Sixth Sense

[brazos parker]

Today I had some errands to run around town and decided to take the FJR which I usually won't do. As I was approaching a busy intersection w/ the red light in my lane, I noticed a lady waiting to pull into traffic from a gas station on my left. Somewhere in my brain I heard a little voice saying "Watch out! She's going to pull out in front of you!!"

I was off the throttle and covering the brake as I was approaching stopped traffic in my lane and, as you might have guessed, the lady did NOT disappoint. :angry: Out she came, across 2 lanes of traffic and one left/right turning lane, directly into my path of travel. She stopped behind the car in front of me at a 45 angle (there was not enough room to pull completely into the lane) and I stopped at a 45, parallel to and slightly behind her. No crash but too close for comfort. I honked my feeble OEM horn at her and got a "What?" look back.

My question is "How do we know?" How is it that a bike rider can look at a car and know almost immediately what's about to take place?

 

[slapnpop]

In Johnson city, I just expect drivers to do the absolute stupidest thing they could do at any given moment. It works well most of the time.

 

[twowheelnut]

I'm always watching their faces. Stupid people are easily read. That and the years of riding have sharpened our radar.

A couple of years ago, this pork pie hat wearing, Buick driving, old fart was wanting to pull out of a side street. I was on the Wing, with driving lights on in addition to the headlights. Now I'm looking at this bozo and I said to myself, 'self, watch out for this fool, he's gonna pull out!' Sure as babies first year poops are rotten banana pea green yellow, out he pulls even though he's looking right at me, we make eye contact and his wife is slapping him on the arm and pointing at me, yelling at him!

Then, this nimrod stops right in my path and gives me a look as though his just woke up from a long winter's nap. Well in control of the bike, I decided to scoot right up to his door and nudge my front wheel onto the rub strip. I waited oh, five seconds or so, pulled down my sun glasses to the tip of my nose then laid on the horns (stock Wings are pretty loud). His missus drops her head into her cupped hands as he flips me a bony knuckled, aged spotted, arthritic bird!

I pushed back when he began to pull forward and I just caught a glimpse of his wife slapping him on his head as they drove off. Wish I got their address. I woulda sent her a thank you card.

 

[Rogue]

My question is "How do we know?" How is it that a bike rider can look at a car and know almost immediately what's about to take place?

I could tell you.... But then I'd have to kill you! B)

 

[lawinter]

I expect everyone to pull out in front of me

Lately I have been watching the wheels when the cage is at a stop for them to

start turning.

Eye contact...HaH If they look at all they won't see me anyway

I have been very carefull in the mornings lately cuz the really don't expect

Motorcycles when it's low 30's outside

 

[Ghost Dog]

Some tip offs to me that a cager is potential trouble:

• They have a cigarette and coffee mug in one hand and a cellphone and donut in the other and appear to be steering the car with their chin.
• They are driving a pickup truck with a NASCAR number on the rear window.
• There's a dog on their lap and it is a Great Dane.
• There are blood stains on the front fender.
• They are fast asleep.

 

[zorkler]

look at the front tire . sound simple ? think about it for a minute .............

 

[Bounce]

look at the front tire

Dat's why wee gawtz spinners. Youz guyz woan't git uz dat way no mo.

 

[GunMD]

I used to subscribe to the "look at the front wheel / tire" theory, but lately it seems to me that there is an epidemic on the roads. I seem to notice that there are TONS of intersection "creeps" out there. They pull up to an intersection and stop. As I approach the intersection (from the intersecting road) they realize "right after this blue motorcycle I can go..." and they begin to "creep" forward just as I arrive near them. That SUCKS. When you're creeping forward I have no choice but to assume you don't see me. My assumption must be that you're about to leap out in front of me. When you're stopped at an intersection, ******' STOP. Don't creep, stop, creep, stop, creep, creep go. STOP. Sure, I understand that sometimes you need to ease out to see around the bush, tree, parked car, etc. Don't ease out while I'm approaching...especially once I'm within your "kill zone". That bothers me.

Rant completed.

Now I just assume that everything is out to kill me.

 

[Fallen Jim Rides again]

I used to subscribe to the "look at the front wheel / tire" theory, but lately it seems to me that there is an epidemic on the roads.  I seem to notice that there are TONS of intersection "creeps" out there.  They pull up to an intersection and stop.  As I approach the intersection (from the intersecting road) they realize "right after this blue motorcycle I can go..." and they begin to "creep" forward just as I arrive near them.  That SUCKS.  When you're creeping forward I have no choice but to assume you don't see me.  My assumption must be that you're about to leap out in front of me.  When you're stopped at an intersection, ******' STOP.  Don't creep, stop, creep, stop, creep, creep go.  STOP.  Sure, I understand that sometimes you need to ease out to see around the bush, tree, parked car, etc.  Don't ease out while I'm approaching...especially once I'm within your "kill zone".  That bothers me.
Rant completed.

Now I just assume that everything is out to kill me.

Funny, I have been ranting about exactly that all week to a friend. Watched someone do it and had the same result on us. "Are ya gonna pull out in front of us there bud" You don't gain a damn thing by doing it since it will be your turn when it is your turn and the three or five feet won't make a bit of difference. :angry:

And I KNOW that they are out to kill us.

