Wrecked.

A while ago I posted a thread about my (then) new paintjob.

http://vfrworld.com/forums/1st-2nd-generation-1983-1989/39388-new-paint-83-interceptor-image-heavy.html

This is what she looked like:



A week ago last saturday I dropped her on a defective road surface, and she now looks like this:



I was riding in a straight line up an incline which appeared quite 'flat' at no more than 30mph. Unfortunately there was a lump in the road. The front wheel hit it, then the back wheel. The bike bucked like a bronco a couple of times, I lost grip of the bars and I was off. The bike caused a small amount of damage to a parked car.

I injured my right hand in the accident and made several visits to hospital since



This morning I had surgery n the hand to repair fractured metacarpals, (surgeon told me my hand had separated from the wrist) and a broken trapezoid. Two screws have reconnected the two pieces of trapezoid, and four rods have reconnected the metacarpals to the wrist.

I don't know what my future plans are concerning the bike. I prob have most of the parts I need to rebuild = I have almost two spare bikes. It depends pretty much on how the hand heals and whether I lose any functionality in it.

I didn't even see the bump till I was on top of it. Be careful out there.

 

Sorry to hear about your accident. Take care of that hand/wrist first and foremost. I've busted my right wrist up and have been feeling it for years. Hope you can get another bike together. Looks like the front hit hard on something solid. Take car of yourself. Learn to drink with your left hand.........

 

Dang man, terribly sorry to hear about that. Good luck with the hand, winter is going to be hell from now on.

 

Sorry about your mishaps
I feel your pain.........

 

That sucks. Heal well.

Too bad somebody thought it was a good idea to move the bump ahead sign off to the side, where it couldn't be seen. Dumbasses.

 

sorry about the wreck. I was also recently in a wreck and I feel your pain. Here's to a quick recovery and being back on the road soon.

 

Thats sucks, really. I hit a really big dog at about 35mph and did the same thing to my hand and broke my elbow, that totalled my first and pristine RZ350. Then 6 months later, a Coco-Cola truck T-boned me on my brand new 3 month old Gen4 Viffer. Totaled it, broke my same arm again, hand again, and I was able to buy an old Beechcraft Bonanza B35 from it. Sorry for your pain.

 

As for you - its good to hear you are mostly OK - so get well soon, but make sure you follow medical advice to ensure a full recovery.

As for the Bike - it looks quite a sight. If you are happy to rebuild it, just make sure the frame and forks are straight before you start rebuilding things.

As for the road - Rant mode engaged - Oh the joys of UK town roads...

Did you take that photo on the day of the accident? It may make the basis for a successful claim against the council for not maintaining the road. Three things come to light. Firstly the two temporary warning signs - I assume they were put out during roadworks in the street but as they have been reversed I assume they think the work has been done well enough. I also note the patch of newer tarmac running from across the road - was that the bump which you hit? or have they come back later and the photo now shows the repaired surface after they filled in whatever caused your crash?

One might speculate from the change in height beside the curb that at one time there was either a speed hump at that location or more likely a utility firm did it when connecting up the street light on the right side of the road - there is ominous signs of patching on the left pavement suggesting newly installed cables in the street. Either way don't just accept it was your fault. Otherwise you are going to be stiffed by your own insurer (lost NCB and excess) and I assume the owner of the car which got hit will be chasing you for compensation for something which was not your fault.

Councils have a legal duty to keep roads in a safe condition. If possible get accident statements from any witnesses, take heaps of photos, drawings and measurements and then start writing letters to the council highways people, to your MP. Don't wimp out - always write specifically asking your MP to write to the Prime Minister about what happened. Also always may sure you mention in your letter to the council that you have also sent a formal complaint to the PM demanding a formal investigation and full compensation for the damage to you and your motocycle because their inadequate road repair could have killed you!

Sadly far too often people accept potholes and defective roads - just because there are loads of them around. This will only stop when someone dies or people realise they need to complain and keep complaining until Councils stop wasting funds on Town Twinning junkets and fix the bl...in roads!

Here ends the rant - Take care

Skimad

 

Glad your ok, I had a right hand (thumb) injury back in 08. Dont know about your legal system there, maybe a barrister would be able to help your cause ($$$) Good luck and mend fast and fix that farking bike fer-gawds sake!

