Wrong signal - somewhat close call (not really) but got my heartbeat up a bit

[cadd]

Here's a clip from my ride yesterday. I was on a 4 lane road (2 in each direction). 45-50mph speed limit.

I was on the left lane cruising along at approximately 50mph in 6th gear, and noticed the suv in front of me turned on his left blinker. Giving myself an "out", I checked my right mirror quickly to make sure no one was flying up the right lane at a high rate of speed in case I need to move over.

When I noticed him slowing down, I immediately gave a quick head check to prepare for a lane change. Once my head was back forward, I already started the lane change....That's when he decides to move to the right lane as well.

A bad habit of mine is that I initial a lane change at the same time I do my head checks. I should do my head checks BEFORE Lane changes.

So, I instinctively closed the throttle and applied the brakes and downshifted 3x (into 3rd gear).

It honestly happened pretty fast and it seemed a lot closer in person than on video (wide angle lens?) . My heart rate did rise.

Of course I had to give the "what are you doing" and "good job" hand gesture.

My question to you seasoned riders with more miles under your belt: What could I have done differently?

Should I jump back on the left lane? Did I have enough time to do it? I just didn't expect him to move right when his left indicator was blinking.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by cadd

Here's a clip from my ride yesterday. I was on a 4 lane road (2 in each direction). 45-50mph speed limit.

I was on the left lane cruising along at approximately 50mph in 6th gear, and noticed the suv in front of me turned on his left blinker. Giving myself an "out", I checked my right mirror quickly to make sure no one was flying up the right lane at a high rate of speed in case I need to move over.

When I noticed him slowing down, I immediately gave a quick head check to prepare for a lane change. Once my head was back forward, I already started the lane change....That's when he decides to move to the right lane as well.

A bad habit of mine is that I initial a lane change at the same time I do my head checks. I should do my head checks BEFORE Lane changes.

So, I instinctively closed the throttle and applied the brakes and downshifted 3x (into 3rd gear).

It honestly happened pretty fast and it seemed a lot closer in person than on video (wide angle lens?) . My heart rate did rise.

Of course I had to give the "what are you doing" and "good job" hand gesture.

My question to you seasoned riders with more miles under your belt: What could I have done differently?

Should I jump back on the left lane? Did I have enough time to do it? I just didn't expect him to move right when his left indicator was blinking.

Why were you riding in the left lane to begin with? That is a passing lane. If you know the road you should have known there is no left turns, you have to go right to go left. If you didn't know the road you should aways expect that all vehicles are out to kill you. I wouldn't call that a close call. It is more of a normal occurance. Get used to it. It going to happen for as long as you ride. You handled it well and you have to expect it.

[flitecontrol]

You were following too close, which limits reaction time and space. Appears you were about one second of following distance behind the car in front rather than the minimum recommended two seconds.

[Aggrotech]

Originally Posted by flitecontrol

You were following too close, which limits reaction time and space. Appears you were about one second of following distance behind the car in front rather than the minimum recommended two seconds.

seriously...? 2, maybe even 3 cars would try to fill the gap between him and that car in any other scenario lol.

[cadd]

I was on the left lane because I was passing (before the vid started). The left lane on that road seemed safer to me because cars merging from side streets and shopping centers.

And I'm not familiar with that road and didn't know all turns are from the right.

I

[xSean13]

Well, unless you have a crazy lense, I don't see how you were following too close.

This kind of crap happens all the time, so I don't see much in it. I would have jumped back in the left lane since it was clear.

Maybe lay on the horn to let him/her know they're in idiot, then when you have their attention, give him/her the hand gestures.

[Singh2jz]

Yea man, this kind of stuff does happen a lot. Sometimes people do what that person did in the video, but then jump back onto the road again. You have to expect the worse, so always be careful in these areas.

[flitecontrol]

Originally Posted by Aggrotech

seriously...? 2, maybe even 3 cars would try to fill the gap between him and that car in any other scenario lol.

You sound like my father, who did a lot of driving in congested traffic and took it personally if someone pulled into the space in front of him. His solution was to get so close to the car in front of him there wasn't enough room to pull in front of him. The result was a number of fender benders that were his fault because he was following too closely and couldn't stop in time. Cage crashes are one thing, crashing on a bike is a completely different ball game.

Personally, I like to keep the envelope around me as large as possible, and allowing adequate following distance isn't going to make my trip significantly longer, timewise.

Originally Posted by xSean13

Well, unless you have a crazy lense, I don't see how you were following too close..

Count how many seconds pass from the time the car ahead passes a white stripe on the road until the bike reaches it. My driving instructor insisted that his students maintain at least two seconds of following distance from the car ahead. He called it the two second rule. The bike is about one second behind the cage, which is too close IMO.

[xSean13]

Originally Posted by flitecontrol

Count how many seconds pass from the time the car ahead passes a white stripe on the road until the bike reaches it. My driving instructor insisted that his students maintain at least two seconds of following distance from the car ahead. He called it the two second rule. The bike is about one second behind the cage, which is too close IMO.

No need to count, I have eyes and can see he's got sufficient space. The 2 second rule is a good rule of thumb for new drivers and/or people who might as well live in a plastic bubble.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by cadd

My question to you seasoned riders with more miles under your belt: What could I have done differently?

Simple... do not become part of the problem.

Look for escape path
Adjust speed to maintain safe distance
Hold your course
Continue to look for escape path as changes occor

[nickjpass]

What happened

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by cadd

.....My question to you seasoned riders with more miles under your belt: What could I have done differently?

