ToeCutter's Lane Selections

[dcarver]

After a very bad two weeks at work, decided to take a small, twisty, snaky, fun road on the way home tonight. (SLO county 229). Approaching dark, with very blind corners, in heavy forest rat country, a little voice in the head said 'keep to the right', remember Toe's statement of "I'd rather hit a stationary object than have it be coming at me" (or similar words to effect).. When, on a right hander, decreasing radius, and off camber to boot (e.g. fun) there was 1.5 ton 'family truck' with a load of hay on a trailer consuming damn near all the narrow width of the road. Never saw it coming. No headlights, no vision around the corner. To the right was a small drop off, approximately 1.5 feet down to terra firma. There simply was not much room to play with, and I ran the front tire within, not exaggerating, to within 1/4" of the edge.. just cleared the truck. Had I been in my usual spot, the only way out would have been a bad off road excursion.

Thank You Toe, and others too, about keeping the safety-crat thing in mind.. Just may have saved my ass tonight.

Edit - typo.

 

[madmike2]

Great news! No scratches, no "off-road" adventure, no bones poking through riding apparel....

I always...always...use delayed entry. It has saved me many times, just like yours. I still apex, but delayed until I can see through the corner. Either way, it saved your hide.

"Its a good thing!" Martha Stewart

 

[pickax]

Good riding, the "little voice" saved your bacon. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[FastJoyRide]

Not your day to die my friend! Remember, if they are all out to get you, you aren't paranoid. Thanks for sharing Don.

 

[Toecutter]

....if one other person says "Wow, I had a close call today. I was going around a blind corner in the right tire track and some cage came across and just missed me. If I would have been on the left side, I'd be a ghost", then I've saved a life. To me, that's worth all the trouble and then some.

Had I been in my usual spot, the only way out would have been a bad off road excursion.

Thanks for listening.

One more:

We are all talking about different sight lines here. wide open sweepers I can agree on the late apex and having a better sight line, but in the tight, tight twisty stuff that's common in the Sierras and other mountain passes, a wide apex maybe gain you a foot or two sight line, not worth it IMHO, stay tight right, you've room to move left if there's debris in the road, and if the corner decreases.......lean more, the FJR will lean a lot more when the feelers touch down, quite a bit more !
Left hander.... .stay right,.......... .right hander..... .stay right......Stay Right, Stay Alive !

Thanks for showing me the way, Highlander. You 'da man!

Now I can go to bed feeling that I've made the world a better place by helping to insure that DCarver is still in it. All is well that ends well!

 

[Whybu1]

Glad to hear you had room to avoid the truck. My encounter with a truck and one lane bridge ended up with me in the grass. I was closer to the bridge but he didn't yield and since he was bigger he won.

 

[painman]

Good for ya carver. Sounds like you also kept your cool. A sign of an experienced rider that can also save your life. PM. <>< :good:

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Good miss.

 

[Cdogman]

I learn from this place every day. I have had ass puckers before. Now I will have them in the "Right" spot.

All Y'all are not too bad, for a bunch of biker types. "D", way to handle the SR. Now, Have a beer and send me the bill //Cdog//

 

[twowheelnut]

I can relate! But dang, man! 229 at dusk?! mg: Did a synapses snap or sumpin'? :dntknw:

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Right on DC ( and TC ! ) Smooth move ! :dance:

 

[Toecutter]

The Dragon was fun, but very unsettling. Since, it was a Saturday, the road was packed. The scariest moment was when a Cobra, heading in the opposite direction, drifted halfway into my lane just before I got to the corner. That scared the shit out of me.

I'm allergic to bees and Cobra's

 

[PMC FJRider]

Had I been in my usual spot, the only way out would have been a bad off road excursion.

D, it really sucks getting your heart fired up that way. I had my own off road excursion today on the way home from work. I hit a patch of ice that took up the width of the road, and extended for about 50ft in length.....on a blind downhill curve. Before I knew it, I looked like your avatar, and into the dirt covered snow I went. I didn't hit the deck, but I needed the "Jaws Of Life" to pull the seat outta my Anus. It fired up my heart, and I'm still wired.... 2 hours later. Don't want to do that again.

DK

 

[dcarver]

Had I been in my usual spot, the only way out would have been a bad off road excursion.

D, it really sucks getting your heart fired up that way. I had my own off road excursion today on the way home from work. I hit a patch of ice that took up the width of the road, and extended for about 50ft in length.....on a blind downhill curve. Before I knew it, I looked like your avatar, and into the dirt covered snow I went. I didn't hit the deck, but I needed the "Jaws Of Life" to pull the seat outta my Anus. It fired up my heart, and I'm still wired.... 2 hours later. Don't want to do that again.

DK

I'm just glad you are ok... for me, during the danger zone, all was calm, cool, calculated, and colletced. Later though.... now I gotta go look to see where Pine City is.. and, ToeCutter, ya done good bubba!

 

[DocDanDC]

TC good advise! I usually stay right for the very same reasons. Cuz you just never know when....................

 

[OC_Ed]

dcarver, Thanks for starting this thread. Hope your work week gets better soon.

Thanks everyone.... for the good advice.

Ed