Hit Something but Didn't Go Down

[kremtok]

Well I survived.

Was out riding today about here when I discovered this in the middle of the road:



According to The Internet, that's a sand shoe from the landing gear of a semi trailer. What it's doing in the road is anyone's guess. I swerved to avoid it, but it caught my bike on the left side of both tires as well as the fairing.





Tires are holding air, but since I was on the way to the local motorcycle shop for some routine maintenance anyway, I've asked them to inspect the tires to determine if they need replacement. Damage to the fairing is only cosmetic as far as I can see, but I'm sure it would be quite expensive if I decide to replace it.

A little bit more about the scenario. I was stopped at a red light at the street just west of the point in the map above. I was the third or fourth in line behind a few cages. When the light turned green, everyone accelerated and the gap between me and the cage in front widened to my normal following distance, about 3-4 seconds. When I first saw the object, I was traveling at about 30 mph, speed limit is 35 mph, in the center third of the lane. With cages in lanes on both sides of me, I chose to swerve right to avoid striking the object head on, but I had to remain within my lane for obvious reasons. I did not brake, but I got off the throttle without disengaging the clutch. The glancing impact caused the object to slide left and into another lane, and though I didn't go down, I was immediately concerned that there was damage to the bike and that I could go down any second. Fortunately, I was able to stop the bike safely off of the road in a bus stop and do a damage assessment. My family was following in our cage to give me a ride home from the shop and they were probably more freaked out about it than I was.

I walked back to move the object out of the road, but I didn't get to it before a woman in her cage hit it and got a flat left front tire. While we were waiting for the police to come and write a report I changed her tire for her and we took pictures of the damage to each others' rides.

I consider myself fortunate for not going down or making the incident worse by impacting another vehicle, but as is typical I'm sitting here wondering what I could have done better. Any thoughts?

[Lychee]

Sounds like you did pretty good. Seems like a small object, though, so you must have seen it pretty late. If that was the case, then the only thing I would have done differently (if I had time) is try to keep the throttle steady or only roll off very slightly. If I saw it very very late I would have committed to driving right over it and praying.

[kremtok]

Originally Posted by Lychee

Sounds like you did pretty good. Seems like a small object, though, so you must have seen it pretty late. If that was the case, then the only thing I would have done differently (if I had time) is try to keep the throttle steady or only roll off very slightly. If I saw it very very late I would have committed to driving right over it and praying.

It's about 8-10 inches on a side and it was in the road rotated 45° so that the corner was facing me.

And yes, the nearly exact image of what I saw before I acted is fixed in my head because I'm sure that I stared at it for at least a second, first recognizing what I was looking at, then evaluating my options, then deciding what to do before acting. I'm not sure if that's what you mean by 'late,' but that first step of recognition was probably about a second after it passed beneath the cage in front of me and into view, leaving very little time to go through the rest of the process.

Hitting it directly was the last, worst option in my opinion, so I'm glad that I at least avoided that.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[alex.s]

look farther ahead. the fact that you couldn't see around the cage in front of you means you were doing something wrong.

[Motofool]

Gary,

The shop may not be able to determine the real damage to the tire, simply because it is internal (if any) and it will show up after many more miles, hopefully like an evident deformation.

That cut in the rubber seems deep enough to have caused some internal damage, but that is just speculation.

I would keep an eye on it if the shop states it is all OK.

Regarding the reaction time and swerving, only you know if you could have clear the obstacle completely.
If you believe that you could have swerved more in a car, there is room for you to improve your avoiding maneuvers.

The good thing is that you now know that the danger is real and it can happen again; hence, the smart thing to do is to train and to get ready for the next one.

Check these out:

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=109

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=137312

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=114372

[kremtok]

Originally Posted by Motofool

Gary,

The shop may not be able to determine the real damage to the tire, simply because it is internal (if any) and it will show up after many more miles, hopefully like an evident deformation.

That cut in the rubber seems deep enough to have caused some internal damage, but that is just speculation.

I would keep an eye on it if the shop states it is all OK.

Regarding the reaction time and swerving, only you know if you could have clear the obstacle completely.
If you believe that you could have swerved more in a car, there is room for you to improve your avoiding maneuvers.

The good thing is that you now know that the danger is real and it can happen again; hence, the smart thing to do is to train and to get ready for the next one.

Check these out:

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=109

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=137312

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=114372

Good advice on the tire. I'm almost 90% sure the shop is going to recommend replacement if not to get a few extra bucks from me, then to at least cover them from liability in case they're wrong about it.

I read the first article that you posted, but didn't see the second two until I hit reply; thanks for offering that up, and I'll be sure to read what you've suggested.

Strangely enough, I've thought about this before and I regularly practice avoiding potholes - by necessity, not choice - in a similar fashion that I tried to avoid this obstacle. I think what got me here was its height, and I suspect I was in the second (lean left) phase of a swerve to the right when I struck the object, exacerbating the problem by leaning the bike closer to the obstacle.

In any case, you're right: I will get on the bike after it's safe to ride again and try to improve my skills.

[crazymadbastard]

You did your best and lived to tell. All is good. Just practice practice practice!

