Crashed My VFR on TN Hwy. 68

[indianagenius]

Not sure where to post this story. HS, feel free to move it as needed.

My riding buddy and I were based out of Robbinsville, NC the same weekend as TMAC. He rides a 2000 Cagiva Gran Canyon (very rare sport-adventure bike with Ducati v-twin engine). We had ridden a full day Thursday in the NC and TN mountains. This was my 2nd trip to the area in 2 years. We are both experienced riders and usually maintain about a 60-70% pace. My friend, Tom, was leading. On Friday, 5/20/11, we had just finished the ride into Tellico Plains over the beautiful Cherohala Skyway and were heading south on TN Hwy. 68. We were about 10-11 miles out of Tellico Plains when things suddenly turned bad. We came out of a 25-30 mph corner onto an approx. 1/4 mile straight then there was a right hand corner up ahead. We never got to the next corner. I was probably lagging Tom by about 25 yards or so. I remember rolling on the throttle as normal coming onto the straight. I then noticed a bike and rider down, off the road, in the brush to our left. My next realization was that Tom was putting the binders on...HARD. I responded with heavy braking, but soon realized I was not going to be able to stop before I came upon the Cagiva's rear tire. I made the split second decision to dodge left and ride through on top of the double yellow center lines...this didn't work out. Simultaneously, Tom initiated a full left hand turn across the center lines with the intent of riding into the field where the crashed rider lay with her Harley. There were no driveways to the left. It was just woods, weeds, and ditch adjoining the highway. Then, in another split second, I knew impact with my friend on his Cagiva was imminent. My front tire impacted the Cagiva at about 20-25 mph at about a 45 degree angle. The Cagiva was probably only moving 5-10 mph at that point and committed to turning left across the lane. My tire impacted Tom directly on his left ankle, breaking it badly immediately. We both went down. The VFR and I ended up in the left ditch across the oncoming lane after glancing off the Cagiva. Tom and the Cagiva both were down in center of the road. That is the basic anatomy of the crash. I was mostly unhurt with only a bruised right knee and a few other aches and pains. Tom's left ankle was shattered, broken left pinky finger, some disturbed vertebrae, and a broken bone in his left foot. We got him and bike out of the road ASAP. The rider down on the Harley witnessed our crash. She had crashed coming out of the corner from the opposite direction...not really sure how or why because she was well onto the straight when she went off...doesn't really matter. The (this was a big, big girl) Harley rider turned out to be unhurt and she eventually rode away on her bike about an hour later. The Harley rider's friends soon returned to claim her. She was the tail end of a multi-bike riding group and they realized she was gone. We had no cell service at the crash site. One of the other women from the riding group went to the first residence and dialed 911 from a land-line. The rest of the story involved the usual arrival and work by first responders, police, medical/ambulance, and finally the wreckers. All of these people did a first rate job and get my utmost respect. Tom was transported into Tellico Plains by ambulance and then flown via med-chopper to UT-Knoxville Medical Center. His ankle needed surgery right now. He spent about 4 hours in surgery that night and was in the hospital for 3 days before getting the "go ahead" to return home to Batesville, IN. He has a long recup. ahead of him and will probably be off work for about 6 weeks. The ankle is put back together with pins and screws. He has to wear a back brace to allow his vertebrae to mend...He has previous back damage from a past crash. This didn't help matters. That is the basic story.

So, how could this have been prevented? I basically see two areas for improvement:

1. Avoid unnecessary sudden stops/moves when you have riders behind you. My brain was telling me...get through the next corner then start looking for a driveway to turn around in safely, then return to the fallen rider. Tom's reaction was to stop RIGHT NOW and tend to the crashed rider on the left. He was merely being a good samaritan, but totally caught me by surprise as there was no place to go on the left.; no drives, a double yellow center-line, with just woods, weeds, ditch, on both sides, etc.. He provided no turn signal, no hand signals, just hard braking with me riding behind.

2. Become very practiced in emergency stops. My stopping distance probably could have been improved if I was well versed in emergency stops with practice in parking lots, etc.. Always watch your following distance to the rider ahead. I generally let Tom go waaay ahead, and may have been closer than usual in this instance.

