socalrob
01-12-2006, 01:45 AM
A couple of weeks ago I was riding back to work in Glendale from lunch. I was sitting at the end of an offramp off the 134 that T's into a residential street with a nice reverse curve a block or so to the west. Sitting at the light I see an LEO going west, & then 30 seconds later a sport bike rider moving west down the residential street (he had the green light) at a pretty good clip, maybe 50mph, really a bit fast considering driveways & traffic. The a bit behind the first rider his partner goes by on another sport bike at the about the same clip. I'm sittin at the light feeling a bit jealous as I gotta get back to work, & these guys are having fun & will be long gone. I'm hoping they don't catch the LEO.
My light changes, I take off west, keeping a moderate pace of about 30 as its a residential street, has a curve, I know about a side street ahead, and I know about the odd manhole here & there as I ride this street 4 times a day every work day. Right in the first curve, what do I see, but the 2 sport bike guys on the sidewalk, one bike up & one bike down. One guy is in a vacant lot on the other side of a 6 ft chain link fence, looking a bit dazed. I immediately pull up, park my bike, get the helmet off.
The bikes are 600CC Yamahas, both with brand new paper plates. There's a skid mark on the pavement where the crashee made it through the first curve, must have panicked, & instead of making the 2nd reverse curve, stood her up, locked the wheel(s), & went down. Miraclesly the rider missed slid up a wide driveway apron, missing the curb, then missed the chain link fence posts, & slid under the fence. Although lightly geared (full face, gloves, jacket, jeans & tennis shoes) he was absolutely unhurt.
The bike didn't fair as well, as it must have rotated around & hit a fence post with the gas tank. Nice big dent. Various mirrors & indicators littered the ground.
The guys, maybe mid 20's, so just kids to me, were very nice, a bit shaken, a very clueless. It was a little humorous as the downed rider in the vacant lot couldn't figure out how to get back on the street side of the fence. We held up the bottom of the fence & he scooted under.
They volunteered that they were not going fast, I said he he he.The guys, both of which had sort of european accents, so maybe they were travelers, didn't want to pick up the bike, & were thinking they needed the police to see the downed bike so the insurance co. would get a report.
I tell em, no no no no, get the bike picked up & be gone, if the LEO shows up its ticket for reckless driving for sure, as the crash is the evidence. They slowly get the message, but still think they need a few pictures, for what I'm not sure, as the accident was pretty much rider error.
All seems ok, they assure me they are ok, & I go to work.
I still can't figure out how the guy blew that curve, must have really panicked as a nice little racer 600 COULD have taken the curve at pretty high speed.
Squids as I call em now, but to be honest, pretty much me at that age. I was just a bit luckier I guess. Was an interesting encounter, but god, made me feel a bit old.
My light changes, I take off west, keeping a moderate pace of about 30 as its a residential street, has a curve, I know about a side street ahead, and I know about the odd manhole here & there as I ride this street 4 times a day every work day. Right in the first curve, what do I see, but the 2 sport bike guys on the sidewalk, one bike up & one bike down. One guy is in a vacant lot on the other side of a 6 ft chain link fence, looking a bit dazed. I immediately pull up, park my bike, get the helmet off.
The bikes are 600CC Yamahas, both with brand new paper plates. There's a skid mark on the pavement where the crashee made it through the first curve, must have panicked, & instead of making the 2nd reverse curve, stood her up, locked the wheel(s), & went down. Miraclesly the rider missed slid up a wide driveway apron, missing the curb, then missed the chain link fence posts, & slid under the fence. Although lightly geared (full face, gloves, jacket, jeans & tennis shoes) he was absolutely unhurt.
The bike didn't fair as well, as it must have rotated around & hit a fence post with the gas tank. Nice big dent. Various mirrors & indicators littered the ground.
The guys, maybe mid 20's, so just kids to me, were very nice, a bit shaken, a very clueless. It was a little humorous as the downed rider in the vacant lot couldn't figure out how to get back on the street side of the fence. We held up the bottom of the fence & he scooted under.
They volunteered that they were not going fast, I said he he he.The guys, both of which had sort of european accents, so maybe they were travelers, didn't want to pick up the bike, & were thinking they needed the police to see the downed bike so the insurance co. would get a report.
I tell em, no no no no, get the bike picked up & be gone, if the LEO shows up its ticket for reckless driving for sure, as the crash is the evidence. They slowly get the message, but still think they need a few pictures, for what I'm not sure, as the accident was pretty much rider error.
All seems ok, they assure me they are ok, & I go to work.
I still can't figure out how the guy blew that curve, must have really panicked as a nice little racer 600 COULD have taken the curve at pretty high speed.
Squids as I call em now, but to be honest, pretty much me at that age. I was just a bit luckier I guess. Was an interesting encounter, but god, made me feel a bit old.