Motorcycle Dangers in the Philippines

Philippines Samar.Crashed my bike on the 28th afternoon. Not going too fast. In traffic, in town and a 6yr old boy ran out into traffic and Then heard a motorcycle coming! Why it was MY motorcycle…. He turned towards the sound, saw me and FROZE like a deer in the head lights! If he kept running, no problem. But noooo. He stopped.

So with my mind going thousand of miles per nano second…. I calculated the cost of killing the kid, or worse injuring him and then having to pay the family either way…. or dump the bike. I dumped the bike.

1 Broke right clavical, several damaged ribs below the arm pit, and some road rash. But I was very lucky. The bike had just a bent foot rest and brake pedal and slightly misaligned steering. Was fixed in 1 hr! Also since there was no head injury… none of the evil escaped! Thanks for asking…. my little brush with death has not changed my witt or satir!

I did not go to the local hosptal…. I was helped up and rode a motorcab home and a local traffic enforcer rode my bike home. The little boy ran off of course. He should have stopped by now though!

The road is a very old section of concrete with 2-4″ river rock instead of crushed stone. Badly pocked marked and slick with the stones. If it had of been black top or ‘proper’ concrete, I think I would have been OK.

Several hours later I was taken to a ‘retired police’ who is a self taught poor equavilant to a chiropractor. He applied traction and got the clavicle back in reasonably proper shape. The xray was taken (200 plus, sir) the next day for me to confirm the obvious…

Oh yes…. once I got home I took a shower to get cleaned up. My helper had to do my socks and shoes for me. This was a bigger deal than you might think as she, nor her husband own any socks. So it was a struggle for her. But she managed without having to refer to the sock’s instruction manual…..

Yes, I am aware that I am in the Philippines and that socks and shoes are ‘optional’. However, even though I do not follow the English tradition of changing one’s clothing multiple times a day to match the proper outfit with the time of day….. You shall NEVER see me in a wife beater / tank top shirt, shorts and (gasp please) Flip Flops! So not me….