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Crash
An hour ago I taxied over to the shop of a freelance mechanic named Dennis to pick up my motorcycle, which had suffered minor damage (shattered plexiglass, smashed turn signal) after a small parking-space accident happened a few days ago. Within seconds of leaving his place (about a block east of Fairfax) I could feel something wrong. The bike had no power due to some kind brake-lock problem with the front tire, which kept me from getting up to any speed. Imagine driving a car with your foot tromped on the brake and the emergency brake on -- it was like that.
Corner of Fairfax and Melrose, looking west.
I called Dennis as I was putting some air in the front tire (at a gas station at the corner of Fairfax and Melrose) and said, "Something's really wrong, man...the brake is locking the front wheel or something." He told me to bring it right back, so I pulled into Fairfax traffic heading north, but the bike would barely move. And then like a shot and right in the midst of a cluster of cars, the front wheel totally froze and the BMW and I both crashed onto the pavement, the bike sitting on my left leg and pinning me to the ground for a few seconds. No real damage to speak of -- a bloody left elbow and a scraped left knee plus my nice black dress pants torn in two places.
The cars behind me stopped in time, thank God (nobody was going too fast), and two guys got out and helped me pick the sucker up. I feel fine -- just bruised and cut. A slight ache in my rib cage on my left side, but nothing much. The body goes into mild shock when you have a sudden trauma like this, so I'll probably feel some more minor bruise pain and muscle ache when everything settles down. This only happened 40 minutes ago. Dennis couldn't figure what had happened, but he obviously screwed up big-time while doing the body work. He had planned to drive out to Lancaster to visit his wife in a rehab facility, so I told him to stay with that plan and we'll talk tomorrow. His friend (i.e., his wife's brother) drove me home.
I feel fine about being a motorcycle guy because I didn't get hit by anyone or make any mistakes -- the damn thing just froze up on me.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 24, 2008 at 1:42 PM
comment #1
televisiontears says ...
Geez, Wells. I'm really glad you're okay, but I can't believe you're posting so soon after this. Maybe you should take some time to recoup. I bet you'll be pretty sore tomorrow. Hope you're feeling 100% soon.
Posted by televisiontears at August 24, 2008 2:07 PM
comment #2
thevisceral says ...
Good thing Matthew Broderick wasn't behind you.
Posted by thevisceral at August 24, 2008 2:12 PM
comment #3
gruver1 says ...
Wells to thevisceral: Amen to that.
Posted by gruver1 at August 24, 2008 2:18 PM
comment #4
Richardson says ...
"because I didn't make any mistakes"
Other than driving on a bike you strongly suspected was having severe brake trouble.
And I wouldn't make that joke if you weren't okay.
Posted by Richardson at August 24, 2008 2:29 PM
comment #5
NotImpressedYet says ...
You're going to be sore as hell tomorrow - I speak from experience.
Might be overkill, but a trip to the ER couldn't hurt, as injuries sometimes don't immediately reveal their severity immediately.
Posted by NotImpressedYet at August 24, 2008 2:38 PM
comment #6
Balthazar says ...
Holy shit are those current gas prices? It's $3.39 here in central Pennsylvania.
Posted by Balthazar at August 24, 2008 2:49 PM
comment #7
Walter Sobchak says ...
Hope everything turns out okay for you, Wells. Advil and drugstore scotch should do the trick.
But yeah, what's up with that Prena station? I see it all the time as I roll down Fairfax and/or Melrose. Why are their prices always 50 cents higher than everyone else? I thought Not-Big-Name gas stations were generally cheaper. Does one get a free box of candy and a blow-job with every fill-up?
Who do they think they are?
Posted by Walter Sobchak at August 24, 2008 3:00 PM
comment #8
redmond says ...
Balthazar, kind of makes you look at Sheetz in a whole new light doesn't it?
Then again I can't believe we're all standing around going "Oh, thank God, gas is ONLY $3.30." Man are we taking it up the butt.
Anyway, glad you're alright, Jeff. Now don't be freakin' Terminator and get some rest.
Posted by redmond at August 24, 2008 3:06 PM
comment #9
Mr. Blood Vessel says ...
"...and the BMW and I both crashed onto the pavement, the bike sitting on my left leg and pinning me to the ground for a few seconds. No real damage to speak of -- a bloody left elbow and a scraped left knee plus my nice black dress pants torn in two places."
ouch.
Posted by Mr. Blood Vessel at August 24, 2008 3:29 PM
comment #10
C-PhreekII says ...
Gas is mostly around $3.83 for the 87 octane here in LA area.
