Jump to content

Look Twice GeoCoin


WRITE SHOP ROBERT

Recommended Posts

Well, it's been a surprisingly long road, considering the simple look of the Coin. This Coin was inspired by Rockin Roddy's Cointest (Todie's Wild Ride). When I first saw that, it was my plan to buy and release a stack of Coins, but when I started to think of the various Memorial Coins that are out there to honor the fallen Bikers from our midst, it occured to me that maybe taking a more proactive approach might help a little. I gave up on entering many Coins in that race, and instead decided to create a new Coin that might get people thinking ahead of any more accidents. This Coin carries a simple phrase(that I probably saw somewhere else, I can't remember where). "Look Twice For Bikes"...If you drill this phrase into your mind, and make a habit to follow it when you are driving, then eventually you will prabably see a Bike on the second look that you missed on the first one. "You Could Save A Life" will happen right then. As you are out there on the road, before you make a move like a turn, lane change, or pulling into the lanes...Look around you for Bikes, and then...Look again.

Thank You, WRITE SHOP ROBERT

 

Look Twice Geocoin

 

Here's the artwork*...

311dd754-e646-43b9-a136-f12b8c5e19e1.jpg

*Note in the Sample Photo below that the Etched Tracking Numbers will be white, not yellow

 

These have been designed with a great deal of help from Chris Rake and are modeled on his Nomad Coins. They are the same size as the Nomads at 1.25". We are still working on an Icon for these Coins. I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of ideas for that(You can post them here). All of the serious work on these was done by Chris, while my involvement was the basic concept, lots of changing my mind, and demanding that my "R" stamp be on the Coin(making this my first "Personal Coin"), and then one "Eureka" moment that finally gave the great result that you see here.

 

And here are some Samples(Motorcycle version)...

341556e6-c192-428d-ab25-10a14d7b10aa.jpg

 

The version pictured is a "Regular Edition". It has not yet been decided if there will be any special versions of this Coin. There will be both a Bicycle Version, and a Motorcycle Version. There will be a Custom Icon.

 

My intent in creating these Coins is to get them out there traveling, and expose that phrase to as many eyes and minds as possible. If these Coins are not traveling, they will do no good to spread the word. That being said...The project has become much larger than my first ideas, and has consumed all of the budget that I might have used to create any other Coins. Some of these will be for sale(to be announced later) and the proceeds will determine if I am able to create any other Coins in the future. I really hope to see many of these released rather than just collected. I will be releasing many myself, and some others will be released for addoptions in some games. This thread will serve as host for some of these games, including a random draw game for posts in here.

 

I will not be announcing the quanties of the Coin, as that may always change. The same is true for the price, and any different versions. What we are looking at is the Regular Edition...

The Coins appear large in these images, but remember that they are 1.25 inches.

Edited by Eartha
Link to comment

Very nice coins, Robert :P Around here, one really needs to look for the petal powered bikes as some of those riders don't seem to be looking out for the drivers. The "law abiding" ones actually wear their helmets.

 

YES, we also need to watch out for the motorized variety, also.

 

I Like them both. Personally though, I only see me on the petal powered in the future.

 

Fairyhoney

Link to comment

We are still working on an Icon for these Coins. I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of ideas for that(You can post them here).

Why not the R, the way you have it on the coin and it is your signature. It would stand out like the message on the coin and I think when someone saw the icon they would know the coin.

YEAH I AGREE--IF YOUR GONNA DO IT,,DO IT BIG!!! USE UR "R" LOGO.

Link to comment

Not to hijack this thread, but another motorcycle/bicycle/car safety coin is in the works and WILL be unvieled soon, stay tuned for a thread to pop up soon!!

 

Now, on to this one....Robert, I cannot THANK you enough, my friend!! AWESOME job, unbelievable dedication of money to a special cause!! I'm betting the price of these will be low so that many will be bought and released!! My friend, I...well, THANK YOU!

