Yesterday on my commute home, I was reminded of the importance of staying on your game no matter what when you're in the saddle. It could have been an expensive lesson, but I'm counting my blessings that it wasn't.
I've been away on business, and last night was my first commute home in L.A. traffic since the time change. I was extra careful, and was relieved to get off of the freeway and onto residential streets. Riding through a city park between the roadway and my neighborhood, I saw a dog running headlong toward me. Looking down a bit, I could see a lady who looked winded, like she'd been trying to chase the dog for quite a while.
I thought that if I stopped quickly and got off the bike, I could catch the dog. In any case, I didn't need the dog chasing me. I pulled over to the edge of the paved road. To my right there was grass, but I didn't pay much attention to the fact that it was below road level.
I was concentrating more on the dog than my stopped position, and started tilting to the right. I put my right foot down but quickly realized that the ground was further away than I thought. By the time I had a solid footing, the bike was too far over, and I did a quick tumble to get out from under it.
All of this, of course, scared the dog even more, and it kept running. I tried to chase it, but he was too far down the street. Turning back to my bike, I was expecting the worst. Thankfully, I had recently installed my Machineartmoto cylinder head covers! Tilting the bike back up, and going over it, I didn't see any apparent damage. It felt OK, so I rode the rest of the way home, a block, and in the garage, going over it closely, there was literally no damage at all. Granted, it was a stopped tip-over onto grass.
It was a good lesson - I let the dog distract me from my main task - get the bike stable, and pay attention to my footing. I'm lucky the lesson didn't cost anything!
Down the street, a few guys corralled the dog, and the lady felt bad that I tipped over trying to help. I guess chivalry isn't too dead.
I've been away on business, and last night was my first commute home in L.A. traffic since the time change. I was extra careful, and was relieved to get off of the freeway and onto residential streets. Riding through a city park between the roadway and my neighborhood, I saw a dog running headlong toward me. Looking down a bit, I could see a lady who looked winded, like she'd been trying to chase the dog for quite a while.
I thought that if I stopped quickly and got off the bike, I could catch the dog. In any case, I didn't need the dog chasing me. I pulled over to the edge of the paved road. To my right there was grass, but I didn't pay much attention to the fact that it was below road level.
I was concentrating more on the dog than my stopped position, and started tilting to the right. I put my right foot down but quickly realized that the ground was further away than I thought. By the time I had a solid footing, the bike was too far over, and I did a quick tumble to get out from under it.
All of this, of course, scared the dog even more, and it kept running. I tried to chase it, but he was too far down the street. Turning back to my bike, I was expecting the worst. Thankfully, I had recently installed my Machineartmoto cylinder head covers! Tilting the bike back up, and going over it, I didn't see any apparent damage. It felt OK, so I rode the rest of the way home, a block, and in the garage, going over it closely, there was literally no damage at all. Granted, it was a stopped tip-over onto grass.
It was a good lesson - I let the dog distract me from my main task - get the bike stable, and pay attention to my footing. I'm lucky the lesson didn't cost anything!
Down the street, a few guys corralled the dog, and the lady felt bad that I tipped over trying to help. I guess chivalry isn't too dead.