A Tale of Stupidity

[dewsnap]

I decided to start this thread as I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself and wanted to share my stupid story. Last night i dropped my bike and ended up with a broken rib.

Imagine the scenario. Friday night i do a demo class for a new one to one student at his home. He's a stock broker and lives in a 4 floor mansion tucked away in a beautiful compound in Shanghai. His wife is the senior HR manager for Coca-Cola China and last night i nearlly killed them both on their doorstep with my bike.

The class went well and we're all stood on their driveway saying our goodbyes. The stock broker is talking to me about bikes as i start the engine. I've left the bike in first gear so it jumps forward flying towards the wealthy couple. The wife jumps out of the way but the guy ends up on the floor, the bike falls on it's side and i end up chest down on the now upright handlebars. I'm rolling around on the floor covered in petrol and oil and finally manage to lift the bike upright. They both tried to make light of the situation and i apologised and got out of there as quickly as possible feeling more than ashamed. The clutch pedal was twisted and the handlebars were slightly bent but i managed to get home in one piece.

My chest was in agony last night so my wife took me to the hospital this morning and it turns out i've got a broken rib. The doctors practically said there's nothing they can do other than write a week long sick note. If the pain of a broken rib is not enough my wife then decides to take me to a traditional style therapists who sticks me with needles and sets fire to my arm. It's been a traumatic few days to say the least.

I'm sure there's lessons to be learnt from this story, such as always check the bikes in neutral before starting the engine, or don't become complacent after only a month of riding, i don't really know. I started this thread as i was hoping you guys could poke fun at me and make me feel better. I'm stuck at home on this glorious weekend not being able to lay down, sit down, open doors or even hold my baby. The worst of it is my wife now wants me to sell my bike.

[Lao Jia Hou]

I'm sure there's lessons to be learnt from this story, such as always check the bikes in neutral before starting the engine, or don't become complacent after only a month of riding, i don't really know. I started this thread as i was hoping you guys could poke fun at me and make me feel better. I'm stuck at home on this glorious weekend not being able to lay down, sit down, open doors or even hold my baby. The worst of it is my wife now wants me to sell my bike.

Real sorry to hear about your misfortune - seriously.

But here is what I have learned ... everyone makes mistakes when their attention is elsewhere, as is often the case when you are talking to someone while starting/stopping a bike. But very few admit to it.

Improving one's overall riding skills frequently comes out of misfortune, as you've experienced. I doubt you will forget to hold in the clutch when you hit the starter over the next several years.

As for the wife, IMHO, happy riding only results from a happy wife. And if she's onto you to sell, she probably wasn't too keen on the original idea of you having a bike. Most Chinese people view motorcycles as death traps. Your mishap is providing her with ammunition. Wives have incredible patience awaiting the right moment for an "I told you so."

Anyways, heal soon, bro.

[td_ref]

Don't know what to say. My bike's start motor isn't that powerful, I normally have time to react when bike is unintended forward. Another is forgetting unlock the steering, bike off, you realised the mistake suddenly, then the worst feeing of all, couldn't be saved. We all learn though.
TD

[Steve_R]

Really sorry to hear about this one.

Actually, if the bike is neutral, I'd still err on the side of caution and put the clutch in before starting up.

Sometimes I've had the experience where the engine light says it's in neutral, but the bike is still partially engaged and it leaps forward when I push the starter. Haven't hurt anyone or myself this way, but have had a few close calls.

As for talking to people while on the bike, have also had that experience. Again, close calls. I've learned the hard way that I'd rather focus 100% on the riding than doing any conversations while on the bike -- even with starting up.

[david3921]

If the pain of a broken rib is not enough my wife then decides to take me to a traditional style therapists who sticks me with needles and sets fire to my arm.

Dew, not to make light of your situation but I was taking a drink when I read the above and almost blew it out my noise I was laughing so hard. In all seriousness, we all do dumb things and there are always lessons to be learned in each one. No one got seriously hurt and you will again ride someday. Best of all, when you can again hold your child it will be all that much more sweeter.

[slabo]

Sorry about the mishap. Doesn't your bike have one of these? Both my bikes wouldn't start unless I pull the clutch in, regardless of being in neutral or not. Also some bikes have a switch connected to the kickstand, can't start unless kickstand is up. Anyway, ride and learn. Stranger things have happened.

[chinabiker]

Sad to hear about your mishap.

At driving school in 1979 our instructor told us three golden rules at standstill, which I'll never forget and always follow.

1. Never sit on a motorcycle with the side-stand out
2. Always pull the clutch when starting the engine
3. At standstill, when shifting to neutral, always firmly pull the brake until clutch is fully released

[moilami]

I wonder why so few people have "live to learn" motto.

[Fred]

Hey Dan, sorry for the mishap, I hope the rib will not be too painful in the following weeks.

I never leave my bike in gear and always check the N sign before starting it, but I admit I don't pull the clutch in. Even if it was not the mistake you made, I thank you for your thread, as I'll do it now, just to be sure I don't have a false neutral.
Usually when stopping at long red lights, I put the bike in neutral and release very slowly the clutch, to make sure it's not a false neutral. I may apply the front brake too now.

You live, you learn. ;-)

[euphonius]

Dear Dewsnap,

I've had to bite my tongue about your post, and your little calamity. All I could think of was laugh lines to cheer you up. What's wrong with that?

I've had broken ribs before -- just last summer as a matter of fact, from my own little getoff -- and believe me the last thing you want to do is laugh. Or cough. Or sneeze. Or sit up. Or lie down. Or be hugged by your wife (or anyone else). Or commit foreplay, duringplay or afterplay. Or buckle your seat belt. Or take a crap. Or pull your pants back up. Broken ribs hurt more than just about any other injury, and they can't really be trussed up or put in a cast. So they heal kind of slowly, and you're constantly worrying that even sitting still and breathing gently is putting stress on the fracture, prying it loose and slowing its healing, leading to more days of pain.

And bloody everything and anything you do hurts like a muthafucka. And nothing hurts more than a good laugh. Well, OK, sneezes are worse.

So, given our friendship and all, I didn't want to say anything that might make you laugh. Which is what your story definitely did to me. You are quite the subtle comic, and I was rolling on the floor myself, though thankfully there was no petrol bath. The only line in your story that did NOT make me laugh was the last line. LJH put it just right with his comment about wives' supernatural timing when it comes to saying, "I &%#$ told you so."

If you are off the bike for a few days, you could do worse than taking some time to do a little mini refresher course in the Motorcycle Safety Foundation website. Here are two of many downloadable PDFs on rider safety:

Street Motorcycle Tips
MSF Basic Rider Course

Now that you've been on the bike for a month or more, yet without the benefit of a proper (MSF-style) safety and riding course, this stuff should help a lot.

As for your wife, just milk the broken rib for all it's worth, and get well soon. She'll come around.

cheers