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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Kev Murphy on September 24, 2014, 08:58:23 AM

Title: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: Kev Murphy on September 24, 2014, 08:58:23 AM

Dragged from my memory banks..... circa 1966.


At this point of my life, I was a member of Spencer Gulf Skydivers, and I rode a 1962 750 (736 cc) Royal Enfield Interceptor.
One weekend, we were having a skydiving meeting at Port Pirie, 110 miles away from my home of Whyalla.
The easiest way to transport a parachute on a bike is to wear it.
About half way to Port Augusta, for whatever reason, the ripcord became dislodged, and the chute deployed at around 50 MPH.  :eek

I stopped... the bike didn't. Landed on the roadway flat on my back, .... no slide, no skid, no roll, just a complete stop and drop.
Uninjured apart from minor bruising and winded, I dragged the canopy to the side of the road, picked it up and started walking towards where the bike had rolled to a stop, fallen over and stalled in the long grass couple of hundred yards down the road.

I was about halfway to the bike when a group of 5 cars approached from behind, and spotting me walking carrying my bunched up gear, commenced scanning the skies searching for an aircraft and / or other parachutists.  :p

Very minor damage to the bike, scuffed / torn seat and dislodged battery cover.

(http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s277/cool_blue_ice_2002/RE62Int.jpg)

I repacked my parachute out of view of the highway, and ensured that I did not catch and overtake any of the cars that passed.  :grin

I might be the only person in the world who has dismounted in this manner, but I do NOT recommend it.  :-(((

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: StinkyPete on September 24, 2014, 09:03:52 AM

 :crackup  I would have paid money to watch that.

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: Biggles on September 24, 2014, 09:07:52 AM

You're a living legend mate.

I'll be buying your book when it comes out if it's full of adventures like this.    :thumbs

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: Tipsy on September 24, 2014, 11:03:14 AM

 :wht11 py
I bet that landing was a bit of a drag,  ;-*
but one would think it was more like a rodeo being let out the chute like that.  :cuss :Whipped

Tipsy

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: Diesel on September 24, 2014, 11:23:08 AM

Awesome story Kev.     :rofl :rofl :rofl        :-++

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: Aussieboy on September 24, 2014, 12:50:43 PM

Sounds like some early form of air bag :-)

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: curious1 on September 24, 2014, 04:06:55 PM

 You are a very lucky fellow. How many lives have you left to go?

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: Lionel on September 24, 2014, 06:07:45 PM

Kev, are you coming to the national meet next year?
If so, bring your parachute.

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: tj189 on September 24, 2014, 10:01:27 PM

Any landing you can walk away from is a good one  :rofl

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: Gadget on September 25, 2014, 08:26:44 PM

We got a good laugh out of that one Kev. 

Glad you weren't badly hurt and that no-one had been right behind you at the time.

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: Kev Murphy on September 25, 2014, 08:30:09 PM

 :crackup :grin
 True stories are always the best.

Title: Re: A novel, and I daresay... 'UNIQUE'.... way to dismount on the highway.
Post by: ST2UP on September 25, 2014, 08:36:30 PM

What a ripper  :-++  :rofl