I'm Back!

A few of you guys might remember me from last summer, I kind of disappeared after last August...

August 4th I was in Illinois with my brother and a few other guys on our way to Sturgis, We came up over a rise in the highway, myself in the fast lane, my bro in the slow lane next to me, with a guy in front of him, and the 4th bike behind me, as we crested the hill an old woman decided it was ok to stop in the fast lane. As soon as I saw her I swerved hard right, when I was maybe 10 feet from her car, she backed up to the right (she missed her exit and was going to cut across the median) so when she backed up it closed the gap on me, my left leg was the first thing to hit her car (the right rear bumper) at 80-85 mph, my left fork leg hit the rear rim and ripped the rear axle of her car out of its mounts, blew out all the windows and airbags, and apparantly flipped me and my bike end over end (I have no memory of the impact) I came to rest in the middle of the highway, my brother dragged me to the shoulder of the road.
The ambulance finally showed up and took me to a small hospital that was way out of its league with my injuries so I was transferred to a level 1 trauma hospital in Peoria Ill (OSF), on the way my blood pressure dropped and I flatlined, they got my heart going again, when all was said and done, the injuries were:
Compound break of my femur (came through my inner thigh)
Fibula snapped
Ankle broken moving my foot 1" to the left
Heel bone fractured along with several of the small bones in my left foot
My big toe was broken and dislocated 2" and pointed 90 degrees left
My left heel pad was severed
23 stitches to close my forehead from where it slammed into the top of my windshield
Road rash up both arms and across my lower back
Several broken fingertips

21 Days in the hospital, 4 in ICU, 9 surgeries, they put a 15.5" titanium rod in my femur, external brace on my ankle/foot, heel reattached, toe back in place, etc..Then sent me home with MRSA....

Fast forward to now, MRSA is gone, physical therapy 3 times a week and I'm walking again, albeit with a cane for now, I just today went and picked up a 2nd Seca Turbo to use for parts to restore my 83, which was the reason I found this forum way back when...

Ryan

 

bloody hell ryan, you never know whats around the corner, i imagine the last 8 months have been tuff, im glad you made it, now to heal up good and have a ride again, is there a good chance you'll be able to get back on, regards ken

 

Well, well, glad you made it through, it could have been your last ride. You're a tough guy.

It sounds that you've recovered enough to ride again soon!

 

Holy crap.

That "whole lotta stitches to close the gash" thing is why I swore off windshields after my wreck.

Be glad you're alive. Take your sweet time before getting back in the saddle. But it sounds to me like you're a committed enthusiast, and this won't keep you off two wheels.

I've seen some creative driving in the Detroit area, but that one takes the cake. BACKING UP on the e-way. Who does that?

Welcome back.

Oh, and thanks for giving us the full circumstances of the debacle. Yet another insane (but deadly real) possibility to add to one's mental "playbook" for street riding.

 

Thanks guys, Fitz thats why I posted it, I've been riding the better part of 27 years and thought I was ready for anything, I was wrong!

As for riding again, I will and am, her insurance bought me a shiny new Harley Trike 2 weeks after I got home from the hospital, I was still in a wheelchair and had a shirt on that I had made up "BODY BY HARLEY AND AN IDIOT IN A CAR", and I plan to ride the Turbo when its back together for sure...

I wont give up riding, I started when I was 10 and if I do stop, its one more thing she took from me and I cant have that

Ryan

 

I saw someone who completely stopped in the MIDDLE of the highway during a heavy snowfall (very stupid idea) but backing up on a highway is by far the dumbest thing I've heard about!

 

I hear ya.

I've been riding on the street since '68, see my sig. My biggie happened in '82 when a Toyota Celica pulled directly out in front of me, going the same way, but DIRECTLY in my path. So I was all over the brakes; then the guy realized what he'd done and out of sheer conditioned reaction, JAMMED ON THE BRAKES.

Toyotas are hard. I was in the hospital for "only" 15 days, and didn't nearly die in the process; you got me beat.