The bikes are not important, but a photo of my VFR is provided as it sat on the wrecker. It will probably be totalled due to plastic and tank damage. I'm entering into a motorcycling hiatus at this point. My biggest concern is the well-being of my friend.

Your thoughts?

VFR Crash Result - TN Hwy. 68 - 052011

[Infidel]

Sorry to hear about your bike and very very glad you are OK. Question: in your picture on the side there appears to be a bolt in the center with a circular piece of the plastic on it. Was that a Slider by chance?

[indianagenius]

It is not a slider. It is just a chunk of side fairing attached to a fastener. I did not have sliders on the bike.

Be careful everyone, this weekend.

Sorry to hear about your bike and very very glad you are OK. Question: in your picture on the side there appears to be a bolt in the center with a circular piece of the plastic on it. Was that a Slider by chance?

[Infidel]

I see. Your friend is in my family's thoughts and prayers.

[SEBSPEED]

I passed your crash site along with Baileyrock, wera910, and interceptthis. We saw the Harley off in the ditch, the blanket in the grass, and then your bike leaned against a tree. We pulled off a little further up the road (at a pull-off), and I asked Bailey to go see if you were one of our group from TMAC. Not sure if he got to talk to you or not, but he came back saying it was not a TMAC attendee.

Sorry to hear about the accident, that's a painful way to learn a lesson. Hope everyone recovers quickly!

[indianagenius]

That blanket on the side was from a bad crash the day before. Apparently, this is a popular crash site. The medics and police officers had some real horror stories.

I passed your crash site along with Baileyrock, wera910, and interceptthis. We saw the Harley off in the ditch, the blanket in the grass, and then your bike leaned against a tree. We pulled off a little further up the road (at a pull-off), and I asked Bailey to go see if you were one of our group from TMAC. Not sure if he got to talk to you or not, but he came back saying it was not a TMAC attendee.

Sorry to hear about the accident, that's a painful way to learn a lesson. Hope everyone recovers quickly!

[TomP]

Sorry to hear about the crash. And since you asked...

I agree 100% that Tom should have slowed gradually and safely -- he knew you were on his tail, and a quick check of the mirrors might have kept him from turning into your path. At the same time, you were following him so closely that you could not stop in time to prevent the accident. It tends to happen when riding with friends you know and trust, but squirrels run into roads, potholes appear out of nowhere, bees fly into helmets -- there are all kinds of things that cause a rider to make a sudden change in direction. It's your responsibility to ride in such a way that you don't T-bone them as a result.

Best wishes to you both for a full and speedy recovery.

[Switchblade]

Sorry to hear about the crash. I know exactly were you crashed and your right there seems to be a lot accidents in that spot,don't know why. Yeah I think about it when I following somebody, I always try to make it clear NEVER STOP FOR ANYTHING THATS NOT AFFECTING US but it happens,Hope your friend has full recovery !!!!!!!!

[The mailman]

Sorry to hear about the crash. Yeah I think about it when I following somebody, I always try to make it clear NEVER STOP FOR ANYTHING THATS NOT AFFECTING US but it happens,Hope your friend has full recovery !!!!!!!!

WOW! That's a heck of a way to kick off the summer. My #1 fault that I find in my riding style is following too closely and I often tell myself out loud in my helmet, "Back it off man - You're too close". The only prolem with that is that I say that I have to say that to myself more than I should. Sorry to hear of the resulting injuries as well as the loss of a very nice looking 4th gen. Thanks for the report as it will serve as a reminder to us all not to make any unusal moves that affect other riders/drivers and to back it off a bit.

Switchblade has it right. Pass through an accident scene or obstacle if you can and then return in a safe manner. ride safely guys/ladys.

[Baileyrock]

As Seb mentioned we passed the crash site after your buddy was already on his way to the Hospital. You were standing near your VFR that was parked against a tree and I'm guessing that some of the HD riders friends were trying to get her pink Hog out of the woods.

I was on the Black 6th gen and asked how you were and if you needed any assistance when you told me about your buddy. Your seemed slightly out of it I'm sure trying to figure what just happened, but said you were basically OK, just as the Trooper returned to you for more info.

