Nothing too scary, just the usual phone talking driver drifting into my lane.
sounds scary to me, I will share a story in a email I got. its off another forum.
(my dad sent it to me, still lookin out.) should almost be a new thread?
I died today, Friday 5-7-10
Well if finally happened, My luck ran out. It must be luck
that kept me alive this long as I can not claim any super
skills on my motorcycle. It just happened so fast. The first
clue I got was when the Volvo's mirror touched my left
handlebar. The wheel cut left first and I bounced off the
passenger door and right at the Motor Carrier cab tandem
rear wheels. AS I hit the ground at 80 feet per second the
bike rotated over me and then into me. I actually felt the
right side fork push into my pelvis and through to the back,
actually scraping the ground. The first set of wheels
bounced over the bike and me and then the trailer tires hit.
This part really hurt as it ran right over my helmet.
Important parts in a helmet, things a person needs. I was
now hovering over the scene watching in utter fascination as
what was left of my mortal carcass got spit out the back of
the rig in a pile of rags and tire smoke.
The first person to walk up to me dropped to her knees and
puked. Wimp I thought, just cover me up and go back to your
life you can not help me now. I thought of my 16 year old
son and my wife of almost 20 years. I was going to finish
putting the garden in on Saturday and these billion scoville
peppers I bought online need to start being rotated out and
inside. Well I guess a few questions we all have at the end
will now be answered. What is that light? Grandma? Grandpa?
Almost friends.
Almost.....
You see I have a few very strict rules when I am driving.
High on the list is if I see someone on a cel phone I get
away. I do not wait I get away. Get away now!
The newer cx90 with the o so busy lady yakin on the cel
phone was one of those moments. I was in the middle lane
passing a Motor Carrier truck and when I looked into the
side mirror as she passed me and saw the universal sign of a
distracted driver, right hand to side of head. AS she passed
me I also saw the starbucks coffee in the left hand. My
internal alarms flashed and a cold shot of piss hit my
heart. She was going to pass me but really had no where to
go as the next vehicle in line was less than 70 feet in
front of her. I rechecked my rear and grabbed brakes. Not
hard enough to skid but enough that a half a second later
she is 50 feet in front of me and I am now behind the truck.
I signal and pull behind the truck and still loose speed as
I like to be able to get at least one mirror on a truck
visible. I press the lane to the left and briefly make
mirror contact with the driver.
30 seconds later a Kia Sportage passes me in the middle
lane. This is where I would have died. AS the Kia gets even
with the trucks rear wheels the Volvo decides they need to
get in the middle lane. The CX90 pushes the Sportage onto
the tires like Dale used to push Buckshot into the wall. The
plastic wheel well flares come off like confetti and wiz by
my helmet. I see red lights from the trailer But I already
know the drill, find an out NOW! sometimes stopping is the
wrong answer. I look in my mirrors and I see a panel van
closing in the slow lane but the high speed is clear. The
Volvo is now backwards and behind me in the gravel, the
driver now a passenger until Newtons 1st law is fulfilled. I
throw my self across the 2 left lanes and pass everything. I
stop about a hundred yards past the end and walk back.
The truck has 2 blown tires and the Kia looks like modern
art on the passenger side. The Volvo has a scuffed passenger
door and a missing mirror and a crying driver. I walk behind
the truck and this is where the real damage was. The panel
van driver is slumped over the broken windshield with bags
deployed, van and trailer now joined. What is missing is me.
The second wrong choice would have been to stop behind the
trailer.
In an instant. Choices made and roads taken.
Most of the old timers know about how I got scared off my
old bike. Posted it right here in this forum and got made
fun of and supported and blamed and everything in between. I
was off bikes for 8 years and I let my ride rust to junk.
This was closer. Much closer.
I am not going to get scared off my bike this time. I will
continue to roll on 2 wheels and be as safe as I can. I will
always follow these rules.
1. Trust no one, neither brother bike or driver of 4 to 18.
2. Trust no signal or sign, for the sign or signal is no
protection.
3. Look for the distracted, be they on 2 to 18 or feet or
even paws and hooves.
4. Have an out ready NOW. Know what is clear and what is
not.
5. Ride within the limits of my skill and the capabilities
of my bike.
Just 5 rules.
