Miracle save

[Brody]

I had a wake up call........I was very lucky.

I just got back from a 2 week, 3,456 mile camping trip on my Triumph.

For one week I stayed near the Dragon for a Triumph Dragon Raid but only rode the Dragon a few times mid-week.

so I have a few of these shots.

(Ran into FJR Mark who I'd met at EOM '08 at the Crossroads one day.)

Plenty of other fine roads to enjoy and plenty more on the way down and back.

All was going well until my final day returning thru VA.

I got a special award for 77 in a 55.........doesn't sound like much but 20 over in VA. is "Reckless Driving". :angry:

So to offset this and hopefully get the charge reduced, I was able to take an online traffic school. details here.

Yesterday was wet, so I took my Wee-Strom (my rain/dirt bike) north about 75 miles in order to take my final exam for the traffic school course.

OK now here's the relevant part........

I stop at a T intersection. I can see to the right as I stop. I turn my head and look to the left.

I see oncoming traffic but it is far enough away so I pull out and start my right turn.

A white car passes me on the left...........bang........there is a collision.

The bike is thrown towards the right, the car goes by, I am headed diagonally across the road, I regain contol but do not have time to stay on the road.....................

There is an entrance to a cemetary right in front of me and I take it.

I slow to a crawl and circle around a loop of the cemetary. All seems to be working. I am not injured anywhere.

I stop the bike at the entrance, dismount and look for damage. No Damage!

The white car has pulled to the shoulder of the main road. I pull up behind and put on the 4-ways.

The lady driver is very concerned about me. I assure her that I'm fine. She tells me that her car has No Damage!

Apparently only my tire touched her rear quarter of her bumper.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know that I was thinking about my Feej trip next week. I don't know how I did not see that car?????????

But I think somebody is trying to tell me to concentrate on the ride, slow down and look twice (or more) from now on. :dribble:

 

[dsmack]

Brody ~ You are one lucky MoFo, my man! You literally dodged the bullet on this one in a number of ways, the most important of which you've already identified: Looking TWICE (or more) whenever entering a danger zone such as an intersection.

Nearing the end of an extended ride is a dangerous time for sure, as one tends to let their guard down a bit, and attention may begin to wander...

I don't see your helmet on the nice picture of your beautiful Triumph, but it's probably a full-face, eh? I know mine is, and that bugger may provide protection for the ol melon, but it also detracts from my vision, especially peripherally. Years ago, as a professional driver (trucking, school buses, etc), I had it proven to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is entirely possible to look quickly such as you did, proceed, only to have the crap scared out of you by the "Phantom Vehicle" that seems to appear out of nowhere! In that case, it was the large rear view mirrors that are capable of hiding a moving vehicle behind the mirror when you take only one quick look. Looking the second time gives that vehicle time to move from the initial blind spot so that you will see it with the second look-see.

Not wanting to sound "preachy" here, only to share some life experience with the others and learn from your fantastic good luck!

So glad that you escaped unscathed, and that you took time to share your experience with us!

Happy Independance Day!

Don

 

[dcarver]

Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly seems appropriate here.

DAYUM Brodie. I know you know so I won't wag at yah any here.

Very happy you're OK..

 

[Patriot]

glad all is OK

whoa

thanx VERY much for sharing...I need that reminder

<note to self...be careful, be doubly sure, be VERY careful>

let's ride safe and be careful out there,

Mike in Nawlins'

 

[mattster31]

You didn't even have time to crap yer pants!!!!

Someone was watching out for you............glad everythings OK.

 

[weekend rider]

Brody that is done very easily what happened at that intersection. The time of day sun in your eyes, glare. a slight distraction, I hae looked twice and only then seen the car because of the change in the angle of the approaching car and me looking.

I have heard of people crossing railroad tracks in the cuntry and not see a train comming.