 

I hope someone rewards you for such a WONDERFUL, THOUGHTFUL and PROTECTIVE idea! :P Cannot wait to see these coins travel, and to get my hands on some myself!!! I only wish I were closer to you, my friend. I would love to be able to meet you and shake your hand! (awww hell, a big bear hug would be in order too I think!)

 

Lastly, Todie's Wild Ride was a project I thought would maybe be embraced by a small few here, I had no idea how many people, how many coins and how many lives would be touched by it...I am amazed and humbled by the response! For someone like Robert to further promote the bike awareness cause, I cannot put my feelings to words! I do know Tod is looking down right now and just laughing his infectious little laugh thinking how very special you all are! I doubt Tod would have ever thought his life (and death) would impact as many people as it has, and all because of great people like everyone who participated, and of course people like Robert, Rothstafari, Maine Family, usyoopers and a whole bunch of special friends!!

 

I know what I want to do with the very first coin I buy...a little present for Tod's mom. She will be so proud!

Link to comment

Wish I had the money to buy a few

No need to wish, my friend! I think you can put your hat in the ring to be one of the lucky ones assigned to distribute these!! look fro Write Shop Robert's thread about this cointest!

 

Also, knowing you're a school-aged youngster, maybe you should look into participating in my new cointest where you are encouraged to spread bike awareness to your community! I would bet you could get your school to allow you to address the other students with a bike awareness message (maybe a little assembly type thing where you talk to your peers or maybe even take a message about the need to wear a helmet to the younger students riding bicycles???). You could be the proud owner of a LACKEY for this effort!!

 

Want some ideas?? I'm chock full of them (some say I'm full of something else, but....), email me and let's chat!!

 

ETA: Sorry Robert, don't mean to keep hijacking your thread here, but I think we're working toward the same goals! :D

Edited by Rockin Roddy
Link to comment

 

I only wish I were closer to you, my friend. I would love to be able to meet you and shake your hand! (awww hell, a big bear hug would be in order too I think!)

Collecting the Highest Version of my next coin will provide chances for Handshakes and Bearhugs...

 

BTW, I just ran accross I-90 through that area...

 

I-90? As in below me in Ohio?? I'm very close to 94 and 127, near the Ohio MI border...where are you at?

 

Truly, I'm only about 4 miles south from the US-12, US-127 intersection!

Edited by Rockin Roddy
Link to comment

Maybe as an icon you can choose something for the safety of both bikers and motorbikers, like.... a helmet???

 

Hmm... maybe.....

 

Since your coin is like a trafic sign, why not put a helmet and as font, put a trafic sign with the colors showing danger, or careful....

 

I hope you an idea of what I am talking about! :D

Edited by GATOULIS
Link to comment

We are still working on an Icon for these Coins. I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of ideas for that(You can post them here).

Why not the R, the way you have it on the coin and it is your signature. It would stand out like the message on the coin and I think when someone saw the icon they would know the coin.

I'm saving that for my next Coin.

Then how about for the smaller icon two eyes that move both ways. :D For the bigger one seeing a bike through binoculars. Love the coin and will be ordering some.

Link to comment

i haven't seen what Chris has come up with, but here are a couple of ideas I scraped together. They are crude, and if used would have to be cleaned up. It's really hard to work in such a amall area for the small one, it can only be 16X16.

cc6a4d9b-87e0-43dd-a217-3387797e0e36.jpg 32x32

 

f05dc0fd-9492-4d7d-9c79-3c2ccb568e62.jpg 16x16

 

 

 

1008088c-61ad-4c72-a056-5c662d6ce5e1.jpg 32x32

 

c84fc600-4795-447a-96a6-1d36a786319e.jpg 16x16

 

One of the most difficult things has been fitting the K in such a small space with three other letters, but another Eureka moment yields this...

