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I was right! Damn, I hate that.
3 months ago
General
Karno's Rare-Because-He-Never-Has-Time Blather:
So me and an ol' pal that I've semi-permanently loaned my scooter to, made a date at a motorcycle dealership for nine AM, to swap out the scooter's drive belt. I get stuck for a bit as a slow-moving freight train crosses my path, but I still make it to the motorcycle place at nine on the dot. I sign up for the repairs, hand 'em the new drive belt, and sit down to wait for my friend to show up.
But he doesn't. So my brain, as it usually does, immediately goes to the worst-case scenario: My friend hasn't shown up, and hasn't called to explain why, because he's had a terrible auto accident. He's too severely injured to communicate! Or even dead! Augh!
But about an hour into my wait, I finally get a text from him. And find out I was right. In his own words:
"Had some little red car playing brake check, checked me and then flew across 3 lanes, did it to someone else, and kept going. 20 seconds or so later, an SUV brakes suddenly. I tried to do the same, but couldn't shed enough momentum. Totaled the scooter. I hit knee and then helmet into the vehicle and blacked out. Woke up with my leg caught in the handlebars and my back laying across the exhaust pipe."
Well, fuck that asshole in the little red car. Bet he took off laughing at the damage he'd done. I hope Karma catches up to 'em soon.
Anyway, I brought some shirts to my pal in the ER (the EMTs had cut his shirt(s) off him). Fortunately, his helmet had done its job, and he eventually staggered out of there with just a skinned knee and sore neck. His roomie was there to haul him home - the 3 of us stopped for eats on the way. You always hope it's a waste of money when you're buying safety equipment like helmets - but they sure are a good thing to have when you need 'em. Without that helmet, he'd likely be dead.
I suppose I've been putting off calling the insurance company by typing this. And I gotta check where they hauled the wrecked scooter. Impound lots charge by the day. Ugh, I hate that shit. But nothing's finished until the paperwork is done, they tell me.
But he doesn't. So my brain, as it usually does, immediately goes to the worst-case scenario: My friend hasn't shown up, and hasn't called to explain why, because he's had a terrible auto accident. He's too severely injured to communicate! Or even dead! Augh!
But about an hour into my wait, I finally get a text from him. And find out I was right. In his own words:
"Had some little red car playing brake check, checked me and then flew across 3 lanes, did it to someone else, and kept going. 20 seconds or so later, an SUV brakes suddenly. I tried to do the same, but couldn't shed enough momentum. Totaled the scooter. I hit knee and then helmet into the vehicle and blacked out. Woke up with my leg caught in the handlebars and my back laying across the exhaust pipe."
Well, fuck that asshole in the little red car. Bet he took off laughing at the damage he'd done. I hope Karma catches up to 'em soon.
Anyway, I brought some shirts to my pal in the ER (the EMTs had cut his shirt(s) off him). Fortunately, his helmet had done its job, and he eventually staggered out of there with just a skinned knee and sore neck. His roomie was there to haul him home - the 3 of us stopped for eats on the way. You always hope it's a waste of money when you're buying safety equipment like helmets - but they sure are a good thing to have when you need 'em. Without that helmet, he'd likely be dead.
I suppose I've been putting off calling the insurance company by typing this. And I gotta check where they hauled the wrecked scooter. Impound lots charge by the day. Ugh, I hate that shit. But nothing's finished until the paperwork is done, they tell me.
To quote an old saying from (I think) the 30's, "Don't be half safe."
Main lesson that was drilled in during motorcycle lessons was: Assume the other road users are Psychotic, Psychopathic, Sociopathic...or just plain dumb. Stay alert.
And choose the most unoccupied lanes if possible.
Always get at least a DOT certified helmet.
If it doesn't have a DOT sticker, or similar safety rating, its a "novelty" class helmet, and you might as well be wearing a baseball cap for all the good it would do you in a crash.
(Ex biker here with years of of freeway experience.. I take helmet safety seriously.)
SNELL is the best-but its made for racing standards, so its the best for a reason.
It is also the most expensive by a wide margin.
-Badger-
Also, hope the insurance claim goes smoothly.
I'm sorry for your friend.
I’ve never had to deal with impound lots before, and I’m not familiar with how insurance works in US, but I would have assumed that insurance would cover both that and towing/transport.
Be aggressive with the insurance people, they will take you for a ride if you don't