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solo1
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« on: July 21, 2012, 05:51:44 AM » |
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Awhile back i mentioned that a rider I knew, a grandson of a lady on my street., had an accident. I talked to him the other day. He still has road rash.
His words. "i was riding and came up on this intersection. A lady driving a car was coming from the opposite direction. We made eye contact. Without warning, she turned left in front of me, I didn't expect it. I didn't have time to hit the brakes. I swerved left and missed her, turned back into my lane and hit the curb. That broke the front wheel. I continued down an incline and hit a culvert which threw me over the bike hitting my chin on the speedometer (40 stitches), road rash on knees and arms."
He wasn't wearing his leather HD jacket, no helmet, had jeans, not sure about the boots. I asked him if he used the front brake. No, he didn't have time for that. It was interesting that he said that he always uses his front brake because locking up the rear brake on the Harley can cause the belt to slip a 'cog'. His words.
It sounded like he was totally depending on eye contact. He wasn't ready for the left turner. It also sounded like he never got on the brakes at all. His Harley was a total loss. I asked him about his loud pipes, surely she must've heard them. He just smiled and didn't look at me. I mentioned that the loud pipe sound was behind him and not in front where he needed it. He just smiled again.
I was wrong about this young man. When the seniors complained about his loud pipes when visiting his grandmother, he started coasting into the street with the engine off. Maybe he'll stay with stock pipes on his next bike, a Springer, when he gets the dough to finance another used Harley.
A lesson learned for him I hope. Never trust 'eye contact' He not only trusted but waited too long to do something about it.
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« Last Edit: July 21, 2012, 06:39:51 AM by solo1 »
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old2soon
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« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2012, 06:21:27 AM » |
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Wayne-if things look different out of sorts hinky"use yer own lable"i'm at the very least covering the front brake lever with my hand. Soooo i spend a lot of time on a ride covering my brake lever. Cross roads intersections when i pass a cage on 2 or 4 lane i ASSUME they don't/haven't see me. Carry over from my truck driving days i just ASSUME everyone is out to get me and they are incredibly dumb/stupid/idiotic etc etc. You get the point. And B T W-it works for me. RIDE SAFE.
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Today is the tommorow you worried about yesterday. If at first you don't succeed screw it-save it for nite check. 1964 1968 U S Navy. Two cruises off Nam.
VRCCDS0240 2012 GL1800 Gold Wing Motor Trike conversion
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cookiedough
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« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2012, 06:44:27 AM » |
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Unfortunately though, some accidents, no matter how careful and aware you are, cannot be avoided.
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solo1
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« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2012, 06:46:08 AM » |
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I do exactly what you do. When I'm riding in the country,especially now, when the corn is blocking your view at intersections, I cover the brake. If I see dust rising on a gravel road I'm ready to stop, if need be. Trust no one! Don't project. Don't think about doing something else while riding, riding is a full time job. That's why I never listen to tunes.
Most of all, play 'What if' . What if she/he turns left in front of me, where's the escape.
Oh Yes! There's cases where you can do nothing. Last week, a cyclist was killed here by an oncoming car crossing over into his lane : texting, drinking coffee, cell phone, reaching for something that fell under the seatr made no difference, the cyclist was dead and couldn't have avoided it.
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« Last Edit: July 21, 2012, 06:49:41 AM by solo1 »
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steve 3054
Member
Posts: 672
VRCC # 34853
Sanford,Fl. 352-267-1553
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« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2012, 08:07:38 AM » |
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I for one do try to make eye contact w/ people and feel that is the best way...however sh!t happens... I call B.S. on a Harley losing the belt on a stop, any stop ...
I know a fat boy that rides a fat boy who never used his front brake because someone told him the bike would flip over...bear in mind this guy is sooooo fat he PUTS his belly on the tank...that bike could not do a stoppie if his life was dependent on it..
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Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you
meet.
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old2soon
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« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2012, 08:17:01 AM » |
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I do exactly what you do. When I'm riding in the country,especially now, when the corn is blocking your view at intersections, I cover the brake. If I see dust rising on a gravel road I'm ready to stop, if need be. Trust no one! Don't project. Don't think about doing something else while riding, riding is a full time job. That's why I never listen to tunes.
Most of all, play 'What if' . What if she/he turns left in front of me, where's the escape.
Oh Yes! There's cases where you can do nothing. Last week, a cyclist was killed here by an oncoming car crossing over into his lane : texting, drinking coffee, cell phone, reaching for something that fell under the seatr made no difference, the cyclist was dead and couldn't have avoided it.
I've mentioned this before and i will repeat in the hope it will help at the very least one rider. It's like yer what if only with me it's-What is the stupidest most dumb a$$ idioctic thing the other driver can possibly do??   I am hardly ever dissapointed-they do the durndest things. And yes-no defense fer someone doing things other than driving when they are SUPPOSSED to be driving.  Again as always-RIDE SAFE. |
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Today is the tommorow you worried about yesterday. If at first you don't succeed screw it-save it for nite check. 1964 1968 U S Navy. Two cruises off Nam.
VRCCDS0240 2012 GL1800 Gold Wing Motor Trike conversion
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solo1
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« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2012, 08:22:34 AM » |
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As far as eye contact is concerned, they can be looking right at you and not seeing. No way will I depend on eye contact!
Cover the front brake and Know that they will do something stupid.
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old2soon
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« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2012, 09:46:14 AM » |
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I've made eye contact with people and had them pull right out in front of whatever i was driving at the time. Semis cages M/Cs made not an iota of difference. They still pulled out in front of me. Had one ahem-person tell me i had air brakes and could therefore stop better. Told him to remember that when 40 tons was rollin over his"insert yer own description-HERE".  RIDE SAFE. |
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Today is the tommorow you worried about yesterday. If at first you don't succeed screw it-save it for nite check. 1964 1968 U S Navy. Two cruises off Nam.
VRCCDS0240 2012 GL1800 Gold Wing Motor Trike conversion
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Alien
Member
Posts: 1414
Ride Safe, Be Kind
Earth
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« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2012, 10:02:01 AM » |
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When I was learning to drive my Dad was merciless. "What are you going tol do if the guy in front of us blows a tire?" "Where are you going to go if that car crosses the median?" What happens if the guy in the right lane spins out and comes into our lane upside down and on fire?" "Now what if all that happenned at the same time and you couldn't touch your brakes?"
He expected me to have an answer IMMEDIATELY. "Too slow, you're dead!" "People don't die slowly on the highway, it happens BANG right now." "The time to plan your way out is BEFORE the accident happens."
To be honest, as a 15 year old kid, I thought he was being kind of a dick, but looking back, my Dad's absolute insistence that I develop not only my skills but also my mindset has saved my life more times than I can count.
Thanks Dad
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