Originally Posted by KBFXDLI

I was hit head on by a drunk driver who crossed double yellow back in the mid 1970's. Really freaked me out. Quit riding until 6 years ago. By all means I should have been killed but wasn't. Today I truly believe that our lives are in the hands of our maker. I don't want to die but am not afraid of it.

Originally Posted by MJHJEA

Six weeks ago a friend of mine was killed when a car turned into him at 40mph. I contiplated selling my bike, asking myself, why couldn't that happen to me? I've been riding 25 years and pride myself on my defensive riding habits and the fact that I've never had any real close calls. He, too, had been riding his whole life. This evening I was traveling home, 50mph on the two-lane road I take all the time. Car opposite direction, signaling left into service station, turns in front of me. Ironically, the same exact scenario that killed my friend. I had this really odd feeling, before it happened, that he was going to do what he did. I veered right and went off the road, through several big pot holes, wacked a mail box, and came to a stop in somebody's front yard. It all happened so fast and all I remembered was thinking, "it's finally happening". I looked back and saw a major cloud of dust. A car stopped, asked if I was OK, and chased the car because it went on through the service station, never stopping. I dialed 911 and when the frick'n idiot cop got there says, "a lot of my friends have been killed on bikes and, even if I caught him, it's only a failure to yield". I told him it was attempted murder. They're checking surveilance cameras, but nothing is probably going to come of it. The good samaritan that chased him, lost him, but came back and made a statement. Anyways, I'm done, had enough, selling the bike. If it can happen to me and my friend, both super experienced riders, it can happen to anyone! How do you prevent this scenario that killed my friend and, if it wasn't for the grace of God, me? What's wrong with people? My headlight and passing lamps are so frick'n bright that my buddies complain when I'm behind them. How could I not be seen? In the cloud of dust, I'm sure he didn't know my outcome, leaving me for dead. I'm so shook up right now, becoming more pi$$ed by the moment. He couldnt have come any closer without hitting me. And I can't even explain how I kept it upright at 50mph through gravel with major potholes off the side of the road and then clipping the mailbox. There's nobody out there that loves to ride more than me, but I'm done! I have four kids at home that begged me to sell after what happened to my friend. What a fool I was. it's just not worth it. A friend of mine once told me, it may not be today, maybe not tommorrow or even next week or year. Maybe not even five or ten years. But eventually it's going to happen and it's not going to be good. I'm convinced he's right. I never thought it would happen to me, but it did, and there was nothing I could do about it. So GoodBye and Farewell my forum friends. I've enjoyed this forum immensely. I don't mean to discourage anyone, but needed to share and bid farewell. I'm going now to hug my kids. I don't feel right signing off by telling you all to ride safe, because I was.

Originally Posted by hojones

The people making left turns in front of you will make you tighten up for a while but you'll get over it.