I just didn't expect him to move right when his left indicator was blinking.

Expect anything, think nothing, hear and see all that happens around you, evade:

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?p=749161

....... and practice quick turns at least each time that you ride:

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=109

[Skullz]

This happens quite frequently around here with people on their phones instead of paying attention to the road. These are the signs you need to learn to pay attention to from cager's, and you'll learn more over time as your riding time increases.

[Whiskey]

Only thing a flashing indicator shows is that the bulb still works.

[Kscreations08]

^^^ New favorite motto.

[flitecontrol]

Originally Posted by xSean13

No need to count, I have eyes and can see he's got sufficient space. The 2 second rule is a good rule of thumb for new drivers and/or people who might as well live in a plastic bubble.

Well if you do count, you can see his following distance is much less than two seconds. Just how do you gauge "sufficient space"? Keep in mind how long it takes someone to see and react to a situation. http://www.visualexpert.com/Resources/reactiontime.html

So it's ok for "experienced drivers", or in this case rider, to minimize the distance between them and other vehicles when they have a choice? Certainly not what's taught by MSF. In my book, living, and being able to ride, is preferable to taking unnecessary risks while riding and wind up not being able to ride at all. Riders who takes risks on public roads don't fare well in the long run.

[capt_bugaloo]

Wow - winner move on the cager's part. Unlike some other posters, I don't blame you for being surprised by the cager's sudden move against his indication.

[cbinker]

Follow them to the stop light, and ask them what the **** they are doing? Also tell them you are doing a documentary on retarded drivers and you need a quote from them on why they are so stupid.

[Ytse Frobozz]

I refer to the left signal/right turn or vice-versa as "throwing a head fake," like in basketball. I see this often enough that it doesn't even faze me. As said before, signals mean nothing. What I find is more helpful, and you can even see it in this video, is that before someone makes a lane change, sometimes even before they consciously know they want to make the lane change, they shade to the side where they're about to go. You see this on the highway ALL. THE. TIME. You may even do it yourself. In your video, you can see them starting to move right almost immediately after they hit the brakes, well before they actually commit to the lane change. Of course, sometimes someone will meander about in their lane and not change lanes, but I'd rather be ready for a lane change that doesn't happen than not be ready for one that does!

[cadd]

Originally Posted by cbinker

Follow them to the stop light, and ask them what the **** they are doing? Also tell them you are doing a documentary on retarded drivers and you need a quote from them on why they are so stupid.

LOL. And then you'll see a documentary of how I got my ass beat downed.

Originally Posted by Ytse Frobozz

In your video, you can see them starting to move right almost immediately after they hit the brakes, well before they actually commit to the lane change. Of course, sometimes someone will meander about in their lane and not change lanes, but I'd rather be ready for a lane change that doesn't happen than not be ready for one that does!

I didn't even noticed that. I see it now. I realized that once his brake lights were illuminated I did a quick head check within 1/4 of a second. When I turned my head back forward, I was already pushing on the right handlebar already and my bike started moving right. At that very same time, he started moving right as well. I guess my brain wasn't ready for this and I didn't react fast enough to push left to cut back in the original lane. But in all honesty, I think his left blinker messed with my head. I was probably thinking to myself at the time "he's indicating he's going left....why is he moving right?! I shouldn't move back to the left lane because he's communicating to me....that HE will move left". I don't know if that made any sense to you guys.

Same goes for the beginning of the video. Once he put his left indicator on, within 2 seconds, I did a mirror check giving myself an escape route in case I needed it. Unfortunately, my escape route to the right lane was blocked.

[subxero]

wouldn't say a close call but that is because you handled it pretty good. You didn't take anything for granted. You paid close attention to the vehicle, slowed down and didn't assume what they were going to do giving yourself more time, and options to deal with surprises which paid off.

What not to do would have been to assume this person is turning left, decide you are in to big of a hurry and are a bad *** on a sport bike and then speed up and try to pass them close to or on the double yellow because it is to big of a PITA to actually get in your own lane.

[jeffb502]

That's a weird intersection. The driver knew they wanted to go left at the intersection, but didn't know they had to be in the right lane to turn left. Avoid being between a car and an off ramp (which you did a good job of). If you ride that road regularly expect to see that move again due to the unusual road design.

[cadd]

Here's another video from my ride today. This was at "the green" in Morristown, NJ. Lady driver yapping away on her phone. I knew she wasn't paying attention. Well, at least she knew the racing line (outside-inside-outside).....but missed the apex.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[capt_bugaloo]

Yep, ****** drivers are everywhere...

[erbarry88]

I don't think you were close or even going that fast but if you are asking then you need more seat time, ride with the mentality that drivers are trying to run you off and never assume what the turn signal is telling you. In bigger bikes sometimes it's best to throttle out but it depends on the situation and those saying you were to close must not live in heavy traffic cities.

[ally99]

Never trust a blinker. Or a driver.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by cadd

Here's another video from my ride today. This was at "the green" in Morristown, NJ.

Place looks familiar! (I grew up one town over...)

[cadd]

This was partially my fault. I should've known better than to stay in his blind spot that long. But the light was red ahead and I didn't feel like speeding up or slowing down dramatically. So I just "coasted" to the traffic light. All the signs were there.

1. He left his left blinker on after switching lanes.
2. He was slow to move after the light turned green.

Should've recognized those as signs of an inattentive driver. I didn't have to face palm him. His passenger did that already.

Link to original page on YouTube.