Had to run a couple errands yesterday evening so it went to the garage to decide if I would take the trike or the bike, choose the bike. Told the wife I would be taking the long way home since it was a nice enough day. I choose a route that I don't ride often yet have had a close call on about 6 years ago. For some reason I was thinking about that close call when I passed through the intersection where it had happened, made it through that one without incident.
Not 1/4 mile down the road is a trailer park with a beat up old Ford Aerostar van with its left signal on, for some reason I had this feeling the old lady driving the van was going to turn in front of me, well she didn't disappoint me she made the turn. I had already slowed when I felt she was going to turn so I was only going about 30 mph when she made her move and I was on the brakes and looking for a way out of the situation. I couldn't go around back of her because there was a car back there so all I could do was hope I could get around front of her before she nailed me.
She saw me at the last second which allowed me just enough room to pass in front of her and into someones front yard. Its amazing how fast an 800 lb bike will stop when it hits high grass, that bugger stopped pronto, just glad the grass wasn't wet so I was able to plant my feet and not drop the bike. If I had been riding the trike I would have hit the front of her van with the left rear wheel because there was just enough room in front of her van to sneak between it and a phone pole. I don't know if she was to busy chatting with her passenger to not even see me, or she just wasn't taking the time to look for on coming traffic. It ended well and I cranked the bike back up and continued my ride.
Not 1/4 mile down the road is a trailer park with a beat up old Ford Aerostar van with its left signal on, for some reason I had this feeling the old lady driving the van was going to turn in front of me, well she didn't disappoint me she made the turn. I had already slowed when I felt she was going to turn so I was only going about 30 mph when she made her move and I was on the brakes and looking for a way out of the situation. I couldn't go around back of her because there was a car back there so all I could do was hope I could get around front of her before she nailed me.
She saw me at the last second which allowed me just enough room to pass in front of her and into someones front yard. Its amazing how fast an 800 lb bike will stop when it hits high grass, that bugger stopped pronto, just glad the grass wasn't wet so I was able to plant my feet and not drop the bike. If I had been riding the trike I would have hit the front of her van with the left rear wheel because there was just enough room in front of her van to sneak between it and a phone pole. I don't know if she was to busy chatting with her passenger to not even see me, or she just wasn't taking the time to look for on coming traffic. It ended well and I cranked the bike back up and continued my ride.