Old lady almost creamed me! (That just sounds wrong)

[Obey Reaper]

Okay so I had a pretty damn close call yesterday. Figured I would bring it up.



Okay so obviously I'm not much of an artist. But basically we're all coming up to this little intersection (no traffic lights, just people yielding to other people).

All the guys in the other lane across the intersection are trying to make left turns into a McDonalds. I'm also trying to make a left turn into CVS Pharmacy.

So we both go to take our left turns at the same time and I'm a bit skeptical about the whole thing so I'm like crawling into the turn and watching out for any other hazards. Just then this bitch ass old lady cuts into the shoulder, goes around the line of cars trying to turn, and just guns it past all of them to get up to the ****ing light at the end of the street. (Which is RED by the way!)

She was maybe a foot or 2 away from clipping the front of my bike at like 40 mph. If I hadn't waited and just taken the turn at normal speed I might even be ****ing dead right now...

And to ice the cake this is the second time I almost got killed because of a McDonalds intersection... -_-;

I'm gonna watch my ass any time I get near one of those things now lol.

[CC Cowboy]

Was it the little old lady from Pasadena? She is notorious!

[Brother Michigan]

I've been sideswiped in my car once and had a number of other close calls because of this same maneuver. I can't stand the idiots that try this crap.

[flitecontrol]

Glad you were able to avoid contact!

[antiant]

Get a camera. Glad you are ok, be careful out there.

[Obey Reaper]

Yeah it's kind of crazy for me to think about actually.

One of those scenarios where had I gone about my left turn at an average speed and gotten hit by the other driver I probably would have thought the situation was out of my control.

But since I had the foresight or "gut feeling" to take it slower than normal and prevent the accident we all know now that it's almost never completely out of our control.

Biggest lesson I think...

Those slow maneuvers in close quarter traffic are some of the most unpredictable situations there are.

[Obey Reaper]

Originally Posted by antiant

Get a camera. Glad you are ok, be careful out there.

I want one really bad.

I would like to get something a little smaller and less noticeable than a GoPro though. That can still capture great quality video and withstand some abuse.

[Ninjinsky]

Always go with that "gut feeling"
Sometimes it even tells you to go home a different route.
I don't know how the 6th sense works but I always go with it.
I'm a water dowser too and I don't know how that works either, but it does.

[antiant]

Originally Posted by Obey Reaper

I want one really bad.

I would like to get something a little smaller and less noticeable than a GoPro though. That can still capture great quality video and withstand some abuse.

There are plenty of camera's on the market out there, you just got to do your research. The Go Pro name is just popular due to marketing, but there are some serious contenders out there. Take a look at the 808 camera, it's cheap, shoots in 1080 and is pretty rugged... 808 camera.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[Alex]

If there are no lights in the intersection, she had the right of way, correct? You can't turn left across traffic unless it's clear. Judging by your pic, I can understand why it would be hard to see a car going straight as the sight line is blocked by the left turners. But that doesn't absolve you of the responsibility of confirming 100% that the lane is clear before you put your bike in it, right?

[subxero]

Originally Posted by Alex

If there are no lights in the intersection, she had the right of way, correct? You can't turn left across traffic unless it's clear. Judging by your pic, I can understand why it would be hard to see a car going straight as the sight line is blocked by the left turners. But that doesn't absolve you of the responsibility of confirming 100% that the lane is clear before you put your bike in it, right?

I see where you are going but if the lady is not even in a lane and on the shoulder there is something wrong with that, or even just using the right turn only lane to go straight, still an illegal move on drivers part.

^this is how i see the artwork, i could be wrong, perhaps OP could elaborate to clear up any confusion

[Alex]

That's fair. If it truly is only a one lane road, perhaps it would be unexpected (or illegal) for her to go around the car in front to go straight. In most intersections here, if cars are lined up to turn left, there almost always is a way for other traffic to go straight instead.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Damn... That maneuver is far too common in NJ so i am very familiar with it. You always have to assume someone is going to get impatant and pull crap like that.

Always good to follow your instincts.

[beren]

Only time I ever have gone down was in front of a McDonald's. Spooky.

[Ralgha]

In Oregon it's legal to pass as described in the OP provided that it's not a bicycle lane, you don't leave the pavement, and the roadway ahead is clear. Around Portland, most shoulders are bicycle lanes, so that would make it illegal.

Could argue that the OPs presence made the roadway ahead "not clear" and hence, illegal for the pass as well.

Regardless, it's a good reason to have a camera, something I still need to get.

[Worldtraveller]

Originally Posted by Obey Reaper

I want one really bad.

I would like to get something a little smaller and less noticeable than a GoPro though. That can still capture great quality video and withstand some abuse.

Why wouldn't you want something conspicuous? My perception is that all those drivers who supposedly don't see you, actually see you just fine when they think they are being recorded......

[Road Dawg1]

I would think small and unseen gets left alone when you park the bike and walk away. Who would park a bike in public and leave accessories like camera/GPS visible and walk away?

[Obey Reaper]

Originally Posted by subxero

I see where you are going but if the lady is not even in a lane and on the shoulder there is something wrong with that, or even just using the right turn only lane to go straight, still an illegal move on drivers part.

^this is how i see the artwork, i could be wrong, perhaps OP could elaborate to clear up any confusion

It is a one lane road. She had to go well beyond the white line in order to squeeze between the other cars and the sidewalk on the other side. I understand people go off-road to get around other people all the time but to do so going through an intersection is almost just asking for a wreck in my opinion.

I appreciate everyone's analysis' on this.

[Obey Reaper]

Originally Posted by Road Dawg1

I would think small and unseen gets left alone when you park the bike and walk away. Who would park a bike in public and leave accessories like camera/GPS visible and walk away?

I wouldn't leave any of the stuff on my bike and walk away. I would be mounting it on my helmet which comes with me when I leave my bike.

The reason I was looking for something small and out of the way is simply because I want it to look like it belongs on the helmet.

I have a uClear HBC100 Bluetooth receiver on my helmet and the control panel mounts very nicely on the side and is very aerodynamic in design. It almost looks like it's actually a part of the helmet. I was hoping to get a camera of similar shape and/or size and put it on the other side so it's kind of symmetrical.

So long story short...I just don't want my helmet to look weird.

That is an interesting point about people driving better if they notice a camera strapped to your head...

[allanoue]

you were almost dead right.

be safe

that illegal move is as common as speeding

assume it will be done every time

[Obey Reaper]

In fact there's actually such little room between the drivable lane and the sidewalk that she had to squeeze between the car slowly then speed back up.

I'm just glad I saw her before she saw me. Still working on training the eyes and mind for these type of things.

[Finesse]

Idk why but I laughed so hard at 'bitch ass old lady'

Glad you're okay though. Very good call on the crawling turn. PEOPLE NEED THEIR FACTORY FARMED GROWTH-HORMONE-FILLED FEEDLOT MEAT!!!!!!!

[fred smoot]

Did you not learn the first rule for riding motorcycles? No one sees you, they will do the stupidest thing possible, don't be surprised by what everyone else does on the road. They are bigger than you, so they are in the right. Not many drivers argue with big trucks, right? Once you are upset, p-ssed off, mad, etc, then you are not in the best frame of mind to ride safely. You are riding only to make sure you get home at the end of the day. Be smarter than the other guy, everyone knows there are plenty of idiots on the road. Play the game of 'what is the dumbest thing this driver will do next that effects me'. Anticipate. Look ahead, think ahead.
Maybe you will live a long life . . . there are many that have not.

[rasta]

Originally Posted by Finesse

Idk why but I laughed so hard at 'bitch ass old lady'

Me too