What are the biggest lessons you've learnt from accidents or near misses on a motorbike ?

[Drifter86]

Some of the most valuable lessons in life come from accidents or mistakes one can make,

so I'm curious to hear from this community what you've learnt from your years of biking.

[Mickly]

Be very careful over who you choose to ride pillion with - both my biggest offs have been as a pillion.

[Ian Frog]

Trust no fooker especially if they are looking directly at you.

Cheers

Ian

[geofferz]

Most accidents happen at very low speeds. So, go fast. 

[Gerontious]

Ive only had two accidents.. the first was within weeks of starting to ride, roundabout and a gravel spillage. bike went from under me - but fortunately I was going fairly slowly so no hurt. Second was going past a load of cars and coaches parked next to the road at a German beauty spot, driver started to pull out, so I slowed down, he was looking directly at me, and when I was almost upon him, he pulled out. and despite my best efforts I went into the side of his car.  There was little to be learnt from that aside from the fact that the Polizei wanted to charge him with attempted murder. (yes really) Especially after he so obviously lied to them that I was speeding.

 

The main thing is to get back on the bike and not to be deterred. ride within your limits and as soon as you can, improve your riding with an advanced course. 

 

[manxie49]

Don't ride like a T--t on country lanes and always expect the unexpected around every bend.....

[Pie man]

Not to do it again 

[jedibiker]

Very relevant post at the minute. All ive seen on facebook this week is crash after crash and sadly most were fatal.. Actually really scared my partner and I as we try and ride safe as it is.

And as said above, you assume cos someone looking at you your safe but they still do dumb shit.

We now beep a few times coming upto busy junctions, try get attention and get them off the phone etc. My partners off years ago was due to someone pulling in front of her, not fast but hurt.

Mine was my own fault on diesel just not reading the road, but it was day 1 of training on cbt.

 

 

[Bungleaio]

Not bike specific but I've learnt that its very useful to get the details of any witness' to an accident that you are involved in as the other party may well lie about what happened.

 

If you don't ride like the road is a a racetrack then fitting a dashcam may be an idea. I've fitted an Innov K2 to my bike which records both front and back.

[husoi]

After seeing a guy being squashed between a lorry and a bus making him loosing the tips of 3 fingers I confirmed something that I always knew.

 

NEVER try to put your bike between 2 lorries of buses.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Never assume anything. 

 

It is better to be the last to arrive than the first into an ambulance / hearse.

[S-Westerly]

Ride within your limits and know what those limits are. If you want to push it choose the right time and place. Assume nothing and never, ever think you know it all.

[fastbob]

Take regular breaks and avoid heavy meals on very long trips . Tiredness can kill and I'm lucky to have hobbled away with severe bruising . I trashed a beautiful bike that would be worth a fortune these days though . 

[James in Brum]

1) ride for yourself. I felt pressured with an obviously experienced and competent rider filtering behind me. At a round about, concerned I was holding him up I went for it into a space. Space was fine but I was going to quickly for my skill and off’d onto the roundabout. He came to help. Ride your own ride, other can wait the likely seconds.

2)if you have an accident, if you are able walk the scene with your camera in selfie mode and describe the events straight away. Include images of the other vehicle, what happened and the other driver if you oh can.

8i was ridden into at a t junction, I was stationary. I didn’t even take photos. Wish I had.

[Steve_M]

19 minutes ago, fastbob said:

Take regular breaks and avoid heavy meals on very long trips . Tiredness can kill and I'm lucky to have hobbled away with severe bruising . I trashed a beautiful bike that would be worth a fortune these days though . 

I’ve had four crashes and a couple of close calls in 30 years of riding, all of which were (this) rider error.

1) Don’t get over confident. Down a familiar road I went a bit quicker than usual thinking “It’ll be fine”, which didn’t allow for a car coming the other way as I ran wide out of a bend. I leant the bike over more at which point we parted company. 
2) Don’t push your luck with an unfamiliar bike. Riding a 750 Honda Africa Twin with knobbly tyres, it didn’t handle or grip as well as my own bike. 
 

3) Don’t get fixated on distance when touring, stop when cold and tired. I did make it to the next town but only after a micro nap caused me to fall off. Luckily I was travelling slowly. The French police were very helpful,

 

4) Beware of distractions. Turning right off the A47 the young lady at the junction in a convertible car had a fine cleavage. The avoidable gravel I crossed while turning the bike led to my downfall.

 

5) Target fixation. A very rare occurrence as I’ve been riding long enough and done enough track and off road training to know better. There is a bridge near here where the road narrows and the walls are stone built. Two weeks ago I found myself looking at the walls and failing miserably to tear my gaze away as I headed towards it. It was a wet day and I missed it by a narrow margin, with the rear of the bike stepping out as it hit the verge edge - I claim no credit for it not depositing me in a hedge. I’m embarrassed to admit this mistake … but I’m determined for it not to happen again. I doubt I’ll be so lucky another time.

[onesea]

Abrasion proof material Shoulder, back, hip & knee armour save allot of pain, after that it comes down to luck.

Not from personal experience but seen enough to appreciate the difference it makes.

[Tiggie]

Be extra careful riding inside petrol stations. 

 

Diesel spillages are not fun and you are guaranteed to come across them in these places 

[Throttled]

Get a side stand foot, one that is permanently attached to the side stand. That has been the main cause of my bikes ending up on their side, soft ground.

 

 

[rob m]

Only serious crash I've had is on a Kawasaki ZX9R on the Betts Way roundabout in Crawley in 1999 after it had rained. I was in my 20's and full of bravado. Me and some mates had spent the day scraping our knee sliders and after a quick downpour I was first to head out.

 

Charged into the roundabout, tipped it in, knee down and lost the front...plastic everywhere and a DID exhaust can ripped off in the process. That was bad enough but mates were stood by the roundabout and added to the embarrassment with their piss taking. Ultimately it was my own fault so took it on the chin, it cost me loads though repairing the bike as I was young and didn't want to claim on the insurance.

 

Lesson: Don't show off. 

 

By the way, anybody remember when we could sell worn sliders on ebay?  Nice little earner that.

 

 

[onesea]

6 hours ago, rob m said:

……..bad enough but mates were stood by the roundabout and added to the embarrassment with their piss taking.

 

 

At least they where not standing around with there phones to put it on You’ve been framed, Facebook, Insta, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and of Course the motorbikeforum.

 

The pressures on this generation are very different to ours.

[Trooper74]

Keep away from cars.

Keep away from Buses.

Keep away from lorries.

Keep as much space between yourself and other road users.

[rob m]

4 hours ago, onesea said:

At least they where not standing around with there phones to put it on You’ve been framed, Facebook, Insta, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and of Course the motorbikeforum.

 

The pressures on this generation are very different to ours.

 

Indeed. Also I couldn't get my knee down at all these days, even if I tried