Be Careful Out There

[ARtraveler]

I just had a close call where I was almost involved in a bad accident.

I was driving in a residential area (speed limit 25 or less). Cars parked on both sides of the streets. There are two or three driveways in the block.

I drive this road at least twice every day (familiarity can be very dangerous).

I go around a curve in the middle of the block--no traffic either direction. A car comes backing out of one of the blind driveways--at least 10 miles per hour. My instincts caused me to go for the brakes and I was able to stop before he would have T-boned me on my right side. Had he hit me--I am sure I would have went for a ride in the ambulance.

I was riding the Vulcan today--so on two wheels.

My recommendations:
Expect the unexpected
Drive like they are out to get you.
Don't become so familiar that you are not looking out at all times.

I got lucky--but wanted to pass this on--you just never know when something bad might happen.

 

[Spyder Cat]

:yikes: Close call! Glad you were able to avoid a wreck. nojoke
You're so right..... you've gotta assume the other drivers don't see you and they're out to getcha.

 

[BikerDoc]

Twice in the last year I have seen biker bodies lying on the side of the road after a car/truck pulled out in front of them (leaving them no chance to stop). this seems to be one of the most common risks and both riders died..

 

[Phil]

Great reminder to us all.

 

[DragonSpyder]

Many do not want to hear this but a loud pipe lets the cagers know you are there when not looking! Especially today with all the cell phones and texters.

 

[boborgera]

I've said this a few times before, They see you but they don't care.
Your the one who'll get hurt, Not them, So you'll have to stop so they can go on their merrily way.

 

[Raptor]

Wow. So glad you were able to get out of the situation in good shape. Good job! Like BikerDoc I have seen too many guys on the ground surrounded by Medics, a smashed bike on the ground and an idiot cager standing there with that blank look on their face.

I am now a very firm believer in the S.E.E. strategy (Search, Evaluate, Execute). I use this strategy now every time I mount up, even if I'm just riding across the street! This along with good lane positioning could and will make the difference.

This has already saved me at least twice from collision and possible injury and more than likely will again. It's just the nature of the beast; in our data and information infested world people are not managing tasks properly, nor are they giving proper respect to the things that are most important. Common sense seems to be sorely lacking today as well, which will count as just one more of the many factors that contribute to these types of incidents.

Be safe out there everyone. Summer is coming and it's going to get even more "interesting" from here... :shocked:

 

[Phil]

I am now a very firm believer in the S.E.E. strategy (Search, Evaluate, Execute). I use this strategy now every time I mount up, even if I'm just riding across the street! This along with good lane positioning

100% agree. That is straight from the safety training course and it is SO TRUE. Thanks for that Raptor.


Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

 

[Raptor]

100% agree. That is straight from the safety training course and it is SO TRUE. Thanks for that Raptor.


Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

Yes Sir, you are quite welcome. I reckon it's obvious I just came from the class room session last night but I have been studying the material for a while now. Turns out the timing is fortuitous with all this activity going on. :thumbup:

 

[illuzion]

Yes Sir, you are quite welcome. I reckon it's obvious I just came from the class room session last night but I have been studying the material for a while now. Turns out the timing is fortuitous with all this activity going on. :thumbup:

Hey Raptor! I'm not too far from you. I'm in Redwood City. I like the kind of reception the spyder gets here in the bay area. But of course, we have to always be careful when we're out on the road. Especially since our spyders stop traffic. :shocked:

 

[Star Cruiser]

Many do not want to hear this but a loud pipe lets the cagers know you are there when not looking! Especially today with all the cell phones and texters.

I have never heard a driver say "I didn't hear him" usually I hear them say 'I didn't SEE them'.
Stay VISIBLE and ryde like nobody sees you. So many cages have air conditioning, nice stereos and drive with there windows closed now, Loud pipes save many fewer lives than they once did.Thanks for an excellent reminder

 

[redfox]

I trust no car I see waiting to pull out from a driveway, or at a stop sign. It's not the most fun way to ride but it is the only way if ya want to survive. Also deer everywhere where we live and ride. My wife reaches over my shoulder and points to them when we are riding never assuming I see them. Good co-pilot.

 

[Raptor]

Hey Raptor! I'm not too far from you. I'm in Redwood City. I like the kind of reception the spyder gets here in the bay area. But of course, we have to always be careful when we're out on the road. Especially since our spyders stop traffic. :shocked:

Illuzion... Whatup, Dude! Glad to hear from a local. And being a local, you know of what I speak! Cagers out here have to be the dumbest on the planet. There are plenty of reasons for this, none of which I will elaborate on! :roflblack:

But you are correct, Ze' Spyder, she stops traffeec, no?!? I still get folks that practically kill me and themselves taking pics on their cell phones while driving. But as you go, you develop good defensive skills to counter the stupidty, and S.E.E. is the weapon of choice.

