Keep it in gear

[cofz1]

In Iowa this weekend there was a rider (non FJR) that got rearended and killed while waiting to make a left turn into a driveway. Driver of the car wasn't paying attention.

I write this as a reminder to myself and everyone else:

When pulling up to a stop sign, light, whatever; stop off to one side of the lane. Don't put the bike in neutral and look around. Keep it in gear and watch your mirror for cars pulling up behind you. It gives you time and space to move. There's plenty of room to split lanes to get out of the way if you need to.

Stay safe out there and watch your "6".

 

[wheatonFJR]

F__K. :angry2:

RIP to the unfortunate rider.

...and thanks for the reminder. I often check my six...but quite often forget unless reminded by other's posts.

This totally sucks that someone's life ended because of someone else caring so little about what they were doing while operating a moving 4200lb plus machine.

 

[carlson_mn]

A ford taurus now is 4200lbs. We stand no chance in some situations. Always good to remember to be aware.

 

[TomInPA]

Sad story, and a reminder why it should be legal to filter to the front in every state, although it sounds like this was a situation where the rider had no place to go to protect his back..

 

[SkooterG]

More important than to keep it in gear is to be checking your mirrors.

Having it in gear is no help if you aren't looking in your mirrors.

While if you are looking in your mirrors and see trouble, you should be able to get it in gear and try to evacuate.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Check those mirrors [and 360 view] constantly and always have an *escape* route planned out!

Sad set of events, RIP rider.

--G

 

[Nitro]

Always in gear and head on a swivel. Everyone is my enemy and out to K I L L me. :angry2:

 

[CAJW]

That's what we preach/teach for MSF, in 1st. gear ready to move into a pre-selected space in-case your mirrors fill up with sheetmetal! Sad for rider & family. We lost a MSF Rider Coach co-worker Sat. to a drunk who turned left in front of him & wife. So preventable!

https://abclocal.go.c...ocal&id=8668871

Let's all be diligent and slightly paranoid out there!

 

[Concourier]

Yup - Lost my brother in law that way. Rammed from behind while sitting at a red light by a Lincoln Navigator running the light at 50+ mph. Says never saw him or the light.

Left 5 kids and my sister behind. Their youngest was 7 weeks old at the time of his death.

Since then, I've been borderline paranoid watching my six at the lights.

 

[rbentnail]

Twice this year I've had to move it to avoid being squished at stop lights. Former co-worker got rear ended last weekend at a stop sign, thankfully he's ok but the $1800 and several weeks of repairs is a PITA. Watch your 6!!

 

[bucky]

I almost always line myself up behind the driver of a car, back about 10 feet and try to slightly be angled left. In my opinion, you are more noticable to a car driver behind you in that position on the road. The other thing I do is keep tapping the brake lever for visual cues to a vehicle behind me. But as you say, you have to watch and be ready to move with little time to think, which takes alot of diligence.

A couple of years ago, I got rear ended at a stop light. Just a light tap. The woman behind me was yakking on her phone while stopped and said she took her foot off the brake and coasted into me. Did damage to the rear fender of my v-star, but that was it. Still cost about $2k to her insurance. Sometimes you just want to slap some of these people to wake them up.

 

[supertankerm60a3]

I tell my friends that are new to motorcycles that there are 5 zones in any lane.

Zone 1 is from the painted center line to where the car tires track.

Zone 2 in the left tire track.

Zone 3 is the center.

Zone 4 in the right tire track.

Zone 5 is from the edge of the right track to the shoulder line paint.

Conditions dictate which zone to ride in. Everything from oil leaking from cages (and Harleys) to loose sand or gravel from crumbling embankments change what zone to ride in. Of coarse, clean empty roads call from all 5 lane zones.

My trick is to always stop on the fringe of a lane, zone 1 or 5, inside the line but outside the area normally occupied by cars. Back when I owned my turbo, I had a car not see me. or the light, or all the other cars sitting at it until the last instant (this was before cellphones so I cant blame that) and slide right past me only rear-end the car that was stopped in front of me. ALWAYS stop right next to the edge of the lane, I gives the cager a way to avoid hitting us at the last instant.