Half empty

[scootnwinn]

For what it's worth...

I was riding in this morning and as often happens I had a couple interesting very nearly dangerous situations. Lots of people I know who drive cars often tell me about how unsafe riders are how they passed them so close and blah blah. I don't believe the perceived danger is the same as the actual danger or that it fits the perception from the cockpit of any bike, here is why and hopefully this helps some of the newer riders think about things and plan...

When cars approach the road I'm on to turn onto it or when they are turning left I begin looking for an escape route. This morning this happened numerous times and at some point I looked ahead for "what if" options. There was a car approaching from the right a turning lane/middle lane (with out islands) 2 lanes in each direction and 2 cars in front of me and a car waiting to turn left about 25 yards down the road from the car turning right. Sounds like a lot of potentially dangerous obstacles. I know I always see it this way by now but, it donned on me despite all the "action", the road, when I looked at it for escapes, was half empty. Why do I say this? We instinctively look at the obstacles and areas where danger is expected. Riding a bike (or any vehicle really) is not a set of things that you do once you know the basics, it becomes an automatic muscle memory kind of thing and if you watch motorcycle racing you will see the part of your body that actually steers is your head. You look where you want to go or alternatively you will go where you are looking. So what I'm saying is remember and make a habit of looking at the part of the road that is empty and obstacle free. Certainly be aware of the cars and other obstacles but do not focus on them you may find yourself "on their lap". Normally we tend to want to look at things in a positive way "The glass is half full" and all that but when it comes to riding see the glass half empty because you don't want to be in the part of the glass that's full.

I don't know maybe all that was for me just to finish my thought this morning, maybe it will some one on morning ride someday

[ozarkman]

and statistics show that most two wheels accidents occur with someone making a left hand turn in front of you. Out of a parking lot, driveway, side street or out of the blue!

Ride safe and be aware.

[MEAN_MOTOFINO]

Nice Post , I Certainly agree!

Ride Safely My Dearest Friend
Yours MEAN_MACHINE_MOTOFiNO

[rockynv]

Originally Posted by ozarkman

and statistics show that most two wheels accidents occur with someone making a left hand turn in front of you. Out of a parking lot, driveway, side street or out of the blue!

Ride safe and be aware.

Actually according to the MSF most two wheel accidents are single vehicle where the rider failed to stay on the road or dumped the bike due to improper braking techique.

[scootnwinn]

Yep you have to know how to do more than twist a throttle to ride

[ozarkman]

Originally Posted by rockynv

Actually according to the MSF most two wheel accidents are single vehicle where the rider failed to stay on the road or dumped the bike due to improper braking techique.

I try to practice proper braking and haven't had much problem with running off the road but I have been cut off more times than I can count.

Keep the rubber side down.

[ozarkman]

Originally Posted by rockynv

Actually according to the MSF most two wheel accidents are single vehicle where the rider failed to stay on the road or dumped the bike due to improper braking techique.

Ok, most accidents involving another vehicle.
I haven't had much problem with running off the road but I have been cut off more times than I can count.

Keep the rubber side down.

[50cc]

Yeah, I know myself.. and that's why I don't upgrade to a BBK. Better slow than sorry.

And btw, I read most 2-wheel accidents happen out of the cities, on an open road, without traffic and mostly 250cc+ bikes are involved.

[Irish]

I live there now , but Florida has to be the most dangerous state to ride in! Maybe it's because everyone is so old (Gods waiting room ) I had an employee at Lowes tell me-Make sure that you wear a helmet because they turn left on Red here! They have Traffic cameras at SOME of the intersections but by then t's too late! Sorry for the rant! As you can tell , someone just turned , after looking at me. AGAIN!!!! Irish

[bandito2]

Originally Posted by scootnwinn

For what it's worth...

>snip
You look where you want to go or alternatively you will go where you are looking. So what I'm saying is remember and make a habit of looking at the part of the road that is empty and obstacle free. Certainly be aware of the cars and other obstacles but do not focus on them you may find yourself "on their lap
> snip>

WARNING!!! NSF - some profanity and graphic video

(all of the following from messages of mine from another site)

Yup, kinda like this squid I think.


