Near miss requiring change of underwear

[Tinbasher]

Well, it finally happened today. Proof positive that bikes and tikes are actually invisible!

I was pootling along the coast at about 40 when a car coming the other way turned across me to enter a parking bay. I was about 20yards from him and I hit the brakes. Thanks to BMW and Brembo I stopped about two feet from him but in a straight line. If I had been on two wheels I would have been off for sure.

He sat in the car waiting for me to drive off. I DIDN'T! He finally got out and came over and uttered the cliche excuse. " Sorry Mate I didn't see you" !

Now my trike is bright yellow and black and very hi vis which I pointed out to him. I really wanted to smack him but gritting my teeth I told him that had I hit him sorry wouldn't have come close to being enough. I also told him to go home and consider the fact that he came very close to killing someone today because he was distracted or just stupid.

I think he expected me to swear and rant, my quiet words seemed to shake him.

 

[rmrc51]

Thank God you 'dodged the bullet' today. You always have to be on the defensive!

 

[americanbadass]

You are a gentleman...Tinbasher! Over the years have had many instances where I had to lay my bike down, or swerve erratically and hope for the best. Some people are so stupid, they don't even know they did it! I am new to trikes, so have not had any "pooping pants" experiences yet-but it is inevitable.:gah::xszpv:

 

[Rosy]

Story:

Years ago I was waiting for my wife to get out of work. An older lady, then, now about the same age as me was pulling out of work. She stopped, looked left, looked right, looked left again and started to go. A biker came along and T-boned her, flew over the car and landed on the pavement. One lucky fellow, scrapes and bruises.

Officer Patrick Sweeny was there taking statements from her and the kid who hit her. He then looked over a saw me sitting in the car and came over. Rosy, did you see what happened? Yes, I did, Pat, and what did she have to say, Patrick told me she Never saw him, as a motorcycle, it never registered as a vehicle so she pulled out.

I told Patrick, she did everything correctly, she looked both ways and started off, then he hit her because he had nowhere to go. Just like you Tinbasher, but he wasn't as lucky as you.

I believe it is very important for people to learn that motorcycles, whatever type, are vehicles and deserve the same respect as a car or truck.

But, no, they think they are smaller so motorcycles have to get out of their way, not them out of yours. So sad!

Regards,

Rosy

From NH

 

[GoSlo]

That is scary and glad you're alright. Like ABA and most everyone else, I've had a few close calls on two wheels, but not yet on the trike...and unfortunately, it is only a matter of time until it happens.

Too bad everyone that gets a license isn't forced to ride on a motorcycle for a day or so to see the kind of stupid things cagers do on the road. I don't think it really registers when your encased in metal on all sides. It might just open their eyes a bit and think a little more when they get behind the wheel.

OK, done bitchin'. Be safe!!

 

[rhino 2]

To tell the truth, It doesn't matter what vehicle your driving people will cut you off, Just ask any School bus driver, Can't get any bigger or brighter than that!! It's just that on a Bike or Trike it becomes up close and personal.
Just ride safe and except the fact that the roads are full of Ya-Hoo's waiting to blindside you. :xszpv:

 

[Nana]

You definitely are a gentleman, Tinbasher! You handled that with class.

I can only imagine how much that shook you up, though. Thank God you are safe!

 

[Mr.Wizard]

Glad you're OK TB... Swift reaction time for sure.. and good brakes.

Got a few stories of my own on two wheels and three. Always an eye opener, a challenge of wits if lucky.

Again, glad you're OK

 

[ricle41]

I'm one of those school bus drivers and yes people act stupid even when you are oversized, yellow, and more lights than most vehicles! We have a safety meeting once a month, and just this month we had a long and very interactive discussion about all the close calls we have all had.

We stress defensive driving, and the state thinks that covers the bus driver obeying rules of the road. What it really means is staying aware of others on the road, and trying to imagine all possible situations caused by the other idiots and know your possible reactions ahead of time.

I started driving to school at age 14, driving 8 miles each way, and I'll always remember my mother saying, "I don't worry about you, just all the stupid drivers you will meet." It's still true today. Glad you're OK.

