Near misses
 

We all have them, and when they happen it gets you wondering..... tonight I had one that has me reaching for a smoke to enjoy the feeling of no road rash and only nominal repairs

So, on the way home I entered the western tunnel from HK island to Kowloon, getting ready for my usual blast through the low gears to hear the sound of my Arrow GP pipe reverberate through the tunnel and scare the **** out of the sleepy car and minibus drivers, when just before dropping a few gears, I feel a tug and then the rear locks and then unlocks.. I grab the front brake hard and almost stoppie to a halt on the hard shoulder.
I get off the bike and realise the zip on my rucksack, which had separated only 2 days before and I put it down to me not doing the zip up properly rather than the zip being knackered, had come undone. My trousers had dropped onto the rear sprocket and become entangled, ripping the rear section of the chain guard towards the ground and trapping the chain.
I was lucky, the wheel could still spin, so I could work my ruined trousers from the rear axle, but the chain guard had been eaten by the chain and needed to be pulled off. It is now an ornament in the tunnel.
I was riding in shorts and t-shirt (its now summer and hot and humid in HK) as I had put my bike jacket away only a couple of days before, so feel bloody lucky I avoided severe road rash.
This is not a post seeking sympathy or comments on safety gear (as yes, the jacket is getting pulled back out of the cupboard) but a story of a near miss. Think about them when they happen and adapt to prevent re-occurence.
Thought I would share the experience..

Damn, you are pretty lucky the rear wheel didn't lockup completely. And in a tunnel!

Im sure you'll double check your loads every time now haha

Are squids frowned upon in HK too? lol

Glad to hear you're ok man!

i was riding with a buddy a coupe days ago, and was taking a turn faster than expected and came up to close to my buddy's rear. i hit the brakes but ended up locking the rear brake, sliding the rear wheel out, and highsiding. My bike didnt take too much damage, just broke off the front brake lever,and bent the right clip on, and rashed the fairings pretty good. I was still able to ride it home actually, and she rode smooth and straight with no leaks, but with a sticky throttle. I suppose its a near miss, cuz i was wearing gear and didnt take to much of a hit (just road rash and some bruises), and my bike, minus a few minor things was still ridable. It sucks it was my first real mishap, i know it'll happen to everyone eventually, but glad i was able to walk away and with my bike still in majority intact.