Wake up call today..

[AdrianVall]

Yeah, VERY close call today.

So I was riding south today with my girlfriend on the back in a two lane rode, in the left lane. I'm about to cross an intersection and I see an SUV (going north) looking to turn to her left into a McDonalds parking lot. And she just goes for it! Before I knew it, I'm SLAMMING my brakes, locking up the rear tire swerving back and forth and I barely missed the back end of her car by about a couple feet. I can honestly say, the bike did extremely well. I did not panic, but I nearly lost control of the bike. It was by the grace of God that I did not hit that car or drop the bike. The bike did stall out, as I was not concentrating on holding the clutch in. I was focused on braking as quickly as possible. So as my girlfriend was balling her eyes out, I turn the bike back on, after making sure she was ok of course, turned around, pulled up next to her and let her have it. I don't think I've ever yelled at someone like I did. She says "I'm sorry, I just didn't see you.. I don't know what else to tell you." Unbelievable.. she must have been 17-18 years old.

Folks, ride safe, be careful of those dumb a*s teanage b*t*h*s. Sorry for the crude language, but I'm just extremely upset and the brand new Harley that I almost bought would have been completely totaled. I was planning on putting insurance on the bike next week, but I guess I'm getting it sooner..

I've never locked up the brakes on my 900 custom, but my Harley streetbob handled wonderfully. I don't know if I would of had the same result with my 900 custom, but I'm just glad I rode away from that.

Cheers,
Adrian

RIDE SAFE!!!!!

[spur55]

I can understand that rage. Been there myself with a stupid cager. Hope she was just as shaken up after that tongue lashing you gave her. Glad you made were able to maintain control of your bike.

[Marty31]

Good job keeping it upright. The roads are full of retarded drivers for sure.

[Black Hat]

I take it as a matter of course when someone tries to kill me when I'm on a bike alone. It happens about every third time I go out, and at least once on every long trip I take. But if I have a lady friend on the bike, and someone makes an attempt on our lives, my blood boils. If there were tears, someone would have hell to pay.

Glad you kept it under control.

[marinemean]

She saw but probably didn't see you. I decided not to take those chances with my life and installed a Head Light Modulator. They work. I know it won't be 100% but it will greatly improve your odds. The best $100 investment I have made. The light will catch their eyes and cause them to think.

[skewterdewd]

Oh man!
Your first weekend with the Hawg too!. Glad to hear you saved it.
I had a similiar episode at the end of my ride today. Pulling back into my Hood this little twit in her acura pulls out right in front of me on my right of way. talking on her cell the whole time. I was watching her so It wasn't as panicky as your scene, but if we had traded any paint, my foot would be part of her a-- right now.

goes to show-ya gotta ride it all the way home.

Here's to keeping it shiny (or denim-y in yer case) one more day!

[Guitar7272]

Originally Posted by marinemean

She saw but probably didn't see you. I decided not to take those chances with my life and installed a Head Light Modulator. They work. I know it won't be 100% but it will greatly improve your odds. The best $100 investment I have made. The light will catch their eyes and cause them to think.

^+389579327947123!!!!!!

I have had numerous occasions where I'm almost 100% positive that the only reason the idiot cager saw me was the blinking headlight.

[msa1956]

I am Glad you and your girlfriend are ok, I am glad no one got hurt at all including the bike, The teenager well she probably had to clean herself up after you got doen with her LOL. Be safe and Enjoy the New Ride.

[Greenie]

I don't mean to make light of this at all and I'm glad you are ok Adrian but I was pleased when I saw a very low speed encounter between a fellow rider and a cage in a parking lot less than 5 minutes into my first ride in 25 years. Guy was cruising at about 5-10MPH in a parking lot when a teenager came from nowehere out of a car wash stall and almost hit him. I was more than happy to give out a "$%^&#$@@ CAGE!!!" yell to the rider as he just glared at her.

I also noticed that in the last week I am suddenly a much MUCH better driver when it comes to seeing every single vehicle on the road. In that way it almost seems that everyone should learn to ride a motorcycle just to make them better cagers. I'm sure it has been said before.

