Local Fatality
- Thread starter Lonzo
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I hate to hear this; unfortunately that scenario is all too common. My heart goes out to his family.
Gotta be the number one reason for bike fatalities....cars either pulling out of turning left in front of them. Those are also the things i am most aware of because i know how fast it can happen. I scan side street and driveways and left turners like a friggin' computer constantly. It actually makes city riding sorta not fun because it's actually a lot of work ! But i see this way too often and i think if not for those scenarios we would lose 90% less people. Sad...
Dale I am the same as you and I actually slow down when I see any possible potential problem and even if the driver is looking straight at me. I have already had it when a driver was looking straight at me and still pull out in front of me.
To hear of an incident like this is always so sad :sad:
To hear of an incident like this is always so sad :sad:
Thats what i do too ! especially when there is a left turn driver waiting for me. I take no chances and slow to a speed that would allow me to stop if they turn in front of me. Of course thats very slow, so i have to look in my mirrors to make sure no one is following closely. But any time a car is positioned to pull in front of me whatever the scenario, i always slow down. You could ride for decades not doing that but eventually someone will pull in front of you and you are dead.
That stuff just plain breaks my heart....
i am finding that there is more motorcycle awareness on the part of the general public - which is a very good thing. Women are the worst about not seeing motorcycles and I understand that dynamic. Most women do not ride and have never ridden. They look for oncoming cages and just don't "see" bikes. Bikes don't register with them. Riding bikes for 50 years has definitely made me a much more alert cage driver. The big increase in the number of bikes on the road in the US has helped motorcycle awareness. I have personally educated a few after I caught up with them at traffic lights!
This kind of news is a shock to the system because you know you're part of that fraternity and it could be you.
My heart sinks when I hear bad news like that
Although I live in a less frantic part of the world, and the car drivers usually give bikes a break, it's still scary and stressful riding through the city. You have to be on your guard every second.
The only city riding I do is to get from my house to outside of town and back.
This city is expanding in leaps and bounds. 15 years ago I could be on a country road in 20 minutes. These days it's closer to 45 minutes or more.
My heart sinks when I hear bad news like that
Although I live in a less frantic part of the world, and the car drivers usually give bikes a break, it's still scary and stressful riding through the city. You have to be on your guard every second.
The only city riding I do is to get from my house to outside of town and back.
This city is expanding in leaps and bounds. 15 years ago I could be on a country road in 20 minutes. These days it's closer to 45 minutes or more.
That sux!!
Why is it that people don't see us? We all ride with headlamps on nowadays.
Could it be the 'Camoflage principle'? Theory is that a person wont register that they're seeing something if it isn't the shape they expect. Remember those jagged black/grey/white patterns that used to be painted on warships? They were supposed to break up the outline so someone scanning the horizon quickly,eg.through a periscope,would not register the outline as a ship.
It follows that someone not familiar with bikes would only register the shape of a car,especially if the idiot has a mobile phone stuck to thier ear!
Could it be the 'Camoflage principle'? Theory is that a person wont register that they're seeing something if it isn't the shape they expect. Remember those jagged black/grey/white patterns that used to be painted on warships? They were supposed to break up the outline so someone scanning the horizon quickly,eg.through a periscope,would not register the outline as a ship.
It follows that someone not familiar with bikes would only register the shape of a car,especially if the idiot has a mobile phone stuck to thier ear!
I think you are right on target, Doug. I think the mandatory headlights was a good thing at first. But now the GM and some of the Asian manufacturers are including DRL's on autos, our lights get lost in a sea of lights. For motorcycle safety, DRL's should be prohibited.
