Riders Write

Enjoying my morning commute on Highway 101, going about 50MPH in the carpool lane, I look down at the instrument panel and notice the gas light is on. Huh? I look at the odometer, I've got at least another 30 miles before I have to fill up. Then I notice the check oil light followed by the check engine light and then.. nothing. The bike loses all power, I cruise slowly to a stop on the median. It's rush hour in Silicon Valley and there's about 3 feet separating me from a sea of inattentive drivers.

I'm sitting on my motorcycle pondering my next move when another motorcyclist pulls over in front of me. She gets off her bike to ask if I need help. Thanks for stopping! I guess I need a tow.. So Holly starts calling all her contacts while I start calling mine. Ironically, the guy who last towed me is having his tow truck towed. He starts telling me the story but... I'm on the side of the road, gotta go. Holly's contact is unfortunately an hour away. I give Holly my card and after reading my name she says "are you Israeli?", I reply yes to which she says (in Hebrew) me too! I thank her profusely for being kind enough to stop "well, I'm a new rider myself, I can't really help but I had a tire blow out a little while ago and I know how dangerous it can be".

A few more frantic minutes searching for a tow and a CHP officer pulls up, blocking the carpool lane. I explain the situation and he suggests I get off the median and on to the shoulder where it's safer.

"Hold on, I'll stop traffic", and just like that he walks on to the freeway and holds his arms out. Traffic comes to a halt, I hop on my bike and waddle it to the other side of the freeway - just underneath a sign which reads East Palo Alto. Holly waves from the other side and rides off.

CHP drives away and I continue searching for the number to my roadside assistance provider. I can't find it so I call my insurer, unfortunately my rep is on a conference call but his assistant gives me the number to call for help.

I call, punch in a series of numbers to get to the right department and give my information. "Okay, so this is for a 2006 Yamaha?" I reply no, the policy should have been switched to my new bike, a 2009 Triumph. "Please hold" ...a few minutes go by. "Well, we don't have that in our system, maybe you can try calling the insurer again". So I call the insurer and the assistant pulls up my file, confirms the bike is in the system, and quotes from the paperwork the RA provider sent them a month ago.

I call RA back, punch in the numbers, get connected to a new agent and this time have a policy number and VIN as proof. But they still have my old bike in the system. "Please hold"...

While all this is going on a white tow truck pulls up and a guy wearing a jumpsuit with the words Freeway Service Patrol emblazoned on the shoulder walks over. I'm on the phone arguing and this guy asks what the story with my bike is. I look at him dubiously and ask "are you here by coincidence?". Nah, we got scanners, he replies referring to CHP radio. "They said motorcycle DOWN, you need some gas or something?" Err... No, I'm on the phone with my insurer. "Okay, you want me to call you a flatbed?" No... I'm good.

'Coincidence Tow' drives off as I continue phone-looping with the insurer, the provider, and roadside assistance.

Another CHP officer pulls up. I explain the situation and he offers to stick around to make sure I'm safe. "you know how drivers can be.. in about 20 minutes traffic will clear up and people will be driving a LOT faster." Yeah I reply, I've been trying to get a tow for the last 45 minutes, if you could stay a while I would really appreciate it.

Officer Al Morales graciously offers to catch up on paperwork while I make a few more calls. Then another tow truck pulls up, it's not a flat bed either and I'm beginning to wonder if these guys just cruise the highway looking for desperate broke-downers to rip off. I send the guy off with a "thanks but I'm good" and walk over to Officer Morales. These guys have scanners apparently and it seems kind of sketchy them just showing up like that, I say. "Oh no those guys are legit. Did a white tow truck - Freeway Service Patrol - come by earlier? They are a free service of the CHP they'll give you gas, help get you to safety, call a tow truck for you..."  Oh, I've never heard of free roadside assistance. Our tax dollars at work! http://www.mtc.ca.gov/services/fsp/

Back to the phone call and I hiss in my best attempt at a reserved, calm voice, "CHP said they can have a flatbed here in 15 minutes. My bike IS on the policy, I've been sweating on the side of the road in all my armor for the last hour and I'm going to just have them order one and we can deal with all the administrative stuff later".

I hang up, CHP calls a tow and heads out leaving me the name, number and ETA. A tow truck arrives from Redwood City 10 minutes later and before you know it I've got myself towed less than 5 miles away to the Triumph dealership.

Lessons learned: Always have the number to your insurer, AAA, roadside assistance etc. in your phone book. Have your policy number handy as well. If you're a motorcyclist make sure to get roadside assistance added to your policy (AAA does not offer it for motorcycles). Lastly, don't underestimate the kindness of strangers. Aside from Holly, there were 3 police officers, 3 tow trucks, and a thumbs up from a passing motorcyclist, all encouraging, sympathetic, patient and offering to help.

Other notes: I read about this sort of breakdown on the Triumph Rat forum. When the lights started going funny and my bike died I pulled over cautiously and didn't panic. As a safe rider I'm constantly scanning the road in front of me, on either side, behind me and down at my instrument panel. I read the "mental motorcycling" column in Motorcycle Consumer News, ask other riders about their crashes and think about how I would handle the same situation. I browse forums and read about other riders experience with the same bike. I wear full armor - covered boots, gloves, pants, jacket, a bright helmet, and a bright bag. There was nothing I could do to avoid this situation but everything I could do to be as safe as possible given the unexpected. Ride safe!