'03 BCR #44 eaten by tractor.

[pmc847]

Yep, after 39 years of riding without an accident a big ugly tractor turned into us as we were passing. We ended up hitting his front wheel with the right cylinder so we were very close to completing the pass. He never looked or signaled and didn't decide to stop or swerve until we were airborne. We had slowed to about 30mph before I attempted to pass and wasn't doing much more than that when we hit. I have a broken tibia and had to have a titanium rod and pins inserted. Jane broke her right ankle and had to have a plate and screw inserted. It happened 9/4 and today is the first day I've been able to get upstairs to the computer to check and write emails, I don't know when I will be able to get back on the PC again because it was quite a chore getting up and now down the stairs. Jane and I are camped on the sleeper sofa with 4 more weeks to go. We see the Dr again for x-rays 10/20 when it will be determined if we can put weight on the bad legs. Other than the broken bones have bad bruises to my left foot and Jane's left hand. Sure glad we wear the proper gear.

Oh ya, the bike is totaled. Won't know until Monday what I'll receive, I know it won't be enough.

I'll let you know what happens on the settlement.

Philip

03 R1100S BCR #44
Staintune
InDuct
SJ PowerFilter
FIM Chip
Ohlins
Throttle bodies matched to rubber mounts matched to heads
Exhaust pipe welds ground down
Sargent Seat
Aux Fuel tank

[Anton]

Wow, ****ty deal. Glad to hear both of you are alright. I'm in Madison these days, so if you need any help with the bike, let me know. Get well soon, broken bones are no fun.

[SCOTTinNJ]

sorry to hear that. hope you heal quickly.

did the truck attempt to make a left as you were passing on the left? no signal i suppose?

[Skippy]

Wow that's really bad luck.Hope the both of you will heal soon from those injuries.

[twobmws2003]

Oh man I am always worried about that scenario. Glad to hear that you are ok, I wish you fast healing and hope to hear fromyou again.

Robert.

[Jeff Williams]

glad your ok,
jeff

[Moybin]

"If you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you" it says on the back of most 48 and 53 foot trailers, these days.

It should also say "But I don't use my mirrors, or my turn signals, so beware"

Farm equipment scares H out of me because too many of the farmers here in the midwest act like they are the only ones paying taxes for the roads, so they can do anything they want on those roads. And with the sheer mass they drive, how can you argue with them?

[GotRoad?]

Originally posted by Jeff Williams
glad your ok,
jeff

You're hardly OK...your're alive. You've been seriously injured and the damage that has happened to your bodies will be with you for the rest of your lives. Just keep that in mind when the insurance man comes round.

[ckcarr]

Glad you're OK! You never know when something like that will strike. 39 years. It brings to mind statistics where every ride is independent of all the other rides.

Aside from that I think you will do quite well on the bike, insurance payoffs seem much higher than selling prices. As far as a farmer in a combine, how does that insurance work?

[motoyoyo]

Geez Phillip you guys were lucky to have come out of that one to see another day. I can only hope both of you can see through your pain and be able to get on another another bike sometime later on. Try to look at the bright side, if you can this early on. Look at the situation your in right now...You and Jane are basically stuck together in the same room... with the same level of pain and relatively bored to death. The only entertainment for the next several weeks is each other...Enjoy!

[on2wheels52]

Happy you're getting some mobility, my buddy Ed got the Ti rod tibia end of March. Had multiple breaks, 5 operations in a week, fasciectomy, skin graft, much pain medication required. Was bearing 20% weight a week ago, got a shorter rod Thurs, was rubbing on a tendon. Doc says can bear full weight now. Would have amputated if he had been a smoker (slower to heal). His only injury but a good one. Will keep you in our thoughts.

Jim

[badger]

Originally posted by Moybin

Farm equipment scares H out of me because too many of the farmers here in the midwest act like they are the only ones paying taxes for the roads, so they can do anything they want on those roads. And with the sheer mass they drive, how can you argue with them?

In many states, Farm equipment DOES have the right of way (including horse drawn farm equipment) on most secondary roads outside of city limits.

The problems with farm equipment is 1. They aren't designed for rapid acceleration or braking 2. They have slow to respond suspensions (if any at all) 3. There are no required safety inspections for farm equipment even if it travels on the road

[Moybin]

badger

Everything you said is true. But recently, where I work, I was getting on my bike after work. The parking lot is right at the intersection of a dead end street that comes to a Tee with a street leaving the loading docks of a Nestle-Purina dog food plant. Always 18 wheelers rolling in and out of Nestle. So as I'm watching, this trucker comes to the stop sign on the side street. Doesn't even attempt to stop, must have been thinking that there couldn't be much traffic in this industrial area, and what the heck, he can see a half-mile in every direction. Except he didn't see the loaded 18 wheeler blasting up the street from Nestle. Jammed his brakes at the last instant and just avoided being T-boned.

The real problem is people don't obey the laws when they think they can get away with it. Instead of practicing good techniques ALL the time, they jump red lights, blow through stop signs, don't bother to clear their rear-view mirrors before making a turn, don't obey speed limits. Add a couple of tons of metal in the form of a big rig to the mix and suddenly you have a lethal combination rolling down the roads just like the family minivan. Too often (IMO) the driver forgets that they are in those tons of metal and expect it to perform just like the minivan. That's where the danger originates.

[twobmws2003]

Moybin,

How about a law that says obey the laws!

Robert.

[Moybin]

twobmws2003

We have a bunch of those. Fat lot of good they do. General attitude is "I didn't break the law unless I'm caught, and then I'm going to blame it on how my parents (or lack thereof) raised me".

We live in sad times.

[twobmws2003]

I agree.

[yetidave]

Originally posted by GotRoad?
You're hardly OK...your're alive. You've been seriously injured and the damage that has happened to your bodies will be with you for the rest of your lives. Just keep that in mind when the insurance man comes round.

What are you, are personal injury prostitute....er...lawer?

[Saintly]

I know what it's like to have metal holding you together. hope you feel better soon and have a speedy recovery. Get onto the physio as soon as you can and good luck.
Ian

[Moybin]

Agreeing with Saintly. Do what the doctors tell you to do. I lucked out and didn't have any metal installed in my ankle. Once I got into walking casts he told me to hammer them apart on a weekly basis, take all the Tylenol and Ibuprofen I needed. The pain supposedly stimulates bone fusion and growth. Shifting helped get the ankle range of motion back to maximum (though not what it was originally).

[GotRoad?]

Originally posted by yetidave
What are you, are personal injury prostitute....er...lawer?

I'll tell you after you've been seriously trashed in an accident.