Agreed, no one should make unusual voluntary changes to their path with-in a group, especially the Lead as everyone needs time to react. At the same time this is were Spacing is key to reaction time needed in an emergency situation. It takes Very little distraction to get in big trouble in this area.

Reminds me of some old saying about Rescue that went something like "Don't become a Victim yourself"

Hope your friend heals completely and all works out for both of you. Sorry if I should have done more for you at the moment!

BR

[indianagenius]

I remember you stopping. I was slightly "out of it" for about an hour after the accident. It was a very traumatic situation. It has taken me this long to put the story in writing. I wish had gotten to meet you under different circumstances.

Thanks for stopping. There was nothing more you could have done at the time. Yeah, the pink Harley...that brings back memories.

As Seb mentioned we passed the crash site after your buddy was already on his way to the Hospital. You were standing near your VFR that was parked against a tree and I'm guessing that some of the HD riders friends were trying to get her pink Hog out of the woods.

I was on the Black 6th gen and asked how you were and if you needed any assistance when you told me about your buddy. Your seemed slightly out of it I'm sure trying to figure what just happened, but said you were basically OK, just as the Trooper returned to you for more info.

Agreed, no one should make unusual voluntary changes to their path with-in a group, especially the Lead as everyone needs time to react. At the same time this is were Spacing is key to reaction time needed in an emergency situation. It takes Very little distraction to get in big trouble in this area.

Reminds me of some old saying about Rescue that went something like "Don't become a Victim yourself"

Hope your friend heals completely and all works out for both of you. Sorry if I should have done more for you at the moment!

BR

[Baileyrock]

I remember you stopping. I was slightly "out of it" for about an hour after the accident. It was a very traumatic situation. It has taken me this long to put the story in writing. I wish had gotten to meet you under different circumstances.

Thanks for stopping. There was nothing more you could have done at the time. Yeah, the pink Harley...that brings back memories.

As Seb mentioned we passed the crash site after your buddy was already on his way to the Hospital. You were standing near your VFR that was parked against a tree and I'm guessing that some of the HD riders friends were trying to get her pink Hog out of the woods.

I was on the Black 6th gen and asked how you were and if you needed any assistance when you told me about your buddy. Your seemed slightly out of it I'm sure trying to figure what just happened, but said you were basically OK, just as the Trooper returned to you for more info.

Agreed, no one should make unusual voluntary changes to their path with-in a group, especially the Lead as everyone needs time to react. At the same time this is were Spacing is key to reaction time needed in an emergency situation. It takes Very little distraction to get in big trouble in this area.

Reminds me of some old saying about Rescue that went something like "Don't become a Victim yourself"

Hope your friend heals completely and all works out for both of you. Sorry if I should have done more for you at the moment!

BR

Been there, done that and with much worse results! I know how this type of thing effects your mind and some times for a long time.

Glad you were OK and hope we do meet again sometime soon.

VFRD is here for you in whatever way we can help, this forum and it's amazing members are who/what has gotten me through several Bad experiences! Hopefully I can Pay it Forward in any way shape or form.

BR

[HiDesertMLB]

It sucks to see things like this happen. Reading details of your accident reminds us that anything can (and will) happen. My instinct would have been the same as yours- ride through the turn and then find a place to pull over. A versed execution of an emergency stop may have minimized the impact, but it's hard to counter an object that suddenly shows up in your path. Hope your friend gets well soon and that you both are OK.

[KevCarver]

I'm in no way intending to criticize your personal riding, especially with a friend with whom you often ride. But, I find people in general follow too closely. I tend to be at least double the following distance as anyone with whom I end up riding. And prefer the back. Riding with BR and Wera910, thus was the case. I was riding in the middle when we did a bike swap, and didn't like the proximity of the rider behind. He's a very skilled rider and Safety Council instructor, so I trusted him. But it was not a long stint. Later I was back in the rear, and tried closing my following distance. I quickly realized the time given me to react to normal riding conditions, not to mention potential emergencies, was dramatically reduced.