 

365b5e70-1bc1-42c0-a5bc-0360a464180f.jpg 32x32

 

9db59ab6-bca0-474d-b7cd-080f8f968092.jpg 16x16

Edited by WRITE SHOP ROBERT
Link to comment

i haven't seen what Chris has come up with, but here are a couple of ideas I scraped together. They are crude, and if used would have to be cleaned up. It's really hard to work in such a amall area for the small one, it can only be 16X16.

cc6a4d9b-87e0-43dd-a217-3387797e0e36.jpg 32x32

 

f05dc0fd-9492-4d7d-9c79-3c2ccb568e62.jpg 16x16

 

 

 

1008088c-61ad-4c72-a056-5c662d6ce5e1.jpg 32x32

 

c84fc600-4795-447a-96a6-1d36a786319e.jpg 16x16

 

One of the most difficult things has been fitting the K in such a small space with three other letters, but another Eureka moment yields this...

 

365b5e70-1bc1-42c0-a5bc-0360a464180f.jpg 32x32

 

9db59ab6-bca0-474d-b7cd-080f8f968092.jpg 16x16

 

They all look good to me!

Link to comment

 

I only wish I were closer to you, my friend. I would love to be able to meet you and shake your hand! (awww hell, a big bear hug would be in order too I think!)

Collecting the Highest Version of my next coin will provide chances for Handshakes and Bearhugs...

 

BTW, I just ran accross I-90 through that area...

 

I-90? As in below me in Ohio?? I'm very close to 94 and 127, near the Ohio MI border...where are you at?

 

Truly, I'm only about 4 miles south from the US-12, US-127 intersection!

Yep, as in...From Vermont to Chicago

Link to comment

 

I only wish I were closer to you, my friend. I would love to be able to meet you and shake your hand! (awww hell, a big bear hug would be in order too I think!)

Collecting the Highest Version of my next coin will provide chances for Handshakes and Bearhugs...

 

BTW, I just ran accross I-90 through that area...

 

I-90? As in below me in Ohio?? I'm very close to 94 and 127, near the Ohio MI border...where are you at?

 

Truly, I'm only about 4 miles south from the US-12, US-127 intersection!

Yep, as in...From Vermont to Chicago

 

I wondered when you mentioned I-90. It turns to the 80-90 turnpike from there and runs on out to New York. I used the turnpike to get most of the way to and from GCF!

Link to comment

I'm a geocaching noob dropping in to get in the drawing. Great looking coin, for a great cause. (I have a 19 year old that just started riding). Scares the HECK outta me, but, he seems to be respecting the bike.... take care...

 

Hello mmmbacon! If my hunch is correct, you're the newb who emailed me yesterday? I wish I did have a coin for you, my friend, I hope to soon! While you're in the forums, post my catch phrase in my cointest thread (Todie's Wild Ride) and you'll be in the running for that coin which will be sent out traveling very soon!

 

Welcome to the coin forums and please tell that son of yours to PLEASE wear a DOT approved helmet even if it's not required. The helmet is one of the most important items one can have to protect themselves! Hope to see more of you in the forums!

Edited by Rockin Roddy
Link to comment
Hello mmmbacon! If my hunch is correct, you're the newb who emailed me yesterday? I wish I did have a coin for you, my friend, I hope to soon! While you're in the forums, post my catch phrase in my cointest thread (Todie's Wild Ride) and you'll be in the running for that coin which will be sent out traveling very soon!

 

Welcome to the coin forums and tell that son of yours to PLEASE wear a DOT approved helmet even if it's not required. The helmet is one of the most important items one can have to protect themselves! Hope to see more of you in the forums!

 

Your hunch was correct! I have headed over to your thread and entered that one also, THANKS! As far as the helmet goes, it was understood that at no time, no matter the distance an approved helmet WILL be worn. And he seems to be doing well on that front

Link to comment

 

I only wish I were closer to you, my friend. I would love to be able to meet you and shake your hand! (awww hell, a big bear hug would be in order too I think!)

Collecting the Highest Version of my next coin will provide chances for Handshakes and Bearhugs...

 

BTW, I just ran accross I-90 through that area...

 

I'm not that far from there either. Do ya think you could handle two bear hugs? :laughing:

 

I really like these coins and especially that you included the bicycle one. I always think of my nephew who was hit by a car while commuting to work. His hip was broken and now he will forever set off the alarms in the airports....

