Old 05-21-10, 08:38 AM
  #12  
wrk101
Thrifty Bill
 
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mountains of Western NC
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Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more

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I teach motorcycle riding for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. One of the key points in the training is that it really doesn't matter who is at fault in a crash. If you are going to be safe as a motorcyclist, you have to constantly search, evaluate what could happen, and execute actions to avoid crashes, many of them due to the fault of someone else.

Riding a motorcycle means constant scanning. The same is true with a bicycle. What if that car turns left? Can I stop? If not, can I swerve around the car? If not, I better slow down now, adjust my lane position, and be ready just in case.

There are just too many stupid car drivers out there. I was rear ended on my motorcycle a couple of years ago. Woman in an SUV pulled up directly behind me in a left turn lane (the light was red). She stopped, no problem. 20 seconds later, she decided to pull forward (light was still red) and rear ended me. So what does she tell me? "I didn't see you." I told her she saw me just fine when she pulled in directly behind me 20 seconds earlier. Her answer: "Oh yeah, I saw you that time...." I was on my bright orange Goldwing, wearing my High Viz yellow suit. Car driver was on the phone (of course), with a four year old in the back seat.

I "thought" I was safe since the car had already stopped behind me....
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