GOING DOWN?

[9000white]

i feel much more confident now that i have learned that there will be so much time to make all these wise decisions that i might even become bored during a crash.when it happens post back and go through the whole episode at the speed all of this occurs. "the book says".........what a load of pure bull....

[oldnslo]

Might even have time to order and drink a beer before coming to rest.....

[ejshotgun]

#1-Hope something doesn't run over you before you get on your feet or are able to crawl out of the way.
#2-Hope your arms/legs aren't flaying around so much they get broke.
#3-Be glad you dressed for the fall (you did dress for the fall didn't you?), road rash is hell not to mention what happens sometimes when you aren't wearing a helmet. (yes I have gone down when I hadn't dressed for the fall I was riding a 3-wheeler any of you guys remember those?).

Basically, like someone else has already said it happens so fast it's pretty much over before you can think of how to handle the situation after you've exited your bike.

[High_Side]

99% of people who said they had to "lay 'er down" are lying to cover up their lack of talent to avoid the situation. The other 1% simply made the wrong choice
If you have time to "choose" to lay it down, you have time to do something about it.

[sportsterideragogo]

I have to disagree. My one and only serious road-bike crash happened SO FAST that it was either sacrifice the bike or me. Period.

I do agree that at least 50% of the bike riders on the road are pretty clueless, but you can't make a blanket statement like that. Just isn't accurate.

[Sev]

I have to disagree. My one and only serious road-bike crash happened SO FAST that it was either sacrifice the bike or me. Period.

I do agree that at least 50% of the bike riders on the road are pretty clueless, but you can't make a blanket statement like that. Just isn't accurate.

You might need to explain that story a little better. There isn't really a safe way to get off a bike at speed so for me to intentionally remove myself it'd need to be something extreme - ie train in my path that I could not stop (brakes out) for.

[High_Side]

I have to disagree. My one and only serious road-bike crash happened SO FAST that it was either sacrifice the bike or me. Period.

I do agree that at least 50% of the bike riders on the road are pretty clueless, but you can't make a blanket statement like that. Just isn't accurate.

When you think about it, you just argued my point. Most accidents happen too fast to be avoided so there really is no opportunity to make a decision. You try to ride it out to the point that you can't anymore and then your decision is made for you. To throw it away because you have time to decide is ludicrous. If you have the time to make the decision you have time to respond to avoid the accident. Most times you don't have the time to decide, or if you did, there wouldn't be an accident......
I just laugh at listening to "bikers" tell of how they had to "lay it down". After 30 years of riding and lots of crashes on the dirt, pre-street, I can't imagine this ever happening.....

[ejshotgun]

I have to disagree. My one and only serious road-bike crash happened SO FAST that it was either sacrifice the bike or me. Period.

I do agree that at least 50% of the bike riders on the road are pretty clueless, but you can't make a blanket statement like that. Just isn't accurate.

I agree for one thing no one can know everything. And there are always exceptions.

[sportsterideragogo]

I was following a tractor trailer into town. I was about 100 feet behind him, and we were going about 50mph. Without warning-no blinker, no gradual slowdown, no nothing-he (all at the same time) locked up his trailer brakes, and swung completely across the road to the left-to make a right turn into a fenced gate. IE: He went from 50mph to basically zero, and swung out, covering the entire road.

I had 3 choices, and I had to pick one of them in a split second.

1. Hit the trailer-not a very good option.
2. Go off the road and take my chances with either the great big boulders on the right side, or the wide, apx. 10 foot deep drainage ditch on the left.
3. (the one I took) Put the bike down, and hope I get rid of enough energy sliding to not hit the trailer.

Unfortunatly, the road had just been repaved, it was hot out, and the blacktop was kinda sticky. I was sliding along just fine, until the rear tire caught and I got catapaulted. It sucked.

I would add, I've been riding for the better part of 30 years, and this has been my only serious crash-aside from dirt bikes.

[Sev]

Personally in that situation I would have been on both brakes right to the end. And here's why:

I've yet to think of a safe way to dump a bike at speed. I know of three ways that will make it happen.

1) use the front brake and turn the bars - instant highside, you're now scraping along the ground towards the trailer with a bike chasing you. Sev sandwich

2) lock the back brake - again instant highside if you don't ride it out same result as above

3) turn until you lose traction - low side, and you're chasing the bike, but this also means that you're turning away from the obstruction and off into the boulders.

4) jump off - I cannot run at 50km/h and would not want to try. This is a very good way to shatter both legs and potentially your arms.

I might be missing something, so feel free to correct me... but none of those seem like a better option then slowing down as much as possible using the brakes: they have a greater coefficient for friction then you do, and you can stop the bike faster then you can stop a rolling self.

So if I'm missing something here, please let me know. But purposely dumping seems like a huge mistake.


And as a side note: the brakes on my bike will stop me in a 1/3 the distance of a truck. I weigh substantially less (less momentum) and have better brakes overall. If he stopped, I can to.