Well, my little Rebel has many electrical gremlins, so I decided to head to the Shanghai moto market to see if my guy could find and exorcise them. Also the rear tire was not rolling straight.

Turns out my swingarm bushings were shot. And my guy wasn't there, so the other fellow had to try to exorcise the electrics. He was not successful.

Did tighten the swingarm pivot (should hold it for a week until I get the bushings replaced)(btw, now that it's fixed, I am noticing the odd handling was gone).

Anyways, coming down Gubei Lu, just north of Suzhou creek, I am going about 60. I shoulder check (thought a car was creeping up behind me) and then look ahead.

A guy in a brand new Honda Accord is sideways across my lane. He just pulled out and stopped. Typical China.

Even thought he is a shithead piece of human excrement who should never be within 500 m of a car and probably should be sent back to Hubei province or whatever and buried alive in his family manure pile, I suppose the rest was my fault.

I made a newb mistake, one I used to make years ago, but had not done since 2003. Instead of feathering the brakes and steering around (something I thought I had perfected) I locked the brakes and target fixated.

Dammit dammit dammit.

So now I am sliding along beside my bike. Double dammit. Luckily I don't hit anything.

I get up. My ATTGAT consisted of a half helmet, goggles, tweed blazer, cords and dress shoes.

Suprisiingly, all I have are ripped pants and some rash on my left leg.

I picked up the bike. The driver of the car gets out and gives me the Chinese goggle eyed stare. I call him something rather uncomplimentary in Chinese and start my bike. Keep in mind I didn't hit him. As I start to ride away, the construction workers across the road start yelling and pointing. Turns out the two bottles of coke at had on my rack are rolling away. And there is a broken turn signal there. Screw that. I am not hurt, there is no damage (except to my pride, my pants and my turn signal)(I managed not to hit the car in my slide). I am not waiting for the cops. Away I go.

So, what did I learn?

Pay attention. Riding in China is 100% serious.
Don't look back. In China, what is behind you is not you problem, what is in front of you is.
Practice emergency braking. Even if you think you nailed it. Your new bike might now have the grip and handling you are used to.
Now that the weather is colder you tires don't grip as well. Increase your braking distance.
No matter how stupid it is, Chinese drivers will do it. Even if they see you coming. Be prepared for anything. I saw the car, but I didn't think he would pull out, as there was lots of space and then he pulled out right in front of me.
Look where you want to go. Don't target fixate.
Even if the driver caused the accident, he will look at you with that fish stare that Chinese use on foreigners, even as you pick up the bike and call him a (insert insult here). Punching him in the face would likely be counter productive, although very tempting.