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4 Aug 2011
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Your thread is now the second most viewed ride tale on the hubb!
I cant wait for the next chapter 
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4 Aug 2011
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Everettt, Washington, USA
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Hey guys and gals
Thanks for the post dirtypot, I look forward to posting my next chapter as well, it's going to be a very intense one. Stay tuned!
--Alex
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5 Aug 2011
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Hey guys, I've just spent the last few hours reading this entire thread! Keep up the good work, look forward to reading future reports. And most important of all, keep it shiny side up!
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5 Aug 2011
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Location: Everettt, Washington, USA
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Son of a Bitch, Round Two.
Hello everyone. Here follows an account of my motorcycle accident that occurred yesterday, August 3rd, 2011. Please read, and if available, offer suggestions or advice. Thanks in advance.
Yesterday Tom and I left Cartegena, Colombia, at around 12pm. We made it about 80 miles north to a city called Barranquilla
Right about that the entrance to the city there was a lot of traffic.
We needed food, and we needed gas as well, and I saw an opening in the left oncoming traffic lane, (A big opening)
SO, I looked behind me, looked ahead of me again, and then took the left turn.
Tom was behind me, and behind him, out of NOWHERE came a BIGASS box van/cargo vehicle. (Think 20 tons)
Apparently he was moving too fast to slow down for Tom and me, and instead, he saw an opening in the left lane (oncoming traffic) to pass us (on a double yellow line). Well instead of passing us, he just straight up clobbered me while I was crossing the left lane heading to the gas station. I only saw him at the last second and had the time enough to punch the throttle wide open. He hit my motorcycle behind my where me body sits, and impacted squarely on my left pannier case, destroying the pannier rack (the pelican case is alive, and fully protected the motorcycle).
My rear end slid out to my right, then the rest of my motorcycle caught up to me, and I went down on my left side and started sliding. While sliding I hit a 17 year old pedestrian who later ended up with 3 stitches in his wrist but nothing more. He walked away from the accident.
I too walked away, straight into an ambulance to the hospital.
Vehicle insurance is compulsory here in Colombia, and Tom and I bought our insurance on Tuesday the 2nd. The insurance took effect at 12:00am on Wednesday. The accident occurred around 3pm. The motorcycle insurance covers my health. I am hoping that the truck drivers insurance will cover my motorcycle. (I know he has insurance as he presented it to the police at the same time)
I was completely fine, EXCEPT
My motorcycle landed very hard on my left leg and pinched/compressed it between the pavement, and fractured my left fibula just above my ankle.
I was taken to the hospital where x-rays were taken, and I was shown the diagnosis describing my fracture.
I had two options.
Option Number 1: Either a cast for 6 weeks, resulting in immobilization of my ankle and foot, resulting in the necessity of physical therapy after my ankle bones and muscles atrophied for a month and a half.
OR
Option Number 2: Receive a small’ish incision under which would be placed a plate with screws to correct the break in my leg and help me heal in 3 weeks. I would maintain mobilization, and it would further reduce the need for physical therapy.
That was yesterday.
This morning (August 4th, 2011) I received a healthy leg swabbing, and an injection into my back between my vertebrae (Similar to an Epidural I believe) which numbed me from just above the waist, all the way to my toes. When I could feel no pain nor move my legs, I had a 5inch or so incision cut into the left side of my left leg just above my ankle.
Soon thereafter, a plate was inserted, and connected via 8 (EIGHT, f’ing) screws to my fibula, securely supporting the break.
I was then stitched back together with 11 stitches, x-rayed again to confirm success, and then dismissed with Tom to go to the hotel room that he secured.
Like I said, Tom and I bought obligatory motorcycle insurance on Tuesday August 3rd , yesterday. The accident happened 32 hours later. Today, I left the hospital not having paid a dime. Also, before my treatment, the police officer told me straight to my face, regardless of my insurance, that Colombia has a common health insurance policy and that no matter what, that I shouldn’t pay a cent. It didn’t come to that however, and gratefully my insurance wasn’t a problem.
The last thing to see is how much I can get from the truck drivers insurance to help me replace side case racks, side cases, and top case.
Currently the police are hashing it out, confirming damage inquiries with the insurance adjuster of the at fault party. The police officers (there are 3 (?) of them, 2 in their late 20’s/early 30’s, and one who’s 40’ish) took Tom’s account of the story, and my account, and stood nodding as I recounted my story, confirming after that what I said must be the truth, and that the truck driver was being less than honest. (The truck driver claimed to be next to Tom when I turned left. Tom HEARTILY denied that)
An account of the accident, please keep in mind the rules of the road are not necessarily the same here in Colombia as they might be where you live. I am not an expert either.
We believe that the truck driver never slowed down when he came up behind Tom and I. (I lead in front of Tom). As there was ample space on our left side (against oncoming traffic, though a double yellow line) we believe that the truck driver saw that as opportunity to maintain velocity and also pass us as well. Unfortunately for me, he never left his lane (the one we three we traveling in) until the precise moment that I made a left hand turn into the available gas station lot. As there was ample free space and no oncoming traffic, I used the opportunity to slow down in the opposing lane of traffic before entering the slightly dipped entrance to the gas station.
Before taking my left turn, I looked ahead against traffic, behind me, and again ahead against traffic. Then I made my move. I first saw the upcoming, fast moving truck when I was nearly perpendicular to the road at a 90* angle. Upon seeing the truck, I accelerated quickly and was able to move my position forward slightly. The truck then impacted me and the rest is history as written above.
I would like to think that there was something that could have happened differently. Of course, I could have waited to turn left, but I saw amply room. I could have not slowed down, but I didn’t want to enter a closed gas station lot at 25mph. I could have looked one last time, but the truck wasn’t coming until I turned.
I asked Tom, who was directly behind me less than 20 ft in the opposite lane position what happened from his point of view. I was leading in dense traffic in the left hand lane position. Tom was behind me in the right hand lane position.
He told me. “I saw you make a turn for the gas station, and just as I went to follow you a truck appeared to my left, moving rapidly. The truck obscured my view, and I only heard the sound of the crash. But, that truck must have been moving very rapidly in comparison to the rest of traffic or it would never have been able to accelerate into you as fast as it did, nor would it have appeared in my field of vision as quickly.”
It was Tom’s observation that the truck must have been moving rapidly in consideration of an attempt to pass us. It was then that I turned and was clobbered.
Having written all of this, please know that I am fine. Yes I have a plate and screws in my leg, but I am alive and well, and have no plans on stopping my journey. My pannier racks are toast, and top case a write off, but my motorcycle is just as it was and is in ride-able condition as proved by the police officer that loved every minute of his ride to the police station on a bike with 450cc’s more than his standard issue DR200. Yes my girlfriend arrives in Bogota in 17 days. I hope to be there then, and continue traveling south with her to Peru. If anything I’ll be able to have her bring me down some new equipment to replace my battered stuff.
So, in hindsight, can anyone offer me legitimate advice when dealing with Colombian insurance agents, police men or other officials? My health has been taken care of, and that is not the issue now.
I would like to see if I can get any sort of settlement to at least help cover some of the cost of replacing my motorcycle luggage as every cent helps, and I believe firmly that the accident was not my fault.
Also, if anyone has some decent suggestions on how to go about it, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Also, I’m thinking about replacement panniers for Kristi to bring
down. What’s on the menu?
Forever onward! 
--Alex
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
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