I like to talk to other riders about experiences on the road, their crashes, what they look out for etc. mostly to learn from their experiences.

I was run off the road on my way to Biketoberfest in 08 and was taught a good lesson when riding with someone else. We were in the passing lane and i was behind my buddy. There was a tractor-trailer we were appoaching. As he just got ahead of the rear of the trailer, the SUV that was behind the trailer never looked and took out my lane. She prolly assumed that my buddy was the only bike and just was too impatient to get around the truck.

What I learned was to NEVER get in a situation of a cager not knowing you are there. Well...at the least make it a obvious as possible anyways. Either I straggle behind the bike in front while getting into a position that a cage can see me until I can at least get in a position to be ahead of the cage.

Would really like to hear about other's experiences that made big impressions.

 

Yup. I've read it probably a hundred times here on the forum...always assume everyone is trying to kill you.

You made it home alive, you did your job.

 

Accidents suck... The End.

 

+1.......Ride like they all are trying to kill you and you'll do fine.

 

Don't assume a cage sees ya. Assume they see you and are trying to kill you

 

I wish it were that easy... I am in the process of relearning to walk. Titanium, permanently, in my foot and leg. My new sled should be delivered this week BTW.

Both of my serious accidents were situations I had no control of.

What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger... And stranger. ~ Unknown.

 

Trust no one. No one on the road is my friend. Even though they clearly look my way at an intersection, they're going to pull out in front of me at the last second anyway. I had a serious wreck in 04 over **** like this and I damned near met my maker over it. I was on a highway at the time so it wasn't a low speed thing unfortunately. Since then I've made it a habit to keep as much distance as possible between me and everyone else and I always expect the worst from every driver around me. Especially the ones riding my *** or at an intersection.

 

I learned to never underestimate the stupidity of a cager. I have had pickup trucks signal right, start swinging out like they were making a right turn with a trailer (when they don't have a trailer), and then they make a left!

People probably think I am paranoid, but I will use any space available to me to
give me a bigger margin of error.
Ride like your invisible.

 

I try to not let the cars box me in so I stay in their blind side. What I really hate are the drivers that when you try to pass them on a multi-lane road, they speed up so they stay right off your back wheel...seems like it always has to be some kind of a challenge, a bike vs. anything else...

Rant over.

 

I ride with my thumb on the horn and forefingers on the brake lever in traffic. I also have an air horn. Hitting the horn immediately can stop a car from interloping into your lane before you're in trouble.