Crashing sucks. Everybody knows that!

I had my first taste of "the agony of defeat" on 05 September 1999.

Third lap into the Amateur Lightweight Supersport race at Shannonville, I experienced a classic front-end tuck in the entrance to the double-apex lefthander.

(I was in good company, I suppose. Within three hours of my crash, Jeff Sneyd and Michael Taylor did the same thing in the same place.)

I went for a big slide in the grass. Came to rest with my left foot stuck in the rear wheel, a la Mick Doohan.

No broken bones, just lots of bruising.

The worst part of the crash? My pinky finger was between the handlebar and the pavement when I fell. I am NOT inpressed with Teknics Violator gloves -- the inside seam on the pinky finger basically exploded, leaving a huge hole in the finger of the glove. The finger is still healing, after losing most of the skin on the right side. Ouch.

Here are the photos of what's left of the glove and my finger...

Photo copyright Lorne W. Vogt, all rights reserved

... I put some white cardboard inside the finger of the glove for better damage visibility... and I waited six weeks for the finger to heal closed SO YOU WOULDN'T BE GROSSED OUT!

If anyone else has had similar problems with Teknics gloves, I'd like to hear about it. Please send me an email by clicking on the mailbox (or email me at lornevogt@hotmail.com)

I'm pleased with the protection given by Steen Hansen leathers.

However, I would have been saved some bodily damage if my suit had been built with padding/armour on the FRONT of the shoulder as well as the back.

Return to home page

---

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page