[Robert_Bowman]

I had a scare earlier today. I was riding on a nice curvy road, two-lanes, marked with double-yellow lines most of the way, and has no shoulder. As one of my favorite roads, it's also a favorite of serious bicyclists, the guys on the road bikes who look like they're training for Le Tour. Anyway, I'm riding about 50 mph, and approaching me is a guy on a bicycle, riding in his lane about 2 feet from the pavement edge. Behind him is an SUV, closing fast. I prepare for the worst, as I always do in this situation--and d**n (can we say that here?) if it doesn't happen. The driver of the SUV--who I now identify as a woman with a mobile phone stuck to her ear--swings around the bicycle. But she doesn't just give him a few feet, she gives him the whole lane, and suddenly she is squarely centered in my lane, aimed at me head on. Tearing my gaze away from her front bumper, I flick the bike to the right, barely avoid doing some agricultural motorcycling, and miraculously thread the eye of the needle, recovering my senses enough to flip her the "you're number 1" sign with my left hand.

Now that I've had a chance to reflect--and change my underwear--I remember I did see the SUV driver's eyes, and I do swear she never looked at me. While I was wearing black leathers and had my headlight on low beam, the weather was partly sunny, my Monster is yellow, and I was wearing my Arai sport yellow helmet. How could she not have seen me? Or maybe she just didn't give a s**t?

As I said, I've imagined this very thing happening on this road because of the many bicycles, limited-visibility curves, and absence of shoulders. But even so, I think I was very lucky.

I'm thinking of getting a hi-viz lime-green vest....

 

[s4strati]

absolutely clueless. congrats on not getting your arse killed! hopefully she also [email protected] her pants when she realized what happened (she MUST've heard you go by on the near-miss at least...)

 

[Duc_N_Har]

Good riding, Good way to keep your cool and avoid the mishap! Glad it all was alright, except for your heart attack!!

I really don't think HI-VIS green is going to help, they still won't pay attention!

 

[DucGasm]

when I rule the world, I will make cars only legal to own if they are only for display. Only motos will be allowed on the roads. I think we will see a significant reduction in people, but as one of our fellow members once said "a little chlorine in the gene pool never hurts."

Seriously though, it is unfortunate, but its all part of being a motorcyclist.

 

[T-BOOGIE]

that sh!t just pisses me off! get off the fuc$ing phone and drive!

 

[Ryan_Akiyama]

While it might decrease handling, a bar-mounted gatling gun would do wonders for clearing out wastes of skin like that slob.

 

[MDarkside750]

Ryan, now don't hold back.

 

[mostronero]

Would it be considered road rage if u stopped, turned around, chased her down, ordered her to stop and gave her an important lecture on how she could be facing trial for negligent driving causing death??

I also like the idea of throwing a helmet through their windscreen which i read in some other thread!!!

 

[test-reg]

Would it be considered road rage if u stopped, turned around, chased her down, ordered her to stop and gave her an important lecture on how she could be facing trial for negligent driving causing death??

I also like the idea of throwing a helmet through their windscreen which i read in some other thread!!!

hate to say it, but the second idea has more appeal to me. anyway, glad your O.K. good riding!

 

[tomespo214]

Even more reason to carry a spare helmet.

 

[Retro]

Yeah sometimes I know this to be true; She saw you, but made the cell phone talk to her girlfriend clueless, bicycle avoidance,
just miss the yellow bike decision while looking at her mascara in the rearview mirror. I bet if you stopped her, she would say. I missed you didn't I? What are you so upset about gosh?
I was ridng in the right lane on a city two lane street. A guy in his car in the intersection ahead on the right blows the stop sign, turns right into my lane and I have to change lanes immediately to avoid getting hit.
At the next light I am exchanging a few off color remarks with him.
He keeps repeating. What, did I hit you, did I hit you, no I did not hit you. Apparently it's okay to run stop signs, turn into someone's lane
as long as everyone can veer out of their way. I guess I would have been sued if he hit me for being in his way, I might not have cared though I suppose.

Glad it was a miss....yep Sometimes Yellow won't work for sure.
But it is good that you were aware of the upcoming problem before it happened. Good move.

 

[jrfuisz]

Been there done that. A car tried taking me out last summer and made contact with my rear turn signal. DC is not a friendly place to ride.

Ever since that incident I ride with a MSF reflective vest over my jacket. I also have reflective tape on my helmet. I don't notice it and I really don't care what I look like as long as I'm seen.

I'm sure I look like an idiot but....I'm so reflective it is hard not to see me.

https://store.msf-usa.org/itemDetails.asp?catalogid=2020WH

 

[Michael_Gannon]

I prepare for the worst, as I always do in this situation--and d**n (can we say that here?) if it doesn't happen.

 

[miomostro]

I *hate* getting cut off! Sometimes I get really tempted to take my TiMax-gloved fists and put them to good use...

But then I remember (from MSF), "anger=danger" :

 

[dreamse83]

I hear you on that one. I don't know how many times I've been tempted to use my timax gloves. I have punched a mirror once. I know it's not very smart to get all road raged while riding, but damn. It's really hard sometimes. It seems the exception is a rider who HASN'T nearly been hit by a cell phone using SOB. Whose got some good stories of revenge on these bastards?

 

[1screaminduk]

I've always wondered if it's possible to headbut a car window and shatter it (with a helmet on of course!). That would be so fun to do to some A$$hole how almost kills you and doesn't think there's a problem because you managed to get out of his way. Pull up behind him at the next red light, calmly put the kickstand down, get off the bike, walk up to the car, shatter his side window, walk back to bike, get on, wait for light to turn green, and ride away. Now we're even. ;D

 

[caxys]

Glad you're ok man. Great riding. Maybe I should just move to Europe, at least there I'll live longer. This crap pisses me off.

 

[fatboy]

Recently in the local news ... a motorcycle was cut off while taking an exit ramp. The bike cought up to the car at the next stop light ... exchanged verbal insults and then pulled the driver from the vehicle and started to beat him up. Cops came and arrested ... the motorcyclist ... for aggrevated assult. The general sentiment was that nobody understood the aggressive behavior of the biker. Imagine that. I commute to work every day on my bike. I get cut off and run off easilly a couple of times a week. I don't think that drivers understand the frustration of riding in amongst the lousy drivers and the hazards they create. Were not talking about a fender bender if someone makes a mistatke. Some drivers are just plain bad drivers, some self centered and uncaring and some aggressive and pushy. Dunno ... I'am getting kinda long in the years but I think I'd rather suck it up than toss a helmet or throw some punches and earn an aggravated assult rap. Think about it. -Fatboy

 

[Adamizzer]

All of you guys are talking about smashing windows with helmets! That's the stupidest thing you could do! Why waste money on a perfectly good helmet when you could just carry a brick on your bike. ;D

 

[1screaminduk]

I've never done it, but I've heard that a handful of 1/2" ball bearing dropped at highway speed tend to bounce about windshield height...