I have come to understand...

[Paul_E_D]

Rebel, I wasn't there. I can't speak to your incident, and I don't mean to pick on you, but I can't really believe what I'm hearing from this thread.

In 50,000 miles of street riding with an active plan for my safety, I've never had a car appear from nowhere. I don't think I'm just lucky.

Intersections are places where conflict happens most. there's always a safe way through it. If I had to, 5mph would be fine through an intersection. That's not a problem. Getting hit is the problem.

I just want people to think about their plan for avoiding accidents.

[court1129]

Originally posted by Paul_E_D
Rebel, I wasn't there. I can't speak to your incident, and I don't mean to pick on you, but I can't really believe what I'm hearing from this thread.

In 50,000 miles of street riding with an active plan for my safety, I've never had a car appear from nowhere. I don't think I'm just lucky.

Intersections are places where conflict happens most. there's always a safe way through it. If I had to, 5mph would be fine through an intersection. That's not a problem. Getting hit is the problem.

I just want people to think about their plan for avoiding accidents.

from what I understand of the incident. The cage driver was a women driving a fancy white SUV. She had that sense of entitlement that a lot of rich cagers have and thinks she owns the road. She didn't seem to see what was going on around her. I'm sure Man God is paying for all the damages. I'm sure this is probabaly her 5th or 6th accident. Rich bitch deserves a boot in the ass.

[Ken C]

Courtney's probably right, but it's important to know that these folks are all around us (we can't control that) and it's OUR job to not let them get us! (this is where we have a lot of control).

[wastedincome420]

Paul... I wasn't there either.. and I agree with you... I have ridden my SV for close to 100k and I prolly have 50k on other street bikes. and I have never had even a close call with a cage or animal... lucky, no, I just pay attention to what I am doing... the same way I lernt to pay attention when driving a cage.

Ok, I'll admit, I've had a couple close calls... but I know they were close calls because of my own fault even though the other vehicle did something wrong.

I have learned It's my responsibility to look out for myself

[RandyO]

I really do pay attention to the road, unlike paying attention to wwho is logged into my computer

[busa413]

Ok I am late posting on here, but I will tell you I am amazed at what I am hearing. For you guys to say that a car pulling out in front of you is rider error is pure bullshit. I don't care how many f'n miles you have under you belt, it's not going to help you in this situation. How do I knwo because it just happened to me last week. I was going 20 in a 35 and a guy pulls right in front of me and slams his brakes on, said he never even saw me there. So one of two things is happening here either A. you have never had anyone pull in front of you, or B. your full of shit. Yeah you might be expeirianced now, but you were new at some point and didn't know all the tricks of scanning and reading the stituation when you started so don't act like King Shit on Turd mountain about this. Here's another situation for you, I'm sitting at a stop light waiting for it to turn green an some guy decided he didn't want to stop for the light and slam right into me. How the hell could I have avoided that one. NOT A F'N chance that I could have.

Ok, yeah I have come off a little bitter because of one reason. People pointing the fingure at someone when they weren't even there to see what happened or have no idea of the intersection or situation in which it occured.

Sorry I needed to vent on this one, just think it's bullshit.

[busa413]

On a side not...........

Misstwisties, I have no hard feeling toward you. To give you a little history Misstwisties and I had a little "back and forth" about me going to fast one day. Yeah I know what I did wasn't legal or the safest thing possible, but I also know that there isn't anyone on here that lives by the rules 100% of the time. If I open up my bike it is going to be somewhere that there are minimal chances of an "incedent" happening. I know that this doesn't make it safe to do it, but it's a risk that I am willing to take. Am I bringing you with me when I take this risk, no, not at all. We all have our oppinions and that is fine. I appreciate you concern from before girl, I never once faulted you for that. I don't agree with people doing alot of things in life, but it's their choice, not mine. That's how I see it.

To sum it up....was it wrong, yeah, was it relativly safe....who knows, but I'm still talking to you, will I do it again, I can almost guarantee it.

[greenmonster]

Here's another situation for you, I'm sitting at a stop light waiting for it to turn green an some guy decided he didn't want to stop for the light and slam right into me. How the hell could I have avoided that one. NOT A F'N chance that I could have.

busa413....I agree with most of what you've said regarding the SUV/Bike crash...From what you said about what happened to you, Im thinking that this guy rear-ended you? Thats what it seems to describe. If it is, then to answer your question about how could you have avoided being hit, is that Ive posted to this exact situ in the past....when you're at a stop light, and you're the last in line: 1- keep a safe distance between you and the car ahead. 2- keep it in 1st gear, clutch in, and watch your mirrors for any cages coming up behind you. And keep watching until that cage STOPS!! 3- If it aint stoppin, for whatever reason, you are ready to pull the trigger and get the hell outta the way! I do this all the time, at every stop light Im at. I cringe when I see bikers placed last in line, looking straight ahead, never looking at their mirrors, trusting that they wont be rear-ended, if ever that thought occurs to them in the first place!! I leave my safety and well-being in the hands of NO ONE but me when on the road, whether on my bike or in my truck. Now, what I suggested may not be perfect, but it gives you a fighting chance, rather than being a sitting duck out there.....

