Burgman 400: I Have Trashed Her! I Am Alive!

What a sad day! What a Happy Day!
What is it?
Both!

With much sadness I have to announce that — today, February 20th, 2009 — I trashed my much liked Suzuki Burgman 400 AN K7.

With much happiness I have to announce I am alive and mostly well! I had a minor concussion to my head, a bunch of bruises along the left side of my body, such as shoulder, elbow, hip, thigh, and ankle joint. So, what has happened?

Suzuki Burgman 400: Damaged Left Side

The Accident in Short

A car intended entering my lane of traffic from the left. Trying to avoid a possible side-on collision I was swerving slightly right towards a traffic island, at the same time trying to reduce my speed by hitting the breaks, when the rear wheel broke out to the right. I released the break immediately; I tumbled along with my Burgman on a slight left trajectory, eventually ending up on the left side — sliding along the asphalt. I let go of the scooter and came to a stop after hitting my head (covered by my helmet) twice on the ground.
The scooter kept on sliding and turning / rotating to the left, eventually hitting the kerbside, righting itself and falling onto its right side.

Update: Scooter-type Motorbike Prevented Severe Injuries

What I can reveal right now today (Sunday) is: The relatively mild injuries I have sustained are a direct result of riding a scooter and not a motorbike! The fairings and footrest area — with the strong frame-connected support — protected me from severe left leg injuries I am certain I would have sustained otherwise. Otherwise refers to the fact that the motorbike would have put its weight on my lower body — at least for a certian period of time. My left foot could have been caught under the clutch or generator casing that usually bulges out to the left side of the engine block.
This is the outcome of my analysis of the scooter, the clothes and shoes I wore at the time of the accident.
(More will follow on that, together with images, once I add further to this story over the next few days.))

The Accident in Detail

February, 20th, 2009, on a Friday afternoon, I had just finished my piano tuition (at 17:05), I was on my way home for the weekend. It was a rainy day; the rain had stopped around 16:10; the roads started to dry, though it was still a mix of wet, moist and dry spots. I put my protective summer gear on: jacket, helmet, and gloves (17:09).

I was about to cross a large intersection (17:12) controlled by traffic lights. The road I was on has an uphill slope. The intersection is being crossed slightly uphill, and once across has a slight slope downwards.
I was almost last in line crossing the large intersection on green lights; three lanes, two turning right, the one I was on going straight ahead, across a major 7-lane road. After passing my traffic light I noticed a car on the left starting to move into my lane of traffic. Alarm bells went on, preparing for a "right of way" collision, but not without an attempt for corrective action.

The road was moist. Realising the car with its intend to enter the road, I swerved slightly to the right, almost towards a traffic island, and — at the same time — hit the breaks to reduce my speed for a more controlled evasive action. My rear wheel locked up, the scooter's rear broke out to the right, I immediately released the break, counter-acting with the steering to put the scooter back on its track.
While this all happens in fractions of seconds, the car has hit the breaks and stopped half a meter into the 5 m wide lane. By then, this was too late for me, considering the scooter started tumbling, heading 30 degrees to the left by now. The scooter an I have hit the road surface by now. I hit my head, covered by the helmet, twice on the asphalt. I also let go of the scooter, which completed its spin to 180 degrees; meaning its headlights where facing the direction I came from. It then slammed into the kerbside, then stood up on its two wheels and fell over on its right side. I was laying flat on my backside.

This was it! Short and not so sweet.

The First Assessment

(17:13?) I did not hear any noise; my head was dizzy and I did not see much at all. A femal voices yelled: "Oh my god!" A little later a male voice asked, whether I was alright. Well, I could not really claim this to be the case, but replied: "Let me see. I can sit up (and sat up); I can stand up (and stood up). I don't see much. Uhh, I lost my glasses (spectacles). Can you see them somewhere? (And a bit louder) Can you see them somewhere? Red Frame."

