Left Turn Head Head-On Almost
#1
05-20-2018, 07:19 PM
Left Turn Head Head-On Almost
After a long week of work and no rides my wife and I finally got out today. We left our home in southern Ohio and headed northeast toward Athens, OH and finally onto Rt 555. The Triple Nickle is a pretty decent challenge for a big bagger riding 2 up and we enjoyed the run. Several stops later we rolled out of Reedsville, OH and into an area called Long Bottom. Great weather and excellent visibility. We were on a twisting state route and about to top a small hill going about 40 mph. Just as we neared the crest a car coming the other way started a left turn directly into our path. It was a case of bad timing. We both met at the moment he decided to turn.
It it looked to be a sure head-on for us. I clutched and jumped on the brakes instantly...and hard. My wife was bracing hard and staying in place. At the last possible moment the driver of the car....having realized his mistake...slammed on his brakes and cut back right, coming to a quick stop. I hauled the Limited down all the way to a dead stop and there we were, eyeballing each other. I wasn’t angry, but relieved there was no accident. I was tapping downward through the gears and getting ready to roll away when the car decided it was time to get gone. He abandoned the turn and quickly accelerated past us. My wife suggested he was probably thinking I was getting ready to drop the kickstand and dismount for a discussion. No...I wasn’t.
We rode on and had no other problems. Amazing to me how events can turn on the click of a second hand. Everyone be safe out there.
It it looked to be a sure head-on for us. I clutched and jumped on the brakes instantly...and hard. My wife was bracing hard and staying in place. At the last possible moment the driver of the car....having realized his mistake...slammed on his brakes and cut back right, coming to a quick stop. I hauled the Limited down all the way to a dead stop and there we were, eyeballing each other. I wasn’t angry, but relieved there was no accident. I was tapping downward through the gears and getting ready to roll away when the car decided it was time to get gone. He abandoned the turn and quickly accelerated past us. My wife suggested he was probably thinking I was getting ready to drop the kickstand and dismount for a discussion. No...I wasn’t.
We rode on and had no other problems. Amazing to me how events can turn on the click of a second hand. Everyone be safe out there.
The following users liked this post:
mctraveler (05-21-2018)
#2
05-20-2018, 07:33 PM
Cruiser
#5
05-20-2018, 08:40 PM
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#7
05-20-2018, 08:50 PM
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#8
05-20-2018, 09:22 PM
That is my one and only fear when riding. In my area, two separate left turning accidents killed off both bikers in the last year. Both were on big Limited's, not skinny dimly lit rockets that are damn near invisible till there in front of you. Both drivers were young women.
