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Please watch out for motorcycles

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  • #503081
    Heather
    Participant

      Hi everyone,
      I had a scary experience yesterday. I am fine, but it was a very close call. I was on a motorcycle with my boyfriend driving in our neighborhood. We were taking a short 20 minute trip on one of the first sunny warm days we’ve had in a while. We were riding in a somewhat rural area, but there are still a lot of homes and other drivers. We were going about 50 mph on a one lane road when a car decides to make a left turn from a street to our left. He decided he was going to turn right in front of us. I credit my boyfriend’s quick thinking as he was able to move out of the way, but I saw how close this car got to us. We ended up for a short while in the gravel on the side of the road before my boyfriend was able to move to bike back to the road. He said he lost control for a little while and we are lucky the bike didn’t tip over. I was reading today that most motorcycle accidents occur when someone is making a left turn and do not see the motorcycle. I am assuming for some reason the driver just didn’t see us. So, if you are driving, please always be aware of who is around you. Bikes are hard to see sometimes because of their size and slim profile. So, I am thankful that everything is okay, but I will admit I am a bit freaked out to get on a bike again any time soon. Be safe!

      #846112
      Kujacker
      Participant

        I’m a bike rider. Sport bike. And my bike is black. When I ride my bike I think of the road differently than when I’m in my truck. I rarely speed on the bike (generally I speed/speed up if I’m about to be in someone’s blind spot) and I don’t care if someone is behind me or not. If I get to four way stop, I let everyone go before I try to go.

        I’ve been almost hit so many times in my truck. I’ve had people merge right into me, turn in front of me, you name it. Thankfully I’ve avoided everything but still. If this kind of crap can happen in a large vehicle, then the idea of a tiny bike on the road is even worse.

        Thankfully, as a rider (and even before I was one I always wanted a bike, so I was always conscience of bikes on roadways), I notice motorcycles very quickly… and once I see one, I remember that they’re there. I hope other motorcyclists have this habit as well.

        #846114
        Katherine
        Participant

          http://www.hoglaw1.com/freeDecal.php

          This is a nice thing to have. 🙂
          But I am so glad you are safe!!

          #846165
          Heather
          Participant

            I think I might just get that sticker. I am rarely ever on a motorcycle, but I do drive my car every day. This incident helps to remind me to be wary of motorcycles, bikes, etc on the road. We’ve all gotta share the road 🙂

            #846168
            darjeb
            Participant

              I am glad you are both OK. As a former bike rider (we both had bikes when my husband was alive) I know how careful you have to be because drivers don’t pay a lot of attention to bikes.

              #846188
              etruscan
              Participant

                I am happy to watch out for motorcycles and bikes but I do expect them to obey the rules of the road too. More than once I have seen motorcycles riding between lines of slower cars in a traffic jam, and I have a terrible time watching out for them because they are in the wrong place. Just because a motorcycle is smaller and CAN ride on the white lines between cars doesn’t mean that someone should.

                #846192
                Hannah
                Participant

                  etruscan reminded me of someone on a bike just the other day.. I was waiting to turn left across a street of heavy traffic when a bike passed me on my right and turned in front of me, going the exact same route as I was about to take. If I had been in a rush, I would have hit him. To make things worse, after I turned left I ended up passing him just to hear him cursing at me and throwing me the bird as if I had done something wrong.

                  I realize that not everyone is this stupid when they’re riding their bike, but it definitely stuck with me.

                  As far as being safe and watching for people on bikes, I definitely do. My ex boyfriend had a bike and I only took a ride on it once before I decided I never wanted to again (lean INTO the corner? :shocked: ), but because of his horror stories I’m pretty sensitive to bikes on the road. That guy the other day makes me so angry, why would you ever attempt to ignore the rules of the road when you’re riding on something that can be potentially be so dangerous? Baffles me.

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                  #846219
                  Hannah
                  Participant

                    Oh my gosh, yes the leaning scares me!! Much for the same reason as the guy in your class, I felt like I was falling every time I did. I just know I’m not born to ride on bikes XD Too scary!

                    And the guy on the bike in traffic was on a motorbike – something that was a cross between a cycle and a motorcycle. I hardly ever see them around, much less in traffic!