[Desmond57]

Originally Posted by marinemean

She saw but probably didn't see you. I decided not to take those chances with my life and installed a Head Light Modulator. They work. I know it won't be 100% but it will greatly improve your odds. The best $100 investment I have made. The light will catch their eyes and cause them to think.

+1 on the modulator. Plus with my Stebel horn + Factory horn I do pre-exempt strikes now if I see Cars on the left nudging to cut across by laying on the horn every time. Glad you made it.

[c_law23]

nice save Adrian. i just assume that everyone is out to kill me. Before i ever started riding, i would always let a group of bikes go at a 4 way stop, i have found that most people arent as generous. I find most of my close encounters (not a lot of them) have come at the hands of middle aged to older women. Im not saying anything about women drivers or anything, that has just been my experience.

[MrClean]

They don't have to be teenagers or girls to be dangerous. Old white dude pulled out in front of me last week, also had a lady try to merge into to me. They are everywhere and they walk among us.

Accidents happen, people don't see semi's in this town and you expect to be seen on a motorcycle. Yelling just makes you an ***. Always seems weird to me how someone can 'Thank the Lord' then go right one Satans path of self destruction. Either the driver is going to be just as shocked as you, or they aren't going to care one little bit and you just blowin up gonna make em hate people on motorcycles. Good job.

On the other hand, I'm glad you got out of the situation safe, good job. Helped that you identified the problem BEFORE it happened. Keep up the good driving, never stop practicing and enjoy a long life.


Edit>>>
Ah screw it. Who the heck am I to be telling you how to run the way you react with other folks. I'm just glad you're ok.

[cmptrmn.1]

Congrats on keeping it upright.

[Greenie]

My theory is ... if you "make a point" of a near miss with the driver they will talk about it to a few people later and maybe everyone will think more about two wheels. I'll never forget almost hitting a crotch rocket who was riding in my blind spot and his fist he shook at me. I had the hope that maybe he also realized he was right in my blind spot but I also made it a point to double check that spot in the future.

[Crystalship1]

+2 (On both!!!)

Originally Posted by Desmond57

+1 on the modulator. Plus with my Stebel horn + Factory horn I do pre-exempt strikes now if I see Cars on the left nudging to cut across by laying on the horn every time. Glad you made it.

[Ninja_Wendy]

I bet that girl will pay a lot more attention in the future. Closest call I've had was a guy that decided to make a left on yellow (basically he was racing a light) but he was coming uphill and didn't have a good view. My husband and I were riding two up. My husband had to hit the breaks hard and all I saw was the guy's passenger with her jaw dropped open and her finger pointing like "holy sh**, you almost just hit that bike".

We were brightly colored and hard to miss but I think if we were in a car he might've hit us as well since he was going way too fast without getting a good view of what was coming.

Everyone is in such a rush.

[GeeMac]

It's not just teenagers who make mistakes like that. I have had a couple of "Oh Sh!t" experiences with cagers crossing the lane in front of me but they were all with 'mature' drivers. Idiots are idiots, regardless of age.

[CycleDude]

Originally Posted by AdrianVall

I've never locked up the brakes on my 900 custom, but my Harley streetbob handled wonderfully. I don't know if I would of had the same result with my 900 custom, but I'm just glad I rode away from that.

Cheers,
Adrian

RIDE SAFE!!!!!

Please, Don't give Kfrost any ammo here....

Seriously, I'm glad you're OK, Man. The only thing worse than banging up a scoot is banging up a new one. Let alone scaring your lady friend.

F-in cagers need to HANG UP & DRIVE!!!

[fritzi93]

Originally Posted by Ninja_Wendy

Everyone is in such a rush.

So true...

As others have mentioned, I have to wonder how much good it does to get really irate. If it hasn't sunk in how near they came to taking someone's life, what else can you do?

Which isn't to say one should not give 'em a "Hey Stoopid!", a one finger salute, **** a snook at 'em, whatever.

[EDIT] Boy, the filter is weird. The word deleted is a synonym for "rooster". [scratches head]

[Pecos]

Originally Posted by Marty31

Good job keeping it upright. The roads are full of retarded drivers for sure.

Totally agree. They should put better locks on those short, yellow buses with the big doors. Some a-hole almost took me out jumping across 2 lanes on 294N outside of Chicago on my way home from Pittsburgh.