Don't give it up, I didn't. I've gotten clipped once since, but didn't go down. It all goes in the "playbook."

Stay safe. And take my advice, please just go real easy getting up to being on two wheels and out THERE again...

I was gonna say "and watch those mirrors" but backing up on the e-way... just damn.

 

HOLY S**T DUDE!!! You are one lucky man! Hope your recovery goes well, and welcome back!

 

Glad your OK! & welcome back. I still be fighting this old ladies insurance company after I was dead stopped & she rear-ended my mustang convertible to the tune of about 70 MPH and no brakes. I carry eyes all around my head. Lucky only went down once years ago. Only dislocated shoulder. Get that Seca going & hit the road. We can only enjoy the ride but will always run into bad drivers.

 

Whoa that sounded like a Gnarley wreck! Glad your ok and still wanting to get back on another bike! Can't let wrecking dampin your spirits. Soooooo ill just go ahead and ask...pics?? Lol

 

This X a million - stories like this really make you remember just how dangerous the roads are out there and we are always at a disadvantage to other drivers stupid actions - just another reason to think and act like a bunny, and to keep your head on a swivel, and try to be as prepared as you can in the event that one of gets caught in such an unfortunate situation.

This forum has lost a few riders over the years, and its a relief to hear that you're recovering and you didn't add to that number.

Take your time recovering, and glad to hear you're not giving up riding!!

A good thread for everyone to read - i know its been brought up before, but this is an example of why its just so freakin important!!

Grab your drink of choice and read up!

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=11852.html

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Thats the spirit!!

I wish you a speedy recovery, ride on!

 

Welcome back from the dead brother! For the record, what type of stack hat were you wearing?

 

Wow sorry to hear of your accident I trust everyone else got out OK?

As others have done, I wish you and the bike a speedy recovery, and hope the woman involved has been at the very least, banned for life for pulling a move like that... Certainly could've been a "career ender" for some, but when bikes are in the blood that just isn't an option.
I was fortunate in my "biggy" to not come so close to death, but was 3 weeks in hospital too so I know it can do some strange things to your mind with all that time to stew :?

I also would like to know what "lid" you wore?

 

Thanks guys, as for the old lady, she was 73 and taking her daughter to the methadone clinic and missed her exit (you cant make this crap up) the skid lid was a "fancy" $25 novelty half helmet, maybe the stickers on it helped? I'll never ride without a proper DOT lid again, but the thing did its job, no concussion despite a large section that looked like it was hit with a 3 pound hammer! Here's a few pics:

20 minutes before the accident, my brother took this:


Here's my poor baby after, the damage really doesnt look concurrent to what happened, but a closer look revealed a snapped fork leg, frame twisted at the neck, the primary case exploded and the impact to the compensator sprocket bent the crankshaft, left side peg and controls were pried out of her rear quarter panel after the accident:


One of her car, note the awkward angle of the rear tire, the axle ripped out from the mounts on the frame:


Another angle, the impact blew out almost all her windows, set off the airbags, the crease in the C pillar is from my left hand, the clutch lever closed on and broke 3 finger tips:


Here's me giving the salute after day 6 I think it was (Morphine makes the timeline fuzzy LOL):


Here's getting loaded in the meatwagon, notice I left my mark on the pavement LOL:


My view from the hospital bed:


The black area that looks like electrical tape is a wound vac sponge covering where my heel pad got ripped off, my foot went into the rear wheelwell and around the tire, the sheetmetal acted like a scalpel, it was 2 weeks before we knew if I was going to be able to keep my foot because of that wound:


This is the morning of the accident, my brother took and loves this one, we call it "Ohh so thats the first piece thats going to get f**ked up!"...Myself I'm still wondering why nobody told me I was that fat...


