Korean Job Discussion Forums

[coralreefer_1]

Only spill i had was fairly late one night a few years ago on a country road. I had stopped a few minutes before and didnt put my helmet back on..then driving on this 6 lane country highway in an industrial area where typically there are stoplights to allow trucks out from the factories but at night there are no trucks and typically i blew threw those lights.

Anyway..that night was a warm summer night, and I was wearing jeans, a white t-shirt and an silk dress shirt over it. As I sped along that empty highway about 80kpm..I was singing a song in my head..not paying attention.

The light ahead was red, but I wasn't planning on stopping. Due to the singing in my head I didn't notice the car stopped on the other side waiting to make a left turn across my path into the factory.

Basically when the car pulled out I slammed on the brakes (both front and back) but the bike fell toward the left and both bike and I went sliding down the road (the bike much more than myself)

I can say this...all of the hapkido and Judo training I had done saved me ALOT of damage, because when the bike rolled I was heading face first into the road, but instinctively did the "front" breakfalling technique breaking the fall with my forearms preventing my face from getting slammed.

I lost a bit of skin on one hand, and the shirt I was wearing was kind of melted into my skin on my elbow ( that was painful trying to get that shirt off) but otherwise even though I slammed the pavement going probably about 50kph at the time of the actual fall..I healed fairly quickly, never needed to see a doctor, no scars and the fact my bike had those roll bars on the front prevented my leg from getting trapped under the bike that probably would have helped drag me down the road with it. Only damage to the bike was scratches on that roll bar, and scratches to the back frame.

Also, once the bike slipped out from under me when i was driving up onto a sidewalk near a subway station to park beside the bike rack. That sidewalk has these yellow (seems like plastic) strips for blind citizens. I was driving very slow as I was about to park but there was a puddle of water just before I got up on the sidewalk and as soon as wet front tire hit that yellow strip the front tire went out and the bike went down. Luckily I didnt actually fall...just jumped up. Watch out for that kind of thing^^

[bangbayed]

[digitalmk]

I'm happy to say I haven't been in any scrapes yet. I've had several close calls with buses and SUVs merging into my lane. Basically, I got to involuntarily lane split.

Also, just the weekend, I had a car in front of me just come to a abrupt and total stop in the middle of the road. I braked hard (but just a slit second of skidding in the front tire - grabbed too hard) and stopped about an inch from his bumper.

[bekinseki]

I've had a few. More important than kneepads and elbow pads have been gloves. If you fall while wearing gloves, chances are you'll get up and jump back on your scooter. If you don't have gloves, road rash on both palms.

I had good riding gloves but they disappeared. The other day I was riding through Suwon and a couple Korean guys saw I had no gloves, so one of them got off his scooter and pulled out a spare pair of gloves for me. Pretty surprising.

Of my accidents, I had one that seemed minor, but I guess the car's side-view mirror struck my clavicle and broke it. That was the only time I've been severely injured other than on my hands.

My first accident, I was going through an intersection when I was struck by a car turning right into my lane. It totalled the scooter. Later, he reported that I was at fault for running a red light, a total lie. My boss ended up yelling at him over the phone until he confessed.

[digitalmk]

I'm definitely a proponent of ATGATT and I will wear my armoured jacket, pants, gloves, and boots (and helmet of course) when I go out for a longer ride. Two times, when I was just going to the store I said screw it and just wore my blue jeans, but I've seen too many people whose legs have been mangled while wearing blue jeans to do it on a regular basis.

[lorenchristopher]

I can't vote in the poll, but in the three years that I drove mine I had two minor incidents.

The first one was completely my fault....I was in a hurry, late for work, tried to pass a guy on the right when he suddenly turned right. I just bumped into him and it sent me rolling on the ground.

Second time was a bit more serious. Driving on a wet rode and a driver to my left slammed on his brakes and swirved in front of me. I of course slammed on my brakes, but the road was wet so I skidded out from underneath. Went flying across the intersection.

Both times I had scrapes and bruises....which SUCK. Both times the people were extremely kind and helpful and apologetic to me though.

My advice. Don't get into the mode of driving and trying to pass every car on the road like it's some kind of game. The delivery guys drive like crazy and taxi drivers will pull over or pull out without any notice. Talk about defensive driving!

I sold my scooter and will probably upgrade to a real bike next year.