Scare today

[FJamR]

Was riding home from work today and kept exchanging lead with a unknown rider. We were splitting lanes, I was leading now @ about 25mph and suddenly without warning or a signal, a guy in a PT cruiser cuts fast into the next lane. I was passing with my front wheel about even with his rear wheel and I tried cutting hard but we slapped sides pretty good. I kept it upright as I slid down the side of his car after bumping. Gave him the salute as he quickly cut off the freeway. When I got home I checked out the bike and absolutely nothing happened to it except for my mirror folding in.

Was a reminder how aware and clear minded we must be to try and avoid things that could otherwise be ugly. Ride safe all!

 

[Toecutter]

DAMN!!!

Got blessings?

Great evasive action and heads-up riding. Glad you made the round-trip. Those are the best kind.

 

[NoCage]

Mad skillz there homee. Some dumb *** cage jumped into my lane about 30 ft. in front of me on the freeway... I tested the ABS. I gave him an earful of the freeway blasters as I went by. So, you now have something to be thankful for for Thanksgiving. :clapping:

 

[wfooshee]

I was logging on to post my own scare. Weird.

Actually worst scare I've had all year. Going up 231 this morning to a customer site, maybe quarter mile from a red light in a 55 zone, slowing down. Divided highway with a median. I'm in the left lane, nothing betwen me and the light, traffic to the right and behind. Light goes green, give it some throttle. Hadn't downshifted, didn't need any ruckus, so top gear was plenty to get back from 45 to 55 or 60. There's a van in the opposing left turn lane waiting. As I get about 50 yards from the intersection, back up to speed, again traffic beside and behind, the van moves out for his left turn! I grab front brake and clutch, start kicking down, but the guy behind hasn't reacted yet. Rock and a hard place here: T-bone the van or get run over from behind. I can't move right for traffic, can't move left because it's the median. I let off the brake to space the guy behind.

Now the guy behind is on the brakes, but he's the same way, has no room behind, watching his mirror. I grab brake again, attention returns to the front, and I see that the van is on the brakes, nose to the pavement changing his mind about going. He stops, having moved from the turn lane into the space across the median. I went by at about 35, eyeballs throwing deadly radiation through his windshield. I'm still watching behind to make sure the traffic is backing off, and grabbing thottle and shifting back up to highway speed.

Whole incident took maybe 3 seconds actual time, but there's enough information in my recall of it for it to have been a feature-length film.

If I hadn't already been scanning and planning, it could have been really really nasty. I knew where everybody was, so I didn't stop so hard I'd get run over, and I didn't swerve into an occupied lane. So a reminder: Keep your eyes peeled, know everything that's happening within 2 seconds all around, be pretty sure of everything 4 seconds ahead, and have an awareness out to 12 seconds. Think what-if, and know what to do. This one was hard, because I'd gotten locked out of any escape other than counting on others to do the right thing, even though I had just enough space to give the guy behind enough room. I committed to the intersection because I knew the guy wasn't going. He'd sat there for 3 or 4 seconds of green before we got there. THEN he decides to give it a try!!!!

As for your lane-splitting incident, we can't do that here in Florida, but I had a close call a few weeks ago from a lane changer I was in the process of passing. He moved over, then looked, by which time I was nearly stoppied and about 15 feet behind. He started to swerve back to his own lane then went ahead into mine! I moved to the right and we were next to each other at the next light. He rolled down his passenger window and tried to apologize, saying he thought he had more room. I pointed out that looking before the lane change instead of during would have been better, and he got all irate and ****. I dunno, maybe I worded my tip a bit coarsely.

 

[Toecutter]

If I hadn't already been scanning and planning, it could have been really really nasty. I knew where everybody was, so I didn't stop so hard I'd get run over, and I didn't swerve into an occupied lane. So a reminder: Keep your eyes peeled, know everything that's happening within 2 seconds all around, be pretty sure of everything 4 seconds ahead, and have an awareness out to 12 seconds. Think what-if, and know what to do.

Good stuff!

 

[wfooshee]

Good stuff!

Along the same line of how much detail my mind took in during the event, I even remember my MSF instructor's voice from the class going through my head while I was looking for the out, like Obiwan talking to Luke. Amazing!

The brain is a very strange place. I'm glad mine is good enough to keep itself unexposed!

 

[Checkswrecks]

Jammer and Fooshee had some good moves. Glad not to see you in the crash club.

Light traffic, yet weird rides today. Passed more than the normal quota of accidents and had way more than normal tailgaiters.

 

[Auburn]

Glad you all are OK and not healing from some injury. :clapping:

I had one today in the company pickup, the ***** looked right at me and still pulled out about 50 feet in front of me while I am traveling 30 mph in the daylight with my headlights on in a white truck. No accident resulted due to my defensive skills. I have noticed that through the years I am a much better driver because I ride a motorcycle, so I drive my cage looking for the what-ifs and escape routes as if I am on my bike. I was prepared for the guy to do the stupid thing and he confirmed he is stupid. :glare:

I always say if I go on a ride and don't have at least two times where I have to do something to avoid a potential incident, it was a great ride.

Keep the rubber side down...

 

[TriggerT]

Holy Pucker Factor batman.

Glad you are OK. I would want to hunt the cager down and introduce him to a Louisville Slugger.

