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Thought I'd post some about my brother's recent accident on the I-5 freeway in Southern CA. He was riding a '96 Kawasaki Concours. His protective equipment saved his life. Basically he was in the HOV lane following a delivery truck and there was a large pallet blocking the lane. The truck hit it, spread it some more so my brother couldn't avoid it. He spilled the bike going 60 mph/100 kmh, being knocked off and onto his left side. He was wearing an Arai Quantum helmet, Fieldsheer textile jacket with armor, and Joe Rocket pants with armor. He ended up in ICU for a week with all the ribs and the clavicle on his left side broken. He hit hard enough that it ruptured part of an artery in his left thigh requiring emergency surgery. The doctors stated that without his riding gear he would have been very very messed up. He'll ride again, but it will take a few weeks to heal. By the way, he's 57.
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File comment: Joe Rocket pants. Doctors stated armor on hips saved him from a broken pelvis. Little more messed up in the picture as they had to be cut off DSCF0458.JPG [ 477.1 KiB | Viewed 1305 times ]
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File comment: Arai helmet, left side where he fell is ground down some DSCF0454.JPG [ 438.15 KiB | Viewed 1303 times ]
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File comment: Fieldshear jacket. The cloth on top of the armor in the elbow and shoulder is ground through DSCF0457.JPG [ 474.2 KiB | Viewed 1300 times ]
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File comment: Joe Rocket pants. Doctors stated armor on hips saved him from a broken pelvis. Little more messed up in the picture as they had to be cut off DSCF0458.JPG [ 477.1 KiB | Viewed 1305 times ]
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 4:34 am Posts: 79 Location: Ontario,Calif.,USA
Tomcat-send my best to your brother-all too often riders who go down on our local So Cal freeways don't get a second chance to ride-the gear can help a whole lot-sounds like he is a walking poster for ATGATT-again best wishes on his recovery-Luke
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:51 am Posts: 1028 Location: Canberra, Australia
Whats a HOV lane?
There is nothing like seeing the damage done to proper riding gear to make you think about your own safety precautions (I am personally ATGSOTT (all the gear, some of the time)). I sometimes think about getting an open face helmet, but I have seen so many photos of full face helmets with serious grazing to the chin bar that I quickly forget about it. I really need to get some protective leg gear, my cargos just aren't gonna cut it in an accident.
I hope your brother gets well soon. It must take guts to get back on a bike after an accident like that.
_________________ A bad tradesman blames his tools, but so does a good tradesman who owns shitty tools. Life is so confusing
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 9:07 am Posts: 228 Location: Copperas Cove, Tx
HOV=High Occupancy Vehicle...Its a carpool lane... Best wishes and a speedy recovery to your brother. This is more proof that safety gear can save your life, or at the least lessen the extent of injuries sustained.
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Just so our Aussie friends understand (and I do miss visiting Perth and Sydney), federal law here in the states is such that any commute, or HOV lane that was built with government money must allow motorcycles. If you ever get to the Los Angeles basin most of the freeways there have HOV lanes. Appreciate all the good thoughts. He's home now trying to recover.
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:21 am Posts: 243 Location: N GA USA
I know exactly how he feels right now, as I had similar wounds a few years back from a high side on a SV650- shattered all ribs on right side and broke right scapula, foot fractures, lung puncture- full gear. Was in for 2 weeks. Your bro is in a LOT of pain- hope he's getting plenty of morphine sulfate and TLC...
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 12:22 am Posts: 72 Location: Sterling Heights, Michigan
Best wishes for a speedy and thorough recovery, Tomcatvet. Always dress for the crash, not the ride! Although he had the proper gear, thankfully he didn't get run over by other cars on the freeway.
Prayers for your brother's speedy recovery. Is that the bike in the pictures? that looks like the bike described but I don't see any damage on it, both mirrors etc., did the bike just slide down or something, doesn't look like it rolled. Can you fix his bike for him before he gets out of the hospital?
I broke my arm in a bike accident once, many years ago, street bike being ridden by a dirt bike rider on a softball field (no questions please ) and I dropped the bike and broke my arm, my Dad had my bike fixed without telling me and when I saw it again it was all ready to go, it nearly brought tears to my eyes I was so thankful, even though I couldn't ride it for a while it was something I didn't have to worry about...
That is the bike in the picture. Seems it landed on its side and skidded, scraping it pretty bad. His insurance will pay all but $50 for repairs, so good for him. Unfortunately I'm in Pittsburgh, and he is in So. CA, so running out there to help is problematic. Funny someone mentioned morphine. They did give him some but it lowered his BP to far to be safe. He's healing. Thanks for all the prayers and wishes.
He's up and moving, still can't use his left arm due to damage where the muscles connect to the clavicle. Can only sit in car seats where the seat belt comes from the right. Guess he could drive in Australia, but here in the U.S. he is stuck as a passenger.
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) and I dropped the bike and broke my arm, my Dad had my bike fixed without telling me and when I saw it again it was all ready to go, it nearly brought tears to my eyes I was so thankful, even though I couldn't ride it for a while it was something I didn't have to worry about...