[kremtok]

Update: Local shop says tires are fine and I rode it to work rather than home as it was closer and I picked it up during Honolulu rush hour traffic. I plan to leave it for a couple of days to make sure the tires aren't losing air, then take it back home to wash it and do a thorough inspection myself. I'll probably still replace the tires soon anyway, even though there are less than 4000 miles on them.

Also, I notified the insurance company even though I had no intention of making a claim. Turns out that may have been a bad idea, because they are telling me that for their purposes, this is a collision and it will affect my rates. That's quite the message to send: Take 3 MSF courses to develop the skills to avoid a collision, then execute them properly so that there is no bodily injury and only cosmetic damage to the bike that I'm not asking them to pay for, but they'd better raise my rates because suddenly I'm a higher risk. I'm not quite sure what to think about that.

[broken neck]

Originally Posted by kremtok

When I first saw the object, I was traveling at about 30 mph, speed limit is 35 mph, in the center third of the lane. With cages in lanes on both sides of me, I chose to swerve right to avoid striking the object head on, but I had to remain within my lane for obvious reasons.

First, glad you stayed up it's the most important part.

Correct me if I'm wrong but, you should try to ride in the left third of the lane, usually that part of the lane is "cleaner" of debris, oil, gravel and the like.

But I know you were in the middle lane of a three way road, so staying in the middle third lets you keep the same distance from car at your left or right.

Difficult choice, but I'd rather ride in the left side, it's easier to see car on my right than something laying on the road away from my sight.

My small deux cennes...

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by kremtok

...........Also, I notified the insurance company even though I had no intention of making a claim. Turns out that may have been a bad idea, because they are telling me that for their purposes, this is a collision and it will affect my rates............

That seems to be very wrong move from the insurer.

@Jiggles may have an advice.

[Jiggles]

Tell them if it affects your rates then you are switching companies

[choneofakind]

That doesn't seem right to me. I would talk a little more in depth with them about that. If you don't understand/agree with the answers from the insurers, I'd consult (off the record) some legal help for information on insurance law. That doesn't make sense to me that a non-claim would affect your insurance rates and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

The way I see it, you did well to ride through that without injury. If anything, you're less of a liability because you've shown that your'e able to cope with roadway surprises an not require a claim be made...

[JohnnyBravo]

I saved a lot of money on insurance by switching to guyco

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by kremtok

Also, I notified the insurance company even though I had no intention of making a claim. Turns out that may have been a bad idea, because they are telling me that for their purposes of making more $$, this is a collision and it will affect my rates.

Fixed....

Drop them like a bad habit if they raise your rates. Simple fact is no change to policy, no claim means no rate changes.

[crazymadbastard]

I believe that hitting debris would be comprehensive not collision and therefore not affect your rate.

[Panda]

Originally Posted by kremtok

Also, I notified the insurance company even though I had no intention of making a claim. Turns out that may have been a bad idea, because they are telling me that for their purposes, this is a collision and it will affect my rates.

It's a self reported incident. It's like when you so up with an insurance company and they ask you if you've had any tickets or accidents in the last 3 years.

Find out if your rates will really be affected. Do you have any other accidents or tickets on your record?

If they really do raise your rates I'd switch.

[kremtok]

Thanks to everyone for looking this over and offering advice. It's very helpful to have a few different perspectives on this event and I appreciate the time and thought you've all shown here.

Originally Posted by broken neck

First, glad you stayed up it's the most important part.

Correct me if I'm wrong but, you should try to ride in the left third of the lane, usually that part of the lane is "cleaner" of debris, oil, gravel and the like.

But I know you were in the middle lane of a three way road, so staying in the middle third lets you keep the same distance from car at your left or right.

Difficult choice, but I'd rather ride in the left side, it's easier to see car on my right than something laying on the road away from my sight.

My small deux cennes...

Thanks for the well-wishing.

On this particular road, I chose the middle third because the lanes were so narrow and there was a lot of merging traffic. As you can see from the map in the original post, there's a lot going on where this incident happened and I thought that being in the center would give me a bit of a buffer if anything approached from the sides. Turns out that, as is often the case, the danger was directly in front of me. In most cases, I would choose the left third just like you are suggesting. Was my choice a contributing factor in the incident? Certainly. Was it a bad decision? I think not. But I absolutely won't say that you're wrong about anything that you've pointed out.

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Tell them if it affects your rates then you are switching companies

My policy renewal should be here next month, so I'll have a look at it and revisit then. I've been with the same company for 10 years, so it would be really bad for them to lose a customer over something like this.

Originally Posted by choneofakind

That doesn't seem right to me. I would talk a little more in depth with them about that. If you don't understand/agree with the answers from the insurers, I'd consult (off the record) some legal help for information on insurance law. That doesn't make sense to me that a non-claim would affect your insurance rates and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

The way I see it, you did well to ride through that without injury. If anything, you're less of a liability because you've shown that your'e able to cope with roadway surprises an not require a claim be made...

That's good advice. I'll get in touch with our unit's legal staff and see if they can assist. One of the many benefits of military service is that it won't cost me anything to ask.

