A disturbing thing happened while driving the cage yesterday.....

[TomT]

I have been riding motorcycles on and off since 1971. Been an advocate of looking out for bikers when driving, and what happened....I pulled out in front of a bike! I mean, I didn't even see him until he was right there beside me. Luckily, traffic was going slow enough that he was able to avoid me and I was able to hit the gas and get out of his way. But, it has been bothering me for the last two days!
I mean, he blended right into the background of the power poles behind him, traffic, light conditions, everything!! 
I keep thinking if I could pull out in front of him, someone who doesn't ever look, or know what to look for is bound to pull out in front of him or me or someone else.
I don't know. Just shook me to the core. With all the crap that has happened lately, makes me think more about giving it all up.
Sorry about the long rant. Hope the weekend goes good for the rest of you.
TomT

[olddog1946]

I have been riding motorcycles on and off since 1971. Been an advocate of looking out for bikers when driving, and what happened....I pulled out in front of a bike! I mean, I didn't even see him until he was right there beside me. Luckily, traffic was going slow enough that he was able to avoid me and I was able to hit the gas and get out of his way. But, it has been bothering me for the last two days!
I mean, he blended right into the background of the power poles behind him, traffic, light conditions, everything!! 
I keep thinking if I could pull out in front of him, someone who doesn't ever look, or know what to look for is bound to pull out in front of him or me or someone else.
I don't know. Just shook me to the core. With all the crap that has happened lately, makes me think more about giving it all up.
Sorry about the long rant. Hope the weekend goes good for the rest of you.
TomT

Totally unnerving but it happens on occasion. I once pulled out in front of a car that, thanks to an alert driver didn't imbed it self in the side of my car..I did not see a damn thing til it was right there, breathing fire in my face. I can tell ya, it scared the crap out of me.. I never did figure out how I missed it but glad nothing worse happened than a good scare.

[Mary (Ontario)]

I was in my car following a bike along the road and we came to a stop light, bike was black, rider was wearing a black jacket and helmet. The van he stopped behind was black and I'm sitting there thinking this rider was darn lucky that I was the one behind him paying attention because the bike sorta just disappeared. It was very hard to see him. I thought how easy it would have been for some car to run right into the back of him if they weren't paying close attention.

[Robert]

Kinda like fighter jets when you loose the edge you should stop and reevaluate if you want to ride. I bought the valk because its big wide and I put a light bar on and took reflectors off and put on leds. I want to be seen and when I pull up to a intersection or any situation, I scan faces, tires cars people and make a decision about every situation. Sounds like a lot of planning and it is but it has helped me and I do want to continue to ride.  I also knew the inherent risks of riding we all do. I have done my share of bonner things and that's why I can be upset when somebody pulls out on me or does something stupid but I cant be outraged unless they were on the phone or texting or something stupid. My own son who I taught how to ride and rides with me pulled out on me and didn't see me till I was behind him saying wth? So no amount of planning or defensive driving can totally protect you that's the rub that's the decision isn't it? We all need to decide for ourselves if the potential price is worth the ride or for that matter anything we do in life. Thats a deeply personal decision and no one can make it for you. I also know that we all have a little something in the back of our thoughts that tells us we shouldn't do that thing today or ever. So we weight all this up and we make a decision. I really like riding and we go through life hearing stories about how people died or just did stupid things and got hurt and yet some provoke the death or injuries and walk out ok without a scratch. I pray about riding and know that although I see death and destruction and hear horrific stories of what could happen that, Thats not me, The book of my life hasent finished yet and I know that there are some blank chapters yet to be written. The road I go down will be reflected in the memories and thoughts that effect the joy or pain of the future. I want to get to the end and say that was awesome thanks for the time and what I had the ability to do. I don't want to say that fear, doubt, others rantings or ravings made the decision for me. You are given one life use it to the fullest, don't say when its to late I should have, and enjoy everyday as if it were your last. NO ONE knows when the last day or minute or second of your life is. Suddenly in the blink of a eye everything can change.

[Patrick]

STUFF happens.. We're human,, now,, you are too.. My only bike accident I've had was in 1965 when an old gal pulled in front of and I couldn't get away from her..
A few years ago I pulled in front of a bike,, I didn't see him,, and we both ended up stopping without incident.. I apologized and he called me about every name he could think of,, I continued to apologize and he continued his rant.. After the third time I had had enough and got out of the truck, told him to go %$%*^%%& and he then let the clutch out and headed down the road..

[solo1]

Some years ago, my wife cut off a motorcycle. Since I ride, she was well aware of ,motorcycles.  She couldn't explain it.  I've done similar

We all can make mistakes like that even tho we are aware of what's going on around us when we ride.

If that happens to us, think about all the young ones, and older ones out there texting while driving.  Many are part time drivers and their mind is not on driving even without texting.  We can make ourselves more visible by wearing attention getting color but sometimes that isn't enough.

That's why i mostly ride on back roads now.  I can use all of my over 50 years of riding experience to try to keep out of trouble.  Interstate highways generally are safer too.  City traffic with all its possibilities for running across brain dead drivers, is too dangerous for me any more based on the risks that I'm willing to take with my reduced skills.