Here's a fun one, femur, now rebuilt with $17,000 worth of titanium and screws:


Last one for now, 2 weeks after I got back home, buying the new ride, I always wanted a trike for long trips, didnt want it this way but thats life...I plan to go back on 2 wheels on the Seca Turbo, but this will do nicely till then:


Well maybe one more, 2 weeks ago, my son and I bringing the trike home, Mad Max style LOL:

 

A couple more, any of the Illinois folks recognize this? Its in Bloomington on I-74 West, this is where it happened, thats the cutover she was trying to take for a U-turn, you can just see my brothers bike in the distance on the right, he rode out to take these pics a day or two after the accident, he found pieces of my bike and a piece or two of my gear from where he's standing, all the way back to his bike.


A closeup of the sign in the distance in that last pic, also ironically its the next exit where she could have just turned around:


Ryan

 

Ouch! 8O

X ray is same as one of mine, kinda (spiral fracture, but mine was tibia & fib)

I'm not really a big Harley or trike fan but that thing actually looks great, nice for distance work with that armchair of a "saddle" lol

 

LOL yep its like sitting on a recliner cruising down the highway, man she just eats up miles, definately want a regular bike for short trips though, the trike is alot more work on the upper body around town...

Ryan

 

I just started reading thru this post. You are a very lucky dude. I thought I had it bad when I hit a deer with my Maxim. Spent 6 days in the hospital and 5 weeks at home. I totally unsterstand not remembering the impact. Last thing I remember that morning was standing in my kitchen thinking I should be getting to work. Everybody said I was awake and alert the entire time. My wife got really upset with me because I kept asking "How's the bike?"

 

Yeah its weird when things disappear, I never lost consciousness, but I only remember up till the moment of impact, then I remember lying in the road screaming obscenities with my foot behind my head and my brother dragging me to the shoulder of the road with our friend holding my head and neck in place just in case...

Ryan

 

That's one hell of a trip.

Me, I broke my leg in three places before I ever got a bike. Went to work, slipped on ice, snap, crackle, pop. It's actually what got me to finally get a bike - I figured that the next time I do that much damage I should at least be doing something fun.

 

Ahhhh, THATS why! Dumb FIB's cant drive!

 

wow bent the flywheel huh? thats hardcore. and awesome pics! (as awesome as you can get in that situation) what happened to the old lady as in traffic violations? lets name a few possibilities that come up off hand....

reckless endangerment, or reckless driving? (at the very least reckless driving)
Illegal U-turn.
not pulling over to the shoulder when stopping on an interstate
No Flashers/blinkers
Being stupid

 

I lived in Bloomington for 3 years, so I recognize that death trap. People get hyp-mo-tized and miss the exit, so they just grab an illegal u-turn.

Grats for being a survivor.

 

I live about five minutes away from that location. Good to hear you we're transported to Peoria for treatment. I'll have to google the local newspaper for the article.

Glad to have you still with us!

 

Thanks, if you find anything let me know, I havn't been able to find anything other than the police report online anywhere, the accident was at approximately 927am on August 4th, 2012

Ryan

 

OSF in Peoria was great, other than me catching MRSA there, but in fairness that is running rampant in most hospitals...

Ryan

 

The impact was so severe that the end of the crankshaft was bent 1/2"....As for violations, they wrote her up for improper lane usage and failure to maintain minimum speed!...I was subpoena'd twice to go to court on behalf of the State of Illinois to testify against her but my lawyer got me out of it, I was still in a wheelchair etc so who knows how it all worked out for her...

Ryan

 

Fenominal story glad ya pulled through!I always think of EVERY car as a potential murderer.They are not much smarter up here man.Glad your getting better.Congrats from Canada!

 

Hey guys, figured I'd update this post, finally back on 2 feet, no walker or cane anymore, somewhat of a limp but still doing physical therapy for that... just rolled my Turbo out into the middle of the garage to start working on her...

Ryan

 

Good for you!!! Going through Hell can be a long trip. Glad to hear that you're going to work on your bike. My son-in-law thought I wouldn't ride again after my accident. Now he works his Victory hard to keep up with my old Maxim.
Remember, scars are tattoos with better stories.

 

LMAO! I like that!

Ryan