My wife called me up at 3 oclock today to tell me she had laid her VF500C down.
She tangled with in-the-street railroad tracks, and took a tumble. It was low speed and she was wearing her gear. (She is MRS. ATGATTRAT after all.)
I asked her to write an account of it, and I'm forwarding it to the list. I'd like your thoughts about narrow angle railroad crossings, and how to approach them.
She's in good spirits, maybe some bruising. We've been meaning to spring for some armored mesh overpants for her, but at least the draggin jeans, while not providing padding, provided abrasion resistance. She'd have kissed asphalt without her full face helmet, which will have to be replaced. (The only thing gear-wise needing replacement from the encounter.)
Here's her account:
"I had just gotten onto a street that has train tracks running down the center. I'd only gone half a block and probably wasn't even up to third gear yet when the tracks that go down the middle veered to the right and across my lane at about a 45 degree angle, at most. Though I've been over those tracks before without incident, this time I didn't make it.
"I'd forgotten that they cut across the lane like that. When turning across them earlier in the day I'd made sure to come to a stop and then turn at almost 90 degrees across and through the intersection. But with them veering across the lane in front of me, I slowed down and braced myself mentally to cross them. They always make me nervous because I'm not quite sure of myself on how to handle them. I thought I was going to angle back across them but somehow didn't. I saw and felt my tire hit the rut and go down in it and the next thing I knew the bike was being whipped out from under me to the right and I was
heading forward and to the left. I landed with most of my weight on my left hand and knee. I also felt the chin of my helmet hit.
"Since I was well geared up, I just got a little scuffed. My bike however, took the worst of it. The headlight is broken. There's glass somewhere on the road. The speedometer is cracked and bent downward. The footpeg is wrenched backward and the saddlebags are pretty scarred up. There's also something wrong with the electricals because it won't attempt to start and it's hard to turn the ignition and lights off.
"I feel like I'd jump right back on and head down the road if my bike were running. But I'd really like to know exactly how I should handle tracks like that. While standing with my wounded bike, I watched a Goldwing rider whip right across that same spot without hesitation. He may have angled across them quickly, but I didn't catch it (I was still talking to the very nice police officer who came to help). I'd really like to know what's the best way to handle angled tracks like that - especially if I encounter them somewhere when I'm going more
than 30 mph."
I'm proud of her for wanting to jump right back on. I've got a new winter project for myself -- restoring her VF500C back to rideable condition.
I'd welcome any feedback, I'll pass it along to her.
She tangled with in-the-street railroad tracks, and took a tumble. It was low speed and she was wearing her gear. (She is MRS. ATGATTRAT after all.)
I asked her to write an account of it, and I'm forwarding it to the list. I'd like your thoughts about narrow angle railroad crossings, and how to approach them.
She's in good spirits, maybe some bruising. We've been meaning to spring for some armored mesh overpants for her, but at least the draggin jeans, while not providing padding, provided abrasion resistance. She'd have kissed asphalt without her full face helmet, which will have to be replaced. (The only thing gear-wise needing replacement from the encounter.)
Here's her account:
"I had just gotten onto a street that has train tracks running down the center. I'd only gone half a block and probably wasn't even up to third gear yet when the tracks that go down the middle veered to the right and across my lane at about a 45 degree angle, at most. Though I've been over those tracks before without incident, this time I didn't make it.
"I'd forgotten that they cut across the lane like that. When turning across them earlier in the day I'd made sure to come to a stop and then turn at almost 90 degrees across and through the intersection. But with them veering across the lane in front of me, I slowed down and braced myself mentally to cross them. They always make me nervous because I'm not quite sure of myself on how to handle them. I thought I was going to angle back across them but somehow didn't. I saw and felt my tire hit the rut and go down in it and the next thing I knew the bike was being whipped out from under me to the right and I was
heading forward and to the left. I landed with most of my weight on my left hand and knee. I also felt the chin of my helmet hit.
"Since I was well geared up, I just got a little scuffed. My bike however, took the worst of it. The headlight is broken. There's glass somewhere on the road. The speedometer is cracked and bent downward. The footpeg is wrenched backward and the saddlebags are pretty scarred up. There's also something wrong with the electricals because it won't attempt to start and it's hard to turn the ignition and lights off.
