Protective Gear

[Scrabblebiker]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but here's the story.

This is not intended to convince anyone of anything, just my story and what happened to me.

On June 17, 2024 I was riding on Interstate 84 south of Boise, Idaho, USA. I usually stay away from Interstates but I was trying to make time to escape ice cold weather (including snow flurries in the forecast) further north. Speed limit was 80MPH and I rode slightly over that speed on my loaded BMW F750GS.

I was hovering beside another vehicle and decided to nudge the throttle a little to get by and move over. The bike started wobbling and I eased off as I have done in the past. The wobble got worse and I soon lost control in a dreaded death wobble. I remember seeing the bike under me as I went over the handlebars. I have no recollection of hitting the pavement but I do remember sliding down the highway as the bike slid past me. It ended up about 100 feet ahead of me according to a witness. To this day I don't know if I hit something, if the acceleration had something to do with it, if I just somehow gapped, or if there was a tire inflation issue. I never saw the bike again after this.

Within about 20 seconds I was surrounded by people taking care of me and calling 911. The ambulance arrived within 15 minutes and I was on painkillers soon after.

My first warped thought as I was flying over the handlebars wasn't "I'm going to die", it was "shit, my trip is over". My second thought while in searing pain lying on the highway was "how am I going to tell Patti" ...my partner; then when the ambulance ground traffic to a halt my thoughts were "no! don't block all the traffic!"

Multiple people kept asking me the same questions about my name, where I was and who's the president. The paramedics from the ambulance immediately offered me powerful painkillers but couldn't find a vein until I was in the ambulance. While lying on the road I faintly tried to protest as they cut away my jeans, riding jacket, fleece jacket, sweater, heated vest and t-shirt. I just gave up when they got to my bra and just accepted that I was now in full view on an interstate highway in only my underpants.

Off to St Alphonsus Trauma Hospital in Boise I went, where I started panicking when I couldn't find my insurance information. But it did get sorted in the end. The total cost without insurance would have been CDN$82,000. Craziest medical system in the world if you ask me.

I spent 7 days in the hospital until my insurance company sent down a paramedic to escort me back home. I ended up with 14 fractures in my vertebrae, ribs, right foot, both hands and wrists, including surgery and 4 temporary pins in my right hand. I've been off work for 4 months as a result. The hospital in Boise was just as crappy as the ones back home but they did keep me pumped full of oxy and the actual nurses and other staff were doing the best they could. Food was surprisingly good. Communication was nearly non-existent aside from making sure I had insurance.

Idaho does not have mandatory helmet laws. When I looked at my helmet after the crash it's obvious that parts of my scalp would be missing and my face might have been disfigured if I hadn't been wearing one (thank you Schubert). My riding jacket and both gloves were destroyed but mostly did their job. My riding boots delaminated with the impact and probably made the injuries less severe. My legs and knees had serious road rash that looked like raw hamburger meat. Yes, I wasn't wearing proper riding pants, only jeans.

ICBC (our provincial automobile insurer) has been mostly good in providing support and income replacement. Beacon Insurance (my insurer for the bike itself, and the gear) has been awesome.

I will not ride again without proper riding pants, especially in higher speed situations. Nor would I ever ride without proper travel insurance in the USA.

Hoping to be back in the saddle next year.

...Michelle