Posted by C-PhreekII at August 24, 2008 3:32 PM
comment #11
AndrewOwens says ...
Glad you are ok, Jeff. I had a tumble off my scooter whilst on holiday in Thailand and the worst part is that horror show moment when you know you are gonna come off and that it is gonna hurt. I went over the handlebars after hitting one of the billion potholes on the Thai road. I was lucky only to get top to bottom bruises and scrapes.
Feel better, take it easy. Hey did you get checked out?
Posted by AndrewOwens at August 24, 2008 3:49 PM
comment #12
gruver1 says ...
It's a generic photo of the Fairfax-Melrose intersection that I found on the web. I didn't have the time or inclination to snap a shot after the accident.
Posted by gruver1 at August 24, 2008 3:50 PM
comment #13
Majorian99 says ...
Wow... Talking about being a buttcomboy with gasprices...
Here in Gothenburg, Sweden the gas goes for 12 dollars for gallon... That's twelve bucks... You're not at the bottom yet you americans...
Posted by Majorian99 at August 24, 2008 3:55 PM
comment #14
Edward says ...
We are pretty spoiled by our lower gas prices Majorian, but what can you expect it's Amerika.
Posted by Edward at August 24, 2008 4:29 PM
comment #15
Edward says ...
Hope you and the bike aren't hurt too bad. Been there myself too many times.
Posted by Edward at August 24, 2008 4:33 PM
comment #16
cjKennedy says ...
Glad you weren't seriously injured.
Posted by cjKennedy at August 24, 2008 4:54 PM
comment #17
kinks541 says ...
Odd, but just after reading this column, I stumbled onto the beginning of an episode of Law & Order (not sure which derivation) where a guy was killed by someone taking the acid out of the bike's battery and put it into his gas line.
What I'm saying is, HE'S TRYING TO KILL YOU.
Or, there's a leak somewhere.
Glad you're alive.
Posted by kinks541 at August 24, 2008 5:10 PM
comment #18
D.Z. says ...
"He told me to bring it right back, so I pulled into Fairfax traffic heading north, but the bike would barely move. And then like a shot and right in the midst of a cluster of cars, the front wheel totally froze and the BMW and I both crashed onto the pavement, the bike sitting on my left leg and pinning me to the ground for a few seconds."
I'd just push it down the street if it was having problems...I'm also wondering why you'd buy a bike from BMW. That's like getting a burger from Pizza Hut. Either way, though, I'm glad you're ok.
Balthazar: No, that's just a special station which likes to price-gouge. We get those occasionally in L.A. wherever the streets look clean.
Majorian: Yeah, but you actually have a transportation system in your part of the world.
Posted by D.Z. at August 24, 2008 5:23 PM
comment #19
diesel says ...
DZ: Yeah, but you actually have a transportation system in your part of the world.
Ehm, not really sure how our (Swedish) transportation system differs from your American. Except we don't get Keanu Reeves on our rides.
Posted by diesel at August 25, 2008 12:33 AM
comment #20
D.Z. says ...
diesel: Well, I imagine it works, for one thing.
Posted by D.Z. at August 25, 2008 6:40 AM
comment #21
Josh says ...
Just a matter of time before a bad thing happens on a bike
Posted by Josh at August 25, 2008 7:37 AM
comment #22
Bocephus says ...
Just watched Short Cuts this weekend. Poor kid gets hit by a car, gets up, walks home, and falls into a coma. Next time a trip to the hospital might be a smart move.
Posted by Bocephus at August 25, 2008 8:14 AM
comment #23
Gaydos says ...
I suspect the Clintons. Only half-kidding.
Posted by Gaydos at August 25, 2008 8:17 AM
comment #24
Richardson says ...
"Ehm, not really sure how our (Swedish) transportation system differs from your American."
Diesel -- DZ apparently lives in LA, yet refuses to acknowledge that anywhere in the country is any different. So, for instance, he thinks that 'Smiley Face' got an actual release around the country, and he thinks that the USA has terrible public transportation.
I live in NYC, so, naturally, I have an overly-positive feel towards public transportation.
Posted by Richardson at August 25, 2008 8:45 AM
comment #25
rr3333 says ...
Glad you're ok jeff.
Whats with the motorcycle?
Forever young, i guess.
Posted by rr3333 at August 25, 2008 9:39 AM
comment #26
dixiedugan says ...
Glad you're okay. I know it's late word but watch that elbow man, keep some ice on it periodically as a precaution.
Posted by dixiedugan at August 25, 2008 1:29 PM
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