"I feel like I'd jump right back on and head down the road if my bike were running. But I'd really like to know exactly how I should handle tracks like that. While standing with my wounded bike, I watched a Goldwing rider whip right across that same spot without hesitation. He may have angled across them quickly, but I didn't catch it (I was still talking to the very nice police officer who came to help). I'd really like to know what's the best way to handle angled tracks like that - especially if I encounter them somewhere when I'm going more
than 30 mph."
I'm proud of her for wanting to jump right back on. I've got a new winter project for myself -- restoring her VF500C back to rideable condition.
I'd welcome any feedback, I'll pass it along to her.
firstly, tell her that i am glad that she is okay. nothing wrong with bruised pride, we all need reality checks periodically.
ReplyDeleteas for the crossing of the tracks, i usually try to cross with the bike perpendicular to the road (no lean) and also 90* to the tracks. this minimizes rubber to steel contact.
i am a bit skeptical that the transition (she called it a "rut") between pavement and the steel rail got her as she claims. those bumps are usually minimal and your roads are in rougher shape than what a normal rail-asphalt transition should be, so she should be used to that i would think. she mentions that she is nervous about crossings and tried to stop/slow down.
maybe she was still on the brake? and then she hit the rail at an angle and had the wheel on the track itself and then lost traction there? what may have gotten her was the fact that the rail(s) were a bit wet? or iced (temp. was never mentioned)?
just throwing stuff out there. maybe the two of you should go ride across those tracks until she builds up some confidence once the bike is back in shape again.
She already knows what she did wrong. You have to cross them at something nearing a perpendicular angle, even if that means cutting across the centerline to create it. Just wait till there are no cars coming. Also, as in any time when you're going over something slick, it's smart to be holding a neutral throttle...not on, but not off.
ReplyDeleteSmart girl, wearing gear. And you probably needed a winter project, anyway.
My biggest concern was that she'd give up riding, which is an unfounded fear since she's the original rider of the family and the one who roped me into it. She has no qualms about riding again and
ReplyDeletewas disappointed that the bike wouldn't start -- she couldn't get home. She'd have hopped right back on the horse the bucked her off if she could have.
With a busted headlight, it's probably best that we trailered it home.
She can't really remember what happened, and I wish she could. But I know when I've had the front end wash out (I didn't drop the bike!) I really struggled to recall the sequence of events because it all happens so fast.
She has a couple of bruises on her legs, and no gravel or asphalt in her skin, and no skin graft required, no trip to the emergency room.
She'd have kissed pavement if it weren't for the full face helmet.
She might have been on the front brake, or decelerating heavily. Which is just the wrong thing to do. There is a rut in the pavement by the rail ... big enough that she has seen a car running on a donut (spare tire) get the tire stuck in the rut.
I'll post pictures of the scene of the crime, and of the bike.
I was gonna buy her a new headlight anyway. But my winter project just got bigger.
This is based on riding since 1963.
ReplyDeletewhen this is encountered you torn slightly AWAY for the tracks l 1 > then turn back into the tracks
11 < so as to cross the tracks as perpendicular as you can. You must "turn" into the tracks not just try to crass them as "they" cross your path.
This is also the same was you cross onto newly paved sections on a Hiway. 2 lanes one repaved other lane not done yet
If you just move over parallel and try to cross inertia will cause "you" to cross but you bike will just FALLs over the hump not crossing it.
This holds true for any object you see on the road ahead of you. Hit it as squarely as you can. You may tear ou a tire but that does not hurt as much a flesh.
Does this make since Sure hope so.
My impression was that her problem wasn't slickness", but rather, the height difference, which problem, as you stated, can be minimized by crossing at close to 90 degrees. MSF also recommends standing up on the pegs while keeping your knees bent (so the legs act as shock absorbers) and rolling on the throttle just before the front wheel hits (to make the front wheel lighter and extend the forks) and then rolling off the throttle as soon as
ReplyDeletethe front wheel hits (to transfer weight forward, lightening the rear wheel).
Gotta get back on that horse, I agree dropping someone else's bike would be a bummer but overcoming fear while still fresh in you mind is going to help
ReplyDeleteyou beat your own demons. I am glad to hear only minor bruises but and ego/mental attitude is tough to recover from. My suggestion is to take the
offered bike and go kick some railroad track butt!
I agree with riding like you're on a dirt bike, Stand on pegs, bent knees and revving up rpm to extend front forks. I also bit it years ago crossing
highway on ramp. Foolish city painted curb stones white to mark an onramp,
it was my first time driving this road, 1:30 am and poorly light. I swept into the lane and my front tire made it over while my back did not, down I
went passenger and all. It is a lesson hard learned that will serve you the best, I am really glad you were dressed for the occasion. Good luck on the
recovery and push forward as you feel stronger.