 

[bustedwing]

You are definitely more diplomatic then I am.Had one just last summer, traveling on a 4 lane road on the outside lane, a jeep Wagoner started to pass me but crowded my lane on the way, and as soon as the rear bumper was even with my front tire, she swung over into my lane. I slammed on the brakes, then picked up speed again and moved into the left lane and pulled up to her window which was open and yelled"you almost killed me back there" she was half asleep and I scared her pretty good. That was the third time last year, starting to give me a complex.

 

[Ozarkryder]

I find it surprising that the excuse "I didn't see him" works for cagers when they pull in front or hit motorcyclists. If that was a child they hit, even if there isn't injury, all hell would break loose. I suppose we shouldn't be surprised, when I was an EMT working on an ambulance service an amazing (to me) amount of people hit trains. :Shrug:

 

[Woolie]

I have had someone pull out in front of me also, trike slid straight to a stop. The @$$#*!% just kept going. I think the best way to get people to watch for motorcycles is to put more police on motorcycles, then they will be looking for motorcycles instead of cars.

 

[Bones158]

[CODE]<<<@!2!@>>>[/CODE]

How about this one.

 

[oneup]

i nearly got cleaned up this morning on my way to work, some tosser that didnt look before he changed lanes. what really anoys me about this topic is that here they want to bring in extra motorcycle laws, like wearing fluro clothing, and zero alcohol level for motorcyclists. but the stats say that 80 % of car V motorcycle accidents are the car drivers fault. so why not address the issue of training drivers to open their eyes while driving...now theres a novel idea...

 

[GARYD]

There's no way I could be so calm and forgiving. I don't believe in turning the other cheek. When I get done they know they did something wrong.
The one and only time I had something like this happen to me, I went ballistic on the old bat, but did calm down after she kept apologizing. :gah:
I think if I calmly scoldered her she wouldn't have understood a thing. JMHO

GoSlo, you're on the right track, but I think everyone should have to ride a bike for 6 months to a year to really know what we go through.
I also think that every drivers test should, at the minimum, put an emphasis on motorcycle/intersection confrontations.

Off Topic = And for us northeners, every drivers test should have simulated snow/ice driving for car drivers.

 

[americanbadass]

With many years of riding experiece, I have noticed one very consistant dynamic. Things are more dangerous for riders during the first few months of the season. People seem to forget to watch for bikes during the winter. Most of the close calls I have had,have been in the first few months after winter. I am not saying the danger goes away-but I do think the morons become more aware as the season matures.:xzqxz::xzqxz::xzqxz:

 

[Tinbasher]

With many years of riding experiece, I have noticed one very consistant dynamic. Things are more dangerous for riders during the first few months of the season. People seem to forget to watch for bikes during the winter. Most of the close calls I have had,have been in the first few months after winter. I am not saying the danger goes away-but I do think the morons become more aware as the season matures.:xzqxz::xzqxz::xzqxz:

I think you are spot on there, it was a bright dry but cold winters day and riding all day a saw probably three bikes.

 

[GARYD]

ABA, I agree 100% that's why I ride all winter - so I can keep the general masses aware of bikers - in my area.
I don't get anywhere near the near misses I usually get during the summer.

For some reason I think cage drivers are more aware of us during the winter then in the summer, because it is extreamly unusual to see a bike so their inner brain function (radar) alerts them to this very strange phenomenon. In the summer their brains go on vacation.:gah:

 

[Pegasus1300]

Tom so glad you are here to tell the tale. Excellant answer.

 

[Tinbasher]

My late dad who was a motorcyclist always used to say. "Accidents are always the bikers fault because he usually isn't alive to give evidence"

 

[87Trike1200]

Like a lot of us, I've had some close calls from time to time. We must constantly be aware and saying to ourselves, "what if this guy does this or what if that guy to that". This doesn't prevent everything, but sure helps. Have a plan - also, I love my Rivco air horns. They help "wake 'em up".

 

[Bill Reber]

Cagers do NOT look for bikes even if they see them the brain does not. This is a fault in our driver education in the USA much of it stems from thinking a bike is a toy and not valid transportation. Don't believe this spend a little time in Europe or Asia.Hit a bike or a scooter and see what happens you'll get a hell of a lot more than a hand slap.

 

[GARYD]

Cagers do NOT look for bikes even if they see them the brain does not. This is a fault in our driver education in the USA much of it stems from thinking a bike is a toy and not valid transportation. Don't believe this spend a little time in Europe or Asia.Hit a bike or a scooter and see what happens you'll get a hell of a lot more than a hand slap.

