Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: scooter trash on January 03, 2006, 10:14:48 AM
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Did you ever go on a ride that you new was going to be trouble? I was on that ride Sunday with our annual New Years Day ride. Some of you may know that along with my Bandit I also have a Harley Davidson Springer Softail. And that Susie and I are USCF bicycle racing officials. Those two facts will become important later in the story.
Every year for the last 6 years a small group would ride on New Years day. We rode in all weather but snow. This year the small group of 10 riders grew to 30. As I stood there and watched the stream of bikes entering the parking lot I turned to Danny and said, “This is bad”. “These large groups are nothing but trouble.”
This was a group of 30 Harley’s. Most of which were friends of friends of friends. I didn’t know hardly any of them and definitely did not know how they rode.
Off we went into the farmlands with narrow roads with no shoulders and deep drainage ditches for our New Years day ride. Out of a deep feeling of self-preservation, I took the last spot in the parade. I wanted to be able to see what was happening, not be a part of it. Because I knew it was going to happen. And as much as I knew it was going to happen I couldn’t believe it when it actually did happen.
4 bikes in front of me a guy decided it was time to take his 4 day old Harley Road King Custom off roading. Down into the drainage ditch (full of water) up out of the ditch, side swiped a small tree that flipped him and his bike and back into the ditch (full of water).
The two guys in front of me watched him and continued on down the road. I being a USCF official and used to helping bicyclist that crash during races stopped my bike and jumped down into the ditch without even thinking.
Here is the part where I hesitated. I didn’t hesitate because I didn’t know what to do; I hesitated because in this day and age everyone is looking to sue someone for something.
He was laying face down in the water. Not moving. Actually he was well on his way to drowning. I was there all by myself and shouted out “SHIT” and a bunch of other thing !! I reached down and gently lifted his head and upper body out of the water knowing that if he had any kind of neck injury I could kill him or paralyze him for life. But he was not going to drown on my shift. I got his head out of the water and rolled him on his side. He came to and rolled on his back. The two riders that saw him go off the road finally came back along with a couple of people that saw the accident. 911 was called and he was taken to the hospital.
I found out this morning that he has some serious bruised ribs, his arm is badly bruised but he’ll live to ride another day.
Why have I burdened you with all of this? Actually I don’t know. Maybe to keep you from hesitating when you feel something is wrong or hesitating to do the right thing. Because it might be me face down in that ditch one day and I don't want you to hesitate on what to do. I don’t know why, but I know I just had to pass this on to those of us that choose to ride.
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Kudos to your quick thinking! Even a trained individual can freeze sometimes and you didn't. You know the burden of the knowledge that you could have done something and didn't is worse than the burden of a lawsuit (easy to say, not to practice).
On your other point there is a great book out there by Gavin De beker called "The gift of fear" that goes into the phycology behind why we get these "funny fealings" and why we should listen to them more often.
Anyway, what comes around, goes around...I hope you are rewarded fro your unselfish act. :beers:
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Thanks, I'll check that book out. :thanks:
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You should sue the motorcyclist for injuries you sustained coming to his rescue and for your mental anguish before, during, and after the rescue!
:stickpoke:
Oh, and sue the other bikers for not immediately stopping and helping you to rescue the victim.
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Not to mention the mud all over my boots and riding suit !!!!!
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Not to mention the mud all over my boots and riding suit !!!!!
Ewww! Now that would really p!ss me off! :rant2:
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You would have been covered under the good samaritan law (I believe this is nationwide but check your local listings). Esentally any untrained rescuer as long as their intent is to help an injured person is proteced. Not to say they might not attempt to sue you but winning is very difficult unless you did something completely stupid.
I always stop to help unless it is obvious htaqt the poeple are ok, even then I call 911 to help em out.
We need more people willing to do things just like this.
Good on ya :beers:
DJ
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Its called karma....and it wil come back to you in spades...never know when, but it will :wink: Thx for stopping and helping the guy. :beers: This world would be a hugely better place if there were more riders like yourself. :motorsmile: Ive been on two "group" rides where one man went down...and no one except myself and one other guy stopped. One other rider who was there both times, made the comment "I AINT GETTING MY GEAR ALL DIRTY!!" :duh: I wanted to smash his skull on the pavement right there. :bomb: Thank god someone actually gives a **it about unknown people.
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You missed an opportunity to purify the gene pool... :wink:
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Good story...thanks for sharing. You did the right thing, both by listening to your experience and taking the rear position, and by helping someone in danger. We can all learn something from these kinds of tales.
Was this guy a new rider? Or going too fast?
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You would have been covered under the good samaritan law
+1. It's the law in Indiana. If you are kind enough to help someone out, they can't sue you even if you hurt them in the process.
You are a good man and you did the right thing.
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What a rotten way to ruin your New Years day ride. I haven't ridden in groups since I was a teenager. I prefer to ride alone and at my own pace. You're definitely to be commended for your actions.
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Good on ya! :bigok:
I take it you were on your Softail?
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Yes I was on the Softail.
From what I found out later the guy wasn't a new rider. He just had a new bike. If I were to guess I'd say he was getting close to the edge of the road and just stared down at it instead of looking to where he was supposed to be going. (you go where you look)
I'll tell you what, Susie and I had a much more enjoyable time riding with the infamous Robinson’s at the Bandit rally last year than I do with the Harley guys. Susie won't even ride with some of the Harley guys anymore.
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This story is getting better. I just came from the doctor and he confirmed my suspicions. I have poison ivy on my hands neck and face. Does the phrase, “No good deed goes unpunished” mean anything to you !!! Guess when I was down in the ditch I got some on my hands then touched my neck and face. This good Samaritan stuff is starting to suck !! :sad:
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That good samaritan stuff isn't law many places. I've seen news shows several times over the years where the rescuers gets sued after saving a life due to claims of neck, spine, or other injuries supposedly being caused by pulling the victim out of a burning vehicle and so forth.
Fingers crossed for you!
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If your dumb to go off roading in a ditch, your dumb enough to sue. You still did the right thing. If he had drown'd you would still be punishing yourself. Mind you stilly twat should have know better to ride like a tit. :bigok:
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As much as I enjoy a group ride it can turn ugly quickly especially when you have so many different bikes, attitudes, and skill levels. I go on a group ride every summer with about 30 bikes. We left early one morning on our way to the highway and not only a half mile from the starting point 2 of the riders went down when a car backing out of a driveway took out the first guy on his brand new bike. The second guy behind him locked up his brakes and flew off the bike. We all stopped and blocked traffic with our bikes in the road until the police, ambulance, and tow truck came and we gave that guy in the car such hell he was shakin like a leaf. We all stuck together helped out and continued our ride without any further problems.