Sounds like the woman made some comment. (unintelligible) I'm not sure of the first of those last words he said, but it sounded like "twas the reason I was gonna stop" Definitely heard "I was gonna stop" Yep, he was ripping along way too fast and he knew it. He knew as he closed in that he was not going to be able to stop in time. He actually started to slow halfway between that one silver car and the dark car up near the trucks. His tire/s chirpped at the last split second from his brakes being clamped down too hard in desperation.

Funny, but I can see the gears turning in his head and the little devil on one shoulder (his right cuz that's the throttle side) and the good angel on the other (the left where the clutch is so as to be able to mitigate acceleration at least)

...... As he passes the silver car........

angel: "Say buddy, ya better haul it in a bit, there's a narrow steel canyon just ahead."
devil: "what? You've done this before.... no prob Bob... go for it!"
rider: "shit". (starts to back off the throttle some)
angel: "Oh My!!! we're going too fast. Do something!"
devil: "Meh..What does all light and feathery know....you've gone Way faster than this before. B'sides, there's still plenty of daylight through there."
rider: "Shit!" (fully off the throttle now and on the brakes and thinking.... I think I can I think I can I think I can I think I can I? ....
angel: "OH HEAVENS!!!"
devil: "Think skinny dude!"
rider: thinking left, right, Left!, Right!, LEFT!!, RIGHT!!!! ...Too late and nowhere to go but in. "SHIT!!!!" (Full on sphincter clench that migrates all the way up and down him to fully over engage the brakes.

Bounces between the two trucks (knocking both characters off his shoulders) then gets the indignity of being pushed over onto the ground as the trucks roll forward.
"shit"..... realizing he is down "oh" that hurt... in more ways than one...... "shit" thinking.... what the hell was I thinking?

angel: (floating away) "well I'm just glad he was not squished like the proverbial toad in the road"
devil: (disappearing in a puff of putrid smoke) "meh.... you know ... shit happens"

Wait, I listened again. (several times)
He DID say "there's no way I was gonna stop"
idjit

But he was paying attention!!! In a heightened way to the point of almost having tunnel vision.

Back when he passed that silver car and saw between those 2 trucks he stayed almost on the stripes only to make an ever so slight jink to the left at the last split second to avoid hitting the truck on his right. He fully intended on going between them without stopping. (initially) What he DID was employ bad judgement. He misjudged the actual room between the trucks and misjudged his ability to slow down enough to either safely maneuver away from/around the obstacle or stop before reaching it. (once his brain told him it was now an obstacle) He realized too late to be able to do much except to TRY to stop or hope that he could squeeze through unscathed. He got too close with not enough time or room to swerve and might have laid it down anyway if he tried.

This is what happens when people make bad decisions and ride beyond their abilities and when what they intend and attempt to do does not comport with the physics required to actually do so successfully.

Looking again, it may have been possible to make a dive to the left. Looks like open field there. (the right was closed off because of the guard rail) The dark car was already slowed way down and quite a bit of space between it and the truck ahead. (and was further forward than the truck on the right.) Possible maybe...just sayin. But his focus was between the trucks and you know how that is........ you go where you are looking.

[bandito2]

Originally Posted by Irish

I live there now , but Florida has to be the most dangerous state to ride in! Maybe it's because everyone is so old (Gods waiting room ) I had an employee at Lowes tell me-Make sure that you wear a helmet because they turn left on Red here! They have Traffic cameras at SOME of the intersections but by then t's too late! Sorry for the rant! As you can tell , someone just turned , after looking at me. AGAIN!!!! Irish

When I went down to Florida this New Years, I looked like an alien.... because I was wearing my gear. (jacket gloves, boots, helmet, heavy jeans) Almost EVERYBODY else was wearing light clothes & flip flops or tennies. About half of the bigger bikes out on the expressway had the rider with at least a helmet. And about half of those were wearing more gear; boots, gloves, jacket etc.

No cagers turning in front of me, but they tended to be slowpokes and rarely if ever used turn signals. Lots of folks with their heads down while driving....texting I'm pretty sure..... though they might have been taking a short nap .... down there in FL it's hard to tell some times.