had my first one today. was riding home from work in the rain. i was going along the freeway at 40kph because the traffic was busy. far left lane minding my own buisness, suddenly this female driver decided to cut infront of me without indicating. i snapped on both brakes and the front started to wobble. luckily i put my foot on the ground to keep the balance. then when i exited the freeway my front wheel felt like it was buckled, pulled into the emergency lane for afew mins to get some air, then road off again. probably wasnt a biggie, but it was my first and i shat myself. what are some of your experiences?
Glad to hear that you are ok. And it is unfortunate to say but you will have many similar experiences... (I have to many to count now). Stories about people doing u-turns in front, pulling out from side roads, etc. The one that sticks out in my mind though. About 2 weeks after getting my fzr - my first bike - so I was still very much learning and getting comfortable. I was riding down a road with a bike lane on the left hand side. Doing as taught, I was riding in the right hand wheel track of the car in front of me. Then this lady in a van decides that there is enough room to travel beside me (partially in the bike lane). At the time I was unaware of her movements, and just knew that she was no longer beside me. Up the road it came time for me to do a left hand turn. Indicator on (found it!!), head check, WTF???? Being beside me she couldn't see my indicator obviously. I put on my horn etc. She looked and just kept driving as per normal. I slowed, let her pass, and followed her. She stopped up the road at an auto parts store and I stopped behind as well and showed my disgust (I was saying you didn't even know I was turning you idiot, I'm an l-plater trying to get comfortable and you take away the only 'safety buffer' I have. etc.). I was generally irate, but polite. I don't swear (except in my head), so my conversation was devoid of expletives. I was tempted to let air out of her tires (after she went in), but figured that would be useless because they would have a pump inside for her to use and it would only make her dislike motorcyclists more... That one I think I will always remember. But it did re-inforce the rule of 'always headcheck, no matter how sure you are what is around you'.
Fark eh Boz, its true so many close calls.. that it becomes routine.. im just glad i usually can take action and no have any collisions.. i always try and play scenarios in my head while im riding.. i see a car on the left.. wot if he just for some ****** up reason serve to the right to turn right, so i either back down to let him go further in case it happens or fly past him. anyhows my close call would have to be when the irrate old man in a 4wd try overtakin me while i was turnin left, it was only one lane and he was not even 50 cms from me.. we stopped at the lights. and me and my mate gave him a farkin yellin.. i so wanted to him.. but just thinkin all the pplz around us would think farkin bikers.. so we just rode off. we gotta be careful out there guys.. cause all we have is ourselves usually when were riding.. so always keep a look out for fuckwits.. or else ull be the one gettin ****** (not in a sexual way as well). <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->
oh yeah, ive had my shares of close calls too. and i used to be a really bad road rager when i was younger and testosterone was pumpong through my body. Not all the time. only if someone created a really dangerous situation. Never road raged anyone on the bike tho, for the fear of getting run down in retaliation. these days i just curse at em and flip em the finger, hahahah
Yeah I had a reasonably close call today riding home from work. Some chick pulled out of a target carpark infront of me. Although I was already prepared for it..As soon as I seen the car sitting there I preemted that it would pull out so I was already in the center of the road. I made sure I gave them one of those 'embarrasingly' long horn beeps and the finger . They deserved it...the cost they pay to put riders in danger everyday.
