Rolling or Sliding ?

[Metal_Mickey]

Hi All,

Simple question, if you come off your bike while riding is it better for your body to roll or slide along the road ? "Better" in this case being defined as you coming out of the situation with the least possible number of injuries.

The reason I ask is because one of the motorcycle riders at work has made it clear that they believe that you should avoid wearing anything on your back (rucksack etc.) while riding. The reason they believe this is because they feel that if you were to come off then having something on your back would prevent your body from rolling, which is a problem because they feel that rolling is the best way to slow your body down when you come off your bike and so is safer.

My own opinion is that when you come off your bike you want to be as safe as possible by stoping quickly and having your body roll would probably be better at achieving this than sliding. However I also think that you are likely to incur more damage as a result of rolling, which is a problem if that is what you were trying to avoid in the first place. For this reason I tend to think sliding would probably be better.

Anyone else have any views on this ?

[Trixie]

It seems that rolling = more broken bones, sliding = gravel rash.

Depends on the type of accident I think. I'm hoping I never have to find out which is best - I've always had a car to break my fall up to now!!!
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[stinkwheel]

Even if you are going to slide I wouldn't want to be wearing a rucksack, unless you want to be sliding face down which is what would happen.

I think rolling hurts more but slows you down quicker. I also reckon the biggest danger of being killed comes from sliding into either a solid stationary object or the path of another vehicle. From this point of view, the quicker you come to a halt, the better.

Many people will not see my point, imagine sliding on your arse at 60mph towards an armco barrier. Now consider would you like to risk a broken arm through rolling and not hit the armco or would you like to sail on into it whilst still doing maybe 30mph? I opted for a full-ragdoll in the foetal position which hurt at the time but meant I did not hit the solid metal barrier at speed.
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[DEN MONKEY]

Ive always wondered about carrying something substantial in a back pack, like shoes for example. If you were high sided or went over the handle bars and landed on you back. Surely this would increase your chances of ending up with some sort of back damage/injury. Or alternatively if it was something soft like clothing would it decrease any impact injuries??

[Chriss]

[Gazdaman]

I came off at a roundabout, slid to a halt, no injuries whatsoever.

Slid for quite a long time too, I thank the leathers.

Gaz

[jayluvmito]

i rolled, wasnt too painfull. the pain come from landing from about 8 ft up on my ankle, which subsecently *sp* broke my foot an ankle

[jayluvmito]

i rolled, wasnt too painfull. the pain come from landing from about 8 ft up on my ankle, which subsecently *sp* broke my foot an ankle

[G]

On track, sliding is pretty much always best.

I would wonder if it would be more effective to stop yourself by trying to dig arms/legs etc in when sliding than rolling, but never been in a position to try it (a bad thing on track when I've crashed and there's plenty of run off).


I believe medical people may have mentioned that Goose's backpack may have saved his back!

[Aikman666]

Your best to slide. If you are relatively aware of your situation and you need to slow fast, (providing you have decent protection) slam your forearms into the ground and keep them there, same with your heels. I saw Checka come off in the GP qualifiers last weekend, 100mph, just kind of slid on his arse, put his forearms down, and slid to a halt. He then got up and ran to the pits for his replacement bike. If he had came off in such a way that he rolled, then he definetly wouldent be running to the pits. At the end of the day, the more surface to surface contact you have, faster you slow.
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[kb-zxr]

Backpack could be good if it contains a parachute

[Big Pete]

rolling is bad news, especially at high speed. Your arms and legs will flail about with all sorts of serious joint injuries being the result. The same thing can happen to your neck, which at best results in paralysis and at worst kills you. Slide until it starts to burn through then roll onto a fresh patch of leather is the preffered method, altho its easier said than done. Gravel rash is bad, but it heals faster and has less long term effects than major joint damage.
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[bazza]

I remember reading something a while back to the effect the if you come off in front of the bike (highside), you tuck everything in and roll so that you keep moving and the bike doesn't hit you, equally, if you're behind the bike (lowside), you try to slide and slow down so you don't hit the bike.

Whether you have the reactions/presence of mind to work all this out as you and the bike part company is a different matter.

In my lowside, I slid on my side then rolled to my feet ready to start dodging traffic as I was in the middle of a crossroads. Then I went and stopped the doddering old cont who'd just walked out into the traffic in front of me from wandering off home.
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[beast rider]

well from personal experience two weeks ago i did both and got injuries from both.

Large cut down to the bone on my elbow, cracked rib and muscle/ligament damage in shoulder from initial fall and rolling.

And

Road rash from eventually sliding to a stop

[Walloper]

Sliding wins it. Feels better, Slows you down better and Looks much better.
Rolling sucks! Banging your limbs against that imovable object (Earth) is sore. I did that. I still talk with a limp.
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[Dom_]

Sliding wins, came off 3 times only damage i got was a cut knee. Rolling would involve me battering my body all over the floor imo.

[ash t]

Rolling is more artistic.

Did anybody see Carlos Checa sliding down the track during qualifying at Sachsenring on Saturday? He slid on his ass, for about 100 metres, creating puffs of smoke, and a nice red line down the track where his ass slid.
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[awj72]

[Annabella]

There are pros and cons to everything... my rucksack prevented me from breaking my spine when I came off, but it has left permanent damage to my back.

Mike - mister Jon says sliding
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[Metal_Mickey]

Hi All,

Couple more questions then based on your replys.

1) To the people that suffered gravel rash as a result of a slide, were you wearing leathers at the time or was the slide severe enough that the leathers you were wearing weren't enough to protect you ?

2) Do you actually believe that sliding stops you quicker than rolling ? i.e. Sliding is great in a track environment which is designed to be as free of hazards as possible, however the same can't be said for a normal road. So if you were in the situation that Stinkwheel mentioned above and had time to make a choice one way or the other, which would you choose ?

In short... More input !

[veeeffarr]

Really wish I hadn't read this thread! Anyone wanna buy a CG?

[Walloper]

"Ye canny change the laws o' physics!"
Moments and Newtons rules dictate most of what happens when you 'get off' a bike.
A body will move in the direction of force etc.
Sliding will slow you as fast as rolling. Possibly faster, as friction acts against the latent force/energy.
I dumped a brand new bike on a bend, slid for 50yds on my arse and stood up to watch the beast disintigrate on the kerb.
But if not wearing CE armour and kevlar stuff I would have been eating grapes and hospital food for a week I'm sure.
Hit something solid and that's that. Same as in any accident.
The secret is: Learn to ride properly.
Boring, but this is unavoidable Skywalker.
PS. Sliding still looks and feels better than rolling.
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