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Tourer
Posts: 401
| On my way home on Sunday in the New Bern area of NC, I came very close to killing a man and his wife out on a nice Sunday ride. My excuse - none, but how did it happen? I was driving our new car back home from visiting my Mom for Thanksgiving, and while merging onto a highway I realized I had just run this poor guy off the road.
I think I checked my blind spots, I know I checked my mirrors, but I did not see this guy until he was on my bumper slamming on his brakes. It surprised me and I tried to swerve to the right, but I was passing another car and couldn't. This guy was rightfully pissed off, and all I could do was shrug my shoulders and shake my head at the guy as he passed me and flipped me off. I felt like an idiot.
Afterwards I did an inventory of what I did wrong so I don't do it again. The best I could come up with was: It is a new car, I still didn't understand all the blind spots, and I was driving too aggressively without having a complete picture of what was around me. Lesson learned, and luckily not at the cost of another riders life. Damn I feel real guilty though.
Have you guys had close call in your cage with bikes?
Edited by sgiacci 2011-11-29 10:44 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | not that I can think of at the moment... but I've had plenty of encounters like you described when riding to include getting hit from behind at a stop sign when the guy said "I thought you pulled away". That's the topper... |
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Tourer
Posts: 366
Albuquerque, NM | What kind of bike was the guy riding? Must not have had "loud pipes". I've had some close calls cage to cage in my blindspot. A quick extra look over the shoulder has saved me many times. Glad no one was hurt! |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | A few days ago I was driving my Trailblazer on a highway access road after exiting the highway and got a shock. There was very light traffic on the highway and the access road. The off ramp did not merge but created a new lane.
I exited, checked the access road and decided to stay in the left side exiting lane since it did not merge with traffic. About 400 yards down the road a motorcycle passed on the right. I was shocked. I never saw it until is was beside me.
Maybe it entered the access from a business on the right and came up beside me.
Oh well, no harm no foul but I did take some time to try to figure out how I missed them.
It was a stock street bike and really quiet exhaust.
Ride Safe
Edited by radioteacher 2011-11-29 12:54 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| In a cage we all have bad moments with all the metal surrounding us and cutting of our visibility. We are smarter then cage driver but we have our human moments.
Thats why we ride with our high beams on and look every way we can to protect our selves.
It wouldn't be a bad deal that when renewed your license there wasn't a refresher test. Back when I moved to Ca. and had to take a driver test and the inspector told me I was a good driver but had some Bad habits. I hope now many years later I have lost them.
Its a good day when we all go and come back with no harm and no fouls. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Man, I hate watching this ad, but I think it's effective.
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Tourer
Posts: 401
| By habit, I usually turn my head twice, but I'm not sure if I did this time. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1117
Northeast Ohio | I retaught myself to look over my shoulders when changing lanes and to NEVER count on my mirrors for anything. Not to mention that most folks have their side mirrors incorrectly set and use them like a rearview mirror (looking back and not covering the side enough).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwzUE6PHk4U
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | oh, and you'll be more sympathic to the next cager that finds themselves in your same situation... right? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 763
Anderson, IN (48mi NE of downtown Indianapolis) | ScoreBo - 2011-11-29 3:45 PM
I retaught myself to look over my shoulders when changing lanes and to NEVER count on my mirrors for anything. Not to mention that most folks have their side mirrors incorrectly set and use them like a rearview mirror (looking back and not covering the side enough).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwzUE6PHk4U
I never trust the mirrors regardless of what I am driving or riding. A shoulder glance has paid off many times.
What really gets me is those cagers that use solely the rear view mirror to back up. I had many of them back into my path. I know two people that backed into parked cars across the street. One of those people did it twice. And that person still backs up using only the rear view mirror. Some people will never get it.
I will aways look over my shoulder in addition to my mirrors, but that still does not guarantee 100% that I will always see everything. So, I change lanes and back up slowly to be sure the person I an crossing paths with has time to react.
I'm glad no one was hurt in your case. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | varyder - 2011-12-02 7:06 AM
oh, and you'll be more sympathetic to the next cager that finds themselves in your same situation... right?
I do try to be sympathetic and it is best course of action.....most of the time.
It is best to let it go and move on....because you should keep thinking about the task at hand and not on where you would hide their cold lifeless body.
Ride Safe |
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Tourer
Posts: 457
Green Bay, WI United States | Glad nothing happened. I learned from riding the bikes that I always do a look over the shoulder in the truck. More blind spots in the truck mean maybe looking twice. On another note if I was the bike I would have found a way to get the hell away from you as you merged to protect myself. My personal thought is that the bike was a bit at fault if I am understanding what happened correctly. I also like to drive somewhat aggressively at times and this has caused some close calls in the past, both in the truck and on the bikes..... |
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Almost killed a Biker