View Full Version : KKs latest disaster
well it wasnt a rideout but had a wee disaster on Monday. Could have been a big disaster but someone must have been watching out for me.
my daughter was going to her work experience near maryhill road in glasgow. train times were silly so I decided to take her on the bike.
set off with her perched on the back like a grasshopper. dropped her off after lots of filtering and beating loads of traffic jams. On way back I was about 2 miles from home. came round a wee roundabout, car and bus in front of me. 60 limit, both vehicles doing 30. Got to a wee straight and decided to overtake. Pulled out and passed car, was alongside the bus, noticed car coming towards me, so gave it a wee bit more oomph.
BANG
no power!!
panic slightly
brake fairly hard and squish in between car and back of bus and pull over to handy layby. Couldnt figure out what was wrong. Van pulled in pointing out my chain lying in the middle of the road.
Pushed bike up the hill (after picking up the chain) pushed down the other side, round a roundabout and down the hill to work (about a mile). Got a lift home to get changed and phoned insurance company to find out I had breakdown - woohoo. phoned rac told them the problem and they had guy out within 20 min. unfortunately he couldnt fix it, he thought it was a puncture. an hour later recovery lorry arrived. I had to push bike onto ramp, hold bike while the ramp went up. guy tied the bike up. I then had to jump off back of lorry (wearing skirt by now). drove to flat (up very very steep hill) recovery lorry following. got to car park behind flat and had to climb onto lorry to hold bike while guy untied it. then push to back of lorry, hold brake on as ramp went down and then take it off lorry.
ended up hurting tendons in my elbow.
What is the story with recovery people. I have been recovered twice and both times had to put bike on back of truck myself. Usually mention of not being insured to do it.
anyway waiting for new chain and sprocket. Elbow a bit better. drama over.
Blue_SV650S
28-02-08, 08:09 PM
If you knew it was likely that you were going to have to help out, why did you wear a skirt?!!?!? ... did you ever question if the fact you were wearing a skirt and the fact they are making you go up on a lift whilst they stand below watching, correlated!!? :D ... Hussy!! :D
northwind
28-02-08, 08:18 PM
Whatever else you may say about Blue, you can't deny he's always there with a few supportive words :D
Was that the chain and sprockets it had on at Aviemore by any chance? Do any damage on the way out? I had a similiar lucky escape when mine broke, it ripped up the side of the back wheel but didn't do any real damage. And yes, I was being stupid and trying to make it last longer even though I knew I should have replaced it :rolleyes: I did have my reasons, which seemed sensible at the time but actually, were not.
Glad it worked out not too bad though!
SVTONYB
28-02-08, 08:37 PM
Ouch
could have been nasty :smt119
independentphoto
29-02-08, 02:05 PM
Ouch
could have been nasty :smt119
.....but decided to be sympathetic instead.
That's why we like you Tony - all round nice bloke!
That all sounds like typical recovery people to me - Ill prepared unless you can start it with a laptop.
Garry:rolleyes:
If you knew it was likely that you were going to have to help out, why did you wear a skirt?!!?!? ... did you ever question if the fact you were wearing a skirt and the fact they are making you go up on a lift whilst they stand below watching, correlated!!? :D ... Hussy!! :D
didnt think I would have to help out. first recovery I had to do was on motorway - got to pay £150 for the privilege of putting bike on lorry and being driven 2 miles. which is why I pushed it this time - tight jock.
knew I should have worn a shorter skirt - they would not dare have put me up there lol
Whatever else you may say about Blue, you can't deny he's always there with a few supportive words :D
Was that the chain and sprockets it had on at Aviemore by any chance? Do any damage on the way out? I had a similiar lucky escape when mine broke, it ripped up the side of the back wheel but didn't do any real damage. And yes, I was being stupid and trying to make it last longer even though I knew I should have replaced it :rolleyes: I did have my reasons, which seemed sensible at the time but actually, were not.
