[The Rackerberian]

I was following an old Ford pick up last Sunday out of the mountains on a narrow, winding two-lane. Just the kind of road we like - except the gal in the pick-up was going about 35 MPH and I was anxious to get around her after a couple of miles or so. Double yellow line and short view apertures on the curves left me little hope. Then, as we approached a short straight with a gravel turn-out on the right shoulder, she thankfully moved over a little to let me by! As I glided by and was about even with her window, she began to turn left into me. Without hesitation I blasted through to complete the pass and glanced back to see her turning left across the road into a narrow dirt road.

I probably scared her to death. I doubt she even knew I was there, probably fixated on the entry to the dirt road, swinging wide to get the truck lined up.

The funny thing is that I had my finger on the horn button to give her the obligatory toot in thanks for yielding to me.

So what lesson did I re-learn? I doubt I need to explain further. Whew.

 

[RazorWinger]

I get a lot of dirty looks for my frequent horn blasts, but that's the way it is. I'd rather irritate a cager than take a chance on them REALLY irritating me. Aren't you're glad the Wing's got the zip when it's time to zag!

 

[Dave]

Joe. I had a similar incident once except I was totally at fault. I hwas on Highway 1 going up to Big Sur. I got stuck behind a motorhome. I waited until I had a nice long view up the road to make sure no one was coming. It was a double yellow but I could see about 1/2 mile. I dropped it one gear and started to pass and just as I get along side him he starts to go for the turn out on the opposite side of the road. I dropped it another gear and screamed past him. I'm sure it startled him. I know it scared the crap out of me. It was about 1000' down to the ocean. I don't do that anymore. :shock:

 

[Keghead]

Joe,
Something similar happened to me years ago. In my case the car actually pulled onto the shoulder and then cranked it right in front of me. I hit the car doing 45-50 mph. Fortunately he was still turning (and quite drunk) so I hit the car at an angle and deflected into the opposite ditch. I was out of work for about six months. I'll never pass from behind again without remembering that event... April 2nd, 1981, 4:35PM.
Dave

 

[yellow wolf]

in the my fault cat.

was at the gap making a fun run when i came across 5 harleys going well......harley speed ,so i pulled in a pull off on my right side

pull off was on a very very short strait and i wanted to turn around and go the other way.

i turned the bike around and looked left,right then back left.started to pull across the road when an sv650 comes around the turn right at me,

i got across as fast as i could but he did have to slam on his brakes very hard,all my fault for choosing a bad spot to turn around,well no harm no foul we both made it!

but as soon as i saw him at the store i made it a point to go tell him i was sorry and it was all my fault,which he took well and we had a soda together!!

 

[10003hd]

Dave, you were both wrong. the motorhome should not have crossed the double yellow line eighter!!

 

[Guest]

I can't help but ask all of you that just shared your story's here on passing cages and other bikes:

In most of these cases would loud pipes save your near misses???

I hope to think not.

 

[techdude2000]

I was following an old Ford pick up last Sunday out of the mountains on a narrow, winding two-lane. Just the kind of road we like - except the gal in the pick-up was going about 35 MPH and I was anxious to get around her after a couple of miles or so. Double yellow line and short view apertures on the curves left me little hope. Then, as we approached a short straight with a gravel turn-out on the right shoulder, she thankfully moved over a little to let me by! As I glided by and was about even with her window, she began to turn left into me. Without hesitation I blasted through to complete the pass and glanced back to see her turning left across the road into a narrow dirt road.

I probably scared her to death. I doubt she even knew I was there, probably fixated on the entry to the dirt road, swinging wide to get the truck lined up.

The funny thing is that I had my finger on the horn button to give her the obligatory toot in thanks for yielding to me.

So what lesson did I re-learn? I doubt I need to explain further. Whew.

Glad you made it, I'm assuming she did not use that thing we call a "turn signal"... This is my biggest pet peeve! :evil:

 

[The Rackerberian]

No turn signal - and now that you mention it, no brake lights either - or bumper for that matter. Twas a real ******* truck.

