How I nearly died on vacation!!!!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I'll try and be brief ..... I wanted to have a full gas tank when I left for Long Is. NY on Sat. ... So I headed off to a nearby gas station..... I drove in and turned around so I could exit onto a two lane road with less traffic. .... As I was exiting at the curb to make a left, ( and signaling ) a large SUV was in that lane and stopped signaling to make a left turn ( into gas station ???? ) I made sure the opposite traffic was clear for me to drive out .... So I started to do so, and saw a black SUV go left of center AROUND THE STOPPED SUV going through two well marked safety island's at over 30 mph..... Luckily for me I didn't hesitate and Floored the accelerator ..... The opr. blew His horn ( and maybe applied the brakes, it didn't look like it ) and missed me by 5-7 ft. .... Had I not accelerated ( and tried to stop ) I would have been T-boned.... and Yes I needed new underwear , a short drive later that was accomplished. My normal driving style is ... I make sure I can accomplish what I want to do ( while driving ) and then I don't hesitate ...I DO IT .... This has worked so far , so I'll keep doing this ..... That's my story .... please drive safe - there are thousands of idiots driving veh's ....... PS I had a great vacation other than this incident ..... Mike

[Peter Aawen]

There really are some dangerous drivers out there, aren't there! Glad you avoided that one tho!

And glad that you had a great vacation other than that incident too!

[CopperSpyder]

Glad you made it back home safe and had a great trip other than the one miss hap.

[pegasus1300]

so glad to hear you are safe and had a good vacation.

[Saluda]

Glad you're ok.

[hut1]

Glad to hear you had a happy ending!

[canamjhb]

Thank you, Mike. Glad you're safe. There ARE idiots driving. I am currently in the middle of a summer tour. Have logged a little over 1,800 miles so far and plan to do another 2,500 in the next couple of weeks. In my old age, I guess I've gotten religion. I do say a little prayer each morning before getting on the road. That praying is something one of the groups I ride with does before every ride...... Jim

[Piratezz]

Goes to show that driving whatever vehicle, Bike, Motorcycle, Car, Bus, Truck, you always have to be aware, someone else may not....
Glad you came out on the good side Mike, Wish you many safe miles, and enjoy the rest of your vacation.

[Lew L]

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Glad you are OK ( other than a change of underwear) On our way back from the 3 wheel rally ( and before getting covid symptoms) Nova and I almost got nailed by some fool in a p/u truck coming off Hwy 80. BTW: Spyders have REALLY good brakes.........

Lew L

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

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Glad you are OK ( other than a change of underwear) On our way back from the 3 wheel rally ( and before getting covid symptoms) Nova and I almost got nailed by some fool in a p/u truck coming off Hwy 80. BTW: Spyders have REALLY good brakes.........

Lew L

... but in my case if I had tried to stop ( He was tooooooo close and going to fast ) I would have gotten killed. Nailing the throttle was my only option. ...... Thanks .... Mike

[ARtraveler]

[UtahPete]

I'm not sure I would have the instincts to react correctly in either Mike's or Lew's situation. I hope so, and I'm glad you both did the appropriate thing.

[gkamer]

There's always drivers out there who consider saving 10 seconds is worth someone else's life. Glad you came out on the plus side Mike.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I'm not sure I would have the instincts to react correctly in either Mike's or Lew's situation. I hope so, and I'm glad you both did the appropriate thing.

Pete actually when I finally saw the Attacking veh. ( it came from behind a large SUV ) I was exiting the Gas station I just kept going ( only Faster ) ..... My driving style is generally - once I decide it's safe to do a driving maneuver I DO NOT hesitate, ..... Mike

[Woodenfish]

Were any of these vehicles a Dodge? I swear they are owned by the worst drivers.

[UtahPete]

Pete actually when I finally saw the Attacking veh. ( it came from behind a large SUV ) I was exiting the Gas station I just kept going ( only Faster ) ..... My driving style is generally - once I decide it's safe to do a driving maneuver I DO NOT hesitate, ..... Mike

Great instincts. That probably was helpful as a LEO.

[UtahPete]

Were any of these vehicles a Dodge? I swear they are owned by the worst drivers.

I thought it was BMWs

[Peter Aawen]

Were any of these vehicles a Dodge? I swear they are owned by the worst drivers.

I thought it was BMWs

again - not them either??

Nooo, the worst drivers have juust gotta be the driver's of Volvos!



Or maybe that's meant to be Toyota's??





