At 50 mph on a motorcycle
First of all, I’m OK. Sadly, though, the deer did not survive our collision.
Yesterday evening was a typical Texas October day—77 degrees and sunny. Perfect for an evening ride on my V Star Classic cruiser.
I was about 100 yards from turning onto my home street just after sunset last night. I was on a busy 4-lane road (with a center turn lane) riding in the left-hand lane. There was a steady stream of traffic coming at me in the opposite lanes, and I was the first vehicle coming off the light about a mile back, but there were a bunch of cars behind and in the right-hand lane next to me.
We were all doing right about the posted speed limit of 45 mph, maybe a few miles above…maybe 50 mph.
If you live in West Austin, then you know how many deer we have in the area. Well, just as I was getting ready to move into the center turn lane, a young spike buck (no more than about 150 lbs) darted from the left side of the road and directly in front of my motorcycle. I didn’t see him until my front wheel was about 2 feet from hitting him broadside.
It’s amazing how your mind slows down at a time like this—how everything seems to happen in slow motion. I watched my front wheel thud into the side of the deer. My first thought? “Oh shit, this is going to hurt.” I felt myself lunging forward, as though I was going to flip over the handelbars. I was wearing a half-face helmet, a light jacket , my favorite pair of blue jeans, and thin leather-palmed gloves. I just prayed I didn’t land on my face.
Before I could flip forward, I let go of the bike and slid off the back and to the left side (from the time I hit the deer to the time I hit the road? Couldn’t have been more than 1.5 seconds). As I landed on my left hip and left shoulder, I remember thinking, “keep your head up, and don’t tumble or roll…just slide flat.”
And that’s what I did; I slid flat on my left side for about 15 ft, while I watched my bike skid down the lane about 50 ft ahead of me. I glanced back at traffic while I was sliding, praying that a car behind me wouldn’t run me over.
Imagine getting in your car, and driving out to a busy road. Set the cruise control on 50 mph. Now open your door, and jump out of the car. Imagine how much fun that would be. That’s a close approximation of what it felt like.
I got up on a knee and did a guick assesment…nothing felt broken, and I didn’t appear to have any injuries other than some extremely bad road rash on my left forearm and hand, my left hip area, and my right hand. I held traffic up for about 20 minutes while a few men helped me lift the front end of the bike and push it to the side of the road (front wheel wouldn’t turn, as it was jammed up against the fender and front forks).
Thanks to all who stopped to render assistance and to check on me. I think everyone called 911, as three cop cars and a fire engine arrived within minutes. The guy who was driving immediately behind me when I struck the deer said it was the most surreal thing he’d ever seen. He said he saw the deer dart from out of the woods on the left, just missing an oncoming car in the other direction. He said he knew I was going to hit it the moment he saw it dart across the road. I never saw it coming. I think his exact words were, “That was fucking wild.”
The deer managed to make it across two more lanes of traffic before it fell down and died. One of the passing motorists who stopped ran to check on the deer first then asked if I was OK. You can still see a very clear fender impression near the deer’s hind quarter.
The cops (Deputy Sheriff Justin Rowland of the Travis County Sherrif’s Department Office was especially helpful, professional, and friendly) and the firefighter/EMS guys who helped me out were exceptional.
The bike faired better than I would have imagined; it’s at the dealership getting repaired as I type this. Hopfully, I’ll be back riding within a week or so.
Whoa, I’m glad you’re okay, Robbie.
Though, I can’t say the same for the deer.
Left by Amy on October 26th, 2005 at 12:26 pm