 

[Alabama IronButt]

Let me see if I have this correct. You passed a truck in a no passing zone and because they didn't have a bumper, they're a ******* !

I'm glad no one was hurt.

You might be a ******* if !!!!!!

 

[stickyfingers]

Great reaction in a bad situation. It's amazing how the simplest move can turn so sour in the blink of an eye. I believe the cars and trucks sold around this area are not required to be equipped with turn signals. It HAS to be an add on that is very expensive, because no one seems to have them................or are too lazy/dumb to use them if they ARE installed. Be Careful.

 

[techdude2000]

Great reaction in a bad situation. It's amazing how the simplest move can turn so sour in the blink of an eye. I believe the cars and trucks sold around this area are not required to be equipped with turn signals. It HAS to be an add on that is very expensive, because no one seems to have them................or are too lazy/dumb to use them if they ARE installed. Be Careful.

Hey, I used to live in Vandalia and it's just as bad down here in Lexington, KY :shock:

 

[hjh]

I suspect if you had been using a head light modulator just before you passed, the driver would have seen you. I have one set up on high beams only. I hit the high beams before I pass. Usually, the car ahead will look in the rear view mirror to see what’s going on. When I see that I make the move into the left lane for the pass. I just got back from a 2700 mile trip and I can’t tell you how good it felt to know the car I was passing was very aware of me. I have the modulator off when I’m following a car and not ready to pass so the driver doesn’t get road rage. I also have it on when approaching an area that I want drivers to see me before they do something stupid. Call me paranoid. But, everyone out there is out to get me. You just can’t trust other drivers and live to tell about it.

 

[wvnnva]

Thanks to each of your for sharing your stories. I believe that by doing so you will raise the consciousness level of a number of others, including me, and possibly help to save someone from making a terrible mistake.

We CAN learn from the mistakes of others as well as our own. Ride em safely always brothers and sisters.

Todd

 

[David Burnett]

We all know Even when we're right we're wrong, but when we're wrong we're really wrong

 

[Karl of PDX]

Same thing happened to me in central Idaho in 1980. Slow moving truck, good visibility, unsignaled left at about 30. I missed the truck, but a snowplow guidepost put us down. I found out later it was a ranch employee who had seen a stray calf on the open range. If I was dictator of the world I would outlaw left turns...........three rights, instead. (':wink:')
Wink

 

[dansgl1800]

Here's my close call.

This was when I had my Nomad. I was at a T intersection where I had to turn right or left. I was riding with a friend on a VTX, and he made the turn and pulled off to the side of the road to fix his helmet. We are out in the middle of nowhere and there were no cars behind us so I just sat at the intersection while he fixed his helmet. He got done and was ready to go. The road I was pulling out of was just after the crest of a small hill. You couldn't see the road all the way down the other side of the hill but you could see across the gap where the road went up the hill on the other side and turned off to the left. Since the road turned left you had just a short bit of road to see the cars coming up to that little dip in the road. The speed on this section of the road was 45mph. I looked left, then right, got the high sign from my friend that he was ready to go, and then looked left again before pulling out. When I pulled out I quickly realized that I was in 2nd gear and the Nomad doesn't have the grunt of a Wing so I about stalled it right there in the road. I put my right foot down because I almost dropped it when it started sputtering with the handle bars turn all the way to the right. I was putting it in first gear when I see a bumper of a car come to a screaching hault about 12 inches from my left leg.

My friend said between the time I looked left and then at him this guy came flying down the road from the left and was in that little hidden area when I looked back to the left before taking off. I never saw him coming because he was behind that little hill. My friend said he must have been doing 60-65mph the way he came around that turn on the other side of the hill. I was lucky enough that the road was far enough over the top of that crest that he had enough time to see me and stop. Now I'm extremely cautious when pulling out into roads and will take extra time to look both ways to make sure that nothing is coming my way. God was watching over me that day.