I believe there should be a 'sticky' thread at the top for "Close Calls". When I owned a vintage Suzuki, there was a website that supported the GS series and one of the cool things about the website was a "Close Call" thread that had hundreds of great tips, stories and shared techniques for survival in the mean world of traffic.

There was more than a few threads of riders nearly getting rear ended, so the technique in stopped traffic was to have the front wheel pointed away from the rear end of the car in front of you. Since there's nothing better to do when sitting there, why not keep an eye on the mirrors? If anything started happening behind you, you have an escape route. One guy watched in horror while a Kenworth was coming up behind him and he instinctively knew that there was no way the guy was going to make the stop and he jetted out, with the big rig finishing it's hard stop, right where he was.

Another guy, a multi-decade rider taught me how to look for movement all around me. Driveways, intersections. I've even seen cars coming up on intersections between houses and fences hundreds of feet before they even get there. Ditto for dumbasses sitting in cages parked on the side of the road.

My close call: I was coming up on a busy intersection, watching the traffic patterns and noticed the number one lane was almost entirely clear of cars, while the number two was starting to stack up. That clued me in to the upcoming lane change game as the drivers manuever for the lane with the least cars. I'm in the number one lane coming up on the red light.

Sure enough, a guy suddenly bolted out of the number two, right in front of me. I pushed hard on the left bar for the countersteer hard left and totally got around him, correcting with a hard right push around him. I practice evasive manuevers leaving the plant all the time, pretending the manhole covers are stopped cars, so instead of having to think about it, it was an instinctual move that saved my hide that morning.

I'd love to see the sharing of these so that we may learn from each other.

 

In 28 years,I've been rear ended 2x and hit from the side once. Gone over the hoods of cages twice. I've learned a lot from those experiences. NEVER take anything for granted. When you are stopped, at an intersection or in traffic, NEVER put your bike in neutral. ALWAYS watch your mirrors for approaching threats. ALWAYS plan and allow an escape route. I commute 100+ miles daily,in heavy traffic. I have close calls daily but I avoid disaster by staying alert.

 

Ride like your invisible!

 

I was in the slow lane yesterday puttin at 70mph. A motorist flew up behind me in my lane doin at least 100mph then whips in the next lane within inches of me. Happened so fast, nothin I could have done.

 

I was coming out of the east gate of Yellowstone heading towards Cody Wyoming. I was riding two up. Without warning dangerous cross winds developed. There was a rock face cliff to my left and a river to my right. I found out later that is area when the wind direction is just right creates a powerful wind tunnel effect.
I was unable to ride straight up and had to lean heavy. At times the wind would let up for a brief moment and put the bike in an instant lean in the other direction.
I tried slowing down but I was losing even more control.
I decided the best course was just to increase speed and power through it.
Just as I got to the dam I saw a mini dust funnel (mini tornado) with debris rotating. When I hit that my handle bars cocked suddenly to the right. I quickly straighten them. I can't say for sure but it felt like the front wheel was briefly lifted slightly off the ground.
I hope I never have to do that again. Bottom line trust your instincts. Don't panic. It ain't over until it's over!

 

I almosst got t-boned in a GAS STATION!! There was a cage in front of me getting gas and I was about to pull out and go around him. I looked twice and all was clear and decided to check once more. As I started to engage the clutch, a car came through the gas station moving along at a pretty good clip. I stopped and as he went by he WAS OWN THE PHONE. The guy getting gas in front of me told me this guy shot through the gas station to avoid a light at the intersection and went out using the exit at the other side of the property. He told me the guy was no kid and looked like he was probably in his 50s.

 

Well said...............................you gotta watch your azz out there!

 

+1 I cannot for the life of me fathom why anyone would put their bike in neutral at a red light and wait to be a sitting duck. I always leave room to run between or around the car in front of me and if I am in front I watch cross flow in case I have to give up my spot.I watch as far back as my mirrors will allow sitting at a red light past the cars stopped behind me. I aways offset towards the stripe to go between stopped cars if someone doesn't stop. I have had two close calls this last month. One lady decided she wanted my lane and came on over trying to force me to brake or run off of the road. Last Sunday coming up on a blind curve I had an idiot pass in the curve coming at me. He had four vehicles to pass before he could get back into his lane. I slowed down and gave him some of my lane to go by. This crap never ends.

 

Good stuff guys... keep em coming.

I had a close call this past weekend where the car ahead of me jammed on his brakes to avoid some idiot who pulled out right in front of him. I had left enough space to the car in front of me where I could emergency brake and swerve off to the right to avoid rear ending the car. Got my adrenaline pumpin pretty good but was glad to have left enough room and have practiced emergency stops regularly. Practice makes perfect!

Ride safe!

 

Close calls!! In todays world that is the norm.But my last close call was with a deer at about 4:30am on my way to work.35mph in a righthand sweeping turn deer ran out in front of me I manage to miss it's body but ran over its hind legs and still managed to stay upright.Spike in blood pressure? you got that right!