I've seen a few Spyders in my every day travels. Perhaps one of them was you... :thumbup:

 

[bone crusher]

I just had a close call where I was almost involved in a bad accident.

I was driving in a residential area (speed limit 25 or less). Cars parked on both sides of the streets. There are two or three driveways in the block.

I drive this road at least twice every day (familiarity can be very dangerous).

I go around a curve in the middle of the block--no traffic either direction. A car comes backing out of one of the blind driveways--at least 10 miles per hour. My instincts caused me to go for the brakes and I was able to stop before he would have T-boned me on my right side. Had he hit me--I am sure I would have went for a ride in the ambulance.

I was riding the Vulcan today--so on two wheels.

My recommendations:
Expect the unexpected
Drive like they are out to get you.
Don't become so familiar that you are not looking out at all times.

I got lucky--but wanted to pass this on--you just never know when something bad might happen.

Glad all turned out okay...certainly more dangerous on two wheeler than on three wheeler...

 

[illuzion]

Illuzion... Whatup, Dude! Glad to hear from a local. And being a local, you know of what I speak! Cagers out here have to be the dumbest on the planet. There are plenty of reasons for this, none of which I will elaborate on! :roflblack:

But you are correct, Ze' Spyder, she stops traffeec, no?!? I still get folks that practically kill me and themselves taking pics on their cell phones while driving. But as you go, you develop good defensive skills to counter the stupidty, and S.E.E. is the weapon of choice.

I've seen a few Spyders in my every day travels. Perhaps one of them was you... :thumbup:

Whatup Raptor!? I saw a guy yesterday on El Camino Real in San Mateo. Do you have a grey spyder?

I saw someone in Foster City taking a picture on their cell phone while they were driving (risking paying $160 ticket to take a pic of an awesome ride).

 

[arvoaussie]

Glad your okay.

 

[Baphomet]

When riding residential it is better to look at the yards and driveways anyway as opposed to the road in front of you. Mostly for kids playing and the pets that might want to run out in front of you. I seen some kids shooting hoops in their driveway and said to myself, "watch the ball roll out in front of you" and sure enough the ball rolls out in front of me with a kid giving chase! Not to mention I like to wave to the folks in the neighborhood so I can be known as the friendly biker guy instead of "that damned biker".

 

[Yeochief]

Safety

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!:gaah:

After driving for over sixty yearsnojoke I still believe they are all out to get me. It was bad enough when people just had radios to listen to, now they have telephones and 500 watt stereos to keep them occupied while they drive:roflblack:.

Glad you were driving safely and paying attention. It seems like most of the people on the streets aren't doing either. Being alert means being alive.

 

[DragonSpyder]

I have never heard a driver say "I didn't hear him" usually I hear them say 'I didn't SEE them'.
Stay VISIBLE and ryde like nobody sees you. So many cages have air conditioning, nice stereos and drive with there windows closed now, Loud pipes save many fewer lives than they once did.Thanks for an excellent reminder

I think you just proved my point. The cager did not see the rider but had they been able to hear them then they would have known they were there.

You simply can't argue this fact, regardless if you like loud pipes or not. I don't like loud pipes but since getting the Spyder I noticed everyone and everything knows I'm coming even if they cannot see me. Deer, dogs, cats, etc run away when they HEAR me coming. Joggers with MP3 in their ear turn to see what is coming as they can hear the exhaust.

I truly do not like loud exhaust and only have one as I have seen first hand (20K miles) the safety factor involved with being heard way before you can be seen.

 

[woodchuck]

Be careful

I just had a close call where I was almost involved in a bad accident.

I was driving in a residential area (speed limit 25 or less). Cars parked on both sides of the streets. There are two or three driveways in the block.

I drive this road at least twice every day (familiarity can be very dangerous).

I go around a curve in the middle of the block--no traffic either direction. A car comes backing out of one of the blind driveways--at least 10 miles per hour. My instincts caused me to go for the brakes and I was able to stop before he would have T-boned me on my right side. Had he hit me--I am sure I would have went for a ride in the ambulance.

I was riding the Vulcan today--so on two wheels.

My recommendations:
Expect the unexpected
Drive like they are out to get you.
Don't become so familiar that you are not looking out at all times.

I got lucky--but wanted to pass this on--you just never know when something bad might happen.

When I bought my Daughter a Suzuki bike, I told her that when you come to a crossroad and there is a car at the stop sign, get it in your head that 9 out of 10 times that car will pull in front of you and be prepared.
This is true that they don't seem to care about a motorcycle rider until they cause an accident.Then they cry that I never seen the bike.