Triumphrat

richleasure · 10-27-2006

Today started off great. On the way to work, I was riding in the far right lane of a 6-lane road. I had on my MSF High Vis Vest and my high beams. A taxicab coming from the opposite direction decided to bust a U-turn. He didn't just cut me off, he tried to turn directly into me, across all three lanes. I did an emergency quick-stop and barely missed the rear end of the cab as he completed his turn. He never stopped or even slowed, and I doubt he ever even saw me. And people wonder why I ride like everyone else is intentionally trying to kill me.

dazco · 10-27-2006

Good thing you have those dual discs ! :-D Amazing how blind others can be. Sometimes it really DOES seem like they're trying to kill you.

panthercity · 10-27-2006

Keeping one thing in mind since I started riding the streets in `67; Every MoFo out there just KNOWS he saw me comin' out of his wife's bedroom window last night...

[ This message was edited by: panthercity on 2006-10-27 18:43 ]

HiVel · 10-27-2006

I think the only thing ever tried to kill me was women and Jim Beam. There were some incidents with cars and trucks vs. bike but so far all Ok.

Colin_In_Ottawa · 10-27-2006

"Keeping one thing in mind since I started riding the streets in `67; Every MoFo out there just KNOWS he saw me comin' out of his wife's bedroom window last night..."

Panthercity - That is the absolute BEST summary of extreme defensive driving I have ever read. Thank you!
Words for every young driver out there to stay alive by!

akenaten · 10-27-2006

I assume stupidity and incompetance on the part of car drivers.Either they are engaged in some unneeded conversation on a cell phone or are engrossed with looking at their own inadequate groin. The last thing they worry about is someone else on the road.

badrufus · 10-28-2006

I judge how nervous to be on my bike based on my own automobile driving ability. In 34 years of driving all kinds of four-wheeled vehicles, I've not had a serious accident, and I've had one speeding ticket in the last five years. Despite that, I know I do stupid things in my car; I know I don't see things I should; and I know I drive when distracted, even though the cell phone stays off; and I know I often feel aggressive or irritated while driving a mid-size SUV. I know I have missed spotting motorcycles, especially on the highway. But by actuarial standards, I'm a good car driver, with a good record, and a very clear awareness of motorcycles, so what about the mediocre and just plain bad drivers? In other words, just from honestly assessing my own car driving behavior, I know I had better be extraordinarily careful, alert, defensive, you-name-it when riding a bike. I think the best way to assess how careful to be is to honestly look at our own behavior as cagers, then realize that most of us drive with greater awareness of bikes and driving conditions, and other cagers' behaviors than does the average auto driver. So if we're likely at the top of the cager pile, and still screw up, what about the rest?

Liontari · 10-28-2006

It's a funny thing, as soon as I pull out the 9mm, they seem to get their vision back real fast.

stevent · 10-28-2006

that pretty well sums it up badrufus, most people aren't malicious or trying to hit us, they just aren't paying attention, I know I do it as do we all I suspect. You get the odd road rager here and there but the easiest thing to do is get out of their way and don't escalate the situation, you're not going to "win" a confrontation with a car so swallow your pride at let it go.

:upthumb:

richleasure · 10-28-2006

Quote:

On 2006-10-28 16:21, stevent wrote:
that pretty well sums it up badrufus, most people aren't malicious or trying to hit us, they just aren't paying attention, I know I do it as do we all I suspect. You get the odd road rager here and there but the easiest thing to do is get out of their way and don't escalate the situation, you're not going to "win" a confrontation with a car so swallow your pride at let it go.

:upthumb:

I think it is best to just get out of their way. Like my grandfather always used to say, "You can be dead right."