Ouch! And I really do mean OUCH!!!!

A prick reversed out of a carpark without looking and (being a long time pushbike rider and newbie motorcycle rider) I went for everything... footbrake and both levers on the handlebars all at once. It apprears I must have hit the frontbrake a milisecond first during a panic swerve at around 15-20 km/hr and both the bike and I went down as if struck by lightning. 

Fortunately I wasn't on my beloved FXST but my Hyosung GV650. Broke the footpeg and a few other little bits and pieces. The greatest damage is to my hip and elbow because I really went down hard. I can hardly walk this morning.

There were a lot of people around and in the midst of my confusion, I didn't get the blokes details. He said "Sorry, but I've been riding for 20 years and you shouldn't have hit the front brake." Hello! what about pulling out in front of me without taking a little care? 

Anyway I guess it could have been worse and from now on I'll pay much more attention when driving through an area with right angle parking. 

that's too bad mate, hope you heal up ok.

The front brake is always the first one I hit as well.. it's where the bulk of the stopping power comes from. Hitting the back brake is good if you want to lowside it.

Any of the witnesses grab his details for you? I've had a couple of crashes and I've found that the onlookers generally come running to the rider first, most are happy to offer their numbers up as well in case a witness is needed.

Bit of a bugger that crooky as long as your ok thats the main thing, what was the cagies response, hope he's going to cough up.

Thanks for the comments guys. Yeah well it was a single vehicle thing and yes I know not to hit the front brake when the wheel is turned but after 20 years riding a pushbike where ALL your braking is on the handlebars, it's hard in an emergency to not respond instinctively. I would definitely have gone for the footbrake too but a fraction too late I think.

Yes people did come from everywhere to assist but when I got back to my feet I was pretty shook up and probably not thinking clearly. I was more concerned about the bike than myself at that stage but I knew I'd hurt my hip.
The driver of the Jeep was an arrogant prick and accepted no responsibility at all for the incident. In fact he tried to blame me for not paying attention and not knowing how to use my brakes. There's probably a tad of truth in both but it was him that caused the accident by just reversing out without proper care I reckon. I rolled my bike out of the way and he took off. He said he didn't have his licence with him and all I got was his license plate and make of the car.

yep, hit the front brake hard with the bars slightly turned and it will go down hard everytime , done the same thing a few years ago in a carpark . You can why ABS is a good option for bikes.

Practice your emergency braking crookneez and swerve technique , it might help you if it happens again .

Mate, don't blame yourself...the reversing guy was definitely in the wrong and the fact he didn't / couldn't / wouldn't produce his license is also an issue. Report the incident to the cops and ask for his details to be provided, even if through a lawyer, that way you can sue the prick for damages and possibly get him fined as well. All you needed is the rego number, time and location and vehicle description. The fact he reckons you braked incorrectly should be irrelevant as far as the law is concerned. Just explain to the local police you were dazed and intimidated at the time and are only now comfortable in reporting it. Good luck.

Speedy recovery crookneez, did you get his details? He did cause the accident, if you have his details let your insurance company handle the claim...

Of course you should hit the front brake, the trick is not to jam it right in before letting the brake take the weight or it just locks the wheel and down you go

Thanks for the thoughts guys. The good news is my hip seems to be improving, the bad news is my shoulder is gettiong worse.

Now I ask this of all you experienced riders out there. The fact is I have no idea what I would do if faced with similar situation again. I've ridden pushbikes for years and still do and for the first 12 months of my 14 month motorcycle life I've ridden a motor scooter. It was my scooter riding that got me interested in Harleys in the first place. Both pushbike and the scooter have both brakes located on the bars so for years I've known in an emergency to grab both levers and squeeze.

When I bought my FXST about 2 months ago I bought the DVD 'The New Ride Like A Pro' by Jerry 'Motorman' Palladino from Florida USA. It's a great instructional video on slow speed maneuvering on heavy cruiser type bikes. He makes the point many times "Never use your front brake when your front wheel is turned or you'll be pulled to the ground in an instant."

