I've always been a careful driver and rider, keeping a sharp eye out for motos, "insect people" (the bicyclists with the bumblebee outfits), and peds.

But consider a busy intersection with a bike lane, glare from the sun, people jetting into a crosswalk at the last second, etc. Lots of distractions about.

Yes, I started to pull out right in front of a bike..."didn't see him" as they say.

Caught it in time, but it made me more aware that sometimes even skilled cage drivers screw up.

Yes, I deserved that finger. But it scared me as much as the rider, I'm sure.

Has this ever happened to you (in your cage)?

 

Once, recently. Pulling out of a parking lot and there were cars parked along the road. Couldn't see him around the cars and started to pull out. He beeped, gave me a dirty look and the WTF hand motion.

 

there's some guys in here I'd pull out in front of

 

Guilty... we're ALL human. I did the same, started to pull out in front of a bike, finally seen him and stopped, he just nodded and passed in front of me, no harm, no foul. What can I say, wasn't in a rush, looked both ways (this was like 2 years ago) but made me question myself, like damn, how did you not see him the first time?

 

I've seen it happen a couple of times. The last time, the guy was on a Sportster, riding center of the lane too close behind a pickup truck, so I couldn't see him, except through the windows of the truck. I was waiting to make a left. If I hadn't noticed his head through the truck windows, I could have been that guy that makes the left and kills the biker and nobody would have ever believed it was mostly because the guy was following to close and not riding the left third of the lane.

Another time I wasn't driving, but my wife was in the center of a divided road waiting to turn left into the lane and I looked at the oncoming cars and trucks - we weren't pulling out yet, but I looked left and when I looked back right there was suddenly a motorcycle in front of the trucks and cars - I assume he popped around one as I looked away.

Stats say motorcycle riders are much less likely to hit a motorcycle with their car.

 

I used to ride with a guy who would speed up if a car was going to pull out ahead of him, when they had plenty of room. At the next stop he would rant about how the stupid cager tried to kill him. The first time it happened I thought it was strange, then it happened a few more times.
I also noticed that he would ride in the blind spot next to cars.

 

Driving since 1956 and have logged over 1.7 million miles in my vehicles, company cars, squad cars and snow plows. Never pulled out in front of anyone. But my eye sight is getting poor. So look out!

Started defensive driving when I was young and it didn't even have a name. The habit that I developed is to look a second time. Occasionally there is something there.

 

yeah, I thought that was you

 

I'm Gulity too. Bout 20 years ago I pulled out half way on a biker, he got around me okay. I pulled up beside him at the next traffic light and told him that I was stupid and I'm very sorry. He gave me that okay node, no figer or nothing from him. I was just happy I didn't get him ef'ed up.

 

Yup, and I don't feel a damn bit bad about it. The exit gate from work is on a blind curve to the right...that's why the speed limit on that road is 25 mph. Dangerous place to enter the road, but it is what it is....I crept out out of the gate looking right and left numerous times (like I always do). Looked clear to the right (the really blind side of the gate) so I pulled out left onto the road.....and suddenly saw (out of the corner of my eye) a damn crotch rocket doing at least 60 mph through the curve from the blind side...and I slammed on my brakes.

He, and his little butt-twitcher of a girl-friend, musta bout **** their pants, 'cause he had to go off road (between me and a retaining wall to avoid t-boning the side of my 4X4). Needless to say, he flipped me off, and I followed the ******** down the road, hoping he had the guts to stop so we could further discuss the situation. His little gal was slugging the **** out of his shoulder....and he's lucky he didn't stop. A couple of miles, and I cooled down enough to figure maybe mr dickweed had learned a valuable lesson....or perhaps he ended up being an organ donor at a later date.