My First Crash

[scooterista]

I've been practicing in the school parking lot. I have a 2006 Vino 125. On my third practice session I actually drove the 2 blocks from my house to the parking lot. My husband was riding his scooter behind me to keep an eye on me and everyone else. I'm having a hard time with turns - pressing on the right handle to turn right, left to turn left. After riding around and around the parking lot. We drove around the block (my first time on the street), visited a neighbor then drove home. I did OK except for not staying in my lane when turning.

OK here's the crash part. I was trying to guide the scooter on to a flagstone and put the kickstand down so I could open the shed. The next thing I knew I was on the ground holding the bike with one hand, it had run into the fence, threw me against a tree and I was sitting on my butt wondering what happened. I tryed to put the kickstand down to cut the engine but couldn't reach it. My husband said it all happend in slow motion. He didn't try and help me he just sat on his scooter and said, "Just get up". I did and was lucky not to suffer any bumps and bruises. Lucky for me I had all the safety gear on. The back of my jacket is now stained with tree bark. The scooter is fine. As far as crashes go this one was a breeze.

[Marvin The Martian]

ouch, glad you faired well. get back in the saddle soon, that is the best medicine.

[Frankenscoot]

Never stop! Practice makes perfect.

[faeriefly25]

Sounds similar to my first crash. Glad that you're okay. Keep riding!! After my crash I stopped riding for a couple of weeks and it sucked. It gets better- trust me .

[Roweyna]

I just took the safety training course and learned something that may help you with your turns. When going into a curve look towards where you want to go and the bike will follow, it's tough when you're new to look ahead but the better you get at it the better able you will be to anticipate other dangers. If you're going under 25mph countersteering doesn't work since its' a speed/curve/tilt ratio, so just steer normally. Hope this helps, and keep practising.

[redhandmoto]

Gee, Scooterista, your husband - moi - sounds like a complete asshat. The freshly-painted fence and tree thank you, too.

Moi

[scooterista]

Roweyna,

Thanks for the turning info. My turns in the parking lot are always under 25 mph - now I undertand why the counterturning doesn't work. I thought I was doing something wrong. I have been looking towards where I want to go - my husband has been telling to keep my head up and look to where I want to go. It really works.

Thanks all for the encouraging words. I hope to be riding the neighborhood streets this weekend.

[Doc]

Sorry to hear of the accident. Practice does indeed make improvement. Keep on the leaning into the curve part and as you get more comfortable with the limits of your scoot, you'll be a champ!

[Gustenhoff]

I think a good amount of us has done something like that. I ran into a parked car in my cousins driveway when I rode a scooter for the first time when I was 15. Scooting and motorcycling is a learned skill.

Once you learn how to control yourself and the bike you just need to learn how to control every other driver.

Good luck and keep practicing.

[Skullet]

do you remember riding a bike when you were younger? turning is the same, you just have an engine now so you dont have to pedal.

[jamiisrad]

This is why I haven't worked my way up to a 150cc engine yet. Baby steps.