Now I've practiced braking as part of the training from the DVD but on Monday, when this bloke pulled out in front of me I had to both swerve and stop quickly. The fact is there was no time to think "Oh I must apply my rear brake first if I'm about to turn." Basically shits were trumps at the time and I went instinctively to both levers and (I'm sure) the back brake (a tad too late it seems). After all those years of riding with both brakes on the bars, how on earth would anyone in an emergency or panic situation be able to think through that and not do as I did by reacting instinctively?

If I'd never ridden pushbikes or the scooter, perhaps things might have been different and my instinct would have been different. But I can't easily go back and change the way I've learnt to react over many years. If I was faced with the same situation again next week I'll probably put the bike down again and that thought worries me.

Hope your ok Crook !
It seems You forwent golden Rule No 1 , To Always expect the unexpected !
Nothing stopping you from riding all your bikes , but shit does happen and quick , your hog ain't a push bike or scooter , luckily you weren't on it , each bike will behave differently and you need to know each adequately and polish ya skills on each separately , like already advised too much practice of emergency stops/starts and reactive evasive actions is 'never too much , it all comes down mostly to anticipation and control without 'over reaction as well as 'luck of the gods in many cases , like going a big swerve if a roo decides to hop out from behind a bush or if a kid runs out from behind a parked car and instinctive reaction , expecting it to happen is still only half the the choir , reacting and executing safely is paramount to ya potentially not grassing it every time instinct is activated or warranted , in saying that , it is also why they invented ABS , even that in some circumstances ain't enough to avoid shit happening when someone over reacts , keep ya chin up , get 'extra personal' with ya chosen ride/s , your adequate safe reflex reaction and execution , learn from any mistakes , practice and anticipate shit by visually scanning all round and as far ahead as possible , correct lane positioning , potential hazard buffering , and ALWAYS Expect The Unexpected , you should also report the incident , especially having suffered injuries which may deteriorate in time , no matter how intimidating or embarrassing it may seem at the time , not trying to preach to ya but it is what it is hey , not all accidents are avoidable but learning from it and alert Road Craft Skills are paramount to safe and enjoyable riding !

Cheers

Crookneez, watch out for that hip, hate to say it but it will get worse over time.
Make sure you get the details from the cops mate and I hope you have got some witness details.
Maybe I shouldnt say this but the most arrogant fast drivers on the road are generally JEEP drivers.
Just my Experience from everyday riding in Sydney.
Anyway, watch that hip mate.

I really do appreciate your advice and wisdom guys.

I keep thinking the accident through, not because I'm paranoid, because I have no fear of getting back in the saddle. Simply because I don't want it to happen again any time too soon and I think the answer is as Scotti put it "Always expect the unexpected." I do ride cautiously and I'm always looking ahead for potential problems. I always move as far away from potential danger as possible and (for instance) cover my brakes when approaching a vehicle turning right. I'm constantly aware of parked cars etc, you have to be riding a pushbike. I've asked myself "Under the same circumstances would I have avoided this on the scooter or my pushbike?" and I don't think I would have.

The more I think back on this incident the more I think I may have let my brain go temporarily into neutral. I had arrived at my destination (the beach) and was scanning the busy carpark for a spot to pull up. I remember only seeing the car at the last minute which suggests my focus was elsewhere. This doesn't absolve the fuckwit from not taking care but if I'd been more 'on the job' I may have seen things early enough the take evasive action a split second sooner.

Since getting the bikes I've really focused on using my rear brake for precisely this reason. I was doing this to the point that recently I had to check myself and consciously start using both simultaneously.

If he did not want to produce his licence then that tells you he thinks he fucked up.

He could be done for leaving the scene of an accident which is a big offense.

Must go back to the scene and take pics and hopefully find some wittnesses.

You are no-way at fault.  Report  it to the cops and equievelent to Vic's TAC.

As metion earlier your hip and shoulder could become a problem and also 

your bike needs attention even if it's only chinese.

YOU ARE NOT AT FAULT!!!!!!!!

Atleast your walking and your softy didn't get scratched  

 

Mate you will have learned from that incident and I tdoubt that you will do the same thing again, that does not mean you won't drop the bike again but you will react differently next time (hope it doesn't happen to you again). By the way had you done exactly the same thing on a bushbike you would most likely had the same result.

remember the golden rule when you're on two wheels

 

 

You did nothing wrong, as mentioned before.

I always knock on wood.
Oops, shouldnt have said that, better go and knock on wood.