WTF...almost killed

[tinng321]

I was on I287 South heading to work. I was in the left lane cruising @ 75-80 mph. I was riding with 1 hand with my left forearm resting on the tank. Some focker in his 50s or 60s decided to change lane and squeezed me into the shoulder. He was driving a Santa Fe. I was right by his side. He didn't even signal or anything. Thank god I reacted quick and put my left hand back on the handle bar and had the bike under control. It all happened so fast I am still in shock. I have an M4 slip on. How the heck did he not hear me.....

[Alex]

Originally Posted by tinng321

I have an M4 slip on. How the heck did he not hear me.....

Might want to post this up in related threads where people are so sure a loud pipe = safety device.

Glad you're OK and realized what was happening in time. Has happened to me once before, very similar situation.

[Mac]

wow glad to hear you're alright man. Thats scary for sure

[Dano]

Mostly a lound pipe can be better heard behind you not next to or in front of you but it also depends on how loud his music was, how deaf he was ect. Loud pipes don't save lives better drivers do.

[bob706]

Originally Posted by Dano

Loud pipes don't save lives better drivers do.

+1.

[CZroe]

Sadly, it happened to me almost daily in Newnan, GA. It's only happened to me once in my 11,000 miles I've spent in SoCal, which I attribute to their having much higher awareness due to having many more motorcycles. Also, that one time was a driver making an emergency lane change himself! FWIW, I instinctively pull the opposite handlebar as often as I push the one that will turn me, so I wouldn't have needed my left hand on the bars for an emergency swerve. It might be good to practice this, though it it always better to have both hands up in a situation like that.

[Flashmonkey]

LOL this happens to me daily. I've stopped caring.

[tiggen]

Did you pass him and give him a good, long stare?

[ally99]

Glad you're ok!
I hate riding beside cars and try to limit my side-by-side time, but obviously, it can't be avoided altogether.

[Cali619]

You shouldnt ever assume you are seen or heard... everyones out to kill you...

[Blackwidow]

Originally Posted by Alex

Might want to post this up in related threads where people are so sure a loud pipe = safety device.

Yes, that is me. lol I guess point has been made and proven.

Glad you're ok though.

[00NissanNinja]

Same kind of thing happened to me a couple weeks ago, albeit I had no shoulder to go into only a curb which would equal me getting tossed off if I was forced to side swipe it(I was like right next to him and almost passing by, old bast. as well). Yeah, I learned from that you can't assume people notice/hear you even when you are blowing your horn, or revving your engine, etc. I just my horn now as a test of whether someone is an asshole or not so I know whether they respect me or if I must do something to get away from them. Glad you are okay though...

[Verus Cidere]

Someone once told me that the only people who notice motorcycle exhausts are motorcyclists. Everyone else just thinks it's another loud vehicle, and dismisses it's relevance. I can see how this would be an example of that.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by 00NissanNinja

Same kind of thing happened to me a couple weeks ago, albeit I had no shoulder to go into only a curb which would equal me getting tossed off if I was forced to side swipe it(I was like right next to him and almost passing by, old bast. as well). Yeah, I learned from that you can't assume people notice/hear you even when you are blowing your horn, or revving your engine, etc. I just my horn now as a test of whether someone is an asshole or not so I know whether they respect me or if I must do something to get away from them. Glad you are okay though...

In the worst GA incident, the driver did not hear my horn during the incident nor did they hear it multiple other times for many miles (honked every time they changed lanes without blinkers and they finally responded on one such lane-change once they heard me many miles later). When trying to get the attention of any car with decent noise isolation, the stock horn is almost useless unless their window is down.

[Nemesis]

All part of the game when you throw your leg over the bike.

[tinng321]

Originally Posted by tiggen

Did you pass him and give him a good, long stare?

I pulled back out and followed him to get a good read of his plate.
There's always a trooper on that route and for sure there was one 5 miles ahead. I was going to pull over to give the officer the plate # and a brief report. I didn't cuz I figured it would only be a waste of time.

[00NissanNinja]

Originally Posted by CZroe

In the worst GA incident, the driver did not hear my horn during the incident nor did they hear it multiple other times for many miles (honked every time they changed lanes without blinkers and they finally responded on one such lane-change once they heard me many miles later). When trying to get the attention of any car with decent noise isolation, the stock horn is almost useless their window is down.

