Crashing well.

[Doc]

With all this talk of knees down and quickening the "pace", I think it prudent to ask this question.

In a crash, specifically on the track, what do you do? If you can think that quickly?

Go limp? Spread out? Roll?

What do those with experience reccomend?

In my worse crash I rolled 280 feet. I think the "instinct" for me to role was from my martila arts training.

I think if I would have slid it may have disapate the energy or a broader area... although I don't know if I would have came out any better than I did if that happened. (just a little road rash)

I know they say to spread out to disapate the energy but how difficult is that?

[Degsy]

Every time I crashed (and there were probably 30 of them) I held on to the bars and slid with the bike. I don't know why, that's just the way I crash I guess. I did let go once that I remember, turn 12 highside. I had to let go as I was about 10 feet above the bike.

degs

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

Pull the Arms and legs in Tight, after that You got no choice if you Roll you Roll if you Slide you slide. Inertia is in charge now

[Ken C]

My race crashes have all involved others falling in front of me or crashing into me, except two crashes losing the front in the rain. So, each crash was a bit different. Three were highsides and I slid/tumbled to a stop. They were over before I could do anything meaningful. One lasted long enough for me to cover my chest hoping to not get hit by my bike. Another one was a lowside where I slid on my flat back. The worst injury I've had is cracked ribs.

If you did have time to act, you should stay flat and keep your heels off the ground if possible so they don't hook. Keith Code says be limp, like cooked spaghetti.

[Currently]

Every time I crashed it was ...

WTF just happened!

It is what it is when it happens ... you got less than a tenth of a second to make a decision and my poor drain bramaged head kenna work that fast.

On the other hand, I have seen quite a few screwed up situations and managed to avoid crashing ... this is what I strive for!

[Awesome]

It all depends on the crash, don't try to stop yourself from however you're getting thrown, that's when stuff breaks.

[OreoGaborio]

Like everyone's been saying, it all depends on the situation. Just relax & don't fight it, but stop the tumble the best you can so you slide to a stop.

[rebelpacket]

This is like asking what you do when someone points a gun at you, intending to shoot you. You really don't know until you do it. Everyone crashes different.

I will say, check, and DOUBLE CHECK that your stopped before you try to get up. I lowsided in 1A, and tried to stand up when I was still sliding.

[sandman]

This is like asking what you do when someone points a gun at you, intending to shoot you. You really don't know until you do it.

it would depend on how far away from you they were.

if touching distance, take the gun away and assess as to if they are still a threat.

other than that, move to cover and neutralise the threat.

if there is no cover ,move and neutralise the threat.

action beats reaction.

[s a x m a n]

the tires are softer than they look

[SVRACER01]

highsides usually = tuck and roll whereas a lowside you probably want to flatten out to slow yourself down. especially in the wet

[Doc]

highsides usually = tuck and roll whereas a lowside you probably want to flatten out to slow yourself down. especially in the wet

Thank you Oxx!

[JeffL]

I've had 3 lowsides, and in each one, stuff usually happens so fast I didnt really have much time to think besides "oh I'm sliding", by the time I had any response beyond that, I was stopped. (All between 30 and 50mph). My last one though I slammed into the side of a hill and went flipping through the air, in that case it was more like "Oh, I'm sliding......oh, now I'm in the air, now I'm tumbling down a hill, Oh shit theres the bike, please dont land on me."

Other than that......dont have much advice for ya.

[Evil_Weasel]

i can tell you one thing not to do. do not exexcute a perfect marine corps martial arts program "break fall" right as you land from a highside. though muscle memory may cause you to slap the ground with the back of your arm just like you were trained anyways. good for disipating energy after a judo throw...not so good at 30 mph. turns out you just break your elbow.

[tjspeed3]

When you do part ways with your bike, STAY DOWN until it is safe to get off the track.

Oh, and stick to the lightweight classes. They don't hurt as much when they run you over.

[Awesome]

the tires are softer than they look

This is very true.

[SVRACER01]

ALWAYS make sure you are STOPPED before you try to get up.

[smf]

ALWAYS make sure you are STOPPED before you try to get up.

and conscious. that helps a lot too.

[Doc]

And make sure you don't take a swing at the corner workers...


I SOOO need to get SMF's Avatar blown up to poster size!

[smf]

And make sure you don't take a swing at the corner workers...


I SOOO need to get SMF's Avatar blown up to poster size!

...maybe i thought the corner worker was the guy that parked it in front of me? (no clue, don't remember that at all)

and durgins got 2 pics of me on the ground

[RyanNicholson]

i usually just go limp and wait to stop, and hope for the best.

my chain broke in T11 a few weekends back, i went to go straight through the grass and my front end tucked as soon as i got over the curb.....I took the cartwheel/flip approach. that sucked haha, 5 or 6 flips into the crash i realized i was going a lot faster than i thought i was

that was def my worst crash ever.....but kitt hooked me up with a new subframe so that was sweet.