OOPS – ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

This morning started funnily enough, I was on my way to the nearby town of Ortaca, in a fruitless attempt to find a charger for my camera, when I passed Theo on the opposite side of the road. There was a steel rail separating the two sides of the road for about half a mile, I turned around at the first opportunity, and so did Theo.

We passed each other yet again……So we both turned around again!!

On the third passing, I stopped at the side of the road and waited for him, this is one reason we need bike to bike radios, you have to laugh.!! Theo was on his way to Fethiye to meet Boris in order to pick up his radio and headset, so I went along also for the ride.

We met up with Boris  just passed the Gocek tunnel, we did not use the tunnel, but instead  opted for the twisties over the mountain. After collecting the radio and headset we headed back over the twisties once again, I was at the back as usual, because I am always the slowest on bends in our riding group.

Accelerating around an up hill bend, I noticed on the road a shinny strip  about 40cm wide and 10 meters long, I just assumed it was melted tarmac as usual and avoided it, Theo Didn’t see it. His bike suddenly weaved violently, the wheels slid out from under him…..in a second the bike was on it’s side sliding along the road for about 15 meters (45 feet) before coming to a stop.

I pulled off the road and went over to help Theo, who was hobbling to the safety of the roadside, his bike was laying across the road near the white lines, engine running, petrol leaking,  and back wheel spinning,  still in gear. I hit the kill switch, paused for a second, no fire, so I righted his bike, but both the clutch and gear lever were broken off, the front brake caliper was bent and jammed the front wheel,  it was very hard dragging it to the side of the road with both wheels locked up, the oil all over the tyres did help a little though!

Theo took his shoe and sock off, an enormous swelling half the size of a tennis ball had appeared on his ankle, and his leg was bleeding heavily from  several puncture wounds, we both wondered if his ankle was broken. We both joked around for a few minutes about how brave he was to keep himself between the bike and the road, to protect the bike.

I told him that I had done first aid training 30 years ago and never had a chance to practice heart massage or mouth to mouth resuscitation, he said he was fine and didn’t need heart massage just yet.

I said, ”are you really sure because I want to try it”.

Theo said either,  ”Go away” or  ”Fuck Off”  I cant remember which!!

He phoned his brother Korhan to come and get his bike with the pick-up truck and take him to hospital, then he asked me if I had my camera with me, I said that I did. Theo then said I should take photos and write about it, because accidents are part of motorcycling.

So here are a few photos of the scene, don’t worry I avoided any close-ups of all the blood and wounds on the inside of his leg. Two men in a car stopped and came over to see if we were OK, Theo explained that his brother was coming, and thanked them for their offer of help.

It was actually thick black engine oil on the road, and not melted tar as I first thought, some old truck must have thrown a rod or something trying to get up the hills, I would say that there is easily a full sump of engine oil dumped along the road.

We joked around again for a while why we waited for Theo’s brother and cousin to arrive in the pick-up.

It was off the Fethiye hospital next, the x-rays showed no broken bones, which was the main worry. An hour later we were back in his office and his bike had been dropped off at the mechanics for repair.

I asked Theo if we were still going on a ride to test the radios tomorrow morning, he said ”Maybe, if the mechanic has fixed my bike.”

Theo has asked the mechanic to make some modifications to his bike.

~ by travelswithmymotorbike on November 21, 2009.