Little Things Can Hurt You Too

[Slo'Poke]

It's the little things that will hurt you. They count on their innoculous appearance to lull you into a false sense of security. They are also not above factoring in your years of riding experience into their plans to get you. On the contrary, THEY COUNT ON IT!

My parking space at home is a small little overhang on the side of the apartment complex that I live at. It's just about the right size for my bike, is well out of view of the general public, and happens to sit under a sensored light. To get to it, I enter the lot, do a 180 deg turn to the left, then back my bike in like I'm parallel-parking.

So yesterday, I'm pulling into home. 180-turn, crank the bars all the way to the right, start walking the bike back. Now I have to swing the bars all the left and nudge my cycle into it's slot. I've done it a hundred times.

Somewhere between one and a hundred, I stopped looking down at the ground. And if I had, I would've noticed that the asphalt in that area was breaking up. In that specific area of the blacktop, tiny bits of gravel have now formed in the cracks, and my right foot just manages to come down right onto that spot where an army of itty-bitty-killer-pebbles have congregated. On that foot rests a good potion of a combined weight of 557 lbs worth of a Vulcan, oil, fuel, coolant, and a 180 lb rider.

Slip!

My right foot immediately gives way, and my bike is now doing it's best impression of the SS Poseidon from the ship-turned-turtle disaster movie (1970s version or the 2000's version... take your pick). It's on it's way to the right, where the wall of the apartment building is. The good news - there's a decent chance that the wall will stop the tipping motion. The bad -I 'm still far enough away that there's a good chance that the bike will hit the wall, then continue sliding down it's surface. The odds are rather fair that I could very well get pinned in a nasty way between Vulcan and wall if I let it go. In the little time I had, my mind must've registered that.

My right foot quickly lifts and replants itself. And as soon as it does, I realize that maybe I should've taken the chance on letting the wall catch my bike.

Remember how I had the bars pegged to the left all the way to the stops? Well, here I am with the entire right side of my body tensed to fight the tipping motion of my bike, and with my right arm stretched out, my upper body is now in the worse possible position to take up the sudden force of that amount of deadweight. I feel my right shoulder protest in pain... A LOT OF PAIN!!!

And to add insult to injury, the bike continues on it's merry way. What is it, this thing my bike has with the wall? It seems like it really wants to rub up against the surface like a starved cat trying to egg it's owner into feeding it. Have they developed some weird relationship over the months whenever the night came and I was asleep?

I pull out the only thing I have left in my arsenal of saving this bike from damage and/or myself from getting pinned. By pure instinct (I certainly didn't think it thru - it just happened), I take my right foot and slam it against the base of wall. It provides just enough leverage to stop motion and take pressure off my shoulder. Ever so slowly, my Vulcan comes back up to an even keel. I snap down the kickstand and let her down.

So here I am, now with a shoulder that will not allow for riding of a cycle for at least a couple of days. I'm certainly glad it wasn't worse, and in a way, it was a healthy lesson. Tiny little pebbles could be are just as bad as the giant white van veering into your lane because the driver didn't see you. To sum up, be alert for anything and everything.

And especially the LITTLE things!

[kingofwings]

You're not the only one Alex. Glad you and your bike are not TOO much worse for wear.

[CTRider]

I park in the corner of my lot where cars can't really get to when there are other cars parked in the two spaces 90 degrees on either side of the corner area (my truck being one of them).

Since it's under several closely planted trees, I get all kinds of sticks, leaves, berries, nuts carried by squirrels and other tidbits scattered there. I actaully sweep that area out now and then. The last thing I want is to plant my foot down on a stick or a walnut and have it opt not to stay in place.

The pavement is also pretty cracked and uneven, so I bought a 1 foot square paver stone to set my kickstand on.

[alstensby]

Complacency usually is what does people in!

[antiq]

To riders of all levels. A little scare once in a while is a Good thing! Sorry about the shoulder. Heal fast.

[W-P Bill]

How about the little tinkling sounds made by a cotter pin when it falls onto the pavement?

That's a scary sound

If you're lucky (I was) you'll be going slow enough to hear it. If not, well, lets not go there. This was the cotter pin that holds the pin in place that keeps the pads in place on my PM 6pot front caliper.

[El Mexicano]

Damn dude! You had me reading every word of the story, drama and all! I am glad you are both ok ride on!

[Svetlana]

Man Alex! I guess you've just got to look at it as a situation that could have gone even worse. Let us know how the shouldar does :/

[keyda81]

Between me and my husband the driveway gets swept all too often, but obviously not often enough. The leaves, and junk from trees have a tendancy to gather at the end of my driveway, and no one elses! I've slipped a few times, and it's funny you could walk right over them normally with no problem, but when you are moving a 350lb bike around it's like a big chunk of ice right under foot. Probably have to sweep again tomorrow!

[Jaysin]

Ive been riding less than a week and have been very proud of my progress on the road. Nonetheless i have twice almost failed to properly extend the side stand on my bike. Im lucky that im riding a 500, if i would have bought a heavier bike i would be writing that i have dropped my bike twice already in the first week. It is easy to forget the little things when my mind is so focused on the dangers of the open road.

[Slo'Poke]

Thanks for the concerns, Antiq, El, and Svet. For the record, should is good to go, and I swept my parking spot clear of the rocks.