An Accident in Ukraine
Content
An accident in Ukraine. The news is that I am hold up for a week or more in Lviv in Ukraine, recovering from a crash. I was very fortunate. I hit a car on my left changing lanes into it. The accident was completely my fault. The bike fared well but I am a bit banged up. No broken bones tho. But my lower left back and left wrist are pretty sore. The accident happened on Saturday (June 15 th) and more soreness is emerging. It is interesting what having two really sore spots can do to hide the lesser pains. The car suffered some damage and I met the guy yesterday and paid him $200 for what would be about $500 in the US. So not bad. He was very nice and we had a nice meeting, translated thru my host, Nika. The couchsurfing hosts have a motorcycle and a garage. Joseph changed oil and took the footpegs off his moto to put on mine. Strange because they are different makes and models. But they fit perfectly. I have some photos from the day of the crash, the aftermath, at least till the pain started getting the best of me. Adrenalin is a great drug at a really crucial time!! I wasn’t planning such a tour of Europe and it can be really eye opening to see these things; I would not have experienced the ambulance nor the hospital without the accident. OK, I could have done without them but still interesting. And I couldn't take photos of the police. Oh well.
The events as they unfolded. I had a very productive morning, getting the inner tube patched on the rear tire and visited an open air museum of wooden architecture. Then on the way back to my host’s house the accident changed everything. I had missed a turn and was looking back and forth at my GPS trying to figure out what to do. I made the land change without seeing the car to my left. I hit his right rear door. I went down so quickly that I barely have any memory of the fall. The bike and I both landed on the left side. I remember being stunned by the impact then having trouble breathing. Then I was writhing on the pavement and groaning. This brought several people from the street and a nearby tire shop. A moment later there was a man that could speak English. He helped initially and left a card with me. As I got my bearings I realized that the moto was still lying on the ground and leaking oil. So in a few minutes I was able to stand. I asked the men nearby to pick up the bike but they refused because they believed that it was necessary to leave it as an accident scene. But I didn’t care. So I tried to pick it up myself, really knowing that there was no way I could and they then helped get it. She’s my baby and a good friend. I couldn’t just leave her there in the street!
The man who spoke English called the ambulance. I wasn’t really sure I needed one yet. I think a taxi would have been OK in retrospect but I was pretty shaken. So the ambulance arrives and the doctor starts to check me out. No really serious problems. He asks some questions about where I am staying then encourages me to call my hosts. So I do. In the next few minutes a man arrives on a motorcycle. When he takes off his helmet I recognize him. I had met him the day before when I arrived at my hosts apartment building. His wife had seen me sitting outside their building waiting. Olexyi (the man) got a call from her and left his office to come check on me. He belongs to a group of motorcyclist in Lviv that offer support to stranded and injured motorcyclists. He came and we talked for a while. Then the next day, there he is. He helped with some translation at the scene and assured me that the bike would be taken care of. My hosts Nika and Joseph showed up. Joseph shares a garage with a few other friends to store their bikes. And that is where my bike is now. Waiting. So the police finally arrive. I will note that the experience of interacting with the police was interesting it turns out that there was a lot bureaucracy coming that I and everyone else could have done without. But the officer on the scene took my documents and took notes and photographed the documents and verified the vin on the moto. Then I was sent off to the hospital. The ambulance was a very old and tattered vehicle. There wasn’t much equipment inside. In the hospital I was a bit shocked at how run down it was. The emergency room was pretty active but I didn’t have to wait too long. I went for x-rays and had to buy the film first. Then the doc reviewed them and determined there were no broken bones. Then Joseph accompanied me to the police station for an interview with a detective to document the accident. I had to hire a translater; 500 Ukr (about $62). Then finally I got back to Joseph and Nika’s place. I was exhausted! They got a pizza that evening and I think it was the best thing I have ever eaten! On Monday I returned to the hospital with Olexyi’s help to get the official examination for the police report. No examination but the woman said that she would fill out the forms for the police. Done. Now recovery. Rest, relaxation and maybe a few beers. I am staying in a hostel in Lviv center. It is nice because I am near so many restaurants, including Mike’s Tex-Mex ( an American who lived in Boulder for a while.) As soon as I am fit to travel again I will have a real challenge. The roads in Ukraine are apparently the worst in Europe and by far the worst! Apparently they resemble
Africa. The road I came in on from Poland is one of the few that are good so I had no inkling. The next leg will be about 80 to 100 miles. I am told it will take 5 to 6 hours if it doesn't rain. Hope for nice weather!!!
