Me and my Yamaha Sniper One Rainy Afternoon

Motorcycle riding is considered as the most dangerous form of transportation in the world. Motorbike accidents have been the leading cause of road accident and fatalities in the country in recent years.

Based on January to December 2006 records from the Metro Manila Development Authority [MMDA] alone, motorcycle accidents have the highest fatality rate with 122 bikes involved, or 23.60 per cent of the total road accidents. Cars were next on the list, with 113 or 21.86 per cent.

Just 3 days ago, i was one of the unlucky ones who luckily escaped death in a motorcycle accident.

It was friday afternoon just after rain stopped. I was supposed to go to San Jose (provincial capital) riding my Yamaha Sniper 135cc to help my wife with shopping for the groceries we needed for our son's 5th birthday party for the next day. Due to the unfavorable weather brought by typhoon Ofel, we changed our previous plan of celebrating it in Iloilo and have it instead in our house. So there we are doing our last minute shopping. Im glad that we will just be preparing for a small number of visitors since we decided earlier to have this birthday party just for the closest family members (brothers,sisters, cousins and nephews).

I am running 60kph and about to cross this uphill bridge when these deep moonlike craters lying in my path surprised me and staying away from it is already futile since it covers the whole lane and a multicab going the opposite direction is on the other lane. My motorcycle swerved and 3 meters after, another deep crater surprised me that pinned my motorcycle to the gutter. I went blank after that.

The first thing i remembered after i regained consciousness is that im already sitting in my motor cycle with helmet on and these people i dont recognize (maybe motorists who stopped by to help) asking me if im okay or if i want them to bring me to the hospital. After examining my face with detached side mirror on my hand, i told them im fine since theres only slight scratch and bruises on my face. I was thankful that i had my helmet on. It has a crack on the side due may be to the impact. It should have been my head splitting had i not put it on. my arms were scratch free since this hard padded riding jacket absorbed all the scratches and abrasions. I only had this 3 inch scrape on my right knee, a very small one on my right shoulder and light scratch and bruises on my face.

I still managed to drive 4 kilometers on the way home soaked in water and mud and there i finally felt the pain and throbbing of my head.My Sniper suffered cracked and scratched cowlink, scratched headlight, bent telescopic bars, dent on muffler guard bent footrest and detached side mirror.



I am very grateful i am wearing complete safety protective gear that afternoon. I might probably be dead in that instant and will not be able to celebrate my son's birthday alive.