Yeah I'm gonna take the horn off my Mom's truck(jk I'll buy one like it...maybe) and put it on the bike its a real attention getter lol. I learned that you can never assume they hear you ever, ride the bike like the ninja it is.
@OP I wanted to report my situation too... I didn't get a chance to get his plate because he ran off as quick as he could (cut off two more people coming the opposite way), but then I felt the cops wouldn't do anything to the driver unless I was tasting the ground and my bike was destroyed.

[Blackwidow]

you're right, cops wouldn't do anything to the guy, but its always good to tell a cop when you can. They can at least pull the bastard over and give him an earful so he learns. it may be a waste of YOUR time, but it may save another bikers life elsewhere if we have one more person out there keep an eye out for bikers.

[00NissanNinja]

Originally Posted by Blackwidow

you're right, cops wouldn't do anything to the guy, but its always good to tell a cop when you can. They can at least pull the bastard over and give him an earful so he learns. it may be a waste of YOUR time, but it may save another bikers life elsewhere if we have one more person out there keep an eye out for bikers.

True, It is good to at least try which I really wanted to do...but he ran like a coward

[KJohnson21]

Glad you were paying attention and not zoned-out. You are the most important safety device on your motorcycle.

[TrueFaith]

I had the imprint of my right knee pressed into my gas tank by some moron who came up behind me and pushed me into the gutter. If I hadn't picked the one correct line between 2 light poles after being hit I would be dead by now.
His excuse to the cops? "I didn't know I wanted to go left until the last second." That's an excuse?
I wouldn't let them take me to the hospital (nothing but bruises) until the cop on the scene cited the guy for impropper passing at the least.

[macco568]

Yep, its the baggage that comes with motorcycle riding. It will piss you off everytime someone does it to you. I dont think there is a getting used to idiot drivers.

Just wait til' your at a stop light with him or her knock on their window and give them a piece of your mind.

Stay safe.

[addy126]

Originally Posted by Nemesis

All part of the game when you throw your leg over the bike.

Ditto........ thats the chance when you take this up as a sport/hobby. Do it or lose it.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith

I had the imprint of my right knee pressed into my gas tank by some moron who came up behind me and pushed me into the gutter. If I hadn't picked the one correct line between 2 light poles after being hit I would be dead by now.
His excuse to the cops? "I didn't know I wanted to go left until the last second." That's an excuse?
I wouldn't let them take me to the hospital (nothing but bruises) until the cop on the scene cited the guy for impropper passing at the least.

Wayne, don't tell me that beautiful bike is trashed!

You can heal but the bike can't be replaced.

Hope you're OK.

You know riding motorcycles can be dangerous.

[almost40]

Got run onto the shoulder on the highway by a lady talking on her cell phone. She had NO Idea I was next to her until I kicked the drivers door of her mini-van. The thump on the door woke her up. I admired the dent and black mark my motocross riding boots made on her door. I tapped the brake and followed her for a couple miles and took my exit. I pulled into the gas station splashed in some fuel, moved my bike over to a shade tree on the edge of the lot and lit up a smoke. When I was almost ready to ride again the very same lady pulled right up next to me and apologized. She was honest enough to tell me that the conversation she was having was really unimportant and promised she would be more alert from now on. I kinda felt bad about the dent because she took the time to circle back, look for me, apologize, and even tell me that her call was unimportant. I pointed the dent out to her and said im sorry but I was angry when I did it. She said she already knew about the dent and that it was her husband on the phone and he was preaching to her about killing someone while she was telling him stuff he already knew. Turns out he rides a harley and is always complaining about cell phone yacking idiots almost killing him. HE told her to circle back and look for me and give me the apology I deserve.
Go figure

[Chubbs032]

Knock a side mirror?

[Kitdog]

+1 for loud pipes don't save lives, and I have one of the loudest with the growler, people still don't know your there.

I've had it happen too. the best thing I can say is I never NEVER ride next to somone unless its another bike. People never seem to notice that somone is next to them.

[Miss Informed]

I've had people staring right at me as they change into my lane. I know it's CA and we can share, but that's at MY discretion, not yours.

[karlosdajackal]

I just avoid sitting in car drivers blind spot as I know that people don't check them half as much as they should if at all. Also on Motorways, I move to the side of the lane that will make me most visible to people who might want to move into my lane.

I know driving a car that car drivers are looking in the mirrors to see the side of another car, so I try put my headlight where the headlight from one side of a car would appear in their mirror. Sometimes that means being in the left lane but staying as far right as is possible in the lane.

We don't do MSF outside the US, we have our own tests and such, but I do believe blind spots are covered in the MSF material? Maybe someone else can confirm that, if it is it might be worth revisiting that material