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                    #846215
                    Kujacker
                    Participant

                      A bike as in a cyclist or a motorcycle bike? I’m assuming cyclist.
                      I’ve seen cyclists do this as well. But I’ve also seen them wait their turn to go as you would in a car. For him to respond that way is weird. Cyclists are to behave like a car! At least in my state they are.

                      lean INTO the corner?
                      Hahah. Yeah, if you want the bike to turn you have to lean it. Riding a bicycle is the same thing (for the most part). Gotta lean.
                      One thing riders get mad about is when they have a passenger on the back that doesn’t lean. If you don’t lean then welcome to the curb and pavement!
                      Someone in my bike training class got expelled from the class because he wouldn’t lean. He tried to turn a corner, didn’t want to lean (he said he was afraid he’d fall over if he leaned) and then practically ran straight into a neighboring building! He barreled over some cones, otherwise he would have hit the building.

                      #846222
                      Kujacker
                      Participant

                        Oh, one of those bikes with a tiny motor thing on it. I’ve seen those. I thought they were illegal to use on the roads? Which would make what he did double illegal lol.

                        I looove leaning lol. Sometimes I think “how far can I lean this time”. It’s a lot of fun. I know my limits though, and even I wouldn’t go this >>> far over. An old friend use to lean so much that his foot pedals would scrap on the pavement T___T Of course he was also in like 3 accidents on the thing and his first bike was totaled after he flew over a car. Idiot. Then he would blame the drivers… yet he’s the only person I know with a bike that’s had ANY accidents at all. Coincidence? I think not. This guy also does 60 in a 35… so yeah.

                        But yeah… Yay leaning! Hey, at least you know you don’t want to ride bikes. Better than the guy in my class that paid how much money only to find out he was scared.

                        #846374
                        Hannah
                        Participant

                          I just read this article on Cracked.com –

                          WARNING – if you don’t know Cracked.com, please be aware that it is a humor website which does sometimes include swearing in their articles.

                          6 Things Nobody Tells you About Owning a Motorcycle

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                          #846392
                          Heather
                          Participant

                            Haha, thanks for the Cracked article. I’ve always enjoyed the no holds barred way they talk. And of course #2 You Cease to Exist sounds disturbingly familiar.

                            #846603
                            kitsunelady
                            Participant

                              I liked the part where a bird built a nest in his helmet in like 2 hours. XD

                              #846605
                              Bodine
                              Participant

                                AMEN!!
                                I am glad you are both okay.It only takes a split second. 🙁
                                My sister and her husband got broadsided like that in Lafitte a few years back.Slung my sister away put crunched her hubby.The docs said he would never walk again…yeah right!He had bought him a modified truck within six months of that diagnosis and he is riding again today.Whether it is a bad wreck or a not so,do not let it spook you from the joy of riding.It is the other drivers you need to watch out for.I have noticed in myself as I have gotten past 50 that my eyes don’t focus as fast at night or bad weather and I will change lanes,pass them up,anything I can to stay away from bikes.I wish more people would notice them at stop signs and red lights.Sometimes they do blend in with the background.People are in too much of a hurry and people don’t realize how old or drunk or angry,etc, people are behind the wheel so please everyone,including riders{I ride in a heartbeat}be aware and think about such things when behind the wheel.
                                I saw an old man,barely taking three inch steps at a time,get out of his Cadillac,cane in hand and wobble his way across the parking lot to pay for his gas.I didn’t wait around to see how long it took him to get his gas but I thought about just how dangerous it was for bikers and such for that old a man to be driving.There is no way he could react fast enough not to hit someone if something came up.That is another issue that needs to be addressed.If we have elderly in our family that could use a hand getting around,let’s do it.I hope when I get that old,I have a younger person taking me about so I will not be a hazard to anyone.
                                Glad you are safe and jump back on that horse and ride. 😉

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                                #846619
                                Heather
                                Participant

                                  Thanks Bodine, I will ride again. My boyfriend took his bike on a 6 hour ride to northern Wisconsin with no problem at all last summer. While, the short ride we took around the block a week ago ended up being potentially hazardous. There is no doubt that bikers have to be cautious just as much as drivers of cars need to be aware of what is going on around them.

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