 

What a mess. Hope you didn't leave any trash behind at the accident scene! JK of course. Firstly, let your injuries heal proper. Do what the doc says and follow any rehab to the letter. They know how to make the best of your rehab. If something is hurting, then for Christ's sake, tell them. Now the bike. What a shame.

Looks like you have a huge project on your hands to rehab that puppy. Good luck with both.

 

Hi, Thank you for the words of support and encouragement, and the advice. I do intend to make a claim against the council for personal injury and damage to the bike.

I have made a freedom of information request to the council in respect of that stretch of highway concerning inspections and maintenance processes prior to making a claim.

The photo was taken 8 days after the accident, and I (and my wife, who thankfully wasn't on the bike at the time) are pretty sure that the warning signs were not there at the time of the accident. The FOI request should reveal when they were placed there.

The patched section of road in the picture is the defect I hit.

I have evidence that the defect was reported on the 26th March, and the accident happened on the 13th April. I also reported the defect after the accident.

I have taken several pics of the defect from all angles.

I'll update this thread as and when I learn more.

Again, thanks for the words of concern, and be careful out there...

 

Sorry to hear about your crash. Hang in there with the wrist, they do come right even if it feels like its taking forever. I suppose the same can be said for the bike. As long as it's all straight and you accept that anything is an improvement on what it looks like now, you can fix practically anything. Good luck.

 

Sorry to hear about the accident.

I hope the claim goes through okay and you heal up fully.

 

Glad your ok and can share your experience. Sorry about the bike though.

And WTF is up with England and the effed up road workers!!!???? Do you live in this town?

Road Workers Mistakenly Paint Tiny Alley | Watch the video - Yahoo! Screen

 

Lol, I read about that. No, I don't live there. I live here:

Sheffield

 

Update on the accident I had in April this year.

My hand is much better now, though it is weaker than it was before. I did put a claim in against the local council and they admitted liability for the accident. Currently waiting for an interim payment on account of the bike and out of pocket expenses, then I've got to wait for the personal injury settlement.

I think the VF is too heavy for my hand to cope with right now, so instead of fixing her back up I decided to put the lot on eBay - There's a little over an hour of the auction to go. I'm then going to get something somewhat lighter and newer. Toyed with the idea of another Honda V4, but I really like Kawasaki Zephyrs and Z650's so I'm looking at a couple on eBay.

Incidentally, Despite my accident occurring in April and the council admitting liability for the accident, I had cause to visit the scene of the accident earlier on this month. The defect that I hit is still there, and the council have done absolutely nothing to remove the hazard - about six months later.

 

Thanks for the update :thumbsup: - I was wondering whether we would hear more. Its great to hear you have healed enough to be contemplating another bike - even if its not going to be another VFR.

Why am I not surprised the defective road has not been repaired :frusty:- I am afraid some councils seem willing to spend more on money on junkets than fixing the streets! Do you have a decent regional newspaper - if so send then a synopsis of the accident with your pictures and evidence the Council have accepted liability for the accident along with an up-to-date photo to show the defect has still not been fixed 6 months later. I suspect that when it appears in print, the defective road will be fixed in hours!

Finally if you are looking for a replacement for the 750 - take a Street Triple R for a test ride. They are a great fun bike - light, cheap and astonishingly quick which will put a big grin on your face:biggrin:. It will be sad to see you leave, but whatever you choose take care.



SkiMad

 

Good to hear that things are looking up for you. I wouldn't make the wrist too much of an issue regarding your next purchase, April is not that long ago, it should get stronger.

 

It is good that you are still here to share your story with us. Get well quickly.

 

I am really glad you weren't more seriously hurt and am glad to hear you are on the mend. You know, this is not just a UK problem. It happens all over. Last weekend I was riding one of my favorite roads. I have ridden that road numerous times and I had been thinking that I knew it pretty well. Then I hit what can only be described as a depression in the road. I didn't see it because it didn't look like anything. It compressed the forks, tossed the bike in the air and I was just on the way down when the back wheel hit it. This was all done in the time it took me to scream in my helmet "what he hell was that?" I was shaken. I slowed and then hit its twin. I seriously thought I bent the front wheel I hit so hard. It's why I don't go screaming around corners anymore. Too many nasty surprises from the things you can see much less from the things you can't.