Glad it worked out not too bad though!
yeah was the same chain etc lol as I said before tight jock. No damage except a scratch along the frame at one side.
-Ralph-
29-02-08, 04:06 PM
Glad all ended well! Should get done for causing an obstruction if your doing half the speed limit on a clear road. It just pushes others into dangerous situations that otherwise wouldn't have occurred.
Tiger 55
29-02-08, 05:11 PM
Got a lift home to get changed
Starting with your undercrackers presumably!
As for recovery people, I always specify on the initial call that it'll need trailered because none of them have been able to fix a bike since the early 80s! You have to wait longer but it saves waiting twice.
Glad to hear you're OK though, that would've been fatal on the crowded roads of the south east of England...
Starting with your undercrackers presumably!
oh yeah
As for recovery people, I always specify on the initial call that it'll need trailered because none of them have been able to fix a bike since the early 80s! You have to wait longer but it saves waiting twice.
First guy arrived while I was at home in the shower, was waiting for me at work, other arrived while I was in class with kids both had arrived within 2 hours
Glad to hear you're OK though, that would've been fatal on the crowded roads of the south east of England...
thanx for that cheery thought ;)
phoned insurance company to find out I had breakdown - woohoo. phoned rac
Who are you insured with?
I have breakdown with MCE insurance company but as it is valued by them at £10 I am not convinced it is worth anything (i.e. Recovery is a different service)
Apart from the comedy value of you being up on a lorry in a skirt :smt042 You should not have been helping them at all! risk of injury & you're not insured (hope you were not trying to suggest that they weren't insured to put a bike on the lorry :confused: )
Who are you insured with?
I have breakdown with MCE insurance company but as it is valued by them at £10 I am not convinced it is worth anything (i.e. Recovery is a different service)
Apart from the comedy value of you being up on a lorry in a skirt :smt042 You should not have been helping them at all! risk of injury & you're not insured (hope you were not trying to suggest that they weren't insured to put a bike on the lorry :confused: )
im insured with e bike and yes the guy said he was not insured to put bike on truck. have sent an email to ebike asking them to confirm what their policy is regarding recovery.
Nice story. Wish I could have been there to witness it. :lol:
northwind
29-02-08, 09:14 PM
That's one of the reasons I like Carole Nash recovery, they actually listen when you say "It's a bike, don't send a tow truck" and "I know what's wrong with it, it's ****ed, just send a trailer and don't waste my time and yours trying to fix it." Though to be fair they subcontract so maybe next time it won't be so good. But sending a flatbed and then refusing to load the bike is just mad, I know I couldn't get my bike on the back of one of those things.
Blue Flame
29-02-08, 09:15 PM
Wow
Glad your OK KK. That could have been nasty.
shonadoll
01-03-08, 05:49 PM
That's one of the reasons I like Carole Nash recovery, they actually listen when you say "It's a bike, don't send a tow truck" and "I know what's wrong with it, it's ****ed, just send a trailer and don't waste my time and yours trying to fix it." Though to be fair they subcontract so maybe next time it won't be so good. But sending a flatbed and then refusing to load the bike is just mad, I know I couldn't get my bike on the back of one of those things.
I was very impressed with Carole Nash recovery too. Me and Jillybrud were stranded when my virago 535 broke down, and they responded within half an hour. The guy that came had a spoecific bike trailer, with tie down straps, and he loaded it in for me. Top bloke, even took it up the drive at the other end-that's no mean feat cos it's long and gravel.
They also asked if I was alone, and safe, which was nice. Unfortunately ebike gave me the cheapest deal this time, but then it's a new bike so fingers crossed.
dirtydog
01-03-08, 08:07 PM
I don't get how a recovery company cant be insured to put your bike on the back of a lorry? I've been recovered 3 times in the last few years and i've never had to push the bike onto the trailer/flatbed lorry i think he was just being a lazy tw*t do they say they cant put your car on the back of a lorry cos they're not insured? No of course they don't, how much business would they lose if they did? Plus as said earlier what about the health and safety issues with you standing on an oily flat bed as they're raising it up or when you're nhaving to jump down off the back of it?
fizzwheel
01-03-08, 08:24 PM
When Liz broke down the other week, the recovery driver didnt even have any tools with him FFS.
