Watch out for the other guy!

[edge]

I took a planned croos country trip to one of our local Guzzi dealers today. It was about a 200 miler though upstate NY. On my way home, after stopping at the dealer, and at the half way point. I was driving through a town on a 4 lane, when some Azzhole in a pickup, was waiting for traffic, getting ready to pull out of a parking lot. He looked right at me, and then across the highway, while pulling right out in front of me to cross two lanes of traffic

 

I was doing the posted 40mph speed limit, and was left with two options; Option A: T-Bone this MF'r in the drivers door with hopes of teaching him a lesson while breaking a few of my own bones or option B: Do an evasive in front of him and swerve into the opposite direction traffic lanes. (no drop slide option available, he would have run me over!). Since they put steel beams in the doors on just about all US trucks these days, the physics did not support option A: angry:

 

Fortunately, I chose option B and was blesed with no oncoming traffic

 

I ended missing this guy (read azzhole) by an RCH and found my self cussing him out during the whole episode

 

For me this was bad Deja vu.. Last year, almost to the day... I had another azzwipe pop me at an intersection. That one cost me a broken fibula and a couple months down time (I wrote that one off to the jinx of buying a new bike )

 

The moral of today's story is: HE or SHE is out there!!! Just when you think you got the day by the balls and life can not get much better while riding your goose... your right! Somebody is out here and they are going to make sure you have to use those hidden self preservation skills! There were three cars traveling my lane and saw the whole thing. As I re-composed my self, they slowly came up on side of me gesturing support and disbelief of what almost just happened...

 

Your safety tip of the day...

 

Ride safe my brothers, he is out there...

[antonio carroccio]

Did you get the number???

[tikkanen]

Hi Richard,

 

good to hear that you got away without any injuries.

Bear in mind that all cagers are poteential killers!

 

Søren

 

PS: Richard, I'm still awaiting that tlittle "something" for you but I was told yesterday that it will land on my desk "early next week", allright?

[edge]

Unfortunately I didn't get his number and it is just as well. I was pretty spiked over the whole event and the stupidity of guy. My experience with taking off in that state of mind generally does not yield good results with the law or my own safety .

 

The good news is, I did notice the startled look on the little lady’s face that was sitting right next to him (yes we were that close) so I hope he has the wrath of a woman to ensure he never lives it down and better yet, looks twice for motorcycles

 

I think I am going to do one of those headlight modulators that several have done (I do that thread tonight). I have already gone to a brighter Silver Star bulb but I guess that is not enough for some in the day light

 

break;

 

Søren, no problem.. We live in fast times and I have learned to be patient. It's good for the stress

[Guest aironepony]

I have fitted a Photon Torpedo launcher to my Rosso. I can usually clear a safe path through obstacles like this.

[velofish]

Me too, me too! Actually I am running two for two this weekend. Yesterday, a young girl pulls out in front of me from a parking lot in town. She is driving one of those enormous Cadillac pick-up truck things and occupies both lanes in my direction while pulling out. I hit both brakes (always covered) and let loose with the verbal barrage. The kids running the charity car wash in the parking lot may have learned some new descriptors.

 

Today, an older woman pulls up to the cross traffic stop sign in front of me as I roll into my little town. Looks right and NEVER looks left. Another panic braking procedure and I may soon go hoarse with my high volume constructive criticism.

 

Both times on the 1978 Suzuki with the single front, laughable, disc.

 

Heard that the old Indians had a left side throttle so that cops could ride and fire a pistol at the same time. Thinking about it...

 

fish

[staedtler]

not a problem for us leftys...

[velofish]

[big J]

Try commutin through Dublin,guys. It's a minute by minute occurance. Been squeezed into a lorry by a suit in a Saab,almost wiped out by women doing their hair/make up on the M50 by-pass,nearly t-boned several times,tractors pull out of fields and leave a ton of muck all the way up the road,drunks weave all over,no one uses mirrors except to see who they just cut up,learner drivers allowed to drive,absolutely clueless,cause they failed their last test or havent bothered to sit one in 20 years but they're still allowed on the road,a road surface worse than darkest Africa,etc,etc.Keeps you alert,anyway!

[Guest aironepony]

Try commutin through Dublin,guys. It's a minute by minute occurance. Been squeezed into a lorry by a suit in a Saab,almost wiped out by women doing their hair/make up on the M50 by-pass,nearly t-boned several times,tractors pull out of fields and leave a ton of muck all the way up the road,drunks weave all over,no one uses mirrors except to see who they just cut up,learner drivers allowed to drive,absolutely clueless,cause they failed their last test or havent bothered to sit one in 20 years but they're still allowed on the road,a road surface worse than darkest Africa,etc,etc.Keeps you alert,anyway!

53531[/snapback]

 

That's about the same in leafy Warwickshire. Take for example the young woman with the “hot hatch” (no pun intended), she is quite happy to charge through traffic and simply cut across into any lane that suits her without reference to any other road user. Behaviour that certainly matches that of the baseball capped lad in the next car to her. Neither being good nor praiseworthy.

 

Her phone is probably the most important piece of equipment in her car. It takes precedence when driving. After all you need to be able to share the moment with the rest of the girls, especially when you’ve just had the laugh of running into the back of someone at a junction...............

[twhitaker]

For those idiots that see you but don't actually comprehend what they saw, I use the little passing light switch. Just flicker it a couple times and they usually will get the message.

[bento]

why just this morning an old man made a left infront of me from the right. he pulled out into traffic and stopped before trying to get into his lane. he was LOOKING RIGHT THE WHOLE TIME.

 

it was strange, this time it wasn't "FWORD FWORD FWORD FWORD"... it was "am i doing everything right? breaks? clutch?"

 

that's the first thing i look at in any car or truck, is what the drivers eyes/head are/is doing.

 

and as far as vehicles pulling out in front of us, a buddy of mine thinks it's due to the fact that they just can't tell where we are. they have one bright point to judge speed and distance. as opposed to cars/trucks with 2 points for perspective.

[Guest slowpoke]

Three things are important when approaching any type of intersection or parking lot. One is not to be going too fast-a "no brainer". Second is to be looking at the face of the potential murderer and thirdly and most importantly, is to be looking at their front tires for movement. I always slow down and cover the brakes when I encounter someone turning into my lane. Many motorcyclists out there are going too fast for the conditions and weaving in amongst traffic. Call me a "pussy" but I prefer to stay alive so that I can continue to ride.

[dlaing]

Call me a "pussy" but I prefer to stay alive so that I can continue to ride.

53587[/snapback]

That is one of the reasons I liked riding with you!

--Dave "slower than Slowpoke" Laing

PS we should go riding again soon, and RatchetHack, too!

My bike is in pieces for atleast a week...

[Guest ratchethack]

That is one of the reasons I liked riding with you!

--Dave "slower than Slowpoke" Laing

PS we should go riding again soon, and RatchetHack, too!

My bike is in pieces for atleast a week...

53616[/snapback]

Aaaaargh! The weather's been just about perfect, too. Unfortunately, I'm buried all week lately and every weekend with "special projects" until July. By all means, let's do a ride then. So far, I'm open on the 4th!

 

BTW - I'm wit'choo Guys on not checking out early via safe, defensive riding. This is the beginning of the season when the 'Zonies start their annual lemming migration. And no doubt the meat wagons will be getting their mileage quota again this year on Mt. Palomar haulin' down what's left of the squids after they've launched their crotch rockets over the side, leaving some impressive patches of hide on the tarmac....