 

[Geezer]

Driving my wife's 1 ton full size crew cab 1994 pickup truck to the Home Depot this morning and a guy makes a left from a pizza joint parking lot across in front of me. Didn't miss him by more than a couple of feet. I saw him heading across the parking lot towards the exit but I expected him to stop and take a look before pulling out. I was going about 60 on a state road posted at 55. If I had been on the bike I would have been going a bit faster and it would have been a lot more exciting. In this case, if I hit him he would have been the one getting the ride in the ambulance. He has a small car, I think it was a Toyota.

 

[azbikergirl]

I was riding pillion with my now-ex-husband on the freeway one day, middle lane, and had the distinct impression that the guy driving a sports car in the right lane beside us was going to change lanes and didn't know we were there. I tapped my NEH on the shoulder and pointed at the car, and he nodded. Then the guy started moving into our lane without a turn signal. It's weird that I knew that far in advance what he was going to do. <twilight zone music>

 

[Centerline]

I was riding pillion with my now-ex-husband on the freeway one day, middle lane, and had the distinct impression that the guy driving a sports car in the right lane beside us was going to change lanes and didn't know we were there. I tapped my NEH on the shoulder and pointed at the car, and he nodded. Then the guy started moving into our lane without a turn signal. It's weird that I knew that far in advance what he was going to do. <twilight zone music>

NEH, there is a new one.

Did your 6th sense forewarn you of any NEH shenannigans, or was it the other way around?

 

[OmegaSix]

They are all stupid.

You (all) and I truly are superior forms of life.

They deserve nothing but your coldest contempt.

They are nothing except particularly entertaining stones in the stream.

They are all my personal playthings.

That attitude - admittedly miserable, hateful, and disrespectful - has kept me alive all these years.

Try it on for a while - I guarantee you'll like it!

:assasin:

 

[Ghost Dog]

I used to subscribe to the "look at the front wheel / tire" theory, but lately it seems to me that there is an epidemic on the roads. I seem to notice that there are TONS of intersection "creeps" out there. They pull up to an intersection and stop. As I approach the intersection (from the intersecting road) they realize "right after this blue motorcycle I can go..." and they begin to "creep" forward just as I arrive near them. That SUCKS. When you're creeping forward I have no choice but to assume you don't see me. My assumption must be that you're about to leap out in front of me. When you're stopped at an intersection, ******' STOP. Don't creep, stop, creep, stop, creep, creep go. STOP. Sure, I understand that sometimes you need to ease out to see around the bush, tree, parked car, etc. Don't ease out while I'm approaching...especially once I'm within your "kill zone". That bothers me.
Rant completed.

Now I just assume that everything is out to kill me.

I feel the same way. I slow down and cover the clutch and handbrake. As I go past I give them a long look. I'm sure they could care less that they are dangerous idiots.

 

[dcarver]

18 1/2 years old, first big 'road trip' running solo.. 1974 Honda 750, bags and Wixom fairing.

Kansas.. boring ride. Long hot day. Near day's end. 2 more hours or so to final destination.. Slight up hill, just blind to the crest. (Very slight uphill, it's Kansas afterall)..

Bad feeling. Truck in my lane. Can't see the truck. Horrible feeling grows stronger.. Don't empirically know the truck is there. Can’t see it, just feel it.

Change lane to other lane crest the rise in the OPPOSITE lane. Truck, with driver asleep are in my (normal) lane. Truck crashes into field past my lane. Go back and look.. then just shake. Then shake some more.

Longest moment in my life to that point.

Something to be said about youth..

 

[chipset]

However, the asshats in cages often feel we are the dangerous ones.

As for me. I just keep my eye out and look for the tell-tale signs.

I have these things happen all the time. Yesterday was a little more than normal. I took my wife for her first ride on a motorcycle. On the way back all the idiots crawled out of the woodwork.

First was the Mexican Flagged Dodge Dakota. It drove in the left lane the entire time. I move to the right to go around and he speeds up so I can't pass.

Then, while on surface streets I was approaching a stoplight. Evidently, a Suburban was following another car. At first, they went to turn left, then the car moves back into the lane and the 'burb does as well. At the last moment the car moves to the left lane and the 'burb can't quite fit it. Of course, this is happening at the same time I am trying to go by. I had already checked my right lane with another 'burb or Tahoe in it. But, far enough back. So, I ride the line and the 'burb behind me honks. I knew he was there and I had plenty of room but had to slow down a little more than I wanted.

To top matters off, I am finishing my ride. The idiot in front of me short stops on a two lane road (45 MPH posted) to let a pedestrian go across the road (never mind the oncomming traffic). However, behind me there was ZERO traffic. And, of course, he turns left 1/4 mile down the road.

The idiots abound. You are responsible for your own satefy to you do the things to accomplish it. I watch wheels, drivers, traffic patterns, and behind me.

The closest I ever had was a minivan. The center and right brake lights were out. So, the driver is pumping the brakes, which looks like his left turn signal is on. I decide I am going to pass to the right (in a residential neighborhood). Well, hell. They turned right. Ooops. Came close to hitting them.

Like I said, ya gotta watch out. Because they aren't.