[judd]

I have been riding motorcycles on and off since 1971. Been an advocate of looking out for bikers when driving, and what happened....I pulled out in front of a bike! I mean, I didn't even see him until he was right there beside me. Luckily, traffic was going slow enough that he was able to avoid me and I was able to hit the gas and get out of his way. But, it has been bothering me for the last two days!
I mean, he blended right into the background of the power poles behind him, traffic, light conditions, everything!!  
I keep thinking if I could pull out in front of him, someone who doesn't ever look, or know what to look for is bound to pull out in front of him or me or someone else.
I don't know. Just shook me to the core. With all the crap that has happened lately, makes me think more about giving it all up.
Sorry about the long rant. Hope the weekend goes good for the rest of you.
TomT

Totally unnerving but it happens on occasion. I once pulled out in front of a car that, thanks to an alert driver didn't imbed it self in the side of my car..I did not see a damn thing til it was right there, breathing fire in my face. I can tell ya, it scared the crap out of me.. I never did figure out how I missed it but glad nothing worse happened than a good scare.

Not saying that these guys didn't have their lights on but, here in Canada we have had mandatory day lights on all vehicles made after 1990.  For a long while I thought this to be rather useless, just more Government medling and appeasing another vocal study group, until I rode in the States where it is not required. Man was I wrong, I noticed that vehicles with out lights on during the day were much harder to spot, many depending on the colour, time of day and setting tended to blend in with the background especially at a distance, I recall pulling out to pass a few times down there and not immediately recognizing an oncoming car, a motorcycle would be even harder to spot.   It does make a huge difference.  Come ride up here you will notice.

I have been riding for a long , long time now and should know better but, I have pulled out on a bike before as well, very bad feeling indead, to know that you could have ruined someones day so easily............. I think that most people are geared to be watching for cars and the bikes just don't register immediatly,  they are visually smaller and may appear further away than they actually are, compounded by the fact that they may be exceding the speed limit as well, this leaves only split seconds to impact.

[musclehead]

nobodies perfect, it's concerning you and that makes you better by self doubt. you'll look and look again 

[fubar606]

weather you pull out in front of someone (bike or car) or someone runs you off the road or someone just messes with you on the road if it scares the sh*t out of you it will keep you sharp for a wile till the next time.  if it doesn't kill you it makes you sharper

[art]

Some years ago, my wife cut off a motorcycle. Since I ride, she was well aware of ,motorcycles.  She couldn't explain it.  I've done similar

We all can make mistakes like that even tho we are aware of what's going on around us when we ride.

If that happens to us, think about all the young ones, and older ones out there texting while driving.  Many are part time drivers and their mind is not on driving even without texting.  We can make ourselves more visible by wearing attention getting color but sometimes that isn't enough.

That's why i mostly ride on back roads now.  I can use all of my over 50 years of riding experience to try to keep out of trouble.  Interstate highways generally are safer too.  City traffic with all its possibilities for running across brain dead drivers, is too dangerous for me any more based on the risks that I'm willing to take with my reduced skills.

I too like to ride the back roads to get away from the traffic and the rush rush all the time.On my last back road ride of about 100 miles I seen two cars and scared the crap out of a black bear cub on the hillside near the road.It jumped down onto the road in front of me and started running.I reved up the engine to make more noise and he took off like a shot over the downhill side of the road.I did not hang around to see if mommy was around even though I was packing.My 380 auto would not help too much.About a mile down the road it happened again only this time it was a deer.Even out in the middle of nowhere a rider must be on the alert for suprises

[Gear Jammer]

I've almost done the same thing, and it made me think "what if that had been me?"    ,,,,  thus my installation of the headlight modulator, two sets of driving lights (one low on crashbars, the other at headlight height).  An equal number of additional lights to the rear as well.  I guess you may can have too many lights, but I'm not at that point yet I don't believe.  And yeah I know some here have said that modulators "annoy" them     ,,,, to be annoyed you had to see me    ,,, and that's the whole idea   

[Moonshot_1]

Imagine the yellow dots are motorcycles.

http://www.msf-usa.org/motion.html

Sometimes drivers don't see motorcycles cause they can't see the motorcycle.



Ever go into a room to look for something and can't find it and go in later and there it is right in plain and obvious view?

Even the most alert drivers  at a particular moment can simply not see a motorcycle.
Shoot, some drivers even hit trains.

Best solution is to know your bike. Use the front brake. Practice hard stops with it. Practice, practice, practice. Stay alert. Trust no ones driving skills but your own.

[RP#62]

Shoot, some drivers even hit trains.

Years ago, when I worked for Piedmont, we had a hanger across the street from the airport.  We used to tow aircraft to and from the hangar late at night so as not to screw up traffic.  One night, about 2 in the morning we were moving a 727 across the road, and some drunk chick in a pickup ran right into the side of it.  Said she didn't see it - must have been all the flashing lights.  Thats why I try not to ride at night.

-RP 

[Michael K (Az.)]

I've almost done the same thing, and it made me think "what if that had been me?"    ,,,,  thus my installation of the headlight modulator, two sets of driving lights (one low on crashbars, the other at headlight height).  An equal number of additional lights to the rear as well.  I guess you may can have too many lights, but I'm not at that point yet I don't believe.  And yeah I know some here have said that modulators "annoy" them     ,,,, to be annoyed you had to see me    ,,, and that's the whole idea   

Modulator here, too! I agree with your "annoy" statement!! Also Cobra light bar and blinking to solid stop light. What ever I can do!!