On my way in to work this morning I cut through downtown to avoid part of slow freeway. I am on a street that leads back to the freeway. I have the right of way and am travelling at around 35 mph.  From about a block or more I see an SUV on one of the side streets. I rev the bike to make some noise and continue forward without slowing down but keeping an eye on that SUV. As I travel another 100 feet or so the idiot decides to cross. Yes, I stopped in time but it is sort of a blur. What I remember is that I stood up on the pegs, I probably mashed the rear brake as I remember fish tailing. I think I felt the front tire slide a bit also. Thank goodness I stopped in time and the idiot stopped half way across the 3 lane street. I actually pulled up in front of her and let out about a ten second tirade without even lifting my face mask. And then I went on my merry way. Oh, as I was going on my merry way I heard the honk of a horn. I have already analyzed this situation in my head but wanted to ask you guys what, if anything I did wrong or could have done better. Oh, when I arrived at the office someone had brought in breakfast tacos and muffins so I'm cool now.

I can't recommend stopping in front of an idiot festooned in a death machine.  

I can recommend coffee with breakfast tacos.  

You survived unscathed so you did nothing wrong, and apparently did everything right!

I have had encounters, some that I just roll on from and others where I chased the driver down to the next lace they were forces to stop and firmly but non-cursingly let them know what they did and that they nearly killed a man today, etc.  Doing that is risky in today's crazy world so I don't advise the 'chase and scold' method, but the 'stop for a second and yell' method is fair because you aren't chasing them and posing as a threat.

Idiot are everywhere .

To day , in town , 5 lanes , 30 mph speed limit , with everybody doing 40 mph --- I looked over at the guy in the next lane because he "over-corrected" a drift .   Well he was Texting away looking down , so I lay-ed down on the horn and he looks up with a "WHAT !" on his face.   when I cought his eyes I was making a texting motion that ended with a "What-are-you-doing" .   The guy threw me a bird and went back to texting ...  

I did my part , just like I do at least twice a week !  

I use the "Passing Light" function and "Short Horn" blast a lot to make sure I'm seen and/or heard .    "Don't trust anybody" to be paying attention works good for me too.

Well, I just got back from practicing my emergency stops at the school parking lot!

Yep, being aware and hoping your reflexes don't fail you is the best you can hope for. They did not have any grenade launchers at my local gun shop! :'(

Couple things......when you see a situation as such, watch the front wheel of the vehicle for any movement......slow down and listen to your instincts.

I did one day riding to work, because I saw a situation that was ripe for a accident, involving a transit bus, which had pulled over to the stop, prior to a intersection, flashers on, opposite direction from which I traveled.
I saw a SUV coming up to that intersection, on the side street, wanting to get on to the main road I was traveling on, at a little to fast than normal....
I knew he wanted to roll through that stop to beat the LONG line of traffic that was behind me, commuters going to work after getting off the ferry, a LONG line that will keep this SUV pinned until they ALL passed.
About that moment the bus pulled away,  I knew I could not make my left hand turn now, onto the lane the SUV was wanting to exit, in front of the bus.
It just moved away, the driver looking into its rear side mirror, never forward into its line of travel yet. She would have hit me in the process of my turn.....
I knew then that the SUV driver was sure to hit the gas and pull out ASAP the second the bus passed, and that would be RIGHT INTO ME as I would come into view way too late....
So, I abandoned that spot, and moved up past my turn.....

Sure enough, it went down just like that....

I would have been hit if I had made my legal turn in front of a parked bus, when the driver changed the scenario on me by their actions, or the SUV.....

I just hung a quick U, went back and now made a right hand turn on the street I wanted.

Then I crashed my bike trying to pat myself on my back  

Its part of the game....let it go ASAP.....

Keep your mind occupied on the moment, not the past, its over, and you need all your resources to avoid the next one.  

springman wrote on 02/19/19 at 15:19:18:


ALL of our senses......is KEY to putting you in the least amount of risk.

I watch guys fuddle with their cell phone mike, and ear buds, and radio, prior to leaving the ferry and riding.....
What is it they do when riding if a adjustment, a call, or a new station/song is required?

They will have lots of time while recuperating to do that......

Riding takes everything we got, if you want to survive intact. Its a ever changing game, a split second can be a lifetime  

Nice work springman seeing, anticipating, and avoiding what could have been a life-altering event. From my previous close calls and accidents I have learned the following: never ride faster than you can react to possible hazards.

For example, I once had a car turn left in front of me while I was riding about 40mph down a 2-way street, sending me over the hood, totaling my bike, putting me in the hospital and ruining my month. Now I instinctively slow down when I see left turn signals coming my way from opposing traffic, whether I think they see me or not. Might seem like overkill, but I'd rather not repeat that kind of crash.

At this point I EXPECT drivers to do the stupidest thing possible, and half the time I'm right!