In David Hough's book "Proficient Motorcycling" the author calls these "edge traps". He says that even very experienced and highly skilled riders get sometimes get surprised by these. Mostly because when the angle of the sunlight is correct or if the color/surface of the road is complex enough that you can't scan it with your eyes well as you
ReplyDeleteare passing over it, you can easily fail to identify the approaching obstacle. Also because we get all get complacent with the inherent stability of our motorcycle and it's ability to glide over just about
everything until we hit this special obstacle in the wrong way.
Roll a nickel over a linoleum floor, place strings or wires across it's path. It will bounce right over them and continue, or it will lean a little and then continue on a curved path to one side or the
other if the angle of the nickel's path is near perpendicular. If you were riding that nickel you could correct the induced curve and continue on. But, as the angle of the obstacles path becomes less
perpendicular the affect on the nickel increases, at around 45 degrees and less the rolling edge of the nickel get's kicked out from under the center of gravity. The same effect is happening to your front
wheel.
Hough mentioned that some riders tested various techniques for riding over edge traps. The MSF teaches the same things that Hough does. The
most important thing they found was that you should try to angle your path so that you can cross as close to 90 degrees as possible. Being
more than 45 degrees is essential. After that, standing on pegs, getting a firm ready grip on the handlebars, lifting the front wheel by giving a little gas as it approaches the bump and then easing off the throttle once the front wheel goes up so that the rear end is lighter help too.
I am not nearly as experienced as others on this list, but swerving to the side of your lane farthest away from the encroaching tracks and then as you approach the tracks turn towards them (crossing to the other side of the lane) so that as you go over the tracks you are as close to perpendicular as possible.
Glad to hear that ATGATT helped, especially about the draggin' jeans. I got a pair of those and wondered just how effective they really were. Hope that the soreness heals quickly.
Glad she is OK, the bike can always be fixed..
ReplyDeleteI've always been told to approach at as near 90 degrees as possible. However, in a situation like this; going straight, tracks cut across at 45 degrees, I don't know.
It would seem to me you would have to move to the right of the lane and then as approaching the track, cut back over to the left side of the lane trying to cross at as close to 90 as possible AND all while staying in your lane. I guess that is what I would attempt to do, but it would also depend on the traffic coming the other way. Moving to right, then quickly to the left puts you very near to oncoming traffic and that in itself seems just as dangerous.
Glad she is okay too! Wow, a first hand account of the draggin jeans protecting agains abrasion. But a hard way to review them.
ReplyDeleteI had been looking at the draggin jeans but kind of decided against them. Mainly because of my near 50 age. It seems that armor and padding is more important the older you get. Bones tend to break easier. Been looking at some of the Bohn Armor under gear. http://www.bohnarmor.com/catalog/searchnow.php?pg=1&cat=ts1&stext=Bodyguard
Expensive but can be worn under any pants.
That's right about trying to hit the tracks at 90 degrees. Swing out as much as you can to be able to cross them as close to 90 as possible.
ReplyDeleteEach track is different but when caught off guard, I have blipped the throttle real fast to take the weight off the front to get it over the track.
But you have to watch that too, because when the back hits the metal it may slide a bit. Back end slide is usually more controllable than the front in a rut.
Remember when you were a kid riding your bicycle down the sidewalk. That one stupid neighbor would always edge along the sidwalk and leave a rut.
If you wanted to cut accross it, you had to get the front tire up just a bit.
Ruts are what always get me riding in the dirt. The second that I get that front tire in a rut (usually courtesy of a stupid ATV) and slow down, over I go.
But dirt is a whole lot softer than asphalt.
That is very cool that she wanted to hop back on and ride! She is a true rider
Sorry to hear about your wife's spill, but definitely glad it was no worse than it was. I imagine your heart skipped a bit when she first started telling you what happened.
ReplyDeleteHow does your wife feel by today? Probably a bit sore.
One thing I just thought of after re-reading your wife's account of the accident. She mentioned she 'saw and felt' the tire going in the rut. Is there a reminder in this to all of us to look up where we want to go and that if we look down, that's likely where we'll go? I know I had my bike go down on me when I was rolling it back out of the drive which had a slope. I looked down and a couple seconds later the bike was down. Felt kind of stupid dumping it going about 2 mph