Close Call - Be Vigilant

[TonyMac]

I had a close call this morning. The first in quite a while. I was stopped at a light to turn left onto a busier road known for light runners, I waited until my light turned green for a second or two, looked at the truck and determined he was stopping. I got to the edge of the lane when idiot boy decided to run the by now, very red light. He saw me at the last second (thank you bright yellow Spyder and jacket) and I saw him and stomped on the brake. He missed me by about 5 feet but he was a pickup truck going around 40 MPH and I would have lost.

My point is no matter your preparation, no matter how defensively you ride, there are still idiots out there and your helmet and Joe Rocket jacket are no match for several thousand pounds of vehicle.

Everyone please be extra vigilant and stay safe.

Needless to say, I didn't need that second cup of coffee when I got to work.

[Firefly]

I had a close call this morning. The first in quite a while. I was stopped at a light to turn left onto a busier road known for light runners, I waited until my light turned green for a second or two, looked at the truck and determined he was stopping. I got to the edge of the lane when idiot boy decided to run the by now, very red light. He saw me at the last second (thank you bright yellow Spyder and jacket) and I saw him and stomped on the brake. He missed me by about 5 feet but he was a pickup truck going around 40 MPH and I would have lost.

My point is no matter your preparation, no matter how defensively you ride, there are still idiots out there and your helmet and Joe Rocket jacket are no match for several thousand pounds of vehicle.

Everyone please be extra vigilant and stay safe.

Needless to say, I didn't need that second cup of coffee when I got to work.

Did you track him down and call the cops? I would have! I found out last week that they CAN write tickets based on eyewitness reports on such incidents.

Long story short - saw a high school kid dropping his snowplow on the road throwing snow into the other lane at 45 mph --- he did it on and off for 3-4 miles. I followed him, got the plate number - called 911. About an hour later while I'm at work - I got a call from the High School police. Gave them a statement, described the kid, truck, plate--- and they pulled him from class and issued him a ticket. He had just gotten his license back and they told me he would be losing it again over this ticket. The recommended he not fight it in court - but if he does I may have to go testify--- which I have no problem doing!

[LDFIREWORKS]

GLAD YOU ARE OK

[krb1945]

didn't get hit by the irresponsible nut.

As I always say, " you can do everything exactly the way you are supposed and still get smacked in the butt."

Like one post says, I do not have any problem with getting the license number and reporting it to the police. I also go to court if necessary. Especially if it is youngsters... I believe if we can keep them alive until they are 25 or so, a funny, maybe they will live long healthy lives.

I would hope that anyone seeing any of my family misbehaving would tell both the police and me. I know some would take offense at that but what better way to keep our children and grandchildren alive. /Ken

[Smylinacha]

Glad you are ok! That is why, although I love black for a color - I will stick with my yellow I feel i'm more visible to other vehicles on the road.

[DynamoBT]

Glad you are ok! That is why, although I love black for a color - I will stick with my yellow I feel i'm more visible to other vehicles on the road.

+1 to this. Glad you were paying attention when the other fellow was not. Three cheers for Yellow. Also, as we all know, the fastest color!

[BajaRon]

Really glad you came out on the good side of this one. It's bad enough when you have to pay for your own mistakes. But to pay with your life for someone elses mistake is not good at all.

But it happens.

Lamont and I were sitting in the left lane at a stop light. Even though it was the middle of a business day and the light had been red for some time we were the only ones stopped, and the right lane had no one stopped in it at all.

It gave us a real jolt when a UPS truck doing 45mph (the speed limit) blew right by us and right through that big red light in the right lane! His break lights were not even on!

We just looked at each other and waited for the light to turn green. It was so fortunate that no one was using that intersection at the time.

[TonyMac]

Thanks for all the well wishes. I know I'll be especially careful and hope everyone is as well.

Also thanks for the idea of getting the other guy's license number. I didn't know that was an option. I certainly have no qualms about reporting idiocy.

My motto has changed. It was:

"Assume that they can't see you"

Now amended to read:

"And the ones that DO see you are trying to hit you!"

Be safe!

[BajaRon]

He had to get your parts to Lamont's on time..........

You know you could be right! That would explain why it didn't seem to bother Lamont all that much!

[BajaRon]

My motto has changed. It was:

"Assume that they can't see you"

Now amended to read:

"And the ones that DO see you are trying to hit you!"

Be safe!

My motto has always been;

Ride like everyone else out there is trying to kill you!

[glynnk]

Oh, man...that'll get your attention. Glad the idiot didn't do any damage, but you're right...you can't ever be TOO careful!

Glynnk

[BumbleBee]

Glad you are ok! That is why, although I love black for a color - I will stick with my yellow I feel i'm more visible to other vehicles on the road.

+1 to this. Glad you were paying attention when the other fellow was not. Three cheers for Yellow. Also, as we all know, the fastest color!

I am glad to hear that you are okay. Plenty of idiots out there, always wanting to cut us bikers off, be careful out there.

Now that I have a RT-S, yellow is being added

[docdoru]

Glad you're OK: "dress for the crash".

[SpyderWolf]

Glad to hear he left you with the 5 feet of breathing room. You can never be overly prepared for things like that to happen.

[krb1945]

visible and that is what I ride but I thought red was the fastest? I know "she who must be obeyed" rides red and I have to lead foot it to keep up. /Ken

[truck 85]

Dress for the slide not the ride.

[Lamonster]

Glad you're okay.

[woodz428]

Don't let Yellow paint give you a false sense of security. Idiots are color blind, after painting by bike completely yellow in the early 70s, there was no noticeable difference in idiot encounters.
As a service tech all those years, I have grown to detest the words " I didn't see them". Translated it means "I didn't look,stop or drive responsibly. My argument was; if you can't see a bike, on the road...how do you expect to see kids running from between cars. NO license for you ( in my best soup nazi impression).
Glad your O.K. I had a similar close call a few years ago when a van ALMOST turned in front of me. She realized it and stopped crossways in the road and I threaded the narrow area between her van and the Sheriff's car that was stopped at the stop sign. A call to the Sheriff to see if she was ticketed or warned was met with the knowledge that the deputy didn't even mention anything...probably in a hurry to get off work...Thanks.

[boborgera]

It isn't just bike's that have close calls, it's just when your on a bike it becomes more personal.
Look" a school bus is 8 feet wide 10 feet high
bright yellow, and still need strobe lights so the ya who behind doesn't go
though the bus.

[RodO]

I'm glad you're here to relate your experience!

It's like they say, the best way to survive an accident is to not be there when it happens.

And my rule to live by is:
Always assume the other guy is trying to kill you, and act accordingly. Think of the stupidest thing another driver could possibly do intentionally. Then imagine they're trying to do that but are on a cell phone and not paying attention. Count on that when making your move.

[BajaRon]

It isn't just bike's that have close calls, it's just when your on a bike it becomes more personal.
Look" a school bus is 8 feet wide 10 feet high
bright yellow, and still need strobe lights so the ya who behind doesn't go
though the bus.

You've got that right. I was running code 3 in a big red fire truck, Lights, siren, the whole bit on a straight road. Guy ran a stop sign and hit me right in the driver's door. Guess what he said...

That's Right! ..."I didn't see you!" (Guess he didn't hear me either)