You sure got that right. :10:

The one thing we had that was really a life saver was the "headlight on" regulation. Then they go and make everyone have their lights on - poof - there goes our one and only real edge.

Now they tell us to wear bright colors and what do they do??? - paint cars with bright colors. We can't win folks. Maybe a twin 50 cal. mounted on the front of your bike will work.
Or as Bill said, stricter/harsher laws like Asia and Europe. ThumbUp

 

[orange winger2]

Are any of you using modulating headlights?

 

[ladyff1481]

All the hi vis clothing, extra lighting, brightly colored bikes, etc is never going to help us as long as we have distracted drivers. I think that there should be a mandatory program which automatically disables a cell phone when the car is in motion. I know it's an option with my cell company but I do believe that it should be mandatory.
News stations are reporting the upsurge in teenager's deaths in MVA's. Most accidents that I respond to as an EMT, either the person was on the phone or it was weather related.
As for the motorcycle accidents, they always say that they didn't see the biker. My Trike is about the same size as my friends' Toyota Yaris. I sure find it hard to believe when someone says to me that they didn't see me.

 

[GoSlo]

Not sure where I read this or if it even holds water, but found it interesting....

Drivers of cars are so sensory overloaded with all the things they see on the road, that the mind has to shut certain things out or determine if it's not a danger. Most of the "dangers" that the mind perceives are "horizontally oriented", such as other cars or trucks (two headlights set apart horizontally and the vehicle is usually wider than it is tall). Bikes or trikes generally only have one headlight and the bike/trike is more "vertical" in shape so their mind does not "see it as a threat", and so it doesn't register that something is there. There was also something mentioned about a triangle of lights that makes you more visible, which may be one of the reasons cars added the third brake light up high and in the middle of the rear brake lights.

Like I say, it could be BS, but thought there might be some merit to the idea. Of course like ladyff1481 said, adding the distraction of talking/texting on cell phones only makes it worse.

 

[rmrc51]

Not sure where I read this or if it even holds water, but found it interesting....

Drivers of cars are so sensory overloaded with all the things they see on the road, that the mind has to shut certain things out or determine if it's not a danger. Most of the "dangers" that the mind perceives are "horizontally oriented", such as other cars or trucks (two headlights set apart horizontally and the vehicle is usually wider than it is tall). Bikes or trikes generally only have one headlight and the bike/trike is more "vertical" in shape so their mind does not "see it as a threat", and so it doesn't register that something is there. There was also something mentioned about a triangle of lights that makes you more visible, which may be one of the reasons cars added the third brake light up high and in the middle of the rear brake lights.

Like I say, it could be BS, but thought there might be some merit to the idea. Of course like ladyff1481 said, adding the distraction of talking/texting on cell phones only makes it worse.

Another reason why I have as many lights on my trike as possible (front, sides and rear) in the "hope" that I'll be easily seen.

 

[ladyff1481]

I thought the bright purple sparkle on my 1st trike would work but it didn't, now I'm looking at a modulator headlight and flashing brake lights on the tour pak.

 

[GoSlo]

Found the link to the article I was trying to explain. Again, not sure how valid it is, but it's sure something to think about.

Why car drivers don't 'see' bikers and cyclists (Harley, ride, motorbike) -   - City-Data Forum

 

[Rosy]

Put trikes, motocycles, and scooters people's mind. How many signs do you see in September about children going to school, school bus, cross walks, crossing guards, well they should remind people when they get their linceses or tags that motorcycles, trikes, and scooters are vehicles.
I know in NH, they have signs out telling motorist that motorcycles are out there and be aware of them.
Still there are accidents. You are correct in distractions to drivers, that's a big one. I think in Maine you can not be distracted or you will get pulled over:
Eating
Drinking water-juice-coffee anything
Cell phone
and the big one is texting.
While I was in California there was a motorcycle cop hiding behind some bushes every day looking for people with their hands to their ears, like being on the phone, he would go after them and give them a ticket. Harsh, but it is one way to make people aware they shouldn't do it.
Give a ticket to a few and hundreds will find out because word of mouth.

Regards,

Rosy & Janice
From NH