justin 4 crashes: first two on my Dualtron X2. Both times falling with my left arm taking the impact. Well over a year later and I still can’t lift my left arm up even half way.
I think both crashes were because I ‘whiskey throttled’ it - and the power of the X2 can hurt you badly. (8,000 watts)
2 last crashes just a week ago on the second day riding my Dualtron City scooter. Both on my face. Both the front wheel went out: first because I think of some wet grass, and the other I was accelerating on a turn on gravel. Not a good idea.
I think I’m lucky that I’ve been wearing good padding for these crashes - and luckily, when I don’t wear padding: on my GoTrax GMax Ultra, I haven’t crashed yet.
But I’m sure my complete coverage saved me: on my first crash, I was going up on to a sidewalk, but goosed the throttle and went WAY too fast - probably 25 mph - and bruised my knees and elbows and shoulder and scratched my bike helmet and bent my glasses - and - strangely, gut through the toe of my shoe.
Second crash, I was hotdogging it on grass beside the road, slaloming while accelerating, and jerked forward way too fast and flew onto the road in front of a car. I was DARNED lucky the driver stopped. I went down on my left shoulder - again.
Both of these crashes left me with a left shoulder that felt like shattered glass. Tylenol or Aspirin didn’t help. FYI: CBD oil DOES WORK. It blocks the pain and lets you sleep for the first time in a long time - and the pain was so bad on my shoulder that I couldn’t sleep on my side: and I didn’t sleep for days after - due to the pain.
My last two crashes were slow - on my face. I guess being a gymnast and over 1,000 falls when I was young on my roller skates have saved my face - because I just wear a normal bike helmet: no full face.
But I sure did bruise my ribs. Lots of pain.
And this reminds me that there is just something about falling while standing upright on a scooter means that you are going to land on your face, or shoulder … - I wonder - for those people with seats on their scooters: do they fall less? And differently?
So: about safety equipment: ALWAYS wear a helmet. Try to teach helmetless morons that the damage can be catastrophic.
But buy padding that you are going to WEAR! I’ve got two pairs of wrist guards - one VERY expensive - and I never wear them. But I think gloves are essential. Knee pads and elbow pads I wouldn’t want to crash without - but mesh upper body protection with elbow, shoulder, back and front padding are nice. I’ve got 3 versions. One for cold, the other two trying to find the most comfortable.
I’ve bought a couple of padded pants - but sizing on Amazon for ‘clothing’ made in China is a total joke. You sometimes buy XXXL and get a size that would fit a small child.
It bugs me, sometimes, how long it takes to get all the padding on - and I don’t wear the motorcycle helmet I bought on Amazon because it is claustrophobic, and doesn’t feel good, and the EXPENSIVE Predator DH-6 helmet I bought is GORGEOUS - but still is a pain to put on, and won’t go on with glasses on, and restricts my view and the visor reduces clarity in seeing.
And - I might suggest - from the literally hundreds of videos I’ve seen of motorcycle and scooter and Vespa crashes from around the world - make darn sure your helmet is done up!! So many people have their helmet fly off in a crash: sometimes after the first hit of their head to the ground - and sometimes before.