Or was it Bitsamishin.... errr, Mitsubishi







No no no, now I remember, it's ..... Fo... nah.... maybe not them either?!?




I know, I know - when you're ryding any sorta trike/motorcycle, it's ANY CAGE or TRUCK DRIVER




Just ryde like they're all out to get you and you might stand a chance!

[Little Blue]

....For the Safety when we Ryde.
You never know when things are going to happen.
Glad you are okay. ......

[OldAge]

Mike and I both live in what can be called "tourist destinations" . At this time of year, the uptick in traffic creates many interesting situations. One has to be extra cautious. Yesterday I had an outlander pull a u turn in front of me and oncoming traffic that had me inhaling sharply. I watched in my mirror and determined that he wanted to stop at a pizza shop and had missed it. Must have been real hungry.!!

[Raven]

They are getting dumber every day. I have seen more near misses , most head on's in the last few years than I care to think about.
The wife thinks I am joking when I say I want to hook up machine guns to the horn button ( aka James Bound)

[Lew L]

... but in my case if I had tried to stop ( He was tooooooo close and going to fast ) I would have gotten killed. Nailing the throttle was my only option. ...... Thanks .... Mike

There was a time when I used to live by the phrase " When in doubt---- Gas it"

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

There was a time when I used to live by the phrase " When in doubt---- Gas it"

... now I lean more to STOPPING .... However I have re-run what happened quite a few times and stopping would have killed me

[UtahPete]

Today we were heading out on a week long camping trip to Yellowstone, Cody, etc. Traffic was generally light on US-89 heading north thru rural Wyoming. Occasionally there would be a small grouping of vehicles bunched behind an RV or farm truck, waiting for an opportunity to pass.

We were on a straight stretch of 2-lane road and the sky was darkening with the threat of a rainshower. Coming toward us about a 1/4 mile away was one of those groups of about 6 vehicles. The one in the lead was a pickup truck towing a travel trailer. None of the vehicles had their lights on, so it was difficult to separate them visually from the road and fields. As they got within about an eighth of a mile, a dull brown sedan in the middle of the pack pulled into my lane, trying to pass the vehicle in front and there's no way he was going to make it before I closed on him. On my right there was no shoulder, a shallow ditch and then a fenced field. I cut my throttle and applied the brakes lightly, thinking I would exit right, but by then the group of cars was passing me and fortunately the brown car found an opening and got back in his lane just as we passed.

I guess I should have been expecting someone to do something stupid and be prepared for it. But, I have to admit that two hours into an idyllic ride, I had become a little more complacent than I should have. We lucked out pure and simple.

20220811_135851.jpg

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Today we were heading out on a week long camping trip to Yellowstone, Cody, etc. Traffic was generally light on US-89 heading north thru rural Wyoming. Occasionally there would be a small grouping of vehicles bunched behind an RV or farm truck, waiting for an opportunity to pass.

We were on a straight stretch of 2-lane road and the sky was darkening with the threat of a rainshower. Coming toward us about a 1/4 mile away was one of those groups of about 6 vehicles. The one in the lead was a pickup truck towing a travel trailer. None of the vehicles had their lights on, so it was difficult to separate them visually from the road and fields. As they got within about an eighth of a mile, a dull brown sedan in the middle of the pack pulled into my lane, trying to pass the vehicle in front and there's no way he was going to make it before I closed on him. On my right there was no shoulder, a shallow ditch and then a fenced field. I cut my throttle and applied the brakes lightly, thinking I would exit right, but by then the group of cars was passing me and fortunately the brown car found an opening and got back in his lane just as we passed.

I guess I should have been expecting someone to do something stupid and be prepared for it. But, I have to admit that two hours into an idyllic ride, I had become a little more complacent than I should have. We lucked out pure and simple.

20220811_135851.jpg

Glad nothing happened ..... you can go thru life thinking something horrific is about to happen ( and ruin your life ) because it's possible .... however even if your thinking it might, if it does that thought process won't help ..... you either learn / know how to drive defensively ( all the time ) or you don't ... Example I live in winter driving conditions 5 mos. a year , there are some folks who never understand , when skidding you turn INTO the skid ..... if not you will Spin. When I was an LEO , I was sent to a Winter driving school to learn the way to drive on snow/ ice. ..... during my " graveyard shifts " I / we would go to very large parking lots and practice .... we didn't damage any cruisers and really learned how to drive quite fast Safely ...... JMHO .... Mike