems like the OP followed just 2 of them. IMO, he failed to follow numbers 1, 4, and 5, with the latter 2 being the most critical. OP was splitting through bumper-to-bumper traffic...down a city street. I don't work there, but looking at the map, even I can tell that street probably has tons of potential left turners. Also, if OP would have split at 10 mph, he likely would have been able to brake in time. It takes 36 ft. to stop from a speed of 20 mph, but only 13 ft. to stop from 10 mph. Hope you didn't find this too harsh @ajcadoo, I just wanted you to keep those guidelines in mind next time you lane split. You're doing yourself a disservice by being so sure nobody was at fault.
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"even a proper fitting helmet can 'get loose'" -csmith |
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February 22nd, 2014, 09:29 AM | #26 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Morgan
Location: A city twinned with Kawasaki
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Quote:
2) That's where the choice is between will I split & risk running into the back/side of something or will I sit & risk being the meat in a truck sandwich. your call OP: 5k in 2 years is not a lot of mileage, get some more miles under your belt, adjust your speed to the conditions, practise your hard stops & cover the horn when splitting. Some proper bike boots (not shoes) would be worth the investment too, you got away lucky with only a skinned ankle if the bike pinned it. |
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February 22nd, 2014, 02:20 PM | #27 | |
Towster ['__'`,-,
Name: Josh
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green Ninja 250 SE Posts: 379
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Quote:
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February 22nd, 2014, 02:23 PM | #28 | |
Towster ['__'`,-,
Name: Josh
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green Ninja 250 SE Posts: 379
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Quote:
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February 22nd, 2014, 02:57 PM | #29 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Morgan
Location: A city twinned with Kawasaki
Join Date: Nov 2011 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250, 2010 STR 675 Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
You've a wall of cars on each side funnelling the pipe's noise backwards & the horn's noise forwards, you are moving forwards so the pipe isn't really heard far ahead. It's a useful last resort when you're hard on the brakes, the natural reaction is to stop if you're doing something & you get a beep. That may be the difference between you slamming into it & you braking hard but still going through where that cage would have been. If some is blaring music they may not hear it, but that's life. |
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February 22nd, 2014, 08:10 PM | #30 |
Your face
Name: Wes
Location: SF Bay Area
Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2014 Honda CBR650f Posts: A lot.
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If that makes you feel better, then go ahead and keep believing it
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"even a proper fitting helmet can 'get loose'" -csmith |
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February 23rd, 2014, 12:49 PM | #31 |
Track Clown
Name: Chris
Location: Kingman, AZ
Join Date: May 2012 Motorcycle(s): '08 250R, 21 MV F3 800, Kawasaki 400 build Posts: A lot.
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that is not a freeway, should not be lane splitting. too many intersections.
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February 24th, 2014, 07:16 AM | #32 | |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Han Solo
Location: Albuquerque
Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): Had a 2008 Ninja 250, til some low-life stole it. Now riding a 2013 red cbr250. Posts: 274
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Quote:
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February 24th, 2014, 09:53 AM | #33 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Mark
Location: Portland
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Notice: Thread Highjack: I so wish Oregon would get its head out of its and make lane splitting legal.
You may continue. Thank you for your patience. |
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February 24th, 2014, 04:42 PM | #34 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Han Solo
Location: Albuquerque
Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): Had a 2008 Ninja 250, til some low-life stole it. Now riding a 2013 red cbr250. Posts: 274
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How can I upvote or downvote a post?
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February 24th, 2014, 04:47 PM | #35 |
Certified looney toon
Name: Teri
Location: 39°52'40.7"N 118°23'53.8"W (Northern NV)
Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250, 102k+ miles -- 2014 CB500X, 42k+ miles Posts: A lot.
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Relevant thread: http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=134492
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February 24th, 2014, 04:48 PM | #36 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Han Solo
Location: Albuquerque
Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): Had a 2008 Ninja 250, til some low-life stole it. Now riding a 2013 red cbr250. Posts: 274
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1 out of 13 members found this post helpful. |
February 24th, 2014, 04:55 PM | #37 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much.
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First rule about fight club is we never talk about fight club.
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February 24th, 2014, 05:00 PM | #38 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Han Solo
Location: Albuquerque
Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): Had a 2008 Ninja 250, til some low-life stole it. Now riding a 2013 red cbr250. Posts: 274
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1 out of 12 members found this post helpful. |
February 24th, 2014, 07:59 PM | #39 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Han Solo
Location: Albuquerque
Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): Had a 2008 Ninja 250, til some low-life stole it. Now riding a 2013 red cbr250. Posts: 274
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stop it dammit. bastards
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