Link to comment

I like the first icon. Nicely done.

cc6a4d9b-87e0-43dd-a217-3387797e0e36.jpg

Oh, I just made the computer do it. All I did was spraypaint a dark ring over the text, and shrink it down to the allowable size.

You are a genius my friend. I like it. I also like the idea someone else suggested about the helmet, especially if your message is bike safety. I see way too many people riding without helmets. Makes me sad. The worst one I saw was while I was still living in Idaho. This guy was riding down the highway in shorts, a-shirt, flip flops, and of course no brain bucket.

Link to comment

I like the first icon. Nicely done.

cc6a4d9b-87e0-43dd-a217-3387797e0e36.jpg

Oh, I just made the computer do it. All I did was spraypaint a dark ring over the text, and shrink it down to the allowable size.

You are a genius my friend. I like it. I also like the idea someone else suggested about the helmet, especially if your message is bike safety. I see way too many people riding without helmets. Makes me sad. The worst one I saw was while I was still living in Idaho. This guy was riding down the highway in shorts, a-shirt, flip flops, and of course no brain bucket.

Wearing that kind of clothing, when he wrecks, he'll probably be in so much pain...Happy to have no helmet

Edited by WRITE SHOP ROBERT
Link to comment

I like the first icon. Nicely done.

cc6a4d9b-87e0-43dd-a217-3387797e0e36.jpg

Oh, I just made the computer do it. All I did was spraypaint a dark ring over the text, and shrink it down to the allowable size.

You are a genius my friend. I like it. I also like the idea someone else suggested about the helmet, especially if your message is bike safety. I see way too many people riding without helmets. Makes me sad. The worst one I saw was while I was still living in Idaho. This guy was riding down the highway in shorts, a-shirt, flip flops, and of course no brain bucket.

Wearing that kind of clothing, when he wrecks, he'll probably be in so much pain...Happy to have no helmet

 

And this bring's up my next long story...grab a sandwich and beverage and get comfy! :laughing:

 

A friend and I were riding through Hidden Lake Gardens one evening (a nice botanical garden with high rolling hills on the 6 miles of trails and 6 more miles of road), I had just bought the front shock for my Huffy mountain bike (I know...Huffy...lol) and we were excited to ride. This was my first year of riding and it was later in the season...but I wasn't all that experienced yet. My friend let me lead often because I was slower, I set a pace I could handle. Well, I was feeling pretty smug, I was now in the world of SHOCKS...even my friend, who'd been riding for a few years didn't have a shock!

 

We'd rode the rugged trails a few times (around 10 miles or so since we turned around about halfway to avoid being detected on the trails, riding the trails was frowned upon by management) and it was getting close to dark. Neither of us had helmets, we were both in shorts and no shirts, I was wearing sandals. We turned back to hit an exceptionally hilly section one last time, this time going down the biggest hill! I was still leading and was feeling pretty cocky by now, so it wasn't shocking that I picked up a lot of speed.

 

Heading down the big hill now, leaves had fallen and obscured the trail a bit, hiding rocks and roots from view. At the very bottom of the hill, there was a slight jog to the right and then back left as it went around a tree...well, with as much speed as I had, I didn't see the rocks just before the jog right. I hit the rocks which launched my bike straight up. This is all according to my friend who watched the whole thing...he said my handlebars caught a tree limb about 10 feet off the ground which caused my bike to flip forward, throwing me from the saddle. All I remember is the sound of rushing wind and darkness (not sure why, but that's all I remember about flying through the air)...and then what I can only describe as a train wreck as I landed squarely on my forehead!

 

I remember my friend yelling at me, so I jumped up which caused me to fall backwards into a briar patch. I then jumped up again and stumbled about for a few seconds before putting my hand to my head. Since it was covered with dirt caked onto the sweat, my hand looked like it was bloody in the dim lighting (dusk was upon us and we were deep in the woods)...my first reaction was panic! My friend finally got to me and stopped me from stumbling about, he made me sit down while he looked me over, he realized at that time that I wasn't bleeding at all. After telling me that this was the worst bike accident he had ever seen and checking out my bike which had a front tire that looked remarkably like Curious George's (remember our monkey friend from childhood books??), we stepped off the distance I flew...40'! It was another 15 to 20 minutes of trying to get my head straight and trying to figure out what had just happened before we started walking the bikes out...from the furthest back you could get on the trails! In the pitch blackness too...and we didn't even have lights!

