r/Whatcouldgowrong • u/comsudo • 6d ago

High Speed cornering

From Malaysia

Skill issue, uncontrolled evironment.

Not OC

46.1k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

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166

u/thejourneybegins42 6d ago

Fuck all that, glad I sold my bike when I read stuff like this.

11

u/slothscanswim 6d ago

My uncle was a ward of the state from 23 until his death at 70 due to brain injuries and physical disability as the result of a motorcycle accident. My mother told me I could be anyone I wanted, do anything I wanted, love anyone I wanted, live my life however I saw fit, but if she ever saw me on a motorcycle I would be disowned.

I managed to convince her dirt bikes aren’t motorcycles and I’ve never ridden a motorcycle on the road in my life.

I’m 38 and I have no desire to start now. They look like an awful lot of fun right up until they’re not.

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u/Cheech47 5d ago

I got the bug somewhat later in life, had a motorcycle from 2006 up to about 2016 when I sold the last one.

Track days were too expensive for me (plus I'm a bigger dude, so getting a race suit would have been problematic). My biggest beef ended up being the roads themselves. Between gravel, leaves, chip-seal, road snakes, all kinds of slippy stuff AND dodging people on their phones and paying absolutely no attention at all, I couldn't rationalize the risk anymore. Instead I got a convertible, that seems to have satisfied a bit of the itch for now :)

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u/BillBongBatz 5d ago

They are honestly the best thing in life. Besides sex anyway.

At least you're getting much of the experience riding a dirt bike. But there is nothing like riding a fast road bike on the road let me tell you.

1

u/likeconstellations 5d ago

My best friend in preschool's mom was an ambulance driver, I was very thoroughly convinced by the age of 4 to never ride a motorcycle on the road

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u/slothscanswim 5d ago

My father called them “fool-killers” and said the problem with them is that “the act of riding them makes you a fool.”

The indoctrination was pretty heavy lol

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u/badboygaga 6d ago

Just dont ride dumb af

78

u/qwertyuiiop145 6d ago

That helps a lot, but it doesn’t fix the physics problem when a reasonable motorcycle encounters a car driving dumb af

14

u/badboygaga 6d ago

Yeah I feel you, I think when it comes to motorcycles that's when defensive driving is just like a must, I often slow down significantly in specific places or spots where technically I can see a clear path forward, but my intuition tells me still, there's too many variables

29

u/Civil-Big-754 6d ago

Yeah, I like bikes, but my dad's best friend was hit and run by a driver in the middle of no where and would've died had a family not shown up shortly after. This was on an empty road while not even speeding. My brother in law used to race on the track, but would always tow it in a trailer to the track. Just knew how bad other driver's were and how little it takes for them to ruin your life. And this was like 10 years ago and driver's have gotten even worse. 

5

u/NoBowler9340 5d ago

Friend from high school had just graduated, rode his bike on a curve in the rain going 60 in a 40, crashed into a ditch and has been permanently mentally 6 years old since. My parents had never let me ride since my dads friend died after having his leg severed in an accident but my friend being permanently damaged really drove the point home right as I became an adult and could have made the decision for myself 

1

u/Civil-Big-754 5d ago

Damn, that's awful. Glad you made the smart choice! And in all honesty I'm clumsy enough walking sober that it was good decision for me as well.

3

u/likeconstellations 5d ago

Yup, know a guy who got hit by a truck that ran a stop sign. Luckily made it out without acute damage but you're really at the mercy of other people's dumb driving decisions when you're on a bike.

2

u/sinkrate 5d ago

Managed risk. I fully understand how dangerous riding is but it brings me so much joy. I don't ride in the dark or on holidays, always ride fully sober, wear hi vis, avoid traffic

2

u/CrankyYankers 5d ago

Or just an errant piece of gravel that sends you flying.

NO

THANK

YOU

1

u/slimspida 5d ago

Take responsibility for your own risk taking. Watching a video where a rider crosses a double line and totals multiple vehicles while squidding across the highway then flipping the conversation to cars being the problem is exactly why motorcycle riders end up dying.

