| Author | Message | ||
     Captain_mark |
On the way to my office in downtown Orlando a green Toyota pickup decided to switch lanes from the left hand lane to the right hand lane which I was riding my Uly and beginning to pass him on the right. I slowed to let him in, however for some unkown reason he slamed on the brakes, probably realizing I was already there. His rear quarter panel hit my handle bar pushing my front tire into his front tire and spining my Uly. I and the bike ended up on our side. All I knew at that point was I really cannot breath and Had really bad feeling about my right ribs cage. Two people stopped to help and the truck pulled over the driver got out and checked for damage and took off down a side street. Fortunately annother witness followed him and got his license plate number. The good samaratines got me out from under the bike and upright. Real bab pain, but everyone was amzed there was no blood. Wife and the kids gave me a Buell adventure jacket with body armore and I was wearing my full face helmet. The jacket sustained almost no damage the helmut got pretty scatched up. The police took the information from the witnesses and told me he would have the guy driving the truck in prison tonight for not renering assistance, leaving information at the scene and for leaving the scene of the accident. My guess is 1. no insurance, 2. stolen vehicle, 3. dad's truck. After a lengthy stay at the emergency room I have 2 broken ribs and several more with small cracks. Fortunately the lung is intact and I had not a single abrasion. Damage to the bike is scrapped up puck, busted turn signal, busted right side peg and brake peddle, busted front brake handle. They have given me some pretty powerful drugs, so I am feeling less pain, but I am probably rambling and spelling atrociously. Anyway, lesson learned, expect anything and always wear protective gear. be good, | ||
| Mtch |
bad news, but at least you are not too badly busted up. hope they catch the driver and hang him for driving off. your gear saved you from serious harm, just shows its a good idea to wear ATGATT. spelling is fine, and rambling seems to be under control. hope you get back on the road soon  | ||
| Reepicheep |
Glad you came through mostly intact! I don't know how a person could hit and run... but I have personally run down and reported two different people that I have seen do it. | ||
| Djkaplan |
Yikes! That's a scary story. Crazy man... I guess the most important part is that you're salvageable and the bike can be repaired. Maybe when you heal up, the time will be right to have your revenge... served cold, of course. Ice cold. | ||
| Captain_mark |
Thanks for the kind words. I was amazed that three people stopped to and one actually went after the guy. The policeman seemed pretty confident he would find him. The hospital propaganda says it will take four weeks before I can comfortably participate in physically demanding activities. I cannot go four weeks without getting on my bike. Anyone have real world experience on how long I will need before it does not hurt enough to ride. be good, | ||
| Greenlantern |
ATGATT+ The wife and kids= a happy ending to a scary story! Glad you're here to tell it Mark. Speedy recovery.  | ||
| Thumper74 |
I was on Orange Blossom Trail last July on my Harley and was shocked at the lack of care in my fellow drivers... Hope you heal up soon! I took a header into a Saturn and walked away due to ATGATT | ||
| Jcbikes |
Mark, Glad your not badly hurt. I have broken my ribs a few times in my life and all I can tell you is that it takes quite a while before they heal completely. Hardest part is getting comfortable to sleep at night. I think you can be riding in a few weeks though. Just full healing takes a good while. Best to you. JC | ||
| Azxb9r |
Anyone have real world experience on how long I will need before it does not hurt enough to ride. That depends on your pain threshold. The problem with rib injuries is that it hurts to take a deep breath, it hurts to twist your torso, it hurts to pick things up... you get the picture. It seems that everything that you do is somehow transfered through your ribcage. Pain will be your guide, only you will know when you are ready. | ||
| No_rice |
glad you are in one piece atleast. as far as the ribs go, i have had more than i would like. doing things with them not hurting will take longer then you will like, but im not always to sharp  and have a tendency to do the stuff anyway if i want to bad enough. just depends on your personal decision on what is to much. | ||
| Azxb9r |
Btw, glad to hear you are not too bad off. Also glad to hear that the local police are jumping on this guy... I have a severe dislike for hit-and-run drivers, especially those that would leave an injured person lying in the street... don't ask  | ||
| Captain_mark |
That depends on your pain threshold. I am prett tough, I was surfing the day after my vasectimy, Hopefully the bike will be fixed next week and I can get back on my uly then. be good, | ||
| Captain_mark |
Azxb9r do tell! be good, | ||
| Aldaytona |
Three to four weeks sounds about right, just did the same thing, sort of. First week of March, hit a reflector square (witnesses told the police anyways)in the rain and did a header. Smashed Schuberth C2 and scuffed Technik gear, not a scratch on me, but broken collar bone, broken ribs, and broken ankle. Sounds like you'll be riding again about the same time as me. Good luck, hope you feel better soon. | ||
| Road_thing |
