Stoopid Rider Tricks

[dcarver]

Working an outage at the local nookie plant.

Early get-ups, 'at the crack of dawn'.

Lots of traffic on the ingress.

Really, thousands of cars on a small 2 lane (Avila Beach CA) road.

Face shield somewhat foggy.

Red brake lights as far as I could see.

Red radar visual detector LED's solid and at full brilliance.

Thinking, wondering if I remembered to bring my badge.

...yawn, sure is early

then Good God, **** that car is stopped and I have 20 feet and 40 mph working.

Complete panic brake stab.

'Oh, look, that nice BMW car has a small scratch just left of centerline.

...bam bam bam ABS brakes bam bam bam.

My right index finger hurts... arthitis, but need more front brake.

I'm going to hit.

Opening to the left.

(opposing lane)

I'm taking it.

(wow, ABS, linked, what a wonderful great life saving idea)

I can't stop in time.

..so I steer out of it.

I stop about 3 feet into the BMW, on the left side. No contact.

Then, the rage. The RAGE.

I just did an incredibly stupid *** juvenile stunt.

My first thought-

Toecutter..

He has ranked me as one of the few who, and I quote, "Don't crash".

I was so pissed at myself.

Often, when racing MX, and do something really stupid, I yell at myself.

And I started in.

"I'll not repeat what I said - cause it wasn't polite, but very well deserved.

Really - what would I say to Bob or the forum or my family or my friends, both long distance riders and CBA too?

"I uhhh, lost concentration and rear ended a BMW car?"

Complety unacceptable.

So I was really cussing myself out. Full volume. Long duration. Well deserved.

Then I noticed the BMW driver, who actually saw my act of stupidty, and tried, with the room he had, to get out of my way, thinking I was cussing him out.

Damn. That ain't right.

He did everything right.

I, though, did everything wrong.

So I calmed myself, the opposing lane was clear, so I rolled up and said -

"I'm such a dumb ****. I am so sorry I scared you. I'm not yelling at you. I'm really mad at me."

He rolled his driver side windwow down and simply gave me the thumbs up. Cool guy.

So then - lessons learned are..

If working a different schedule, hours-wise, be attentive.

If in a 'sea' of red lights, pay attention to the deceleration rate of the cars in front of you.

Don't be distracted by other BS things like radar detectors, XM radio, GPS, kinked knees.

I am so grateful that years of riding experience kept me from target fixating and for ABS - if I had not steered away, it would have been a hit. I would not have died, too slow of a hit with an ATGATT rider - but WTF would I tell Toe?

I hope that sharing this near miss helps someone else. It's pretty damn embarrassing to share - I'm closing in on over 1 million bike miles then pull a stupid *** stunt like this.

 

[madmike2]

A good reminder, Don, and I'm glad for the positive result.

I have also yelled at myself for a momentary loss of concentration. Being lost in thought/mentally adrift while riding, especially in the traffic commute traffic we ride in, is stupidly dangerous. When I am fatigued I will take an alternate way home from work. I have the good fortune to have the Sacramento River Delta available, even if it's 20 minutes longer. There is much less traffic that requires constant elevated attention.

Good-on-you that your practiced and applied skills were there to rely on when needed. The BMW driver's awareness and avoidance is to be applauded.

 

[kolonial72]

Don, I wrecked my first MC on the way home from work at a nuke plant during an outage. Friggin exhausted, lost concentration, low-sided into a corn field. Didn't ride to work the next outage. Anywho, I feel your (almost) pain. Glad it wasn't fer real.

PS - I cuss myself out all the time!

 

[Dudewado]

Thanks for the reminder, Don. Glad you used your superior skills to save it.

I've had a wake-up call like this. I rode a really technical mountain road for about 50 miles, then got on a straight

boring two-lane highway.

I relaxed too much and suddenly realized there was a car stopped up ahead in my lane

to make a left. No brake lights, and one of those 2 Watt turn signal bulbs.

I nailed the brakes, realized it wasn't gonna' happen,let off the brakes and swerved around him on the right shoulder.

I have carried that lesson for a while.

 

[Silver Penguin]

Really - what would I say to Bob or the forum or my family or my friends, both long distance riders and CBA too?

"I uhhh, lost concentration and rear ended a BMW car?"

Complety unacceptable.

Glad you're OK and not a tail ornament on the BMW. Sure, it was unacceptable that you lost concentration. but you resolved the situation very well in two ways; first, your skills allowed you to avoid the collision. Secondly, you admitted fault to yourself and to all of us. You've had a wake-up call and so have we.

I must admit to doing something so incredibly stupid on the road, a couple of weeks ago, that I'm not even going to say what it was. Suffice to say that I know better. and will remind myself that it was sheer luck that got me home safely that time. Luck is not to be relied upon in the future, when common sense can prevail.

Thanks for a valid reminder about staying vigilant.

 

[scubatech]

That was a great save Don. I know I have made that mistake before. Skill really pays off!

 

[Barabus]

If it did not leave a mark, then it did not happen.

 

[dcarver]

If it did not leave a mark, then it did not happen.

One pair of soiled undies heading your way Barabus! :lol:

 

[ScottyUSN]

You got your self initiated slap to the head without swapping paint, insurance info or finding out the status of your health insurance.

Not a bad day!

 

[James Burleigh]

<Never mind.>

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

Started with a great post and then followed by a another great synopsis-post of the original post.

That's why this forum rocks...Thanks for both post.

It's always good to have that reality check in play.

 

[FJRBluesman]

Excellent post Don. Glad you're OK, and the ABS and your many miles of riding experience ultimately kept you upright and safe. You may have done a bonehead thing, but you also did the right things.

JB has some great points, rather deep for my primitive little cranium, but hey, good stuff.

Ride safe.

 

[Surly]

Hi Don,

Upright not Uptight

Glad your skill and good brakes see you able to remind us all of the need to remain vigilant.

Best Regards

Surly

h34r:

 

[7xray]

Good job Don. I wish I had your skills and hope your wonderful posts lead me to do the correct thing when and if the time happens. Your deer strike in 2007 and your "ride the ride" mantra made a huge impression on me as a new rider then and I continue to think it today (along with Toecutters "Keep right"). Thanks for all your reflection and teaching/learning points.

Fred

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

I'm glad there was no incident

you dumb ****

 

[Tyler]

Then I remind myself that I am human, that life is a journey, that I still need to work on such-and-such skills, and I take time to think about what happened and why so I can learn from it, then I forgive myself and let go of the self-anger.

Yup.

And to hold on to it for too long, results in more mistakes. So, Don m'friend, since you are almost perfect, let it go but remember the lesson. And very glad that you are okay! B)