speed bumps

[upflying]

Monday morning, about 8:15am, I was working an "off bike" enforcement traffic detail where violators were hand flagged to the curb. I did just that to a pristine, late model Mercedes Benz CLK55 which pulled to the curb in front of my parked bike. As I walked up to my bike to retrieve my "Happy Book", the MBZ rockets away.

I hop on my HD and fire it up to go in pursuit. The MBZ disappears from view around a left hand curb in a 25 mph residential area. As I round that same curve, I forgot this roadway has VRU's, political speak for "Velocity Reduction Undulations".

I estimate I am about 50mph when I encounter he first one. I apply my non-abs brakes at about the same moment as I drive over the "compression" area of the VRU. This compresses already compressing front forks to the stops. Due to the laws of physics, the HD does only what I can describe as a poor rendition of a "stoppie" as the rear of the bike rises above the front and begins to pivot to the right around the steering head. As I reach the summit of the VRU, additional phycics come into play as I am ejected off the tractor saddle and my Dehner's leave the flat surface of the floor boards. It occurred to me that I should part company of this wild bucking bull to avoid further and sure death and injury upon myself. I decided against releasing my grip upon the handlebars and hold on for what can be described as wild gyrations to any onlookers.

I can feel both the front and rear wheels leave the comfort and friction provided by gravity on our dear planet.

As the bike returns to the the road surface on the opposite side of the VRU, the bike straightens itself out and I am once again in control.

What did I learn from this? Like flying an airplane, fly it or ride it as long as possible. Don't give up, don't panic and like another recent thread suggested, ride it all the way to the ground if you have to.

The MBZ you ask? It crashed three blocks away. Why did it flee? It was stolen during a residential burglary 15 minutes earlier.

 

[ltljohn]

Glad to hear you kept it upright!! Was the "alleged" burgular caught after the crash?

[Lawman]

Outstanding!

[Indy Dave]

Monday morning, about 8:15am, I was working an "off bike" enforcement traffic detail...

 

Bob, you started out like a episode of Dragnet. I can just hear Joe Friday's voice uttering those words.

 

Glad you're ok! Sounds like a dramatic start to the day. So much for 'routine'. So I take it you were able to continue pursuit? Did others also pursue or did you track them down and have the rest unfold as you arrived at the crash scene.

[motorman587]

Haha I laugh with you. I did that once, but not speed bumps. I went after a car in the center lane. You know the the suicide lane. I had forgot that in the area I was doing the enforcement, there was a small pedestrian island. I went airborne, lost all my items in my saddle bags, had to change my shorts after that one.

[upflying]

The lone suspect fled on foot from the solo vehicle crash before I got there. His ability to drive 75 mph over the VRU's was initially much more successful than my attempt. By the time other units got there to assist in forming a perimeter, the suspect was in the wind.

BTW, the suggested speed over the VRU's is 15 mph.

FYI, a MBZ CLK55 is a land missle!!!

[marcopolo]

Great recovery.

[Calvin (no socks)]

"Any landing you can walk away from"....

[Bill_Walker]

Bob, I'm glad you made the dual recoveries (yours and the stolen vehicle's)!

 

I seem to recall from my ages ago MSF course (and David Hough's books) that we're supposed to add throttle just before crossing an obstacle in the road, rather than brake. Am I wrong? It still wouldn't have been pretty, but it might have been better. It's tough to fight that automatic reaction, though.

[tallman]

[upflying]

Bob, I'm glad you made the dual recoveries (yours and the stolen vehicle's)!

 

I seem to recall from my ages ago MSF course (and David Hough's books) that we're supposed to add throttle just before crossing an obstacle in the road, rather than brake. Am I wrong? It still wouldn't have been pretty, but it might have been better. It's tough to fight that automatic reaction, though.

I would agree with you, the last second brake application was wrong. It was one of those "aw, shyt" moments in life. Adrenalin kicked in prior to incident and that plays havoc with judgment and decision making. Like a good dirt bike rider, standing up on the boards (pegs in most cases) would have helped too.

