Watch Out For Motorcyclists!!!!

[moparmike]

I just got through a rather scary and enraging ordeal going to work. Bottom line: DO NOT ZIP THROUGH BLIND INTERSECTIONS ON RED!!!!

Story:

I was traveling to work on my motorcycle, and going up a hill towards an intersection. Before I reached the point where brake application was necessary, the light changed to green. I had already gotten out of the gas letting my engine slow me down at the crest (I was doing about 25) and started accelerating back up to 35-40 for the intersection & road up ahead of me, which is flat. So, I am in the intersection doing about 30 when a white Cavalier WHIPS out in front of me, never looking left, never stopping while turning right on red. I grab the clutch and front brake and chirping the front tire. Luckilly, I didnt loose control and have a fairly small bike with a heavy rider on it (me). The ******* in question looks in his rear-view mirror like I am the one at fault, and have no business being on the road. I get to the next stoplight, and start cursing him out. Guy looks at me like I am insane. Moron. If I would have been in my Benz I would have sped up just to hit him. I have never been so scared for my life and enraged to the point of bashing someone's skull in as that moment.


PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WATCH OUT FOR MOTORCYCLISTS!!!!!

[MTI]

Blue haired ladies driving "land yachts" were a big factor in my giving up my bikes several years ago. Coupled with slowing reflexes, it was just getting too dangerous for daily trips to work, since the odds were growing against me. There are bad drivers who don't even seem to see emergency vehicles with lights flashing because they're in that "cocoon" envrioment of the personal automobile. On the other hand, my experience is that quite a few bike riders 1) find it impossible to drive within the limits; 2) flaunt the ability to "slice & dice" in traffic; and 3) the younger riders tend to believe that Suzuki, Honda, and Kawasaki equipped their bikes with force fields from "Star Trek" so that they don't have to worry.

[moparmike]

Yup. I am a little different though. No sportbike uber-mentality here. I have 2 weeks of experience under my belt, and that is on a small cruiser, a Yamaha Virago 250. So its kinda gutless, which is good as I dont need something that is neck-snappingly fast.

[The Godfather]

IF I were you, I would've slammed my head w/ the helmet on, on his window and shatter it.

[Pete Geither]

That's the problem with bikes,,, and I rode for over 30 years,,, you can be completely in the right, but the ******* in the car who runs a red light is gonna win,,, no contest.

[kerry]

I'm on a moped nowadays, so it doesn't really qualify as a motorcyle, but when I'm on it my attitude is to treat every intersection as a potential threat regardless of whether I have the right of way or not.
Life is more important than rights.

[Snibble]

Speaking of motorcyclists.... this tragic even occured almost 2 weeks ago....

My friend was coming back home from work on I-70 west going back towards columbus. In his rear view mirror he spots a motorcyclist, in his early 50's travellin in excess of 110mph WITHOUT a helmet zipping past cars. Unfortunately, a mercedes from another lane pulled into his while he was speeding, causing him to brake and flip off of his bike. He hit his head hard on the asphalt and skidding and then laying there. My friend who witnessed all this was the first person to come to the man. Unfortunately, the man's head was open on one side and was going through nervous shock. He was dead before any medical help came.

[jcyuhn]

Mike -

Car drivers are in the wrong wrt motorcyclists about 90% of the time. I wish they would follow the traffic code and drive responsibly, but don't think that's going to happen any time soon.

There's a good board for beggining riders over at http://www.beginnerbikes.com, may be worth a look. They love to analyze situations like yours to see what could have been done differently to increase your safety.

My suggestion - Never "slingshot" into an intersection on a motorcycle. If the light turns green as you are approaching, continue slowing until traffic in other lanes has moved out into the intersection. At that point you can be reasonably sure there will be no red light runners. The Cavalier Idiot pulled up to his red, saw that traffic hadn't started moving yet (despite the green), and figured he could zip out in front before the stopped cars got moving. He didn't count on you zipping into the intersection, not having stopped. His fault for sure, but it's a standard driving tactic here in Dallas.

Good save on your part. Are you practicing your emergency braking? Being able to hold the front tire at the point of lockup is probably the most important safety skill on a motorcycle.

Ride Safe,

- JimY

[Lebenz]

I rode a bike between the ages of 11 and about 28. Between age 22 to 28 it was my daily, well, only transport. I found that it requires a lot of concentration to ride a bike. Not so much because you have to be aware of every wet patch, oily area, any gravel, and/or leaves, which of course you do, but also because folks in cars, trucks, RVs, pedestrians, and yes, even other motorcycle riders will not see you. My scooter was a Honda 500 4 with a fairing and trunk which was replaced by a Kawasaki 900 also with a fairing and trunk.