I was riding out in the country and approached a train track crossing and slowed down to about 5 mph cause a stop sign is about 200 ft. on the other side at a "T" intersection. I looked both ways and sw no trains coming from either directio than looked again and wholly **** here comes a friggin freight train about 100 yards up the track. Stopped and checked everything than went ACCROSS after the trein went by.

Big enough to see yet small enough to miss and do some serious dasmage. ride safe

 

[capttwb]

Glad to hear you are ok Brody. As all you guys know, drivers that pull out on you, swear they did not see you. I have ridden bikes since I was 16 and always look out for bikers. I protect their back whenever I can. One day I had a very sobering experience, I pulled out on a rider of a very fast approaching sport bike. I looked before I pulled out, I just did not see him. I caught him out of the corner of my eye about 30 yards away, and hit the brakes immediately. Luckily he was really paying attention and swerved around my car. I felt terrible, as terrible as I've ever felt. It proved to me, you can never relax while riding OR driving.

 

[Toecutter]

I have heard of people crossing railroad tracks in the cuntry and not see a train comming.

Paging Dr. Freud, Dr. Freud, please pick up the nearest white courtesy phone....

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Glad you are OK Brody! For once it was the motorcyclist that didn't see the car....

 

[wheatonFJR]

Dayum! :dribble:

You are one LUCKY sumbeetch. :blink:

All the living you do from hear on out is bonus time for you...

...make it good.

 

[BwanaDik]

Whoa! Good save. Funny how stuff comes out of no-where. Bambi and I did almost the same thing, broad intersection. look left, nothing, look right, nothing, start to accelerate into a left hand turn and WOW! Where the hell did that white car come from???? Immediately to the left! First time I've ever wheelied the Feej but kept it together and got out of the way.

Keep alert!

 

[johnny80s]

It's always nice to pull into a cemetery and not be in the back of hearse.

Better take that guardian angel to dinner.

 

[Patriot]

Dayum! :dribble:
You are one LUCKY sumbeetch. :blink:

All the living you do from hear on out is bonus time for you...

...make it good.

like Captain Miller says: "earn this"

 

[Bungie]

**** happens Andy, the best we can do is manage it. *REAL* glad to hear you just got a wake up call and not anything more serious. Like others here, I've ridden with you enough to not to rag on you for it. Just recognize it for what it was okay!

 

[lonerider]

I did the same thing a year or two back, pulling out of a gas station on Tunnel Rd. outside of Asheville to get back on the Blue Ridge Parkway. But the car involved was a NC state trooper. To this day, I have no idea where he came from; I checked both directions for traffic and could have sworn (I was betting my life) I was in the clear. Even though he gave me a warning, I was glad it was him, and not some teenager with a cell phone jammed in his ear and the gas pedal mashed to the floor. The incident had me questioning my riding ability for quite some time.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

... concentrate on the ride, slow down and look twice (or more) from now on. :dribble:

That sounds like good advice.

[SIZE=8pt](resisting the urge to head off on a tangent about miracles)[/SIZE]

Glad you're o.k.

 

[Texan]

Bizarre:

White ghost car appears out of nowhere.

You get knocked into a cemetery but stay upright.

No damage to the bike or you or the car.

Nice lady driving the ghost car shows concern for you.

Was Rod Serling standing on the roadside narrating?

 

[madmike2]

Bizarre:
White ghost car appears out of nowhere.

You get knocked into a cemetery but stay upright.

No damage to the bike or you or the car.

Nice lady driving the ghost car shows concern for you.

Was Rod Serling standing on the roadside narrating?

:lol:

_____________________________________

What a great report of the incident and thanks for sharing the story.

Hopefully we will ALL take notes, apply the look twice (or even 3 times) a double check our own riding habits. I know I sometimes get lazy and develop bad habits, I wish I didn't but I know I do.

This is a good reminder.

 

[Geezer]

It's all in the timing, and you cut that one as close as possible. Whew!

White cars are the hardest for me to see. That's why I'll never own one.