By then a car was driving by and I heard a crunching noise. You bet: a car just drove over my glasses. Both temples and the hinges disintegrated from the front of the frame. The male person picked them up and I held them against my face. I could now make out the male person as the driver of the car, who indented to enter my lane, but stopped, after realising I was coming.

Hmm, I still felt dizzy, though felt no pain. I saw a second male person on the sidewalk. My scooter was leaning on its right side. The lights still on (I believe). I turned off the ignition, and tried to pull the scooter upright from the left side. That's silly. But at the time I wasn't too aware of that. The second male person helped me to lift the Burgman 400 into its upright position. I put it on the side stand. I thanked him, walked around it to see, whether any major lose bits made riding the scooter impossible. Not so.
I and opened the trunk. I looked for my spare glasses, and threw in the broken frame. The lenses were not broken. I put on the glasses, closed the trunk, sat on the scooter. It felt alright. The first male person had wondered off. I did not even think about recognising the license plate.

Riding Home

(17:18?) I started my Burgman 400, said "Thank you for your help!" to the male person who helped me getting the Burgman on its wheels. I realised grass on the right side of the handlebar and brake lever; I pulled it off, checked for oncoming traffic, indicated left, made a U-turn and headed for home.
The wind in my face felt great. My vision was still not 100%, but good enough to see clear up to 50 m.

Now I realised that the handlebar had moved upwards. This happened when the Burgman was sliding backwards after its spin, fell on its right and got stuck in the grass. I felt a little pain I my left ankle. Vision returned to almost normal. I now realised that both rear mirrors have changed their position. I bend the right one so that I could see what I behind me.

Another set of lights. Red this time. I stopped, and looked down my left and saw a hole in my trousers, all shoe laces have been sheered off. Green lights. Off I go. Fresh wind in my face. Feeling alright. A few more turns and I was home around 17:25.

Home Sweet Home

I opened the trunk, got my sheet music and theory books out of the trunk, also my mobile and lunch box. I walked around the scooter and saw that not one piece of the fairing had survived the accident. Oh well, I thought, tomorrow is another day to check this out.
I entered the house, said hello to my wife and mentioned on a side note that I had thrown my scooter away, and further said: "The helmet has a few scratches, and the trousers have a hole, and who knows what else has scratches."

My wife came down the stairs and became more worried by the minute, after she realised that I had some "damage" too.
Needless to say that adrenaline kept the attention off any wounds and pain.

The Second Damage Assessment

Undressing myself. Helmet scratched. Jacket has holes; all of a sudden I was not too impressed about its quality. Shoes: right one OK; left one shredded. Left sock shredded. Shirt OK and sort of a surprise. I eventually stood naked in front of a mirror. Now things became clearer.
For one, I had a headache, but I had it all afternoon. Was it any different? Could not tell. Anyway, I had suffered a minor concussion to my head, a bunch of bruises along the left side of my body. Yes, shoulder joint area towards the upper arm bruised, elbow bloddy and bruised, hip bruised, thigh bruised significantly, knee bloody at two spots and bruising, and the ankle joint did not look so good either.

Off into the bathroom I went. My wife had organised bandages, sterile stuff and creams for disinfection and against bruising. I used warm water to wash out the wounds, then applied disinfectant and covered it with sterile pads and wrapped bandages around.

Now various pain kicked in; in different places; with different intensity… but hey, all not severe enough to convince me seeing the medical profession.

What I had almost overlooked, though noticed was chest pain in the left upper area; must have been from the fall onto my left side. I noticed the shoulder had taken a hit. I could not feel any loose rips, and left it at that.

Well, I did not feel like playing the piano, or doing anything else that evening. I hit the recliner instead and watched a movie with my wife.
It was time to go to bed. And believe me, entering the bed was ll of a sudden not a fun exercise. I could not sleep on my front side, due to the chest pain. It was only present when I twisted the upper body or tried to turn around in bed. It was not my best night sleep.

Read more: The next day — Day 1 — after accident.

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