Avast heaving there, Cap'n! Glad you're not hurt any worse than you were. My experience with broken/cracked ribs is it takes about 6 weeks before the pain goes away. But I'm a notorious pu**y when it comes to pain. rt ...gimme some more of them white pills, Doc... | ||
| Birdy |
Glad that's the worse you ended up Mark. AND I hope they nail his sorry hide to the wall! I broken rids before and like everyone else is saying 6 weeks + ! Oh remember the old saw about "It only hurts when I laugh"? well they do...breath..sneeze...cry...you name it they hurt. Get well and ride. | ||
| Danger_dave |
All the best. The lesson I learned from my last off is: I exacerbated the spine injury by jumping back into it too soon and put recovery back weeks. Take it easy till you are sure you are good to go. Investment in another week or two of boredom pays off. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Take your time, listen to the docs, and as above, your pain threshold will be the final factor. Glad to hear you're OK. Please keep us posted on the trial - I'm assuming you will press charges given the opportunity? Hang the bastard... Anyhoo, rest up, keep the meds handy (woo-hoo), and be patient. Try to stay off badweb...it'll only make it worse, LOL. | ||
| Imonabuss |
Glad you are OK. Relax and heal. What a jerk in the truck. They need to put this guy in jail for at least 30 days, and pull his license for a couple years. But penalties here are so weak and lawyers for criminals so strong. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
Hopefully that ••••••• gets locked up for awhile. I drive to Tampa alot and mostly take back roads because of people like him. Good to hear you could walk away. | ||
| Nevrenuf |
mark, hope you recover real soon and i don't like going through orlando in a cage much less on two wheels. at least you had your gear on and it just confirms as to why i wear it more and more even on the geezer glide. rode into work today with all gear and even on the ride home just because i was thinking o what could happen. and one of the guys who ride mentioned of a kid down on one of the roads i take to work this morning. he said his wife come up on it not to long after it happened and he was still sprawled out on the road. he might not have been as lucky. rest up. | ||
| Oldog |
get well soon, as for the hit and run, I hope life in the big house is not fun | ||
| Etennuly |
Glad to hear that jacket held up and did it's job. I have one too and tested it last summer. Not a bit of road rash on me, lost a outside shoulder pad and a couple of scuffs. Excellent piece of gear.  How soon to ride is a matter of necessity really. When I crashed it was at Road America on the go-cart track. Like you I broke two ribs and cracked four. I also sprained both ankles. I was on a Buell test bike. I iced every thing down for a while and barely made the track tour, then we rode nineteen miles to the pharmacy then I think it was nearly ninety miles back to our motel. I got up at five am and headed out for a 730 mile ride home. I didn't get there until nine thirty pm.Thank Buell for the long soft suspension on the Uly. The worst thing for the ribs is an unexpected sneeze. Even three weeks after, it seems like you re-break everything and it even hurts worse for a while.  Heal fast and well, and it is good to know the bike will be ok too. I did you one better.....I wrecked on someone else's bike.  | ||
| Firebolt32 |
Anyone have real world experience on how long I will need before it does not hurt enough to ride. Basically when you can cough with absolutely no pain. I cracked a rib during football season years ago and this took a solid month before there was no pain. | ||
| Sekalilgai |
Speedy recovery Captain. I had a spill back in 95 and credit the gear (face first into curb) for still being around. Glad to hear you're on the mend. | ||
| Buellgirlie |
broken ribs sux. laughing, coughing, sneezing -- all will cause a ridiculous amouht of pain. oh, and siting, standing, lying down. take the vicodin. it is your friend. glad you're ok! D | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Glad is wasn't worse. I hope that dildo who hit you fries. About the rib cage, I was going to PM you about this, but I figured someone else might benefit from this hard earned tip. Eat your fiber... I take it the pain meds they gave you are narcotic based? If so they will "firm things up" downstairs (PG enough?). Last thing you want it any stress while using the facilities. BTDT, never again hopefully. | ||
| Svo1023 |
Mark, glad to hear that your not banged up too bad...I didn't get a chance to talk with your brother yesterday.. We will get the uly mended up for ya....heal quick. Mike | ||
| Captain_mark |
f so they will "firm things up" downstairs ... } Rough night, thanks for all your encouragement. I will eat lots of fiber, sneezing (not experienced yet), coughing (tried it and did not like it), laughing (nothing funny yet), sitting, standing, even a belch, it all hurts, but what hurts the most is not being able to ride. Thanks again for the kind words all. I am not a vindictive person, it the truck had stopped I would of argued that it was simply an accident and not even considered pressing charges. Even with his temerity to stop get out of his truck and inspect it for damage, I still really dont care if he goes to jail or not, I just want to get his insurance (if he has insurance) to restore my Uly in like-new condition and pay for the hospital bills. | ||
| Captain_mark |
Thanks MIke, You guys at The Buell Store have always been the best. Thank James for picking up my bike. Have fun at 12th annual Leesburg bikefest ... needless to say I wont be attending this year. be good, |
