Few close calls
Few close calls (not mine) riding motorcycles and some suggestions to you my friends.
1) When you are stopped at the lights – check your mirrors and be in 1st gear. If you see that someone is closing to you very fast blink with the break lights, but be ready to use your first gear and get out of the way. In this situation my friend Jill from US was on other line, but still – that was close call: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlOVipqWAiM#t=0m55s
2) When you are riding behind the car, be very focused on situation (if you see that car are slowing down) and don’t show turn lights, that can mean anything (as you can see in video, there was no turn’s to the right too). In this case close call was to my other Internet friend Matt from UK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAo84Ob-6gg#t=1m33s
3) When you are using other line to make your turn, don’t be so sure that someone can’t drive across NOT dotted line to do the same: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNflKjD8pKI#t=1m50s The same depends riding on highways and roads with multiple riding lines in one direction. Watch every car who drives near you and don’t stay too long in blind stop. Here is the video where car want to change line and don’t notice rider:
4) Deers are another story… You don’t know when they can cross your road, it can look like they will stay on their side. There are few videos (I embedded them, because most of them were short so no need for time skipping link making):
5) And of course there are lot more close calls when rider is speeding, but this is 90% of bikers fault (in my opinion). If they would not speed or do crazy maneuvers that probably would not happen and most of drivers would see them.
So my suggestions to bikers – don’t speed too much (and be very very careful in turns). Suggestions for “cagers” car owners – watch 2x or even more when you make turns and strange maneuvers. Don’t forget about turn lights and try to search motorcycles on roads, not cars. Because lot’s or car drivers don’t see bikes, because they are searching something bigger like car and trucks. We have one road, so let’s share it! Suggestions to deers? FTW – road is not for you guys, stay in the woods, eat some grass and play games there…
Stay safe!
