We motorcycle riders know there are many inherent dangers out there. We know to be careful of car drivers who are not paying attention; we know to slow down when it rains. We are fully aware that defensive driving is one of the best things we can do to protect ourselves from accident and injury. It turns out a biker from Maine was reminded of this lesson when his bike encountered a common pothole.
Tommy Tompkins, a 43-year-old biker from Carthage, was following friends down a local road he had not traveled for about a year. His friends were in a car with Tompkins following close behind at 25 to 30 mph. Without warning, Tompkins suddenly found himself flying over the handlebars and through the air after hitting a pothole. Some 60 to 80 feet later, he was lying on the ground with his head split wide open.
News reports of the accident say Tompkins is lucky to be alive. He was not wearing a helmet, so his skull was no match for the pavement when the two met under the full force of Tompkins' 350-pound frame. In addition to a significant loss of hair and flesh on his skull, Tompkins also suffered bruises, scratches and a pretty severe road rash. He is expected to make a full recovery though.
The Problem with Potholes
To the naked eye, it can appear as though the common pothole is not a big problem. After all, just drive around it and everything will be fine. However, therein lies the first problem when potholes occur. These are not necessarily easy to see.
In Tompkins case, he was completely unaware of the pothole because of the car in front of him. And it's nobody's fault. Even a car driver isn't going to see a pothole coming if he's in the midst of traffic. The advantage of the car driver is that it is easier for him to drive over a pothole rather than through it. Bikers do not have that luxury.
The second problem with potholes is that they can be deceptive, even when seen ahead of time. What might look like a minor pothole could actually be very deep and jagged. If the pothole is just the right size and depth, the impact can be forceful enough to cause severe problems. In a car, you could throw your alignment out of whack or damage wheel components. On a motorcycle, you could end up like Mr. Tompkins.
What You Need to Know
Potholes are formed when water gets under the surface of the pavement and then freezes. As it expands, the water causes the pavement to weaken and buckle, thus leading to the pothole. This means that potholes are very common in northern environments with frequent freeze/thaw cycles during the winter. Nevertheless, that does not mean they cannot occur in warmer climates.
The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to pay close attention to the road when you ride. You want to do this for two reasons. First, to protect yourself from immediate danger posed by any potholes you run across. Second, you want to pay attention and find a way to remember what you have observed for future journeys. Obviously, be extra diligent in the spring months until local road crews fill the potholes in your town.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to remove every potential hazard that could negatively affect the motorcycle rider. That's just part of the game. In the case of Tommy Tompkins, we're just glad the results of his accident weren't any worse. We wish him well in his recovery.
