Learn From Our Mistakes: Lessons In Crash Prevention
#21
#22
Am I missing something here? These "lessons" are all of the things you learn in a basic rider's course. Seriously, if you had to read this forum to learn that you should always look behind you at stops or to not enter a corner too fast, then you probably have no business being on the back of a bike to begin with.
35 yrs later I took the Basic Rider course with my wife (for support) and the answer was no longer valid.In fact it's the exact opposite.
40 yrs of riding and I still don't consider myself an expert rider.Those guys are the guys riding around road courses at 150mph and they don't have to worry about inattentive drivers.
#23
Although I agree somewhat,a lot of us started riding way back when.My license consisted of passing a written test,then riding around the block.If you made it back in one piece,you passed.There were no rider courses at that time that I knew of.Sure common sense plays a big part but I do remember at 16,one question on the test was,"make eye contact with a driver at an intersection to be sure he has seen you."
35 yrs later I took the Basic Rider course with my wife (for support) and the answer was no longer valid.In fact it's the exact opposite.
40 yrs of riding and I still don't consider myself an expert rider.Those guys are the guys riding around road courses at 150mph and they don't have to worry about inattentive drivers.
35 yrs later I took the Basic Rider course with my wife (for support) and the answer was no longer valid.In fact it's the exact opposite.
40 yrs of riding and I still don't consider myself an expert rider.Those guys are the guys riding around road courses at 150mph and they don't have to worry about inattentive drivers.
I'd say 3 of 5 times, as I start to move I can watch wheels start to turn and then abruptly stop as I am crossing the lane.
And while I know it's bad logic, out here in DC land, I avoid accidents by going faster than the other dumbasses. When I started riding out here, I tried to stay with the traffic only to watch people start to weave over and other crap because of inattentiveness from a cell phone, cheeseburger, makeup, book, newspaper, or fingerbanging the ol' lady. Now I just going about 80, get around people, and don't hover around them. When I'm stuck in a pack of cars for much over about 30 seconds, I start looking for a way out because I know I'm starting to disappear from their sight and mind.
#24
To that end, I will even go far enough that if I *do* make eye contact because someone starts zoning out, I'll shift the bike from one side of the lane to the other to try to make myself visible.
I'd say 3 of 5 times, as I start to move I can watch wheels start to turn and then abruptly stop as I am crossing the lane.
And while I know it's bad logic, out here in DC land, I avoid accidents by going faster than the other dumbasses. When I started riding out here, I tried to stay with the traffic only to watch people start to weave over and other crap because of inattentiveness from a cell phone, cheeseburger, makeup, book, newspaper, or fingerbanging the ol' lady. Now I just going about 80, get around people, and don't hover around them. When I'm stuck in a pack of cars for much over about 30 seconds, I start looking for a way out because I know I'm starting to disappear from their sight and mind.
I'd say 3 of 5 times, as I start to move I can watch wheels start to turn and then abruptly stop as I am crossing the lane.
And while I know it's bad logic, out here in DC land, I avoid accidents by going faster than the other dumbasses. When I started riding out here, I tried to stay with the traffic only to watch people start to weave over and other crap because of inattentiveness from a cell phone, cheeseburger, makeup, book, newspaper, or fingerbanging the ol' lady. Now I just going about 80, get around people, and don't hover around them. When I'm stuck in a pack of cars for much over about 30 seconds, I start looking for a way out because I know I'm starting to disappear from their sight and mind.
Even just a week after my son took the course i let him lead and on a four lane. he rode the curb lane and sat on the right rear fender of the car beside him.I pulled up and backed him off and not 10 sec later the car moved abruptly to the curb lane.No signal,no look.
If I'm behind a car and I can see the drivers face in the side view mirrors on their car,I know they can't see beside them with those mirrors.I stay back or haul a$$ past them.
<edit> Side view mirrors are just that if set up correctly.They are not for looking down the side of your car to the rear.
Last edited by shoemaker; 01-09-2013 at 07:36 AM.
#26
Am I missing something here? These "lessons" are all of the things you learn in a basic rider's course. Seriously, if you had to read this forum to learn that you should always look behind you at stops or to not enter a corner too fast, then you probably have no business being on the back of a bike to begin with.
My lesson - pay attention at all times. Obvious lesson for all of the real riders out there, I know but heck, I still had to learn it the hard way. Going along at speed on a 4 lane, something caught my eye and I looked away. When I turned my attention back to the road, the car in front of me had stopped for no reason at all. I hit the brakes, hit the rear one too hard (another lesson) and locked up the rear wheel. Low sided in (didn't relase the rear brake, one thing I did right). No real damage, was not going fast when I went down. Lots of lessons, all things I should have known, but I definately know them now.
Bill
Last edited by bsea; 01-09-2013 at 11:21 AM.
#27
Anyway, back to the subject at hand. I got hit 8 years ago. I was on the highway and according to the driver behind me the chick pulled out in front of me at the last second. I don't remember any of it because I ended up getting my head smashed in and apparently you lose a little memory of events before the head smashing. Always assume that drivers in ANY intersection can and probably will pull out in front of you. I've made it a point to ride left of center ever since. It gives just a little more time to react in a situation should one come up.
(He was behind the pedestrian crosswalk markers)
He still limps from that encounter 10 years ago-still riding though.
#28
I believe most riders that have been at it for a long time, over 30 years, do this all the time. Riding farming roads 95% of the time I take all blind corners and hills a little slower. Ridding along and smelled diesel, slowed down to crawl and sure enough it was all over the road right around a curve I was able to stop and ride around on the gravel to the side of the road.
#29
Am I missing something here? These "lessons" are all of the things you learn in a basic rider's course. Seriously, if you had to read this forum to learn that you should always look behind you at stops or to not enter a corner too fast, then you probably have no business being on the back of a bike to begin with.
Don't forget some poeple know less than everything.
#30
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: la grange, il (near chicago)
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pulled up to a stop sign at kind of a weird intersection. the 2 lane road i was on 'T'ed. i was going right. there was an small island separating the right turn lane from those going to make a left. this was out in the middle of iowa corn country. both had a stop sign. pickup truck in front of me went straight and stopped but had his right turn signal on. i stopped at my stop sign and waiting for the pickup to do something. got impatient and started to go. the truck made a right turn and i didn't want him that close to me so i hit the brakes and stopped, put both feet down. next thing i know i am flying off the bike as it went speeding forward. right before i landed on my back with my helmeted head hitting the concrete hard, i realized i had gotten hit from behind. that driver saw me start out and then looked left and tried to beat out that pickup truck.
rewind:
don't get impatient. try better to anticipate what others are going to do. if you don't know for sure then wait. at least do something that will not be affected by their action. also check behind you both before stopping and again before starting off to know what is behind you.
some of you might remember that the person who hit me was my brother driving my car. we were on the way to sturgis. wife and daughter in the car too. later the next evening my wife toasted my brother and said "thank god it was you that hit him and not me!"
rewind:
don't get impatient. try better to anticipate what others are going to do. if you don't know for sure then wait. at least do something that will not be affected by their action. also check behind you both before stopping and again before starting off to know what is behind you.
some of you might remember that the person who hit me was my brother driving my car. we were on the way to sturgis. wife and daughter in the car too. later the next evening my wife toasted my brother and said "thank god it was you that hit him and not me!"