Everybody who’s ever thrown a leg over a motorcycle has a story about when they crashed. This guy (who’s name I do not know) has us all beat. Last Thursday night, our unnamed hero was riding his Harley-Davidson across the Oakland Bay Bridge (the other big bridge connecting San Francisco to the mainland) when some dweeb in a Mini Cooper merged into his lane. A crash ensued, the rider came off the bike and suffered minor injuries, but the Harley kept going. And going. And going. Until it hit the rail and (you guessed it) went over the side.
The Oakland Bay Bridge is 190 feet above the Bay.
This fellow sounds like one tough (and lucky) dude. According to the news reports, he transported himself to the hospital, where he was treated and released. Also according to the news reports, no citations were issued to either our would-be U-boat commander or the Mini pilot.
The CHP and the Fire Department say they know exactly where the bike is. (So do I. It’s in San Francisco Bay.) The emergency responders will attempt to recover the motorcycle at a later date (the water under the bridge is about 100 feet deep). They are worried about it leaking gas and oil into the Bay. There’s a joke in there somewhere. Harleys are known to leak both, you know. I know Harley is moving to liquid cooling, but this is ridiculous. There’s got to be more. Let’s hear ’em.
As motorcycle crash stories go, this has to be one for the ages. I’m glad our hero (whoever he is) came through it with only minor injuries. Ah, the stories he’ll be able to tell.
So, here’s an invitation. Recognizing it’s not likely any of us will ever be able to top this story, what’s yours? Got a good crash story? We’d love to hear it.
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Okay here goes… the worst I ever had was on Ural sidecar going about 10 miles an hour. Well, you see, I was invited to a time trial, “race” event at Bryon Illinois at the motocross track. I raced or went around the track a couple of times. Then people decided that it would be a great idea to give others a ride around racecourse in a sidecar! So, people lined up and the two other sidecar guys and I started giving rides. We gave people the usual sidecar monkey instructions, like lean into the turns etc… Things were going along pretty well, and people were having fun to see the racecourse, many for first time from the racers point of view, actually on the track where real racers raced! Finally, this one guy comes up to ride, 6 foot 4ish and 250 or so… and I could tell not the brightest bulb in the box. He jumps into the sidecar after I gave the usual safety stuff and “Always lean INTO the turns if you want to help, otherwise just sit in the side and enjoy the ride!
So, I roar from a standing stop into the first left hand turn I lean hard to counteract the centrifugal force and look out to the passenger side… I see the BIG guy fully extended out of the side car to right side. The sidecar was totally confused and did a nose plant. That is, the sidecar itself nose planted in the ground and the whole sidecar unit turned into a catapult and launched me high into the air… I was up in the air long enough to think, boy this going to hurt when I come down. The guys told me I was launched at least 10 to 12 feet with the air. When I hit, on my shoulder, I think I even bounced on the well packed hard dirt. Of course, being a real man, I got up and walked to the EMT’s a whole ten feet or so. I walked up and the EMT immediately stated writing on a piece of paper. I thought that was strange, my shoulder dislocated, and my arm looks like it is coming out of my mid-section on the right side, a really good, dislocated shoulder! The EMT finally is finished writing and then looks up. I ask him are you going to look at my shoulder? He says, “Heck no, you are screwed, here are the directions to the hospital I was writing for you, Now go!”
Luckly my buddies said, we will get your sidecar home. So, I drove 70 miles home to Naperville, Illinois. I get to the hospital and there is surgeon I know walking in the hospital at the same time. I asked what is going on with shoulder, I show him. He says, “You are screwed! but me and you in surgery a couple of hours tomorrow and you will be a good as new in month”! So, I got a second opinion, I was screwed… The next day and I had surgery and they screwed everything back together and I lived to tell the tale. Moral of the story,
1.) Even at 10 miles an hour you can get hurt.
2.) If guy looks dumb and might kill you, he probably will
3.) Before surgery always get a second opinion!
That last one (your Number 3) is the best advice I’ve ever taken. Numbers 1 and 2 ain’t bad, either.
Since Harleys are typically more expensive than most bikes, they’re more likely to be underwater for quite some time.
Good one, George. Thanks!
You know, you can buy a used Sportster for less than a submarine.
I heard those used Sportsters were cheap.
no more. seems like dealers are asking crazy prices ,