The other thing to consider is if you intentionally bail, you have just launched an unguided 300+ lb missile.

It may not matter to you at the time... or even after. But say in the Utah case his bike didn't slide into a car. Instead it slid into an occupied bus stop. Almost guaranteed failure to control and instant liability to whoever was in the path of the riderless bike.

 

If I am on the street, I never ride close to the wall. Even out 'sporting' I always try to
keep about 20% of my speed and manuverability in reserve. My wife would be HOT
if I didn't and screwed up. I better be able to look her in the eye, when I say it wasn't
about stupid.

Another thing to point out is, rubber has a MUCH higher co-efficent of friction than
leather. The longer you stand on the brakes, the slower you are going, the higher your
survival chances, if you do colide.

Ern

 

Great question and should be asked...

Its not just about driving skills and none of us want to ever lay our bikes down and surely not be in an accident.

There is no one correct answer b/c it all depends on where you are at as well. ALWAYS paying attention to your surroundings, not just the cars but the road and the sides and buildings or trees or barriers...whatever it may be.

In an accident this past week as well, just before the guy in Utah. Very simple an illegal "U-turn" on a 2-lane (1 lane each direction) and double lined. I was going to try and take down the side on the grass and yet couldnt due to a sign being there...which now leans way back.

My advice ALWAYS pay attention keeping your surroundings in mind.

 

The one time I have been down, your post described exactly what happened. I hit the brake as I began to swerve from a left turning SUV but felt the tire sliding and couldn't recover while still dodging the SUV. So at the moment I started the swerve, I consented to going down but was going to try to save it. Having been an active mountain biker when I was younger, I just tucked and rolled once I was too far gone.

The one tip that helped me the most was from reading about crashing. When you THINK you have stopped sliding/rolling, count to 5 slowly. It saved me from trying to get up while still tumbling.

 

everything that you guys are mentioning is all a "what if factor" no one knows what to do in that since of being pushed to make that choice in that quick of time. and the "what if" factor is when your doing a buck 60 on the hwy after you crashed your bike once with no right side rear set and a broken front brake lever, just a stub.ya hit a rock your dead, tire pops your dead, someone pulls in front of you your dead. in that since theres no real answer for this question because you cannot predict what other people are going to do.

 

. DeIt is not a "what if" factor if ppl are talking about grounding a bike or jumping off. It is ppl trying to decide if it is a viable escape route. It is not, plain and simple. A person should never consider grounding or jumping.

The person that does screwed up massively: They thought they had the ***** to ride at a level beyond their skills and then wussed out when the moment came to prove they had the skill

You may as well consider jumping or lowsiding a bike when you think you're in a corner too hot

 

What he said. These are not even options. I love it when people say "laying the bike down is the only reason I survived." Bull****. You got lucky when you made the decision to give up all control of the vehicle and become nothing more than a ballistic projectile, helpless to alter your trajectory.

 

Sounds like the basic consensus is that this is NOT a viable option for the play-book.

If possible, dismiss it from your consious/subconsious mind as a potential riding tactic.

In every conversation I've had with other riders on the post-action analysis, I've
walked away with the impression, that those who say they "grounded/abandoned"
the bike, were using it as a 'face-saving' excuse. That what really happened was,
they froze and then crashed. Rather then admit that and learn from the lesson,
the stereo-type is perpetuated by their bruised ego.

So my point, although a bit harsh, is to ignore the rookie bull and work on your
rider-awareness. That is the skill that will allow you to avoid making such an ackward admission of your own.

Ern

 

the what if factor is an ''ie''. it is just a statement towards there is no real answer. most riders with the capability to ride there bike to its potential will stick out the situation and used there gears for the rear and ride there front brake without touching the rear. but worst comes to worst and that person in front slams the brakes, your bike should be able to stop faster that a 3klb car not unless your doing 100mph in a 35mph. i just got my f4i running and dealt with that situation with using my gears to stop aswell as riding the front with the rear fishtailing because of the bald tire and still was able to stop. i was doing 65 and the car started to brake at around 35 with about 2 second between and was still able to use the bike to its potential. so "ie" if your in that situation its your bad for being on a bike and not being able to ride that bike to its potential or compensate for your surroundings or riding conditions. hint hint. "what if factor".

 

99% of people that ride a motorcycle can't ride it to its potential. If they could they'd be a pro racer.

Part of this forum specifically is discussing the "What if?". To get riders thinking about what COULD happen before it does so if it does, they have at least a small step towards doing the right thing. Instead of being clueless. Too many new riders do think that getting off is a viable escape tactic. They don't understand that, as Ern said, the bike's tires with their tiny contact patch will stop far faster than their entire body sliding across the pavement. They don't consider that if they bail on the bike, there is the high potential for the riderless bike to kill someone.

They don't consider that a few seconds, a tiny twitch or shift, can me the difference between disaster and a story on here about a near miss. Bailing IS NOT a valid option