It was only a blown main fuse as well and that was the RAC useless...
Glad it wasnt to bad, that could have been well nasty.
muzikill
02-03-08, 11:03 AM
With privelige insurance for the cage, great service when i found out the recovery i took with the policy also covers the bike as well! (its worth checking this out) both times the bike broke down the bike van was sent out, custom built recovery van as well so it won't do any damage. i think it was Ferguson recovery based in fife that came out.
SVTONYB
02-03-08, 07:58 PM
I don't get how a recovery company cant be insured to put your bike on the back of a lorry? I've been recovered 3 times in the last few years and i've never had to push the bike onto the trailer/flatbed lorry i think he was just being a lazy tw*t do they say they cant put your car on the back of a lorry cos they're not insured? No of course they don't, how much business would they lose if they did? Plus as said earlier what about the health and safety issues with you standing on an oily flat bed as they're raising it up or when you're nhaving to jump down off the back of it?
I have been giving this some thought and the only excuse I can think of is
The recovery driver does not have a bike licence
According to the road traffic act if you are in control of the speed and direction of a vehicle you are driving it and if you push and steer a bike you are driving / riding it and obviously you need a full driving licence to do this on the road.
I may be wrong but its the only excuse I can think of
I have been recovered on a flat bed before. The guy did it all himself and did a pretty good job. (apart from wrapping some strap on some plastics).
If someone turned up to me & told me to do it because they weren't insured, then if I wasn't stranded at 1 in the morning (as I was :roll:) I would definitely send them away & get someone who was insured after what happened to Grinch. (His bike fell off & was w/o - I believe he is still injured many years later?)
ive been recovered twice and both times had to put it on the truck myself. 1st time was on M6 and I had the privilege of paying £150 to be allowed to put bike on truck myself and strap it down and be driven 2 miles. have sent email to ebike and going to phone RAC customer service tomorrow. Ill let you all know what they say
on yer bike
03-03-08, 12:29 AM
I had to hold mine steady and steer it whilst he winched it up onto the truck and tied it down. the slope when the back was down would have been too difficult to push it up in the rain on your own or even 2 people.
dirtydog
03-03-08, 01:28 AM
I would definitely send them away & get someone who was insured after what happened to Grinch. (His bike fell off & was w/o - I believe he is still injured many years later?)
That's what i said as well stu but alas it fell on deaf ears :rolleyes:
on yer bike
03-03-08, 03:02 AM
looking over this, all I can say is why has there been so many sv's on the back of AA trucks in the first place?
dirtydog
03-03-08, 08:51 AM
looking over this, all I can say is why has there been so many sv's on the back of AA trucks in the first place?
I've been recoverd twice on my SV 1st time was when i blew the engine up, 2nd time was when the chain snapped
Dicky Ticker
03-03-08, 09:57 AM
This is all OK if you are fit and well but if you have had an off or in my case a dicky ticker I am dammed sure I would not be loading the bike.I pay for a breakdown/recovery for which ever vehicle I am driving and it is up to the recovery people to supply the trained staff and vehicle for the purpose. If they damage your bike you claim from their insurance as they should not be operating as a business without it. As a footnote I pay £98 a year for this so it is not cheap
I had to hold mine steady and steer it whilst he winched it up onto the truck and tied it down. .
That's what he did himself - the winch has remote control.
