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Lowside La Honda

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thumbus2003

thumbus2003

WHAT!!!
Joined
May 20, 2007
Location
Chemeketa Park, CA
Moto(s)
1971 TS185(for sale), 1971 TS125(racer, for sale), 2007 DRZ435S, 73 TM125(frame parts, for sale)
Name
Thomas
One week ago I Lowsided my motorcycle on La Honda Rd and I was not ridding out of my skill level from what I remmber. Any who it happend when I tride to pass 2 cars at once and me not seeing the other car comming from the other direction. I was also ridding (DOT) DUNLOP 606 Knobbies.

CRASH:
I come up upon these two cars going the speed limit.... So I decide wait for a clearing. (I am usaly pretty good about passing cars) Clearing comes up and I take off then I see on coming traffic. I make it past the two cars but by then the on coming car is too close. So I lean the bike low LOW to get back in, thats when I low-side. Me and my bike slide 30ft towards the cars grill (which has stoped), missing the car untill I hit the moutain/embankment.

No one was injured except me and my ego. Also no other cars were hit, thank god.

DAMAGES:
My foot got messed up from me only wearing tenni's, (Actaulty my motocycles break peddel stabbed my foot).
My ridding pants, gloves, helmet are all basicly crap.
My motorcycle could have been ridden home if my foot wasn't messed up.
Moto - Head light figure got bent, right rear turn signal broken, right foor beg bent, exhuast scratched up some more.

What could I have done diffrently:
Could have worn my ridding boots.
Been more alert, I guess.
Taken it easy, yeah..

What made me Crash:
I belive it was a combination of the speed, road, panic and tires. (maybe I was exhuasted)

Where I crashed:
Where the yellow line draws is basicly how far I slid. So going down La Honda towards 280.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...=o7BTkNpp777Fb3z6o_WmVQ&cbp=12,43.92,,0,23.84

What I need help with is everything I guess. I just keep pondering it, maybe its just me being retarded at that moment.
 
With the view from Google that you've linked, how did you not see the oncoming car? Seriously, if you're going to pass over the DY your eyes and your awareness have to be taking in all areas of potential threat. It doesn't appear that sightline is the issue. It can be shady on that road, but if it's too shady to see what's coming, it's too shady to pass.

Were you braking as you came back across the DY? Could that explain why you lowsided?

You are remarkably lucky that the cager braked to a stop and saved your life.
 
If you had to lean the bike a bit further it's a good chance the tires lost traction. They may be street legal but knobbies don't grip well on pavement!
 
The good part was that the oncoming cager's braking was aided by the uphill slope. Also, the driver may already have been slowing for the fairly steep hairpin, which has a 15-mph yellow sign.

The bad part was that the cars being passed may have been accelerating on the downhill, particularly if their drivers anticipated a smooth transition to Woodside/Portola. That would have made the pass take longer than the OP anticipated and increased his 12-second distance.
 
flying_hun said:
With the view from Google that you've linked, how did you not see the oncoming car? Seriously, if you're going to pass over the DY your eyes and your awareness have to be taking in all areas of potential threat. It doesn't appear that sightline is the issue. It can be shady on that road, but if it's too shady to see what's coming, it's too shady to pass.
Click to expand...

I understand that and fear the consequences of my actions. I just saw a clearing when I went for it but I was worng.

Were you braking as you came back across the DY? Could that explain why you lowsided?
Click to expand...

When I took off to pass the cars I was going faster than when I lowsided, so I think I braked. If I did it would have been in the turn.

You are remarkably lucky that the cager braked to a stop and saved your life.
Click to expand...

I know and aplogise for causing a traffic jam, scaring the crap out of the 3 car drivers.......
 
You tried to pass 2 cars at the same time. that will leave most riders strung out for far too long and subject you to the risk of head on.

In such a situation I would suggest jamming yourself back in between the two cars even if the second car is riding close to the first.... reassess and wait for a safe passing area.

once you are sliding on the road its just pure luck if you dont die by getting run over. Its not worth the extra minute of your day saved by passing two cars simultaneously.
 
To get back in your lane quickly, you would have had to swerve. This does put a lot of demand on the tires for traction, and you can quickly use all of it if you swerve hard enough. That is why there is absolutely no way you can brake during a swerve. If you used the brakes during the swerve, that's probably why you crashed.

The other reason you crashed of course would be the fact that you put yourself into a panic/emergency situation and did not have the experience to produce the correct response. A well prepared rider would remain relaxed and make a safe move. More importantly, a well prepared rider would have been aware of the vehicle coming down the road before hand, and if visibility was not good enough to determine if a vehicle was present, a well prepared rider would not attempt the pass.

If you were in a spot with good visibility and did not see the oncoming car, I would think about where you are putting your attention while you are riding.
 
mikedbike2002 said:
If you had to lean the bike a bit further it's a good chance the tires lost traction. They may be street legal but knobbies don't grip well on pavement!
Click to expand...

