Modern Vespa

Awww god dammit. My poor beastie. She was so young.

I was drivin out towards Steven's Pass on Hwy 2 enjoying the wonderful weather we've been having this summer in the NW. Wavin' at all my 2 wheeler friends riding the other way. I saw up in the distance a big pack of bikers and took no longer than a second to look over, wave to them, and see what they were riding - unfortunately that was long enough for the car two vehicles up to slam on their brakes for their sudden left turn (and for me not to be aware of it).

I tried to swerve and brake hard but ended up slamming into the back of the Harley in front of me. It was a really hard hit and I lost consciousness almost immediately after slamming into my dash. Next thing I know I'm face up on the ground with an EMT asking me if I know my name and where I am. I did, thankfully, and they loaded me onto the ambulance to take me to the ER. A few hours, a spin through the CT, and an EKG later I walked out of the hospital with some painful cuts and bruises, dizziness, and a really sore body.

Thankfully the two on the Harley were unharmed, and I believe they even drove away from the accident with only some minor damage to their exhaust. Those chromies are tough.

This may be the end of my biking career... FUCK I LOVED THAT BIKE!!!!

Before the pictures, I'd like to throw out to everyone:

PLEASE WEAR YOUR FULL FACE HELMETS AND PROTECTIVE GEAR!!! My full face helmet likely saved my life. I have a huge nasty mark on my forehead and I cant imagine what it would look like had I been wearing a half or three quarter. My armored jacket did me really, really well - although I'm very very sore through my abs and chest I have no marks whatsoever. Please ride safe!

And now... for the freak show:

Glad to hear you are alright'ish... Sorry to hear about the bike RIP.

Glad you're alive. I've dropped a bike before but it didn't stop me from riding and this shouldn't either. Keep riding!!!

Would you be able to get some money from insurance?

i'm glad you're safe.

however, this should be a lesson to us all to be more like the germans (ie, stoic and not waving to each other wildly and instead being proficient riders) instead of celebrating our imagined group membership in some powered two-wheeler club.

Yes. It's insured. I expect it will be totaled, but it'll be awhile yet before I hear from the company.

I'm kinda thinking of getting a smaller scooter for around town, and a car for longer rides & hwy driving... Or maybe flying back to Europe like I've wanted to for a few years now.

A wreck like this puts you off a bit, for sure. I'm not writing riding off completely, though.

Thank you for the kind words.

Sorry about the bike and your bruises. Very sorry, as this must hurt inside on several levels.

Next time out on a bike take some extra training first, really - and I'm not trying to take a dig, just pointing 'stuff' out for others who may not have allowed themselves to be distracted like this before. A second (or even half a second) to miss something? Peripheral vision should be on full alert at all times - and should have been enough to acknowledge your friends.

Vision up and ahead folks. And let's pray none of us have such a numpty as that car driver in front of us.

Got my MSF endorsement and I'm very confident on my bike, but I'll be the first to admit that I was careless in this situation.

Careful with your waving folks - those "germanic" riders that barely stick out a finger or two... Well, I can understand why they're so stoic now.

about your accident. That really sucks. My one fear when riding is doing the the exact same thing. Thank you for the sledge hammer reminder to always stay vigilant about what is ahead of you when riding your scooter.

Because of your accident no matter how unfortunate, you are a living reminder (note the word living) to wear all the gear all the time while riding your scooter.

Thank you for sharing this horrific event in your life.

Thank God you are O.K.
Get another. I would.

Thank God you're okay. I hope this doesn't end your biking career. I want to point out something that you may not have considered...your "gear" includes your bike. I'd be willing to bet that 500 had a little to do with you not being totally wrecked physically as well...they're tough puppies all things considered(size, scoot, etc). Hey, not to be a vulture or anything, but what are you gonna do with the parts? I'd be willing to bet that you could sell quite a bit off the 'back' end like the seat, exhaust, wheels, etc. Heck, I'd buy the seat just to have a spare to customize. Just a thought to help with whatever your next purchase will be...again, the most important thing is that you're writing to us and we're not reading about you.