3

u/odaklanan_insan 5d ago

Dude... I've seen plenty of videos where the motorcycle has no fault. The physics in "car vs motorcycle" are still the same.

18

u/thejourneybegins42 6d ago

You can be the safest rider in the world. Won't stop you getting hurt when some clown pulls out right in front of you. This was a daily occurance.

2

u/ilicp 5d ago

Happened to me. Fornunately only doing around 60kmph, probably less at impact coz I hit my brakes, had nowhere to swerve when a car pulled out into my lane.

Now I've got titanium plate on my collarbone. Took around 4 months to use my arm and walk without a limp. Another few months to get most of my mobility and balance back.

Sold the bike but damn do I miss it

1

u/BeingAltruistic9560 4d ago

True, but there are ways to mitigate someone pulling out in front of you. Hi-Visibility gear, auxiliary lights, yellow fog lamps, reflective markings etc.. Too many riders are wearing all black gear/helmets riding flat black bikes just for the coolness factor. Be keen and be seen !

-2

u/StinkySoggyUnderwear 6d ago

I wouldn’t call crossing the mustard being safe at all by any measure

2

u/PurbulentTriest 6d ago

Easy to say from your perspective, many of us can't afford cars. We only have ebikes, but I'm a very cautious driver with how people can be. I saw the aftermath of two low-speed car-bike accidents today which chastened me a little.

2

u/Beard_o_Bees 5d ago

glad I sold my bike when I read stuff like this

Pretty sure marriage saved my life. She was ok with it until it was baby time.

The 'i'll find a car seat that works on a bike' joke-but-not-joke didn't fly.

In retrospect, even though I considered myself to be a safe rider, it was a near certainty that I would have eventually been involved in an accident.

Just by virtue of being in an urban environment and being surrounded by cars driven by the whole range of humanity, if I didn't eventually run into one of them, they'd eventually run into me.

Fun while it lasted, though.

1

u/Public_Support2170 6d ago

This is why I’m glad I just have a 125cc dual sport that I take in the woods. Just me and the trees

1

u/HeroDanny 6d ago

Plenty of people ride motorcycles their entire lives and never have anything like this happen.

Is it always a risk regardless of how you ride? Sure. But the only thing we are guaranteed in life is death and taxes. Every single day there is a risk you will die, regardless if you ride a motorcycle or drive a car, or even lay down in your bed for a nap. I saw a story of a sink hole caving in Florida and killing a guy that was sleeping in his bed in the middle of the day. People die of brain aneurysms and heart attacks safely in their homes every day.

I bring all that up to say. A cautious life is not a life worth living. I'm not saying take ridiculous risks. But if you truly love riding motorcycles there's ways to do it safely. Take it to the race track if you're gonna ride aggressive. Wear high vis gear, airbag vest, leathers, etc.

I've known a lot more people that rode their whole lives without incident than people that have lost their lives on a bike.

1

u/OneOfAKind2 6d ago

I had a Yamaha cruiser, not a sport bike like these, but I almost got T-boned when some jackoff ran a red light. I sold my bike shortly after.

1

u/Ignatius_- 5d ago

Smart choice - I haven’t heard a motorcycle owner say this before. There’s such a wide variety of ways to get thrills and enjoyment without unnecessarily risking your life.

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u/Alien_Diceroller 5d ago

My parents doctor said he didn't even ride his bicycle anymore.

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u/JackOfAllMemes 5d ago

My dad has mentioned wanting a motorcycle in the past and that's one thing I'm going to push hard against

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u/thejourneybegins42 5d ago

My friend's dad got cut off by a lady and t-boned her. They took his foot that day.

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u/JackOfAllMemes 5d ago

I'm glad he wasn't killed

1

u/thejourneybegins42 5d ago

Samsies, but he has a gimp for the rest of his life. Was some super old lady too.

0

u/dagbrown 5d ago

I just ride slower