 

The very next day, I bought a helmet, a new rim and we were off for the Pottowottamie trail, one of the top 10 in the USA. I bombed big time on that one, but from exhaustion since we rode a total of 26 miles of grueling hills and rugged trails! I never rode again without a helmet!! (or shoes for that matter)

Link to comment

I like the first icon. Nicely done.

cc6a4d9b-87e0-43dd-a217-3387797e0e36.jpg

Oh, I just made the computer do it. All I did was spraypaint a dark ring over the text, and shrink it down to the allowable size.

You are a genius my friend. I like it. I also like the idea someone else suggested about the helmet, especially if your message is bike safety. I see way too many people riding without helmets. Makes me sad. The worst one I saw was while I was still living in Idaho. This guy was riding down the highway in shorts, a-shirt, flip flops, and of course no brain bucket.

 

And this bring's up my next long story...grab a sandwich and beverage and get comfy! :laughing:

 

A friend and I were riding through Hidden Lake Gardens one evening (a nice botanical garden with high rolling hills on the 6 miles of trails and 6 more miles of road), I had just bought the front shock for my Huffy mountain bike (I know...Huffy...lol) and we were excited to ride. This was my first year of riding and it was later in the season...but I wasn't all that experienced yet. My friend let me lead often because I was slower, I set a pace I could handle. Well, I was feeling pretty smug, I was now in the world of SHOCKS...even my friend, who'd been riding for a few years didn't have a shock!

 

We'd rode the rugged trails a few times (around 10 miles or so since we turned around about halfway to avoid being detected on the trails, riding the trails was frowned upon by management) and it was getting close to dark. Neither of us had helmets, we were both in shorts and no shirts, I was wearing sandals. We turned back to hit an exceptionally hilly section one last time, this time going down the biggest hill! I was still leading and was feeling pretty cocky by now, so it wasn't shocking that I picked up a lot of speed.

 

Heading down the big hill now, leaves had fallen and obscured the trail a bit, hiding rocks and roots from view. At the very bottom of the hill, there was a slight jog to the right and then back left as it went around a tree...well, with as much speed as I had, I didn't see the rocks just before the jog right. I hit the rocks which launched my bike straight up. This is all according to my friend who watched the whole thing...he said my handlebars caught a tree limb about 10 feet off the ground which caused my bike to flip forward, throwing me from the saddle. All I remember is the sound of rushing wind and darkness (not sure why, but that's all I remember about flying through the air)...and then what I can only describe as a train wreck as I landed squarely on my forehead!

 

I remember my friend yelling at me, so I jumped up which caused me to fall backwards into a briar patch. I then jumped up again and stumbled about for a few seconds before putting my hand to my head. Since it was covered with dirt caked onto the sweat, my hand looked like it was bloody in the dim lighting (dusk was upon us and we were deep in the woods)...my first reaction was panic! My friend finally got to me and stopped me from stumbling about, he made me sit down while he looked me over, he realized at that time that I wasn't bleeding at all. After telling me that this was the worst bike accident he had ever seen and checking out my bike which had a front tire that looked remarkably like Curious George's (remember our monkey friend from childhood books??), we stepped off the distance I flew...40'! It was another 15 to 20 minutes of trying to get my head straight and trying to figure out what had just happened before we started walking the bikes out...from the furthest back you could get on the trails! In the pitch blackness too...and we didn't even have lights!

 

The very next day, I bought a helmet, a new rim and we were off for the Pottowottamie trail, one of the top 10 in the USA. I bombed big time on that one, but from exhaustion since we rode a total of 26 miles of grueling hills and rugged trails! I never rode again without a helmet!! (or shoes for that matter)

...And now we know what's wrong with you!!!.