That's what i said as well stu but alas it fell on deaf ears :rolleyes:
Better that than fell off a lorry :roll:
Chain for me too - so poor maintenance => not SV's fault & this whole thread was not inspired by an SV :p
dirtydog
03-03-08, 01:54 PM
This is all OK if you are fit and well but if you have had an off or in my case a dicky ticker I am dammed sure I would not be loading the bike.I pay for a breakdown/recovery for which ever vehicle I am driving and it is up to the recovery people to supply the trained staff and vehicle for the purpose. If they damage your bike you claim from their insurance as they should not be operating as a business without it. As a footnote I pay £98 a year for this so it is not cheap
Seemingly he said that if you've been involved in an off then they can do it themselves as the bike is already damaged!
Tiger 55
03-03-08, 02:59 PM
why has there been so many sv's on the back of AA trucks in the first place?
Because you get a year's AA cover free with a new bike and the SV is a bit rubbish?
Seemingly he said that if you've been involved in an off then they can do it themselves as the bike is already damaged!
Sod that if they're not taking any responsibility for any further damage :evil:
Dicky Ticker
03-03-08, 04:03 PM
Sorry DD I don't hold with that,they still have responsibilities of reasonable care
i.e not just put a chain round it and drag it onto a vehicle
Purely a coincidence but I have been looking at setting up a business for m/cycle b/down recovery and movements and in order to eliminate some of the problems I am thinking along the lines of using a rear crane mount,lifting the bike on to a low trolley if necessary,securing it to this and then tail lift it on to the transporter. Anything I do has to be covered by a damage insurance,be it straight transporting of new/used bikes or recovery of breakdowns
phoned rac as insurance company said nothing to do with them. rac guy said it didnt sound right but he would have to check. ill let you know what they say.
guy was very impressed when I said no it was not a scooter or a wee 125 but 1000cc and not far off 200 kg. He said he would not have been able to put that on truck himself.
Crane is overkill IMO & likelly to lead to damage (not many lifting points on a bike) It was very simply to winch onto a flatbed if you know what you're doing. or push up a ramp into a van or onto a bike trailer.
Dicky Ticker
03-03-08, 04:14 PM
Some of the new bikes are still crated and very few bike shops have a forklift Lifting a Goldwing that is on its side not all that easy,three straps two to the handlebars and one to the rear wheel or subframe. I am only looking at the one man operation
It would not be a crane as such but a winch that could be used in conjuction with a gantry
dirtydog
03-03-08, 04:31 PM
Sorry DD I don't hold with that,they still have responsibilities of reasonable care
i.e not just put a chain round it and drag it onto a vehicle
Not disagreeing with you DT as i reckon he was just talking a load of old cobblers just saying what the recovery bloke said
I reckon you would do way more damage trying to lift a bike by it's handlebars & subframe - neither are structural.
northwind
03-03-08, 06:10 PM
I remember seeing a bike in Alvins which had been "recovered" by the AA- it was on its side when they arrived so they just hooked on (through the frame, big gouge) and dragged it on its side up onto the truck. They reckoned it would have been pretty much cosmetic damage but the damage after the crash wrote it off.
phone rac on monday. yesterday the recovery people phoned me (sounding very grumpy) today I received lovely big bunch of flowers from recovery people saying they are sorry I was not happy with service.
I know now that I do not have to push broken bikes onto trucks.
dirtydog
05-03-08, 07:19 PM
To me that says they know they were in the wrong. If it was me i'd pursue it to see what i could get out of the to$$ers
but maybe that's just me?
IMO it would be difficult to get much out of them if there's no damage or injury, but yes definitely try for something proper.
If it was a recovery co. I would push for a free year, but as it's free with ins. :???:
SVTONYB
06-03-08, 01:47 AM
To me that says they know they were in the wrong. If it was me i'd pursue it to see what i could get out of the to$$ers
but maybe that's just me?
She did ...... She got flowers
Scooby Drew
06-03-08, 12:17 PM
Oh KK :D You should have kickboxed the man!
Oh KK :D You should have kickboxed the man!
might not have got the flowers. Dont know if I got the flowers for being able to push a heavy bike onto a flat bed single handed or because I climbed up and down off the back of the flatbed in a skirt lol;)
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