Maybe it looks cool on the video, as does knee dragging on the street, but I've no interest. I know people who have been rear ended on group rides multiple times, and it's nearly happened to me...

[rangemaster]

Sorry, for your incident, glad you're Ok, here's hoping your friend makes a full recovery. I'm an old guy and also like to ride in the back-I'll ride sweep anytime. I've been accused of being "to far back" but I like the whole "Distance is Time, Time is Reaction " equation that the extra distance/clear sight line gives me.

[Ryanme17]

I think the lesson we can all learn here--without blaming you-- is that we need to keep a following distance where under the most unusual circumstances we can always safely stop. Public roads are a very unpredictable place and we should always leave enough space where we can safely stop.

Thanks for posting your story so that we can all take this to heart.

[Magoo]

I think the lesson we can all learn here--without blaming you-- is that we need to keep a following distance where under the most unusual circumstances we can always safely stop. Public roads are a very unpredictable place and we should always leave enough space where we can safely stop.

Thanks for posting your story so that we can all take this to heart.

Agreed. A couple of things I tell myself a lot are if I feel like I'm going to fast...I am. If I feel like I'm following too closely...I am.

Try not to beat yourself up any more than you can help. You both effed up. Nobody is perfect. The only thing you can do is exactly what you are doing. Trying to figure out what went wrong, learn from it and use it to become a better rider. Hope you buddy heals up quick.

[timmythecop]

Tough going. Good luck to you both...... Could have been any one of us.

[indianagenius]

Thank you Timmy. I'm assuming you are a police officer. The TN State Trooper that worked the accident was a pro AND friendly. He really impressed me.

Tough going. Good luck to you both...... Could have been any one of us.

[timmythecop]

Thank you Timmy. I'm assuming you are a police officer. The TN State Trooper that worked the accident was a pro AND friendly. He really impressed me.

Yessir, 21 years with the DC Police.

I tell my officers all the time that there is no reason to be a dick to people when they are already having a bad day. Positive interactions with John Law are always a good thing.

[spud786]

I guess the question is who is at fault?

Being partners

Really both of you, he didnt account for you being back there with his manuevers, especially on a hard emergency stop and uturn without knowing whats going on around you, that doesnt say experience to me.

and you were running too close to stop, and if your not in control of your brakes at all times(few riders are), the reaction time loss, your asking for trouble running close proximity . It can be anything , deer, traffic or Bikes in front hard braking.

But the instigator was the Lead Bike,

VFR Crash Result - TN Hwy. 68 - 052011

[jeremy556]

That really is a sweet wheel-chock-on-a-dolly, though. I have seen a lot of bikes pulled on to a rollback on their side.

[LookingHard]

Since I am currently bikeless and haven't ridden in a while and am not familiar with that road I probably shouldn't chime in and hope this is not out of line but I do have one question.

If you were coming onto a straight section of road was there time for you guys to move into your respective areas of the lane you were in? What I mean is; was there time for your friend, as the lead bike, to move to the left side of the lane and for you to be on the right side of the lane?

If there was sufficient straight road, and lane width, would you have had room to pass on the right?

When I was riding there was a time or two when I didn't brake soon enough and ended up stopping beside the bike in front instead of behind it.

Gook luck with the healing.

The bike on the rollback is identical to the one I had.

LookingHard

[Ryanme17]

I guess the question is who is at fault?

I don't think we necessarily should assign blame here, since someone was hurt. I think the important thing to learn is to always leave enough space to be able to stop safely under any condition that might come up.

[The mailman]

If there was sufficient straight road, and lane width, would you have had room to pass on the right?

When I was riding there was a time or two when I didn't brake soon enough and ended up stopping beside the bike in front instead of behind it.

LookingHard

From his description of the incident, it sounds as if he had room to clear his partner on the left but that option disappeared as the partner turned left into his path. If I were to attempt to predict the actions of another rider suddenly hammering the brakes, my best guess would be that he would stop quickly and move to the right side of the road and definitely NOT swerve to the opposite side across a double yellow as well as the oncoming lane. WHO HITS THE BRAKES AND GOES LEFT? - especially with a clear lane ahead! I would have duplicated Indiana's move step by step.