The events as they unfolded. I had a very productive morning, getting the inner tube patched on the rear tire and visited an open air museum of wooden architecture. Then on the way back to my host’s house the accident changed everything. I had missed a turn and was looking back and forth at my GPS trying to figure out what to do. I made the land change without seeing the car to my left. I hit his right rear door. I went down so quickly that I barely have any memory of the fall. The bike and I both landed on the left side. I remember being stunned by the impact then having trouble breathing. Then I was writhing on the pavement and groaning. This brought several people from the street and a nearby tire shop. A moment later there was a man that could speak English. He helped initially and left a card with me. As I got my bearings I realized that the moto was still lying on the ground and leaking oil. So in a few minutes I was able to stand. I asked the men nearby to pick up the bike but they refused because they believed that it was necessary to leave it as an accident scene. But I didn’t care. So I tried to pick it up myself, really knowing that there was no way I could and they then helped get it. She’s my baby and a good friend. I couldn’t just leave her there in the street!
The man who spoke English called the ambulance. I wasn’t really sure I needed one yet. I think a taxi would have been OK in retrospect but I was pretty shaken. So the ambulance arrives and the doctor starts to check me out. No really serious problems. He asks some questions about where I am staying then encourages me to call my hosts. So I do. In the next few minutes a man arrives on a motorcycle. When he takes off his helmet I recognize him. I had met him the day before when I arrived at my hosts apartment building. His wife had seen me sitting outside their building waiting. Olexyi (the man) got a call from her and left his office to come check on me. He belongs to a group of motorcyclist in Lviv that offer support to stranded and injured motorcyclists. He came and we talked for a while. Then the next day, there he is. He helped with some translation at the scene and assured me that the bike would be taken care of. My hosts Nika and Joseph showed up. Joseph shares a garage with a few other friends to store their bikes. And that is where my bike is now. Waiting. So the police finally arrive. I will note that the experience of interacting with the police was interesting it turns out that there was a lot bureaucracy coming that I and everyone else could have done without. But the officer on the scene took my documents and took notes and photographed the documents and verified the vin on the moto. Then I was sent off to the hospital. The ambulance was a very old and tattered vehicle. There wasn’t much equipment inside. In the hospital I was a bit shocked at how run down it was. The emergency room was pretty active but I didn’t have to wait too long. I went for x-rays and had to buy the film first. Then the doc reviewed them and determined there were no broken bones. Then Joseph accompanied me to the police station for an interview with a detective to document the accident. I had to hire a translater; 500 Ukr (about $62). Then finally I got back to Joseph and Nika’s place. I was exhausted! They got a pizza that evening and I think it was the best thing I have ever eaten! On Monday I returned to the hospital with Olexyi’s help to get the official examination for the police report. No examination but the woman said that she would fill out the forms for the police. Done. Now recovery. Rest, relaxation and maybe a few beers. I am staying in a hostel in Lviv center. It is nice because I am near so many restaurants, including Mike’s Tex-Mex ( an American who lived in Boulder for a while.) As soon as I am fit to travel again I will have a real challenge. The roads in Ukraine are apparently the worst in Europe and by far the worst! Apparently they resemble
Africa. The road I came in on from Poland is one of the few that are good so I had no inkling. The next leg will be about 80 to 100 miles. I am told it will take 5 to 6 hours if it doesn't rain. Hope for nice weather!!!
