I saved a rider's life today...

[Serk]

...or at least saved him from SERIOUS injury...

Driving the cage on a 6 lane surface street, coming up to an intersection, I had the green light... I was in the right hand lane. Scanning the intersection, something wasn't right, not sure what, but I started slowing down...

Middle aged guy on a Harley, no gear at all, was on the right hand cross street, had a red light, and was flying full speed into the intersection to make a left turn through a red light and a full intersection...

I still don't know what prompted me to slow down a bit before I saw him, but glad I did.

Soon as I saw him, I hit the brakes hard. Car behind me started honking at me until they saw WHY I was hitting the brakes. Bike looked up wide eyed staring me in the eyes, just inches from hitting my car we both came to complete stops...

I then proceeded on my way...

About 20 seconds later I nearly had to pull over. I was fine during the incident, and immediately after, but when it all started to sink in, I started shaking. That was SO close.

Anyway, not sure what the point is of me sharing it, but just been running it over in my mind ever since it happened, and had to get it out...

Keep wondering... Had I NOT been a rider, that drives with the same attentiveness that I ride with.... Had the next car along been some idiot on their cel phone instead of a rider in a car... Would that Harley rider be going home to his family tonight?

Anyway... Thanks for letting me rant... Be careful out there... And don't let your guard down, even when you're in a cage!

[stormrider]

Good move on your part Serk. And you never know, like around here, could've just as easy been an 18 wheeler. Seems everbody is distrackted by something.

[Normandog]

 

[HayHauler]

Probably shouldn't share this, but when I'm in my cage (4X4 Dodge Diesel) I tend to try to "protect" bikers by shielding them from speeders/lane changers that I see coming up from behind. 
It's not much, but being a rider, I feel for the biker that rides in traffic and is unaware what is coming up from behind. 
The lane changers can't see the bike in front of me and might cut me off to "get in front of one car" and not see the bike.

It's sort of funny, I ride/drive both ends of the spectrum.  I ride a Valk that is vunerable to most other vehicles AND I drive Big Whitey that is only vunerable to semi's and some dump trucks.. 

Please be safe out there.  They are all out there trying to kill us.

Hay 
Jimmyt

[alph]

you said the guy on the harley ran a red light.  wasn't wearing any protective gear.  wasn't paying attention to anything around him. 

you saved him, someone else wont.  at least you did right.

[JimL]

This is the time when it is appropriate to say something uplifting...something like the Lord was certainly looking out for this ignorant ass-wipe running the red light.  I wish that is the way I felt.

I am certainly glad Serk that you did not incur injury due to some else's stupidity....that is the uplifting part of this story.  We have all had moments during our life where we have been distracted or did something stupid....somehow I suspect this guy has had more than his fair share of those moments. 

He lives another day, and more likely than not, gets another chance to succeed in killing some innocent person.

Hopefully this is not the case, and I'm just grumpy because I have not yet had my coffee........

[PharmBoy]

I find that there are a lot of courteous cage drivers out there, especially here in my part of the world where things are more "laid back".  Here there are only a few that are of the "hell bent for leather, don't seem to give a damn" type of cage drivers.  I think that distractions such as cell phones, radios, passengers, etc. cause more accidents than any other factor.  Unfortunately, it is always the bike rider who has to pay.  You should be commended for staying alert, Serk...JTL 

[Serk]

alph & JimL - Yeah, I had many of those same thoughts going through my head too... But, I'll admit I've gotten carried away in the moment a few times and lowered my guard when riding too. I try not to, but sometimes, it happened, even to the best of us...

Hopefully the scare he got yesterday is enough of a wakeup call for him to start paying more attention, maybe get at least a LITTLE safety gear (Oh, and use it...), or, if it's appropriate, decide it's time to hang up the keys... At least, I'm hoping he noticed how close he came and wasn't just mad at me for almost hitting him... Who knows...

[12voltclothing]

When you both stopped, you should of had a "talk" with him.

[Rocketman]

At least, I'm hoping he noticed how close he came and wasn't just mad at me for almost hitting him... Who knows...

Second that.  Too many times, this situation ends with the one at fault being very upset, and not having a clue he was at fault.

[sugerbear]

doesn't matter of your in a cage or on the bike.
listen to the little voice.