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Food for Thought - Warning - Very Graphic


Rod38um
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Saw this link on another forum, I thought the message deserved some play....

http://www.ex-500.com/index.php/topic,19460.0.html

So. I'm going to try to be direct and straightforward in hopes that anyone who reads this will learn better than I seem to have learned. I made many, many mistakes in the course of this story and I'm aware of them all. If you want to flame, flame away, but I'm already sick over what happened and just don't want it to happen to anyone else.

I had my first wreck Thursday night. I had a passenger, which changed the handling of the bike, and I wasn't careful enough. A turn snuck up on us in the dark, and I ran out of lean and lowsided at about 35 mph. We were just going around the corner for a burrito; no gear, no helmets. (not even going to begin to rationalize any of this. Like I said, this was all a result of many bad decisions on my part, and I completely accept that).

I'm sure we only slid for a second or so but I remember it vividly. The bike threw up a storm of sparks, she landed on me and we went over and over. I remember every time she came over me, I was trying to keep her off the asphalt. Then everything stopped and was silent, and the sickest single moment of my life occurred as I thought "I've killed a person. I've killed her." Then time started up again and she started crying. I called my friend from around the corner who took us to the hospital, where I sat with her for 8 hours while she got checked out.

The damages: I've lost lots of skin. I mean, lots. I've never hurt this badly in my life. It was just skin and I'm uninsured, so I thought "I'll take care of it myself." and declined admission to the ER. Scrubbing it out without morphine is the single most painful 30 minutes I've ever felt.

As far as she goes: she's pretty damn rashed up. Probably worse than me. She split her head open over her eyebrow, and it's swelled her eye shut. Two inches to the left and she would have died instantly. She came down hard on her hip and knee, and can't bend them for the swelling. Her x-rays came back clean, so no broken bones. She's medicated, safe at home, and never wants to see me again. I wouldn't either.

Listen up kids. When you ride 2-up, you take somebody's life in your hands. You had damn well better be prepared for that responsibility. I've spend quite a bit of time today sitting on the floor of my room sobbing that I'm such a jackass that I almost took a life. I took responsibility for another person and failed miserably. It's the sickest feeling in the world and I want to spare you all from it. I would give anything in my entire life for the last two days to have never happened.

Pictures below for the strong of stomach, in hopes of scaring you all into being wise. I would accept this unblinkingly as a damn good warning, had I been alone. But someone I care about is in even worse shape, and I am 100% responsible. I never wanted to know what that feels like.

All but the last photo were taken in the hospital bathroom while she was being x-rayed.

Right arm:

2db8jnn.jpg

Left arm. This one bled for 10 hours:

v74nde.jpg

Left hand. Note the missing skin. By now, 2 days later, it's peeled back about another half-inch around the abrasion:

24qlds7.jpg

Left leg. These were my good, heavy pants. They lasted about 6 inches:

19a53o.jpg

Shoulder to waist. If you look closely, you can see all the buttons ripped out of the shirt and I dragged on that side. There's gravel so deep on my pec that I'll never get it out:

2ag15a9.jpg

At home:

sp91j6.jpg

The nurse sent extra stuff with Catie so I could get cleaned up too. What she didn't send was the several vials of morphine that Catie had in her when then scrubbed her out. Tylenol isn't the same. I screamed, threw up, and passed out cleaning these. And the whole time I'm dealing with the fact that I knew better and was in control, and I did this to somebody else who did NOT have control. Day 2, and it's not any easier to live with.

I tried to be completely frank about how I'm feeling in an effort to make the truth set in on you guys. I was a literal 2 inches away from killing her, because I thought we didn't need gear to go 5 blocks, and because she liked the thrill of leaning and I wanted to impress her. Nobody's impressed now.

Edited by Casper
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Those aren't graphic, I thought it was going to be worse than that. Although, the skin missing on the finger gives me the willies! :eek: Looks like you can just slip the remaining skin right off like it's a glove.

I feel for that girl. Her head split open??! That's awful. As I scrolled down I figured her wound would be posted and that was going to be the graphic picture.

All in all, he learned the hard way. Sucks they experienced it.

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Wow.

I'm not advocating going without full gear.. but I do see people (my husband included) who risk their arms and fingers by wearing short sleeve shirts without jackets. I DON'T know why you wouldn't wear a f'n helmet?!!??! Seriousy!!!! What the hell is wrong with you to not bother to protect your head most of all?!

I'm glad to hear they will both survive.. but wow.. what a cost for not wearing gear!

My husband may be riding 2 up this weekend when my 53 yr old stepgrandmother comes into town but I am prepared. Extra helmet in the garage and she can wear his tech jacket since he obviously just lets it sit on a hanger.

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Wow.

I DON'T know why you wouldn't wear a f'n helmet?!!??! Seriousy!!!! What the hell is wrong with you to not bother to protect your head most of all?!

I've felt the pressure before.... Been out somewhere and meet up with some chick who begs for a ride and I didnt have any extra gear and when you offer her yours she says something like: "That defeats the whole purpose of going for a ride"

It leaves a guy with the option of doing whats right and looking like an ass for not taking some cute lil thing for a ride.... or..... taking a risk, and maybe getting something started with her....

It sucks to be in that situation and in all honesty, I've played it both ways. The more I see though...... the more I'm convinced to just be the ass........ if she cant see the point.... oh well.......

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I can see that. I mean, I've been at bike nights before with guys who have been flirting with girls and they had both been drinking. Said-girl asks to go for a ride and he obliges. Neither with gear.

I'm the thankful sober one with my own gear and my own bike.

One of my buddys almost lost the girl off of his bike. They had both been drinking and she leaned back thinking there was a sissy bar. He had to grab both of her legs to keep her from falling off. He managed to maintain control of the bike and then when they came to a complete stop he bitched her out and told her no more drinks for her.

He told me he was done with her after that event. Although I seriously doubt it.

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I can see that. I mean, I've been at bike nights before with guys who have been flirting with girls and they had both been drinking. Said-girl asks to go for a ride and he obliges. Neither with gear.

I'm the thankful sober one with my own gear and my own bike.

One of my buddys almost lost the girl off of his bike. They had both been drinking and she leaned back thinking there was a sissy bar. He had to grab both of her legs to keep her from falling off. He managed to maintain control of the bike and then when they came to a complete stop he bitched her out and told her no more drinks for her.

He told me he was done with her after that event. Although I seriously doubt it.

he probably meant he was done riding her... but not done riding her, if ya know what I mean!

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It happens.......Us guys are suckers if you ladies are acting flirty....... Its hard to resist doing just about any stupid thing you can think of........ Thank God I'm getting a bit older and think for a couple seconds b4 I do most things..... lol

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in '86, the Ninja 900 (the first "ninja" in the US) was the fastest production bike available. top speed was 155mph!

it was really a 908cc engine, that they later halved to make the "LTD 454," which was bored out to 498, and used in the Ninja 500

...so that picture does have half a ninja 500 engine in it. sort of.

The original post makes me think i should invest in riding pants. makes me feel a hell of a lot better about my jacket and gloves in the heat.

where's QuickZX9R??

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GUess it pays to be married..... I had several different times had someone ask for a ride and I said "NO". ONe, I know I'm not skilled enough to haul someone safely and that one wrong shift of weight will end badly. Sorry, can be an amazing piece of ass and I still wouldn't................. aint worth the hassel. (which doesn't answer why I'm married in the first place) lol

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