Originally Posted by csmith12

Fixed....

Drop them like a bad habit if they raise your rates. Simple fact is no change to policy, no claim means no rate changes.

I agree. Glad to see that I'm not crazy for thinking that way.

Originally Posted by crazymadbastard

I believe that hitting debris would be comprehensive not collision and therefore not affect your rate.

The agent that I spoke with on the phone simply said that they are calling it a collision with no further explanation. I plan to look closely into my existing policy before it comes up for renewal and have the discussion at that time.

Originally Posted by Panda

It's a self reported incident. It's like when you so up with an insurance company and they ask you if you've had any tickets or accidents in the last 3 years.

Find out if your rates will really be affected. Do you have any other accidents or tickets on your record?

If they really do raise your rates I'd switch.

Nope. No accidents or tickets for the 10 years that I've been with them. And I thought I was just doing the right thing by letting my insurance company know that something had happened.

[kremtok]

Update:

After washing the bike including both tires, it looks like my front tire is unaffected. What I took for damage from the object appears to have been a minor imperfection from manufacturing. It was just a bit of extra rubber in one of the sipes.

Rear tire looks to have surface damage only, no worse than a few other spots where rocks or whatever have gouged out the rubber. Tire pressure was exactly as I left it a couple of weeks ago, so that's another bit of good news.

Thanks again for all the advice, folks!

[Snake]

Glad to see you didn't go down.
Since you have a police report you should turn it into the insurance and get a new or professionally repaired fairing.

[BRad704]

One key 'situational detail' for insurance classification is whether or not the object was stationary in the road, or was it moving?

"OMG that thing came sliding from the other lane and I couldn't avoid it"
is different than
"OMG that thing was sitting in my lane and couldn't avoid it"

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by kremtok

Update:

After washing the bike including both tires, it looks like my front tire is unaffected. What I took for damage from the object appears to have been a minor imperfection from manufacturing. It was just a bit of extra rubber in one of the sipes.

Rear tire looks to have surface damage only, no worse than a few other spots where rocks or whatever have gouged out the rubber. Tire pressure was exactly as I left it a couple of weeks ago, so that's another bit of good news.

Thanks again for all the advice, folks!

That is great, but keep inspecting both tires for growing bumps after they roll some thousand of miles more.

Your only life is rolling on only two donuts of rubber: the three are priceless !!!

You are welcome

[kremtok]

Another update: Geico isn't increasing my rates as a result of this incident. Their definition of 'collision' includes road debris that causes more than $500 in damage, but this incident doesn't meet that threshold. Good news, but I'll still never understand where they were coming from on this.

[JohnnyBravo]

Glad ya got it sorted... Glader ya kept it up an on the road. Those things fall off a lot!

[7oxSin]

did you get any air?

[BRad704]

Everytime I see ANYthing in the road now... I think about you and your dang giant metal plate!

[MR2Aaron]

Originally Posted by kremtok

Another update: Geico isn't increasing my rates as a result of this incident. Their definition of 'collision' includes road debris that causes more than $500 in damage, but this incident doesn't meet that threshold. Good news, but I'll still never understand where they were coming from on this.

Well... You did collide with something. What's not to understand?

[IF13]

I would have much preferred hitting that than the tire gator I hit when I was first getting used to my ninja. It was the largest one I've seen and probably half the circumference of whatever tire it came off of.

I was a tad distracted because I was trying to find my way into another lane as we were approaching an entrance ramp. So much for that. A car blocked me.

Bent my shifter peg and left my toe feeling sore for a few hours. I was going 60.

Funny how we can look back at the things that we lucked out on but could've suffered tremendously from. Good thing you made it out alive and well. Sorry about the slight damage but I'm glad you didn't dump the bike. Crap could've been much worst.

[kremtok]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBravo

Glad ya got it sorted... Glader ya kept it up an on the road. Those things fall off a lot!

Me too! Thanks for your kind words.

Originally Posted by 7oxSin

did you get any air?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNtMaaX_9e8

Originally Posted by BRad704

Everytime I see ANYthing in the road now... I think about you and your dang giant metal plate!

Ha! Glad I'm not the only one who started thinking a bit more because of this

Originally Posted by MR2Aaron

Well... You did collide with something. What's not to understand?

In case you missed it above, your mom goes to college.

Originally Posted by IF13

I would have much preferred hitting that than the tire gator I hit when I was first getting used to my ninja. It was the largest one I've seen and probably half the circumference of whatever tire it came off of.

I was a tad distracted because I was trying to find my way into another lane as we were approaching an entrance ramp. So much for that. A car blocked me.

Bent my shifter peg and left my toe feeling sore for a few hours. I was going 60.

Funny how we can look back at the things that we lucked out on but could've suffered tremendously from. Good thing you made it out alive and well. Sorry about the slight damage but I'm glad you didn't dump the bike. Crap could've been much worst.

Those things have always scared me, since before I could even drive. I'm glad your encounter wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.

[7oxSin]

lol

[Chicagobob]

Negligent trucker - What if that had been a car's gas tank instead of your fairing?