Good luck with the insurance company. Don't let your passion for riding stop here. Allow some time for the body ache to go away and get yourself back on the saddle

The most important thing is that you are alright. Thank you for posting the experience and the pics. Some of us (myself included) need constant reminders that riding a motorcycle or a scoot is as dangerous as it is fun and exciting.

After riding my mp3 for almost three months and getting more and more confident in my abilities, I have caught myself drifiting off into auto pilot mode as I almost always do in a cager. Thank you for the visual reminder that we must ALWAYS be alert when riding.

Holy smokes! Glad you're all right and very sorry about your MP3. I can certainly understand wanting to take a break from the motorbiking world. That said, take the time you need to heal yourself and hop back on the saddle if and when you're completely ready!

Glad you are OK. Just curious, what kind of helmet were you using? Jacket?

And after your ins company settles, please let us know who they are and how fairly they treated you. Those things are important to all of us.

Glad your ok. Too bad you've given the cruiser riders another reason to say "Fuckin' Scooters!" That being said, the most respect I've garnered from cruiser riders has been from around the Seattle area... seems that around there if you are on two wheels you're OK.


Slightly related - on Sunday out on the MP3, a couple on a BMW went absolutely crazy waving to me. She - on the back - had one arm waaaay up in the air and a big smile on her face. He took both hands off the bars and gave me a double thumbs up. I gave them a casual three fingers down and big smile back.

Dave

Had a Scorpion modular helmet (convertable to 3/4ths) and an Alpine Star dry weather jacket.

Not sure on the model numbers. I'm away from my home atm. You can see them in my profile pic.

I always sported the "3" style wave. It's like a peace sign and a thumbs up combined (wrist facing forward) - quite fitting for the MP3. Also makes it real easy to convert it to the bird if some crotch rocker gave ya a disapproving head shake ("no"), or a harley gave ya the harley salute.

man that you are ok. sorry about the bike but i would rather walk away from an accident then have an intact bike. hope you'll be out riding soon. I've noticed sometimes I've paid too much attention if i get a wave or not. next time i'll just wave and if i don't get any in return oh wells they are just concentrating on the road as I should be doing.

Sorry you have been hurt and the bike is in such a mess. I am sure once the aches and pains start to subside you will be eager to get on a bike again.

I broke a couple of ribs when I was hit by a cager but it hasn't stopped me loving the bikes.

Sorry about the bike and glad your ok.
You will be "sore" for a while.

Will they fix it or is it a total?

Im in almost the same boat.
Mine is in the shop and are calculated on to se if its a fix or a "by" from the insurence company. (Got full insurance)

Had a stupid car who almost run me over and i luckely could stear away and break almost to a stop before the bike whent to its side.

Plastic broke and scratched mostly.
No special hur on me as i could roll over and up on my feet right away.

Take care and just take it slow and you will be back on a bike.

sorry to hear about your mishap. gald you are in good shape and not laying in the hospital.
Don't forget to file your clain for gear replacement with your insurance co. and definatly fight for a replaced scoot valu not what they just want to say its worth. get some numbers from your dealer if yoou were to buy a raplcement with the taxes and all the other crap for a bottom line $.
Let us know how everything turns out.

Accident was his fault and his insurance is paying. You don't have any clout when this happens. Insurance company will give ACV (Actual Cash Value) no more, period dot.
Now when it's the other persons fault you have all kinds of clout to get reimbursed what it takes to make you whole again.

Wayne B

Todays' attitude is everyone drive "close" at any speed. I will leave the 2 second rule in front of me when the idiot behind me is tailgating me. Driving respect for other people been gone for years, only the "me- me" mentality seems to exist now. Glad you are only soft tissue damage, so far. Let us know what the insurance company decides. If totalled, let us know who is scraping it for "parts". Think if the harley drove away, you may not have damaged the frame and it could be repaired. good luck.

