Close Encounters of the Wrong Kind

[gapiob]

congratulation for your cool, and very happy that it is nothing happened ...
I saw these situations almost daily ... the past week, a car pushed me while I was stopped ... because he whant double everyone ... and turn where he was not entitled ... I left the bike where it was (in the middle of carfour) and go talk to the driver ... and in the end it is the police who had seen everything that took over ...
drive in paris is can be complicated moment ... was strike, and suddenly a lot of gents who never take the car are on the roads ...

 

[mcatrophy]

...At least it was only a lorry. Doesn't sound very dangerous.

Translation : English English "lorry" = American English "truck". "Big 18-wheeler truck" .

 

[Old Guy]

Good on you for being aware enough to see douchetard's half hearted look. You weren't a Mack truck, so the coast was clear.
Have to have the spidey sense on high alert at all times.

Exactly. A less experienced or less attentive rider would likely have been taken out.

 

[Fred W]

I see your intention with your comments..and you have some good thoughts, but if I was forced to behave like you...I would just sell the bike, buy a Saab station wagon, Toyota Prius and cry silently for the rest of my remaining day(s).

Fixed that for you, Mark. Those Saab sport wagons with the high output turbo engines are pretty zippy. Not that I have ever owned one...

There is a pretty good article by Nick Ienastch on the Cycle World web site that talks about similar concepts. The gist of Nick's position is that striving to be safe through by "being careful" is not actually as safe as striving to be a technically skilled and proficient rider.

 

[NTXFJR]

...At least it was only a lorry. Doesn't sound very dangerous.

Translation : English English "lorry" = American English "truck". "Big 18-wheeler truck"

.

So what is the origin behind the term lorry? Big 18-wheeler truck does sound more imposing somehow

 

[BakerBoy]

...So what is the origin behind the term lorry? Big 18-wheeler truck does sound more imposing somehow

Per Dictionary.com:

"a truck; a long, flat wagon," 1838, British railroad word, probably from verb lurry "to pull, tug" (1570s), of uncertain origin. Meaning "large motor vehicle for carrying goods" is first attested 1911.

 

[wheatonFJR]

...

So what is the origin behind the term lorry? Big 18-wheeler truck does sound more imposing somehow

Per Dictionary.com:

"a truck; a long, flat wagon," 1838, British railroad word, probably from verb lurry "to pull, tug" (1570s), of uncertain origin. Meaning "large motor vehicle for carrying goods" is first attested 1911.

Whatever it is, don't let it hit 'cha.

 

[dcarver]

uh huh, uh huh, stayin' alive

riding 55

uh huh, uh huh stayin' aliiiive!

Good on ya brother John.

 

[It's Been Revoked]

Scary stuff John! NTXFJR can recall a time on the tail of the dragon when a Subaru thought he was a Tokyo drifter and was coming around a hairpin turn ACROSS the double yellow line.. He was on my side of the road and nearly splattered me on literally the first turn.. I'm too young to die!!

 

[Old Guy]

Scary stuff John! NTXFJR can recall a time on the tail of the dragon when a Subaru thought he was a Tokyo drifter and was coming around a hairpin turn ACROSS the double yellow line.. He was on my side of the road and nearly splattered me on literally the first turn.. I'm too young to die!!

That happened to me last Sunday on Hwy 27 in Arkansas. Too me, it was blind left, and as I approached a car came around it toward me straddled the center line. From the yaw of the car it was obvious he was having trouble making the corner. I had no idea whether he'd continue drifting across my lane, manage to pull it back into his lane, or stay in the center of the road. Luckily, he held what he had and left me my right hand lane. I'm not really too young to die, but I ain't ready yet.

 

[SacramentoMike]

That doesn't seem too scary either, now.

 

[JamesW]

After 50+yrs of riding I know I still have not seen it all, keeps me on my toes(footpegs).

 

[NTXFJR]

And sphincter'ed to the seat too sometimes.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I'm with wheat. Passing on the right is just part of being on the roads. Anyone who hasn't doesn't do much riding. Almost kill me with your stupidity, and you're likely to get a free clue from me, or from a local patrol unit. Good on you John.

 

[Old Guy]

I'm with wheat. Passing on the right is just part of being on the roads. Anyone who hasn't doesn't do much riding. Almost kill me with your stupidity, and you're likely to get a free clue from me, or from a local patrol unit. Good on you John.

He was on Main Street, which was 4-lane if I'm remembering the OP correctly. People drive in the left lane on that type of road. If you want to turn left you must drive in the left lane. If there's no center passing lane people must stop in the left lane. I don't know how you'd ride a road like that and not pass on the right.

As for turning into the right lane, I often see it as the safest thing to do -- take the path of least resistance. Why turn in behind the truck in the left lane then have to change lanes when right the lane is wide open and available?

Obviously you should be alert. I often see people turn into the near lane then just sort of aimlessly switch, but the rider in the OP was prepared, so I can'f fault him for anything at all. He played it like I would have. I'd like to think I wouldn't have hit the truck either

 

[Uncle Hud]

BigChunk posted: If we're going to do everything possible to stay safe, we have to take a hard look at our own behavior, too. The cager was definitely a poor/lazy driver, but the OP made three choices that put himself in greater danger than necessary. Turning left into the right lane, passing on the right, and confronting the Jackass.
BigChunk

(1) If the gas station driveway is just past the intersection, I will always turn left from street A into the right lane of street B -- because I am not EVER going to turn right into the driveway from street B's left lane.

(2) Passing on the right happens all the time -- all the time. I'd be shocked to see that it doesn't also occur in Washington. Happens on the freeway; happens on the suburban arterial; happens on the city street.

(3) Confronting the jackass may not have been smart, but adrenaline and anger often lead to me doing "not smart" things, even at age 60.

I applaud your attempts to drive responsibly, Big Chunk, but please move out of the left lane unless you're passing someone or lining up for a left turn. Otherwise I'll pass you on the right without even thinking about it.

 

[erixun]

John you never said if you gave him a blast of your horns, yours were so loud that I finally got a set of my own, and use them to wake up the morons to my position when they do stupid stuff like this. So how do you like your Neotech? I think that is going to be my next helmet. Does the Sena attach pretty well to it?

 

[bigjohnsd]

John you never said if you gave him a blast of your horns, yours were so loud that I finally got a set of my own, and use them to wake up the morons to my position when they do stupid stuff like this. So how do you like your Neotech? I think that is going to be my next helmet. Does the Sena attach pretty well to it?

Don't know why this appeared again today? But,

I like the Neotec, the Sena attached easily, the ear pockets hold the speakers just fine.

I didn't have a chance to blow the horn on Jackass

 

[Last Chance]

Congratulations on surviving a close encounter of the worst kind.... Reading all the posts I have a couple of observations... 1. 25 years plus of driving Lori's (big rigs) and taking the Smith system 3 time has made survival on my FJR 'more' likely.. You do develop a sixth sense as to what other drivers are about to do.. Probably from experience and watching them do virtually every stupid move out there.. Learning the little 'ques' and such... 2. Big rigs (Loris) of need, swing wide making a turn.. The proper technique is to position the trailer in such a way as to block following traffic from sneakin around, either left or right depending on which way the big rig driver is turning.. Such a maneuver requires proper timing and isn't always possible... Hopefully the truck driver is signaling his turn and those behind pay attention, not always the case... All that said, it is my theory if someone wants to kill you, they can do so and will find a way...