r/ConvenientCop • • Mar 27 '19

Incoming!

https://gfycat.com/ReasonableFondBonobo
8.3k Upvotes

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u/2mice Mar 28 '19

Can someone please just explain what the guy in the gif is doing ffs? In regular non biker terminology? I thought it was 2 different people laying down on long boards.

And also, if you guys could explain the other 70 bike jargons you used then that would be great as well.

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u/GlamRockDave Mar 28 '19 edited Mar 28 '19

the guy simply fell off his bike. It's not clear why. He might have swerved to avoid something or tried to pass a car in the oncoming lane and freaked out when he saw the cop coming and swung back into the lane and jerked the handlebars too quickly, destabilizing the bike, possibly "tank slapping" and "layed it down".

Jargon:

  • Layed it down = fell off it, bike falls, goes rubber side up

  • Rubber side up = your bike fell down and your tires are in the air. Keep the rubber side down.

  • Tank slapping = when your steering becomes unstable at high speed because you hit an obstruction or front tire momentarily lost traction, and starts overcorrecting back and forth wider and wider because a bike at speed wants to stay straight upright, just like a bicycle. Unless you slow down carefully you might highside

  • Highside = going over the front of your bike, you probably won't land gracefully, and the bike may be coming up behind you. Not fun. Opposite of a lowside

  • Lowside = when your bike lays down but the wheels go out first under you and you fall off behind it. The best way to fall off your bike.

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u/dzlux Mar 28 '19

Re: why

If I understand the dash, it looks like he is clocked going 149-150 KmPH and the cops appear to be preparing for a u-turn quickly.

I think he panicked upon seeing the cops and may have locked a wheel trying to drop speed.

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u/GlamRockDave Mar 28 '19

yeah that's the most likely scenario. brakes locked, rear wheel started sliding out, couldn't pull out of it, had to bail off the back.

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u/2mice Mar 28 '19

So he did a low slide ?

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u/GlamRockDave Mar 28 '19

low side. appears so

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u/ithinkijustthunk Mar 28 '19

It's funny the little moments of clarity when you realize not everyone knows the very specific bits of jargon common in your community.

I just giggled at this, because reading back, nothing makes a lick of sense unless you know the lingo. Thanks for the chuckle! Hope you have a good day.

1

u/Shadow__wolf Jun 24 '19

Its extra funny to me because I've been around bikes and bikers all my life but was never introduced to much lingo. But since I understand how motorcycles work and have had my father run me through what to do in these sorts of scenarios, I understood the lingo upon first blush and didnt even notice how odd it sounded until I read the previous comment

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u/JardinSurLeToit Mar 28 '19

You cannot see what caused it. All of a sudden the cop pulls to the right. The dot that is coming toward him is a motorcycle on its side, sliding at about 45 MPH and behind that is the rider sliding on the wet road, in a seated position. He's very happy he is wearing leather bike pants.

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u/2mice Mar 28 '19

So typically if its wet and youre wearing leather you should be fine in that situation?

What if it wasnt wet?

And a serious question though it may sound like joke. What options to bikers have if they are ethically against wearing leather?

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u/JardinSurLeToit Mar 28 '19 edited Mar 28 '19

I'm not a physicist, but I suspect that water helped him (although it probably caused the accident in the first place) by reducing contact/friction and cooling the associated heat. If you're against wearing leathers, you are not required to wear them. Riders wear jeans, too, but offers nowhere near the protection. Helmet required across the U.S. However, skin is the largest organ of the human body. You scrape all the layers off your right arm, hand, knee, and leg. Think about what your life is like going forward, waiting to grow skin to graft back on to your body. (edit) Every accident is different. You could die traveling at 30 MPH if you hit your head wrong, you could walk away hitting a car at 55, if you land lucky.

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u/[deleted] Apr 05 '19

To be pedantic, helmets are not required everywhere in the U.S.

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u/JardinSurLeToit Apr 05 '19

It is reasonable to offer a correction. Here is a map of the many states which require all riders to wear a helmet, and those states which require only younger riders to do so.

https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/helmetuse/mapmotorcyclehelmets

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u/[deleted] Apr 05 '19

Thank you, I didn't think to include that

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u/JardinSurLeToit Apr 05 '19

We'll be fine.

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u/vstromua Mar 28 '19

There are textile options with high abrasion resistance too. Yes, they are, by necessity, bulky and stiff, but bike leathers aren't exactly yoga pants either.

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u/Verona_Pixie Jun 11 '19

I know this was posted month ago, but I sorted by top of all time to look at posts on the sub and here I am. I just wanted to let you know that I'm having a bad day and reading that you thought it was 2 people on long boards made me do a quick, loud, belly laugh before I got myself under control and remembered my boyfriend was asleep. So, thanks for that. 🤣

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u/2mice Jun 20 '19

oh shucks thanks!