+1 :deadhorse

The knobbies don’t handle fast changes of weight distribution well. On the street the contact patch is small and psi will play a big part.
Even the best rides have kissed the pavement
Sorry to hear you got hurt. :2cents
 
Thomas, I've had to have a few words with you about the risks you take when riding and I know others have done the same. You take too many risks when you are riding. Risks that could easily lead to very serious injury or death if certain scenarios arise. You very narrowly escaped a serious accident when one of those scenarios presented itself to you. You need to seriously reduce the amount of risk you take when you are riding. If you continue to take those risks, I can assure you that you will end up dead or injured in a way that will change your life. You are a skilled rider, but you need to be more intelligent in deciding when to ride fast and when to leave some margin for error. All too often you do not leave that margin for error. There is no podium with trophy girls waiting for you at the end of the street. Ride smart and ride safe. I hope I see you on another ride soon.
 
My advice... unless you can see for a significant distance, pass one car at a time.

If I am in the twisties and making passes I usually leap frog from one car to the next unless its a very long marked passing lane with good visibility.
 
You seemed to have been in a real big hurry to pass two cars to get to...what? The road beyond that area is straight and boring.

It's not a race.
 
Thank you all for posting up. I have no arguments with any of you on what each one of you are telling me.

mikedbike2002, flying_hun, Don Tuite, MotardJunkie, brprider, jraice, RhythmRider-Thanks for helping me alanize my crash.

RhythmRider - Thanks for making everything clear. Thats all I can realy say for now.

mikedbike2002 + brprider - The only reason I run knobbies is becase I ride my dualsport once a month off road at holister and such. (Lazyness)

jraice - I will take you advice on passing one car at a time but in this case it was all or nothing. I know I should have not attemted it.

MotardJunkie - I realize I have no such ability to pull that off if it came at me again (at the moment). Thanks for the advice tho.

brprider - Thanks for the info on the tires maybe you can give me more info about that on a ride ( i know for dirt its better low). I told my dad about this and he said there are riders who haven't gone down and those who have, its only a matter of time. No excuse for what I did.

Luckett - I will try not to get competetive on the road anymore. I plan to get back on the sattel as soon as it dosen't hurt to put the right shoe on anymore, comming weekend I could ride.

Aluisious - Yes I know its boring and straight, there was no logical reason for that pass.

Thank you Beauregard for pointing out my one of many errors.

I'm not sure what else to say, but I'm willing to listen. (Ahh don't bother, takes to long to sink in)

_____________________________________________________________

Admins I have gotten what I need, you have the go ahead to do whats nessasary. (if anything)
still subcribed if anyone has more to say.
 
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thumbus2003 said:
brprider - The only reason I run knobbies is becase I ride my dualsport once a month off road at holister and such. (Lazyness)

brprider - Thanks for the info on the tires maybe you can give me more info about that on a ride ( i know for dirt its better low). I told my dad about this and he said there are riders who haven't gone down and those who have, its only a matter of time. No excuse for what I did.
Click to expand...

I run the same tires on my xr 600 and they feel great until they let go.

I think your dad is a smart man.

Bert
 
As most have pointed out, the problem is in this instance more one of attitude than skills. You can ride fast, but being in a hurry will get you into trouble. The phrase "it was all or nothing" is indicative of this. Not being in a hurry allows one to back off, wait for the right hole, etc. Take a look at Enchanter's sig. Good luck.
 
First of all, I wouldn't pass two cars at the same time. I will pass one car and get back in. Check the traffic again, if it's safe then pass the last car. Please go buy some boots. Proper riding gear will save you a lot of money when you get injured. How messed up is your foot? Two lessons to learn is wear gear and pass a car at a time. Be safe!
 
The doulble yellow not only has paint on it, but since nobody really passes in this area too often, it has all kinds of crap from the road on it.
But more to the point, I'll bet if you would've simply rode the double yellow, you would've passed right by the car coming your way. There is room between the cars.
 
nedro said:
The doulble yellow not only has paint on it, but since nobody really passes in this area too often, it has all kinds of crap from the road on it.
But more to the point, I'll bet if you would've simply rode the double yellow, you would've passed right by the car coming your way. There is room between the cars.
Click to expand...

Your right I could have just ridden the dubble yellow then passed. But that thought didn't even occour cause I panic. I'm getting myself into situations that I can not handel. So I need to do like everyone said and be more intelligent about my ridding.

I'll come back to this later.
 
T100 said:
Gee, I tucked my front.....or..the rear wheel just went out from under me...wise up assholes.:twofinger

You ride waaay above yourt skill and above any limits that SANE PEOPLE ride under on public roads.:twofinger

Been reading your sorry posts for better that a year now, and the truth is...you just fuck up-REPEATEDLY.

Go ahead..take that turn on a public road. Hope you die without taking out an INNOCENT in the bargain.:twofinger
Click to expand...


Wish you had the guts to post it up on barf so everyone could see it.
 
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Your problem was you were riding on Dunlop tires!!! Four of my friends crashed on Dunlop 211 last year!!!! Those tires take forever to warm up. That's why for now on I stopped riding on Dunlop tires!
 
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