When i was 4 years old, my dad got me a Honda z50. I was only aloud to ride around the yard after preschool under my parent's supervision. A year later i was in kindergarten. Came home from school one day and was riding around. My mom was home and my dad was at work. Well, i was getting quite bored going around in circles and jumping over our plant island (raised island in the yard with decorative shrubs in it). My mom went inside for something and being the little rebel on a minibike that i was, decided to ride out on the dirt road that we lived on.
Heres a google earth image of the house i grew up in.
The green box was our property. The yellow line is the path i was taking around the yard. You can see the dirt road we lived on connected out to a paved 2-way road.
So anyways, i started riding up and down the dirt road, ripping through all 3 gears that the z50 had, having a blast kicking up dust in the air and what not. I kept going further and further down the street (towards the paved road), going faster and faster each time. Well, eventually i was going too fast, slammed on the back brakes (thats how i stopped as a kid), and slide out into the paved road. Sure enough, a lifted early 90's Ford pickup was coming down the street at about 40 mph and hit me from the left side. Point of impact is the red circle. I was hit so hard that I was thrown all the way to the red X.
Thank god i was wearing a helmet or else you wouldn't be reading this story right now
. I was wearing a little yellow Bell Helmet. The helmet literally cracked in half right down the planar middle. Saved my life. Actually, i think we still have the helmet somewhere. I also broke 3 ribs on the left side and punctured my left lung, was spitting up blood, barely could breath, along with a couple other minor fractures in my arms and legs. Was in the hospital for 6 weeks doing rehab, I couldn't walk for nearly 4 weeks.
Weird part about it too. Even now, i still remember riding around that day. I don't remember the final trip down the street, but i do remember waking up to the sirens of the ambulance and paramedics hovering over me, cutting my clothing off.
My dad saved the extremely damaged bike and completely rebuilt it from the ground up as a welcome home gift.
For some reason, i think my life long motorcycling itch has been caused by this accident.