 

Thanks for sharing the story, it has given me an idea for one of the games in the release of my new Coins. I will be having some games to release Coins in addition to the ones that You will be able to award!! Between the two of us, there should be about 150 of these going into circulation!!

Link to comment

Well, in order to have some posts in here to be able to have random draws to adopt some of these coins that are released...Let's have a little COINTEST. This MiniGame will generate some prizes of its own, in addition to the random draws for all posts in this thread.

Here's what I'm looking for(inspired by Roddy's crash story)...

 

 

Tell us about an incident involving a crash or near miss that you had either on a Bike, or involving a Bike(You can leave out the gore, just give us the story of the incident).

 

AND THEN...

 

Tell us how that incident could have been avoided, and what YOU have learned from it.

 

 

FINE PRINT: If you don't have an incident of your own to share, then share one that you saw(as in WITNESSED). Another option is to gather a story from someone that you know(as in "Hey Joey, have you ever crashed your bike?"). Please don't make up stories, or get them from the internet or newspaper. I'm looking for real stories here, and real learning.

 

Adoptions will be awarded by random draw, and by my personal choice for stories and lessons that I like. I don't know how many adoptions will go out in this Minigame. You may enter as many as you like, as often as you like BUT...You may not post two in a row(someone eslse must have a post in between your stories)..

 

Remember that you are playing for an adoption of a Coin that will be released to travel, this will not put a Coin into your hand.

Link to comment

Back when I was in High School (two or three years ago <_< ) I was driving to school and making a legal right hand turn on a red light. I looked left to make sure the lane was clear and started to pull out. I just missed hitting a bicyclist who was coming across the crosswalk that I was stopped at. Seconds are all that came between me and the cyclist and I was shaking for quite a while after. I learned to LOOK TWICE!!! Thankfully no one was injured or killed for me to learn that lesson.

 

Edited for typing goofs

Edited by burgessfour
Link to comment

Well this one just happened less than a month ago. I was caching on my geobike in Neenah WI. It was towards the end of the day when I was about to cross the road on a cross-walk when out of nowhere appeared a motorcyclist turning right. He missed me by less than two feet and scared the crap out of me. Now part of this incident was my fault as I didn't stop like I problaly should have. So what have I learned. Look left and right and stop at cross walks.

Link to comment

I was thinking of what stories to write here! I had accidents but mostly with cars! I was not driving, I was in the car! That is the reason I do not have a license to drive! I have a fear with cars!

 

Of course this is a bike cointest, so I will speak about bike accidents! I had a bike accident, my father had one, some of my friends had.... but I will start with an extreme tragedy that happent to a friend of mine!

 

We were wotking together in the palace of the grand masters in Rhodes, in 2003! He was a a great guy, funny, and good in his job! He was married and had 4 children, all under 5!!!

 

Even if he was older than me and the other guards, he was joking all the time we talked about women and when a beautiful woman was visiting the palace he was sending us coded signs or words so we wouldn't miss... <_<

 

He had 2-3 loves! his family, motorbikes and watches!

 

Every 3-4 months he was changing his watch! Almost every year he was changing his motorbike too! everytime he was geting a biger one!

Unfortunatelly he liked spead too......

 

when I stoped working in the palace we got lost! We were actually friends at work! he was working 2 jobs to live his family!

 

I heard that he got a good job and left from the archeology! I was happy with it! He owned it!

 

One day, this year of last year, I was reading the local news paper! I saw an article about an accident and the whole story behind the tragedy! The driver of the bike had died! The name was familiar....

 

I started reading the story.... the biker was informed that his father was in serious condition after a heart attack, in the hospital! He was informed that his father was dying!!! He took his bike and he was going fast so he could see his father! while he was on the road, something hapened! his wheel hit an other bikers wheel... I do not know....

He died on that road! his body was in such a bad condition....

 

The tragedy was that his father condition was not that bad! When he learned that his son, (the father had only 1 son (him), and a daughter), he tried to commit suicide with a knife! He didn't make it!

