Chrissie B
Race Dog
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2006
- Messages
- 1,229
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Costa Blanca, Spain (NC750X)
- Bike
- Honda NC750X
On the way from Hazyview to Graskop yesterday (Sun 20/03), my partner Mario (GS1150) and his friend Claude (GS1200) were involved in what could have been a much more serious accident, not just for bikes, but cars as well, due to insufficient and dangerous road sign & chevrons!
They were riding in a group of 4 bikes, the two BMW's, a KTM 950 Super Enduro (Wazzy) and a Honda CBR600 (Robin)... but because of the knobblies disintegrating on the KTM, they were riding at reasonable speeds (speed limit there varies between 100 - 120km's).
Claude was in the lead, Mario a little way behind him and the other two bikes quite a long way behind them. Claude saw the yellow speed reduction sign, and reduced speed, but before he knew it he was facing a bunch of metal chevrons etc. in the middle of the road, directing him into the on-coming lane... and there was a car coming from the other side! Claude put on brakes and came to a stop (his bike has ABS!), but Mario was not so lucky, he didn't manage to brake as efficiently and he slammed into the right rear/side of Claude's bike... and they both went down. Claude was lucky and just slid a little bit, but Mario said he felt his front wheel going and he lost total control... that was the last thing he remembered until he woke up in the ambulance.
He apparently slid across the road, and ended up on the other side of the road, the bike carried on going and went down an embankment, probably about 7m drop!
I’m not too sure of all the events as I was at home bar tendering (I have to work sometimes!)
Anyway, I got a call from Robin… one that none of us like to receive, that Mario and Claude were in an accident, but the details were very sketchy. They were taking them to Matikwane provincial hospital near Hazyview. I finally got hold of Mario, but he was so confused and in so much pain that it was no use even trying to talk to him. Then I phoned Claude and he made more sense, he was not badly injured, but in a bit of shock and was still waiting with Mario to make sure they check him out pronto.
In the meantime I was waiting for my daughter to bring me her car as I have not had 4 wheels to drive for a while (all 3 4x4’s are not running!!). And I also had guests arriving so I could not leave right away.
Claude phoned back a while later and told me that Mario had x-rays and as far as they could tell he had 3 broken ribs and a broken collar bone… I was somewhat relieved, at least he was not in a serious condition. I finally left Barberton very late afternoon and set off to find this Hospital. Ran into our friends Jacky and Pieter a little way out of town and told them what happened. They said they would take the bikes home and fetch the car and drive me there, but I hate accepting help so I told them not to worry, I would manage on my own. Robin sms said the hospital was on the Numbi Gate road, but after what seemed like a hellish long drive I could not find any hospital there, just lots of ‘township’. Finally asked for directions at Numbi Gate (to Kruger Park) and they told me I was on the wrong road! The Hospital was on the road to the Paul Kruger Gate… shit, it was now getting dark and I was in the middle of a very large, very black, township, female alone in a stupid little Corsa… after some calls back and forth, Claude asked the doctor to direct me, by this time it was pitch dark and I had to drive through this potholed territory! Man the looks I was getting… finally found the hospital; it must have been after 20h00 sometime! Went to Casualty and found Claude there, talked to him while watching the doctor stitch up his leg, and then we went in search of Mario, they had taken him to a ward as he would be staying over-night! We found him and were relieved that he was awake and knew who we were! But he was in a huge amount of pain and could not move at all. While we were still talking, our other friends Jacky and Pieter walked in with the family in tow!!! I couldn’t believe it, they drove 120km’s from Barberton to this god forsaken place… and we have not even known them for very long! Once the pain killers had taken some effect, Mario asked me to get his clothes off, he still had his boots, XKultcha biker jeans, jacket and his ‘colours’ (leather waistcoat) on, and it was really hot in the room. Man was that a mission, he was in so much pain that we battled to move him to get all the stuff off, but Pieter helped and Mario felt so much better without all the kit on. I must admit that the hospital was not as bad as I expected, it was pretty clean and the staff were friendly and helpful, if a little bit puzzled about us ‘pale faces’ being there .
I can say one thing, they both wore their full kit and got away with very little abrasions, but without it they would have had more serious injuries!!! Mario’s Nitro (flip-up) helmet is very scratched, but not cracked, the jeans have a tear and his summer jacket has a couple of holes in the sleeves… the boots, gloves and ‘colours’ are scratched but not broken…
The bike is another story, I have not seen it yet, it’s still in Nelspruit at the towing company, but I have the pics which Robin took!!! It’s pretty much a write off as far as I can tell, Claude’s bike is not too bad on the photo, but without seeing it it’s hard to say! Unfortunately Mario’s bike was not insured anymore as the insurance company had so much fine print that we would have ended up paying premiums and when claim time came they would have refused to pay up!
Pieter and I picked Mario up from hospital this afternoon, he was actually supposed to go to the Barberton hospital, but he rather wanted to come home, I have to take him to the hospital in the morning to do proper x-rays to see exactly what the damage is! The other x-rays were so unclear that it was hard to see what’s what. So for now I’m the nurse…
This was one of those accidents that would not have happened if the road was properly marked, we did a small detour to the accident scene, on our way back from the hospital this afternoon, and I cannot believe how dangerously this has been set up! How can the just suddenly, with very little warning, block off half the road and direct the traffic into the on-coming lane!!! That is just lunacy!!! And absolutely no warning signs on the other side of the road!!! The tow truck driver apparently mentioned that this was not the first accident here!!