[Bill_Walker]

I would agree with you, the last second brake application was wrong. It was one of those "aw, shyt" moments in life. Adrenalin kicked in prior to incident and that plays havoc with judgment and decision making. Like a good dirt bike rider, standing up on the boards (pegs in most cases) would have helped too.

 

Keith Code calls those moments "Survival Reactions" (SRs for short), and spends a lot of time teaching folks to overcome them. Not that it always works, of course.

 

I used to have a Road King. Standing on the floorboards on an FL isn't easy, at least for me. I felt I had to hang on the handlebars, which in itself is a bad thing to do. Tough job you've got there, Bob! (and obviously for a lot more reasons than the ones we've just discussed).

 

P.S. Sorry for the criticism, but this in "Ride Well".

[SageRider]

Glad all you did was put a new seam in your seat (at least while you were in contact with it...)!

[motorman587]

Bob, I'm glad you made the dual recoveries (yours and the stolen vehicle's)!

 

I seem to recall from my ages ago MSF course (and David Hough's books) that we're supposed to add throttle just before crossing an obstacle in the road, rather than brake. Am I wrong? It still wouldn't have been pretty, but it might have been better. It's tough to fight that automatic reaction, though.

 

What chapter does Dave or MSF cover, chasing the bad guy in a stolen vehicle..........??

[Bill_Walker]

What chapter does Dave or MSF cover, chasing the bad guy in a stolen vehicle..........??

 

I would've sworn I remembered high-speed chase being part of the BRC, but I guess I could be wrong!

 

 

Actually, my 1980-something MSF course was taught by a retired motor officer. Any time one of us students commented that something was impossible on our own bikes (they only had two "loaner" bikes then, and one wasn't running. I used my KZ650 with Vetter Windjammer fairing), he would demonstrate on his full-dress Gold Wing. Many of us scraped our dropping chins on the pavement.

 

Nobody is better than you guys at low-speed maneuvers.

[motorman587]

What chapter does Dave or MSF cover, chasing the bad guy in a stolen vehicle..........??

 

I would've sworn I remembered high-speed chase being part of the BRC, but I guess I could be wrong!

 

 

Actually, my 1980-something MSF course was taught by a retired motor officer. Any time one of us students commented that something was impossible on our own bikes (they only had two "loaner" bikes then, and one wasn't running. I used my KZ650 with Vetter Windjammer fairing), he would demonstrate on his full-dress Gold Wing. Many of us scraped our dropping chins on the pavement.

 

Nobody is better than you guys at low-speed maneuvers.

 

You know I was just playing. But make a good point, in my case where I rode over the island was classic example also where we "leo's" forget the basic in the heat of battle and have been lucky not to get injuried or killed. I have had many close calls in my last 16 years as motor, and have slowed way down to even turning around on a chase, when you add up violation vs. cost of the stop/chase.

[bridwell52]

Yall be safe out there, and ask the department to trade those bikes in for some motards. LOL

 

David

[Kathy R]

Bob, I'm glad you rode it out and I'm very grateful that you are ok. I've driven an AMG CL55 but I never got a long enough road to find out what stepping on the gas, fully, would really mean. The perp, obviously, needed skills he did not have.

 

Thank you for sharing.

[Mugs]

The school method IF YOU SEE IT comming is get up off the seat, add throttle and get your butt a bit to th rear wheel as your front wheel moves over the obstacle and then shift weight front as the rear wheel moves to the obstacle. Use your legs as shock absorbers. Of course with Bob's situation this could only have been done if there was some warning and a lot of previous practice. Also it only works up to a limit.

 

Great job Bob. "Stick it out"! If you are clear headed and experienced your instincts will get you a long way. If not total recovery, most likely you will scrub significant speed thus taking energy from the resulting nasty.

[eddd]

Glad to hear you made out OK. Those little bumps can sure jump up and bite you.

 

The county decide to add some to a road near town, and did so BEFORE they posted any signs warning or told anyone of the new bumps.

 

I was in the officer seat of the fire engine running code 3 when the driver and I both realized what lay ahead. The driver did a good job of hitting the brakes hard but letting off in time to let the suspension have normal travel. Even at that we were sure that we must have broken something when we hit the bump. Turns out the engine suffered no damage.

 

Several cars did however, and the bumps soon were removed never to re-appear.