 

I was feeling so sorry for all of them! How the son was feeling, how the father felt later... all the guilts.... and everything because of an info that was not completely true!!!

 

After some days, I saw his photo in the newspaper! It was his memorial ceremony. (after 9 days from his death...) He was my friend!!! He was the one I was reading about!!! I felt so bad!

 

This year I worked (I am still there), in the palace again! we were talking about my friend with a woman! I said that he was a good friend, and I was so sad what happent! she cried and told me and the way I speak and laugh etc reminded him! He was a friend only to people that were like him! I asked her how she knew all these and she just said.... he was my brother!!!

 

I was socked! I didn't know what to say!!! sometimes life is.....

she also told me that someone stole my friend's watch, from his dead body, when he was lying on the road!!!! someone was such an...

 

Here in Greece, we use to make tiny memorial churches in the place someone of our family died! You can see his in the road in Rodini, near the place a cache is! ...Good bye my friend!

 

Please do not to be panic and never go fast, even if you heard bad news! Never run when you are stressed!

 

I am sorry if my story is not with a happy end! I hope his loss will make other bikers wiser!

 

In the loving memory of Manolis Papatharrenos!

Link to comment

Ok here goes nothing.... when i was younger i had a very near miss which taught me a valuable lesson about Motorcycle safety, here is a shortened version of what dumb act could have had a serious ending!

 

I had been out riding my motorcycle and as i was riding through a village where i had family i decided i would call in to see my aunt n uncle and family.

After having stayed a while and exchanged all the local news i left the house and strode across my motorcycle, fired the beast up and was just about to set off when i saw that my cousin had just pulled up in his car, so i rode the bike slowly forward until i was opposite his car and chatted with him for some time, we said our goodbyes and i leant the bike from the sidestand and put the bike in gear and headed out of the village. The road was pretty straight then a nice sweeping right handed curve followed into a left handed curve, i was hitting about 70mph when i approached the left hand curve and was just leaning the bike nicely into a racing line position when the sidestand dug into the road throwing the bike and me to the right hand side of the road. I hit the grass verge hard and managed to cling on for dear life, i'm now travelling on wettish grass at about 60 mph and one thing i knew was dont brake on grass or else i would be eating the grass!! Anyways as the road curved to the left so did the verge and now i see the ditch running along the grass verging and the road so i had to fight to lean the bike to the left to avoid going into the ditch and still being unable to brake. Then things really got interesting the gap between me and ditch was getting closer so i leaned even harder to the left, at just the right moment i hit some earth which caused the bike and me to jump to the left and luckily towards the road again... i didnt have time to look to see if the road was clear i just headed to the road and BRAKED HARD!!!!! The bike screeched to a halt and my heart was thumping like crazy i jumped off the bike put it onto its main stand and sat down at side of the bike reacting what had just happened whilst i had a smoke to calm my nerves, i then stood up and checked the bike out seeing nothing was wrong with it i ensured helmet was secured and sat on the bike again. Wearily i started the bike up and i was scarred to ride it at first but i knew that if i didnt get back on it then my days biking would be over.

From that day on i Always checked that my side stand was UP before i started the bike up....

Link to comment

Well, this one goes back 35 years, before anyone wore a helmet riding a bicycle.

I was down at a friend's house for the day and my brother came down to tell me it was time to come home. A race home ensued and the roadway was mostly paved but had alot of gravel near the edges. I think you all know where this is leading.... being more interested in beating my brother home than watching where I was going, I hit a large pile of gravel and went down hard bouncing my head off the road and taking a rock in the head which opened a small cut but anyone who has had a head laceration can tell you, they bleed alot.

Well my brother saw me go down and checked on me. He gave me his shirt to apply pressure to the wound while he rode the rest of the way home to get my parents. Off to the ER for stitches. Well, it only took two stiches to close the wound but the shirt was a total loss. What did I learn? well, I didn't race him home again! If helmets were an option back then, I may have made the decision to wear one. Now that I have children of my own, I insist they wear helmets and that I wear one too.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...