Anyway, it could have been worse, and please guys & gals… wear your ATTGATT!!!
They were riding in a group of 4 bikes, the two BMW's, a KTM 950 Super Enduro (Wazzy) and a Honda CBR600 (Robin)... but because of the knobblies disintegrating on the KTM, they were riding at reasonable speeds (speed limit there varies between 100 - 120km's).
Claude was in the lead, Mario a little way behind him and the other two bikes quite a long way behind them. Claude saw the yellow speed reduction sign, and reduced speed, but before he knew it he was facing a bunch of metal chevrons etc. in the middle of the road, directing him into the on-coming lane... and there was a car coming from the other side! Claude put on brakes and came to a stop (his bike has ABS!), but Mario was not so lucky, he didn't manage to brake as efficiently and he slammed into the right rear/side of Claude's bike... and they both went down. Claude was lucky and just slid a little bit, but Mario said he felt his front wheel going and he lost total control... that was the last thing he remembered until he woke up in the ambulance.
He apparently slid across the road, and ended up on the other side of the road, the bike carried on going and went down an embankment, probably about 7m drop!
I’m not too sure of all the events as I was at home bar tendering (I have to work sometimes!)
Anyway, I got a call from Robin… one that none of us like to receive, that Mario and Claude were in an accident, but the details were very sketchy. They were taking them to Matikwane provincial hospital near Hazyview. I finally got hold of Mario, but he was so confused and in so much pain that it was no use even trying to talk to him. Then I phoned Claude and he made more sense, he was not badly injured, but in a bit of shock and was still waiting with Mario to make sure they check him out pronto.
In the meantime I was waiting for my daughter to bring me her car as I have not had 4 wheels to drive for a while (all 3 4x4’s are not running!!). And I also had guests arriving so I could not leave right away.
Claude phoned back a while later and told me that Mario had x-rays and as far as they could tell he had 3 broken ribs and a broken collar bone… I was somewhat relieved, at least he was not in a serious condition. I finally left Barberton very late afternoon and set off to find this Hospital. Ran into our friends Jacky and Pieter a little way out of town and told them what happened. They said they would take the bikes home and fetch the car and drive me there, but I hate accepting help so I told them not to worry, I would manage on my own. Robin sms said the hospital was on the Numbi Gate road, but after what seemed like a hellish long drive I could not find any hospital there, just lots of ‘township’. Finally asked for directions at Numbi Gate (to Kruger Park) and they told me I was on the wrong road! The Hospital was on the road to the Paul Kruger Gate… shit, it was now getting dark and I was in the middle of a very large, very black, township, female alone in a stupid little Corsa… after some calls back and forth, Claude asked the doctor to direct me, by this time it was pitch dark and I had to drive through this potholed territory! Man the looks I was getting… finally found the hospital; it must have been after 20h00 sometime! Went to Casualty and found Claude there, talked to him while watching the doctor stitch up his leg, and then we went in search of Mario, they had taken him to a ward as he would be staying over-night! We found him and were relieved that he was awake and knew who we were! But he was in a huge amount of pain and could not move at all. While we were still talking, our other friends Jacky and Pieter walked in with the family in tow!!! I couldn’t believe it, they drove 120km’s from Barberton to this god forsaken place… and we have not even known them for very long! Once the pain killers had taken some effect, Mario asked me to get his clothes off, he still had his boots, XKultcha biker jeans, jacket and his ‘colours’ (leather waistcoat) on, and it was really hot in the room. Man was that a mission, he was in so much pain that we battled to move him to get all the stuff off, but Pieter helped and Mario felt so much better without all the kit on. I must admit that the hospital was not as bad as I expected, it was pretty clean and the staff were friendly and helpful, if a little bit puzzled about us ‘pale faces’ being there .
I can say one thing, they both wore their full kit and got away with very little abrasions, but without it they would have had more serious injuries!!! Mario’s Nitro (flip-up) helmet is very scratched, but not cracked, the jeans have a tear and his summer jacket has a couple of holes in the sleeves… the boots, gloves and ‘colours’ are scratched but not broken…
The bike is another story, I have not seen it yet, it’s still in Nelspruit at the towing company, but I have the pics which Robin took!!! It’s pretty much a write off as far as I can tell, Claude’s bike is not too bad on the photo, but without seeing it it’s hard to say! Unfortunately Mario’s bike was not insured anymore as the insurance company had so much fine print that we would have ended up paying premiums and when claim time came they would have refused to pay up!
Pieter and I picked Mario up from hospital this afternoon, he was actually supposed to go to the Barberton hospital, but he rather wanted to come home, I have to take him to the hospital in the morning to do proper x-rays to see exactly what the damage is! The other x-rays were so unclear that it was hard to see what’s what. So for now I’m the nurse…
This was one of those accidents that would not have happened if the road was properly marked, we did a small detour to the accident scene, on our way back from the hospital this afternoon, and I cannot believe how dangerously this has been set up! How can the just suddenly, with very little warning, block off half the road and direct the traffic into the on-coming lane!!! That is just lunacy!!! And absolutely no warning signs on the other side of the road!!! The tow truck driver apparently mentioned that this was not the first accident here!!
Anyway, it could have been worse, and please guys & gals… wear your ATTGATT!!!
