DC potholes are horrendous. I can usually swerve to avoid them. This particular incident traffic was moving at usual highway speed on Southbound 295. The pothole spanned close to then entire lane. On the left wasn't a shoulder, on the right were cars. I didn't hit the deepest part in the center but even hitting the relatively shallower side, I was violently ejected from the bike, as the bike and I were tumbling the bike hit me at least once.
I walked/hobbled off the scene as I'd done in a previous accident. I attribute that, at least in part, to the protective gear I wear in addition to a helmet:
1. Neck brace.
You can buy a $300 Leatt offroad brace but it's chunky and I don't feel comfortable leaving a $300 brace on the bike.
The protection of the neck brace is in that it prevents your head from going too far in any direction thereby breaking your neck.
This same goal is achieved by taking the dirty towel your ex-roommate left behind, rolling it up, and taping it off so that it easily slips on and off your neck and no one cares to take it when left on the bike.
2. Back brace.
The thin pad inside most jackets aren't sufficient. There's an impact rating system, I forgot what it is but I just got the highest rated one at the time. Easy on/easy off, the velcro will wear down fast and no one makes one with a buckle. I bought a womans belt at a thrift store and slid it through the openings in the back.
My back was so sore it was nearly immovable for close to a week. I shudder to think what would have happened had I not been wearing the back brace.
3. Well padded gloves.
You can't tell from the picture but the plastic knuckle surface was completely scraped up as was the palm heel areas.
Again, this would have been a ridiculously long recovery for the hands had I not been wearing riding gloves.
Within 3 weeks I was back to grappling, if I hadn't been geared up there's no telling how long the recovery would have been, if recoverable.