[MissTwisties]

Busa413....no hard feelings either.

GreenMonster, good advice. I know exactly what you guys are talking about. In January, I've been rear ended, also waiting at a red light, and was the last one in line. I was in my car, THANK GOD. She came fast at me, and the worse, is I saw her coming at me, and my body went stiffed, two legs straights on the clutch and break, and two arms stiffed straight on the wheel....the shock? I felt it thru my legs and arms. She hit the corner of my bumper, sending the rear of my car in the other lane. I went in physical therapy for a few months. IF I would have been on my bike? haha....not sure I'd be here to talk about it??? She wasn't even looking in front of her!!! Got a lawyer, and I'm waiting for my settlement. That will teach her. Bitch.

I always leave space in front of me, even more since that accident. Even more when I'm on the bike. My mirros are my friends.

[busa413]

Ok, now, I know you are going to be familiar with where this happened. In holyoke going toward the Mall on Lower Westfield road I had just come under the 91 over pass and was at the second traffic light. I was the first in line. YES I had my bike in gear, YES I was watching behind me. YES I new I was going to hit. NO I had no where to go. It was either take the hit from behind or take the hit from the side and get ran over by the cars going through the intersection. So NO there was no way to avoid this accdient. Again you guys are trying to say that this can be avoided, when yeah maybe sometimes it can. But you have to remember unless you where there and new the situation and all the things that were going on it is very hard for you to say that "you should have done this" or " you shoudl have done that".

[greenmonster]

Busa...like you said, SOMETIMES you can avoid gettin hit in your situ, and my advice was meant to be taken as a minimum line of self-preservation. Like I said, I see bikers not looking for cagers coming from the rear, blithely unaware they are sitting ducks. Im glad that you do watch yer ass when at a stoplight. Like you say, I wasnt there. You did the best you could. I thought about what you said, that you actually saw this cage coming up behind you, and that you KNEW you were going to get hit! Tell me...from the time you first saw him and realized he wasnt going to stop, to the time he actually hit you, how much time would you say elapsed? A second? two? 5? The reason Im asking is not to correct what you did, but you gave me the idea from what you said...to add another part to my advice......if you see you're gonna get hit, and still have no way out, get off the bike!! Provided you have the time to!! It's iffy, and chancy, but I believe in exhausting all options....maybe Im crazy.

[busa413]

I don't know how long it took from the time I realized it until impact. I know I had enough time to realize that I had no escape route, which would have been my first choice over ditching the bike. Honestly though in my case I think that I was better off to stay on the bike, the rear tire took most of the impact and actually, at least in my opinion, softened the impact. Like I said I don't know how long I had, but not enough time to completely ditch the bike and be away from it to the point where I wouldn't have been worried about it grabbin my leg and pulling me along with it.

[MissTwisties]

I am sure there is times where you CANNOT avoid an accident. In my case, when I was in my car and she hit me, I had nowhere to go. On my left side, there was the lane divider (that metal fence?), and on my right side, a full lane of cars, in front of me, obviously cars, and behind me...well....you know I couldn't go there! lol So I was fucked either way.... Like I said, I'm glad it didn't happen while sitting on my bike.

[elaineo]

At a stoplight, I always pull up to the very front between two lanes, or between the left-turn lane and the "normal" lane, provided the lanes are wide enough. This way there's no worries about being rear-ended, and I get to be first to enter the intersection .

Also, (my dad taught me this trick) when entering an intersection, I always make sure I'm flanked by a car on either side; cars are more visible than bikes and a left-turner from the opposite lane would be less likely to bowl right into me. then when i get to the other side of the intersection i accelerate and merge into a real lane.

[busa413]

Originally posted by elaineo
At a stoplight, I always pull up to the very front between two lanes, or between the left-turn lane and the "normal" lane, provided the lanes are wide enough. This way there's no worries about being rear-ended, and I get to be first to enter the intersection .

Also, (my dad taught me this trick) when entering an intersection, I always make sure I'm flanked by a car on either side; cars are more visible than bikes and a left-turner from the opposite lane would be less likely to bowl right into me. then when i get to the other side of the intersection i accelerate and merge into a real lane.

While these may be excellent ideas, they are not always possible.