On August 25th while making a long commute to work to Sunnyvale, Ca. traffic came to a very abrupt and fast stop. Although lane splitting is legal, with this particular stop was happening hard and fast. As I began to brake and looked up ahead of me I could see what was happening, and my options were to brake extremely hard or do as I was taught to have an escape route. In this case being in lane 1 (fast lane) I chose to brake, release, swerve to the shoulder, and continue braking to a slow controlled stop. Preventing me from locking it up. (This also happens to be what the Calif. handbok and safety class teaches you to do as well.)
As I performed the maneveur without a problem and began to slow down, I had encrouched on the car in front me along side of it. The driver who was also braking hard, decided he needed the shoulder as well and failed to look for me. He came over and hit my crash bar with his left rear corner panel. Thus sending my front end into a wobble that I couldn't not stop or get out of. This occurred on Westbound I-205 at the Mountain House exit.
The bike and me went down on my right side. Believe it or not the bike faired rather well, Aside from needing new passing lamps, right mirror, head lamp trim ring, front brake master cyclinder, right floor boards, crash bar, right saddle bag, front fender, etc etc...
I on the other hand suffered small abrasion on my right knee, little heat rash through my leathers on my right arm and shoulder, bruised right hip, and 5 fractures across 4 ribs on the right side as well.
Guess for my first fall I got off easy.
Now for the fun part... repairs... woo hoo
Ciao Paul
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Topic: And down I went... (Read 4197 times)