Moped Accident:

[skywaterblue]

I had my first moped accident yesterday. I was being stupid and trying to go to Dr. Sketchy's at Dino's, even though I knew there was something wrong with the front brakes and they weren't working properly. Well, I don't use the front brakes that often - only when I need to stop very very quickly for some reason, so I was like, 'I'll be a careful driver and it'll totally be fine'.



YEAAAH. So I made it to Oakey and Tenaya, and then to avoid rear-ending someone because the moped wasn't slowing fast enough, I darted between lanes and flipped the bike over. Oops. I reckon now that it would have been better to continue braking hard with the rear brakes and run into the back of the car in front of me. The moped would probably be damaged more, and I'm sure the guy in the car wouldn't be pleased, but I also wouldn't have completely fucked up my right ankle.

I've got road rash down the side and people got out of their cars and helped me get the bike up after I finished cussing up a storm. A good Samaritan named Kyle helped me lock it up to a pole and took me back home in his Beetle. I'm afraid I bled over his car a bit.

My ankle, though, is the size of a grapefruit and really painful. I can put weight on it and hobble around - the motion is not real great. It feels like that time I fractured it in Chicago. I'm sure it doesn't help that I rolled them both several times while in Israel and Egypt. (I'm kind of sad I'm not in Israel - socialized medicine is ideal for this sort of situation.)

I'm not super eager to go to the ER for this since it would be a ridiculous bill and the LAST time I hairline fractured it the GP gave me a brace and told me to take over the counter pain pills. My mom and I taped it up and we're debating orthopedic options, as the only one we know is the guy who did my brother's arm this winter.



Anyway. Later last night after the fistful of Motrin kicked in, Mom and I went back and retrieved the moped. I was angry and felt like I didn't give a shit if I ever: a. rode a moped again and b. if the fucking thing got stolen. Forcing me to ride it home was a good lesson, though, as it wasn't as bad as I feared. Even though I knew it was still unsafe, it didn't feel that way. Get back on the horse and all.

Comments

[devilc]

I'm just glad you're not seriously seriously injured.

[skywaterblue]

Always wear a helmet and appropriate glasses. I'd be in the hospital for sure if I hadn't been wearing mine.

Yeah, I got off pretty light but I can't even be too upset about my ankle. It's what I deserve for being that stupid.

[pauraque]

That really sucks. Damn good thing you're relatively okay, though.

[skywaterblue]

The guy who picked me up was also a motorcyclist and he was like, 'don't worry, everyone does that once and everyone needs to so they learn limits'.

[kiss-me-cassie.livejournal.com]

Be careful, PLEASE? Ok.

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

Yes. I didn't die and the moped still works, and I didn't hit anyone else. So all in all, I did okay.

[cereswunderkind.livejournal.com]

Hope you're better now and remember that the front brake is far more important than the back brake. Cars have valves to distribute the front-rear braking effort, bikes don't :(

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

I've discovered this the hard way. I was going to take proper motorcycle classes at some point and now it seems extra good to do so. (Not required to do it for a bike under 50cc here.)