 

[kenporider]

Was riding home from work today and kept exchanging lead with a unknown rider. We were splitting lanes, I was leading now @ about 25mph and suddenly without warning or a signal, a guy in a PT cruiser cuts fast into the next lane. I was passing with my front wheel about even with his rear wheel and I tried cutting hard but we slapped sides pretty good. I kept it upright as I slid down the side of his car after bumping. Gave him the salute as he quickly cut off the freeway. When I got home I checked out the bike and absolutely nothing happened to it except for my mirror folding in.Was a reminder how aware and clear minded we must be to try and avoid things that could otherwise be ugly. Ride safe all!

Bond...James bond.

 

[YZF505]

Riding home from work the other day. 4:00pm, warm, sunny day. Crusing at approx. 75mph, someone ahead of me tosses out a cigarette, it bounces up and I had to move my head to keep from getting a lit cig. right in the face shield. Iam instantly mad. On the throttle, high beams on for about a mile. Up around the corner guess what, an accident. Traffic comes to a stop. I pull along side this (lady) and tell her to roll down the window. She's looking at me like I am crazy and opens the window half way. I politely explain to her what just happened, we shouldn't litter, if you were in California you could go to jail and that this really makes me mad. She said sorry three times then traffic started to move a little. Just as I told her to go ahead I hear skidding. A quick glance in the rearview shows a guy in a p.o.s. little car hard on the brakes. Scared the **** out of me. Although I had some room to get away, I was upset from my altercation with the littering lady and not really with it. We really need to pay attention at all times.

 

[FredandJeannesRacer]

Have seen it too many times. Traffic stopped for an accident, look out! here comes another one!

 

[dragonchef]

a couple of nice holiday gifts....

here they not only brake for the wrecks (on both sides of traffic), but most major roads have radar cameras every couple of miles or so. Turns a pack of 70MPH'ers into 45MPH'ers real fast. Glad there are not plates on the front of the feej ;^0

 

[odot]

What color was the pt cruiser?

 

[Ari Rankum]

I was logging on to post my own scare. Weird.
Actually worst scare I've had all year. Going up 231 this morning to a customer site, maybe quarter mile from a red light in a 55 zone, slowing down. Divided highway with a median. I'm in the left lane, nothing betwen me and the light, traffic to the right and behind. Light goes green, give it some throttle. Hadn't downshifted, didn't need any ruckus, so top gear was plenty to get back from 45 to 55 or 60. There's a van in the opposing left turn lane waiting. As I get about 50 yards from the intersection, back up to speed, again traffic beside and behind, the van moves out for his left turn! I grab front brake and clutch, start kicking down, but the guy behind hasn't reacted yet. Rock and a hard place here: T-bone the van or get run over from behind. I can't move right for traffic, can't move left because it's the median. I let off the brake to space the guy behind.

Now the guy behind is on the brakes, but he's the same way, has no room behind, watching his mirror. I grab brake again, attention returns to the front, and I see that the van is on the brakes, nose to the pavement changing his mind about going. He stops, having moved from the turn lane into the space across the median. I went by at about 35, eyeballs throwing deadly radiation through his windshield. I'm still watching behind to make sure the traffic is backing off, and grabbing thottle and shifting back up to highway speed.

Whole incident took maybe 3 seconds actual time, but there's enough information in my recall of it for it to have been a feature-length film.

If I hadn't already been scanning and planning, it could have been really really nasty. I knew where everybody was, so I didn't stop so hard I'd get run over, and I didn't swerve into an occupied lane. So a reminder: Keep your eyes peeled, know everything that's happening within 2 seconds all around, be pretty sure of everything 4 seconds ahead, and have an awareness out to 12 seconds. Think what-if, and know what to do. This one was hard, because I'd gotten locked out of any escape other than counting on others to do the right thing, even though I had just enough space to give the guy behind enough room. I committed to the intersection because I knew the guy wasn't going. He'd sat there for 3 or 4 seconds of green before we got there. THEN he decides to give it a try!!!!

Great recap.

Be careful out there today!

I've been seeing twilight-zone driving since Tuesday rush. I don't know what is up, but something is definitely UP. Massive accidents aftermaths of completely irresponsible driving all along my commute for the last two days. It really wears on me having to drive 5 vehicles at once - my sickle and the 4 cages around me, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

 

[EXPDSGT]

I believe when "lane sharing" one must be most diligent. Many drivers don't like "anyone" to get one space ahead of them and won't even let other cages in line. Thus many bristle at a MC being able to 'beat' the jam and will not give you any space. True some will pull over in their lane and give you room. However that said, many drivers never think about someone on a MC coming faster than the flow and make their lane changes according to a slight openning in the other lane. I believe more people "dive" into another lane without signaling in stop and go (slow) traffic than at higher speeds where they more likely will signal. Many will jump lanes because they think that lane is moving slightly faster and they have to "jump now". The MC rider might be "dead" right; but----

Yea I know they should signal and watch out for us but you just can't depend on it nor bet your life on it. IMO if you lane share -- you better watch your speed and be VERY alert.

I have had many people tell me that they were "startled to death" as a MC "split lanes" by them unexpectedly and it made them VERY MAD at the rider for scaring them. These were people who knew that I ride.

 

[FJamR]

What color was the pt cruiser?

Silver/light grey, I think, it was at night.

 

[odot]

Mkay.....wasn't me.

 

[CHRIS_D]

. So a reminder: Keep your eyes peeled, know everything that's happening within 2 seconds all around, be pretty sure of everything 4 seconds ahead, and have an awareness out to 12 seconds. Think what-if, and know what to do.

:yahoo: As a MSF instructor it's awesome to hear that riders are using the stuff we preach and it helps to save them from a crash!!!

Also you did a great job using SEE (Search, Evaluate and Execute)