It's not the frame that totals MP3's it's the front end. You tweak your front end and the scooter is totaled. That scooter is totaled, there is no question about that.

Wayne B

Let me add my condolences on your scooter. Glad you were not more seriously hurt.

I am really glad that you are OK. We all make mistakes - no one is perfect remember that. But those mistakes shouldn't have to be paid for with yours or anyone else's life. I am still thinking of the motorcycle accident that happened near our home. The motorcycle ran the red light and ran into a garbage truck that was in the intersection. He just made a mistake and now he is dead. It still has me rattled and it turns out that he was someone my husband knew. It still has my husband rattled as well as he has been vigilant with his warnings and cautions.

I also want to address that 2 second rule - what a bunch of bunk. Sure I give it because I have the most to lose. But others get royally pissed if I don't speed up (I stay close to the speed limit - not under) and if I don't tailgate the one in front of me. Yeah just what I want to be is the meat in their sandwich. Last week some guy in an SUV was honking at me for not tailgating the car in front of me. I was moving with traffic but I stay back of the car in front of me. So I pulled over to the side using my blinkers and let him by. Of course he flipped me off as he went by. But I felt hugely better because the car behind him slowed to let me in and gave me a wave to let me know he was with me. So there are both kinds on the roads and we just gotta pray that in our time of need it will be one of the good guys there.

Dale

Agreed. I'm too eager to see if the other person waves back at me. I was even thinking to myself this morning on my way to work, that I shouldn't wait to see if they wave or not. It's just asking for trouble. That's probably one of my two weaknesses on the bike. The other being scenery. I love me a good background, and I really have to shake off the urge to take it all in.

Like the others, glad you are O.K. The bike can be replaced. Jaws, arms, and necks; not easily so. Thanks for sharing the story. It's stuff like this that keeps us all on our "toes".

Cedar sorry to hear it. Glad you are ok. Give yourself time and follow your gut. Hopefully you'll be comfortable riding again eventually.

What did I say about riding up stevens to levenworth?

Lots of traffic!!!

Glad you're ok, sucks to hear and see what happened to your ride.

Did the EMT's cut your helmet off? if not do you have pics of it?

The helmet is in the picture with the scoot.

Touche, but it would be nice to see some up-close shots of the impacted areas. I guess it's too late, it's more than likely in "an" junk yard in the cascades...

I'm always interested in seeing the damage caused by impacts to safety equipment.
These pictures answered a lot of questions about the "crumple" zones of the 500.

Piaggio should put an airbag under the bag hook that inflates over the handlebars making flying over them less jarring to the abs and groin.

I can't imagine how badly that hurt.

Seriously, glad you are ok.

even though it is his insurance you can still force the issue with replacement value. You pay for it in yoour premiums you should get it. If they don't see it that way you always have the secound opinion of your lawyers.

Well count yourself lucky there only 2 Rules on a bike

RULE 1
Always Keep your Eyes on the Road............

RULE 2
Only obay Rule 1


this is the only way to stay alive & Not get hurt or killed

IVe been rideing for over 30 years and always obay R U L E Number 1


Cliff1050

It appears the front end was deformed by several inches, if so how much shorter is the bike and how fast where you going? This bodes well as an assorber for the rider and I dare say can any other bike claim the same.

I thought the MP3 was possibly engaged in the act of mating and Cedar just couldn't control him.

In which case having spent itself the bike has very weak legs...

Buy it back from the insurance company on a salvage title and start parting it out. I'll give you $50 for the engine and rear wheel so's I can bolt it onto my 250!

I was just going over my policy and it specifically states, Unless a "Specified Value" has been stated we will pay ACV (Actual Cash Value) for the vehicle in the event the claim is a total loss.

Wayne B

The 250 has a smaller frame, it would never fit. But I would love to have the wheels.

Wayne B

FYI: I've already laid claim to the seat...you guys can have the rest!