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Look over your shoulder.....

RAWLDYMAN

Active Member
Had a bit of a fright whilst out for a ride this evening and it was down to another biker - not a cager as seems to be the most common case. Thought I'd share it with you all as it taught me a lesson which might benefit some others and maybe save somebodys skin. (UK roads remember)
Lovely summer evening, very little traffic, great riding conditions and I'm on a good road with some fantastic sweeping bends. About half way along a 1/4 mile straight and I'm doing the sweep thing (speedo/mirrors) that you're taught to do in training and I see the headlight of a bike has just entered way back the straight behind me and he's making speed.
Coming toward the end of the straight to a left hand bend and there's a car coming round the corner. I want to take up a position to "see round the corner" and to miss a rough patch (caused by the bad frost) that I know is in the middle of my lane.
I don't always do this, I admit, but I take a glance sideways before "drifting over", and am about to move out slightly, only to hear the roar and see the bike come up on my shoulder, a green kawasaki/red helmet; I'm level with the oncoming car now and what does the maniac do but overtake me on my side of the centre line at a ferocious speed! I'm below the speed limit 60mph but he has to be doin 90 and he was way down on his side as he took the corner.
I swear he was no more than a foot from me when he passed me. I hav'nt been that close to another bike even in a parking lot! If I had'nt looked before moving over, to take up a line through the bend, as you do, then both of us were dead.
You see I always thought it essential to do the lifesaver look when moving lanes/turning etc but never realized the importance of doing it in the course of normal riding. I do now. Maybe it's just part of learning.
There we were, just 3 vehicles on a road with no other traffic in sight and all three were put in deadly danger by one guy who is obviously a menace and brings infamy on the biking fraternity.
About 3 miles further on I see a green kawasaki and rider with red helmet chattin to his mates outside the petrol station. Must have been urgent business.
Perhaps I should have pulled over and told him about a rider who lost his head (literally) in an incident about 5 miles away from here, whilst executing a similar manoeuvre a few weeks ago. But I was still shaking and let it go....He'll get his - I just hope he does'nt take someone else with him.
Ride safe.
 
I decided to go out for a couple hour ride last Sunday morning. Beautiful sunshine, cool breeze and nothing but open road in front of me. As I approach a blind left hand sweep I'm faced with a sport bike illegally passing a vehicle heading straight for me. Long story short, we missed by inches. This was a 10 on the pucker factor! I motored down the road but the relaxing enjoyment of a mind clearing ride was lost on this idiot. Your story brought back my near miss. Southern California offers some great riding destinations with many challenging roads. I could write columns of articles describing the many times I've helped sport bike riders either holding their hands while pain racks their body, helping the helicopter crew carry a gurney with an injured rider being transported by life Flight or the time I watched the life leave a young rider who failed to negotiate a sweep and drive head first into an on coming car. I may pause but I'll never give up this sport I love!
 
Wow! Glad your OK. I always, always do a headcheck before changing lanes. I even do it when approaching an on ramp..don't want some knucklehead leaving the on ramp too fast and run into me. Can't be too cautious anymore.
 
1+ for what Richard said, been doing head checks always, but it also means that sometimes you have to be proactive and use you center part of your lane as much as possible. Normally I ride in the wheel track of the car in front, left if I am needing to check conditions or right if I am following further back and want more clearance for shenanigins from oncoming traffic, actually having sportriders cross my path and use the right side of the road in a "gravelly slide"...not a country dance or very pretty... (USA right side roads). :small3d007:
 
I don't know about where you live but it seems like all those guys on sport bikes are just plain crazy. I have had that happen on the tail of the dragon. It seems as those they have a death wish on themself and others. Glad you are ok.
 
Yes you do have to be aware of whats going on around you all the time
He obviously didnt really know what he was doing as any motorcycle should be moving to the outside side of a bend prior to entering it to give a better view of whats ahead and to give a better angle through the bend

Brian
 
We can never be too careful look twice then ride better safe than sorry:D
 
That is the kind of thrill I can do with out, run into (edit) here all the time.
 
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