In all my years on a bike I never had an accident, knocking on wood. By the time I was in grad school, I was too preoccupied to ride safely any longer.

I could share many stories about folks who didn’t see my bike; fortunately, they all ended the same. If you are on a bike, any bike be 100% focused on what you are doing and your surroundings. In short: PAY ATTENTION, WATCH OUT. All there is to it.

Dang they are fun! And soooooooo seductive.

Mike: your story reminded me of a time I was riding on a 2 lane road through the ‘burbs going about 35. I signaled to make a left turn. Someone behind me driving a VW bug took that opportunity to pass me on the left, just as I was initiating the turn. I hit the front brake so hard it brought the rear tire off the ground and almost pitched me at a 45% angle through the fairing. I thought of pursuing the bug, but saw no gain in beating up the guy.

Or the time, when accelerating hard on a long curving on ramp for the freeway, to my horror there was a full sheet of plywood, complete with nails right in front of me. During the brief instant the entire bike was on the plywood, the plywood skid about 5’ while twisting. Aimed me directly for the guardrail....

Or the time when going about 70 on the freeway the front tire blew....

Or the time when heading down I5 after a couple of hours driving through the woods and first seeing Lake Shasta off to the left. I was awe stricken. Only to look ahead of me and see the guard rail mere inches from my right foot.

There were so many near misses. Ugh.

The most important thing is to keep the shiny side up.

Hey N, ever hear the expression from Star Trek: Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

[BMK1991]

In his rear view mirror he spots a motorcyclist, in his early 50's travellin in excess of 110mph WITHOUT a helmet zipping past cars.

I have had motorcycles for years, and Ohio does not have a brain bucket law.

No Helmet = Organ Donor

[G-Benz]

I'm not a biker...But I'd love to be...

I was out shopping at a motorcycle shop for my daughter (the motocross princess ) and talked to the owner about motorcycle driving classes.

He mentioned that one of the most improtant things about biking is to give yourself plenty of room to make quick evasive actions...he continued to say that most drivers see motorcycles as "motorized bicycles" and give them the same (lack of) courtesy!

This is what probably keeps me from bringing one home...

[crash9]

When I ride I try to remind myself that there are no fender benders for bikers. In town I’d bet that the type incident you had is one of the most frequent, along with someone changing lanes and squeezing you over. The worst is someone nailing you from behind – remember your brakes and reaction time is probably better than theirs is. It’s always good to be moving a little faster than the traffic. I think a lot of people have a subconscious dislike for someone on a bike, and pay less attention.
It’s nuts, but in congested areas; bikes will split lanes and move between the traffic – sometimes at terrific speed on the CA freeways. It’s something to be very careful with, but if your not riding a bike to move through the traffic, what’s the point in the city. In the country, I’m always watching for that guy passing somebody and coming right at me. Head-ons seem to be a plague around here.
In Arizona – heard on the news that unhelmited bikers were the largest group of organ donors. Even wear a jacket in the summer – I just picked up a great deal lightweight mesh jacket for $70 at http://www.newenough.com/product_group_closeout_mesh.htm

[jcyuhn]

I'm also a big proponent of rider training. You wouldn't believe how many 20-year riders I meet that don't know what countersteering is, or how it works.

In urban areas, by far the most common accident is an automobile turning left in front of the motorcycle. Various forms of automobiles failing to respect the motorcyclists right of way comprise almost all urban accidents. Being rear-ended by a car is way, way, way down on the list of things to worry about, based on accident statistics - it's in the single digit percentages.

Texas repealed its helmet law a few years ago. I'm appalled at the lack of safety gear worn by riders around here. Cruiser type riders almost never wear a helmet, but are a bit more likely to sport a leather jacket, jeans, and boots. Sportbike riders almost always have a quality full face helmet, but usually complement it with tennis shoes, shorts, and a t-shirt. They won't even let you on the MSF range dressed like that. I know riders are a risk-tolerant group, but does nobody have any common sense?

[Lebenz]

Originally posted by narwhal
Never even seen an episode--seriously. Why do you ask?

Oh, gosh, nothing at all.

So what is it about referring to you as N do you see as bigoted?

[Lebenz]

Originally posted by narwhal
You are the only one who does it, so I feel like you are directing the "N" word towards me and the frequency seems to have increased since I expressed my sensitivity towards same.

Thank you for your explanation.

Anyway, usually I don’t write you, for reasons already stated. Once again, you have a heavy handed response to a non-existent issue. I will shortly return writing you infrequently. That should make you happy. But we both visit here frequently. I'm truly sorry you see racism where only a single letter exists. Let this serve as a fair warning to all who read this thread.

For completeness have you every seen B or K or Z or MM or even me (L or T) complain?

Puzzled but amused