Closest Call Yet!!!

[hut1]

I've been riding 2 and 3-wheelers for more than 40 years. During that time I've experienced a few "close encounters", but nothing compares to what I experienced this past Saturday morning. It was 10am, overcast with an occasinal sprinkle or two and I was traveling on my :spyder2: on a very familiar two lane road frequented by beach traffic. As I rounded a slight curve, there were a few cars/trucks heading in my direction in the appropriate lane and in a no passing zone. As we got closer, the second vehicle approaching me suddenly pulled out to pass the lead car. After making the pass, the pickup did not even make it fully back into his own lane by the time we met. I pulled hard to the right and was able to maintain control as I hit the shoulder and then made it back into my lane. We were close enough that had I not made the evasive move, he would have at least clipped my left wheel, if not hit me head on! I was traveling at 60mph and I'm sure he was going even faster. There was no glaring sunshine or other obstructions, and my F3s is lit up with all LED's (headlights, foglights, Lamonster Bright Ryder and Double Vision Daytime Running Lights).

I'd like to think that my 15+ years of experience on 3 wheels (sidecar and Spyder) helped me avoid the collision and maintain control, but I know there was more to it than that. I feel very Blessed to be able to share this.

Be careful out there.

[pidjones]

The lights were on, but nobody was home.

I was run completely off the road to a fortunately wide paved shoulder last week by a car turning left into my lane. He barely missed clipping the back of the car in front of me. I was going about 40mph and had just come through a sweeping curve. I was visible for several hundred feet before he pulled out (no traffic in the on-coming lane and no obstructions), and well behind the car in front that was slowing. I was on my '78 GoldWing wearing red jacket and helmet. Some folks claim loud pipes save lives. I ask why people run into trains and fire trucks.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Some people just plain drive blind, apparently. A couple of weeks on a local two lane road ago a guy ran head on into a hay swather. His next trip was to the cemetery.

[Mikey]

This is why we have to drive like everyone can't see us!!!! Driving down the road even in you car or truck is the same thing, but on your bike it's even worse!! For some people you could have a flaming glow orange paint job and all the blinking lights you can haul and they would still look right threw you!!! The sad part is it's not just cell phones, it's all the other crap also, shaving, eating, talking with your eye's instead of your mouth, ect, ect!!! And then you have these people for what ever reason Black out there windows, and the state law's let them so you can't tell if the persons heads turn and even looking up or down the road, that one really gets me going!!! It sucks out there in a high traffic area, that's why I love the country site!!!:ohyea: Where you just got to look out for the four legged speed bumps!!!!

[billybovine]

I have had to go for the shoulder twice since driving Spyders. Also had to hit brakes hard once for someone doing a U-turn on a busy highway in front of me. Be careful there are idiots out there.

[K80Shooter]

Glad the outcome was a good one.

Just a couple of weeks ago I took my youngest granddaughter (7 years old) for a ride through our little small town. As we approached a cross road (road was wet from a previous rain) someone decided to cross in front of us causing me to hit the brakes and also slide a little, luckily the driver saw us and stopped but it could have been bad for sure.

[ARtraveler]

Be careful out there. :bowdown:

[CloverHillCrawler]

Glad you made it through ok. I'm still sporting bruises on my right side from my run in a couple of weeks ago.

Just watch out diving to the right. I thought I could slow down and dive to the right to avoid a cage drifting into my lane.

I just barely overestimated where the curb was at and grazed it just enough to lock up the right wheel and throw me into it.

[Peacekeeper6]

I've been riding 2 and 3-wheelers for more than 40 years. During that time I've experienced a few "close encounters", but nothing compares to what I experienced this past Saturday morning. It was 10am, overcast with an occasinal sprinkle or two and I was traveling on my :spyder2: on a very familiar two lane road frequented by beach traffic. As I rounded a slight curve, there were a few cars/trucks heading in my direction in the appropriate lane and in a no passing zone. As we got closer, the second vehicle approaching me suddenly pulled out to pass the lead car. After making the pass, the pickup did not even make it fully back into his own lane by the time we met. I pulled hard to the right and was able to maintain control as I hit the shoulder and then made it back into my lane. We were close enough that had I not made the evasive move, he would have at least clipped my left wheel, if not hit me head on! I was traveling at 60mph and I'm sure he was going even faster. There was no glaring sunshine or other obstructions, and my F3s is lit up with all LED's (headlights, foglights, Lamonster Bright Ryder and Double Vision Daytime Running Lights).


I'd like to think that my 15+ years of experience on 3 wheels (sidecar and Spyder) helped me avoid the collision and maintain control, but I know there was more to it than that. I feel very Blessed to be able to share this.

Be careful out there.


I have had three REALLY close calls riding my sport bike when I was living in FL. So close, that I immediately had to pull over and stop, nearly dropping my bike because I was shaking so badly that I couldn't get the kickstand down in time.

Florida, where every other driver is a senior citizen.

That was one of the reasons why I left the state....

[JBMGDM]

I'm a newbie, just trained, so take this FWIW. The instructor gave us some sage advice -- assume everyone is impaired. I will be following his advice.

[AZCanAm]

Great control/riding. Great advice. At least you didn't get a sissy wave. ;)

[Snoking1127]

https://i.imgur.com/4uYLLaYl.jpg

[Excoastie]

I purchased a "dash cam" several years ago. I now document every one of my rides. When I encounter a jackwahon who is attempting to kill me, I call the police when I get home, I also provide a copy of the video.

More than once, this has led to citstions and a wake up call to drivers