Close Call

[msocko3]

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.

[Jax]

Glad it turned out OK. No one, or bike got hurt. PHEWWWW! RIDE SAFE!

[Mr.Wizard]

Mike... remember your promise...

I got dibs on the 120 !







OK, just kidding. Glad you made it out of there with everything intact. Equally happy you took the Ultra.

See you in a few weeks....

[Nana]

WOW! Thank God you are safe.

[Gorilla]

Good job with the miss. Did she stop and say she was sorry?

[10rhrk]

Glad you are ok Mike. That Passenger we can't see but talk to every day was obviously looking out for you. Stay Safe!!!

[onebadhoof]

Glad you watch for them and that your ok. You know what she would have said I didn't even see him.

[Mr.Wizard]

Glad you watch for them and that your ok. You know what she would have said I didn't even see him.

Here's my all time favorite...

Driver: HE WAS FLYING OR SPEEDING

Officer: If you saw him speeding then why did you pull out in front of him?


Just say'n

[Oldmsocko]

Obviously I am very thankful he is OK. See that, he gets into trouble when I am gone.

[turboman1354]

I think you had a guardian angel watching over you. Always helps.

[rhino 2]

Glad you kept it upright.
But the truth be told, If you ride/drive a lot, close calls are common, Even in a car or truck, It's just on a bike it becomes up close and personal.
I don't know if it's just me but it seems to be getting more dangerous out there every day.
In My opinion, Outlaw auto trans, power steering and power brakes and it will keep a lot of the nimrods off the roads.

[Hot Rod 1]

Glad you made back home safe. As a retired truck driver, I've always said motorcylists have the best defensive driving skills.

[greyfang]

great decision to take the 2 wheeler that time Mike. Glad everything came out ok.

[Memnoch451]

People Turning left.... Scares the poop out of me

I have been hit 3 times.. so far.. and each time I get the old.. I didn't see him line. I ride with my brights on during all day time hours... So far it's been 12 years since the last run in... Cross your fingers!!!!

Glad you are ok and a near miss is way better than hitting the pavement any ol' day. Cool thinking saved you

[msocko3]

Mike... remember your promise...

I got dibs on the 120 !







OK, just kidding. Glad you made it out of there with everything intact. Equally happy you took the Ultra.

See you in a few weeks....

I know what I would have done if I had of tboner her and not been knocked out, I would have had someone call my brother and have him make sure the bike made it to my dads place and placed on the lift. The 120 would have come out and the old 95" would have been put back in because I think it would have totaled the bike given the age.

I know nothing good would have come of her van and my bike coming together, I don't think she had much if any insurance on a close to 20 year old van.

[msocko3]

Good job with the miss. Did she stop and say she was sorry?

She didn't budge, as mad as I was I kind of felt sorry for her and concerned. She had to be late 60's to mid 70's and I was concerned she was going to have a heart attack, she was shook up pretty bad and she did apologize. The odd thing is I didn't have the shakes afterward, was just mad for about a minute I then just cranked the bike up and went about finishing the ride as I had planned it.

[msocko3]

Glad you are ok Mike. That Passenger we can't see but talk to every day was obviously looking out for you. Stay Safe!!!

You hit the nail right square on the head, a lady in the car behind the van made the same comment to me.

[msocko3]

Obviously I am very thankful he is OK. See that, he gets into trouble when I am gone.

You'll be happy to know I didn't even skid my shorts.

[msocko3]

Glad you made back home safe. As a retired truck driver, I've always said motorcylists have the best defensive driving skills.

You are 100% correct, I find I'm much more observant since I started riding a motorcycle.
I can remember almost every close call I've had and in pretty much every case I knew something was going to happen before it did which gave me time to react.

I can remember one where the wife and I was riding in the left lane of a 4 lane passing some stopped traffic. There was a big truck stopped waiting to turn right onto a side street, he didn't have enough room at the mouth of the street due to an older gentleman in a Buick setting right up at the end of the road. The side street had the stop sign but I knew as I started past the 18 wheeler the Buick would be meeting me in the intersection because the driver would only be thinking of clearing the way for the big truck, sure enough it all unfolded as I figured. I had already chopped the throttle and started on the brakes so I was pretty much at a dead stop when I cleared the front of the big truck and met the Buick in the intersection. The guys eyes where as big as silver dollars when he saw me at his drivers door glaring at him.

Another observation which has covered my back side a time or two is how different animals will react. One thing a person can count on the majority of the time is if they see a wild animal cross the road there is a very good chance if that animal becomes spooked they will go back across the road the direction in which they came, Deer will a lot of the time go back to the last area they knew was safe. I watched a groundhog once cross the road into the path of an on coming car, the groundhog managed to stay put and let the car pass over it, of course it returned right back across the road which had I not planned ahead when I seen it unfold I would have made road jerky out of it with the bike.

Dogs, how many people have observed and thought about how a dog which is playing with one of its masters will normally be running so fast they over shoot and turn and come back? Saved my bacon a few year back with that little bit of knowledge. The wife and I was bopping along at 55 - 60 mph when I saw a lady walking toward the ditch in her front yard with a black lab about 30 yards behind in hot pursuit. I chopped the throttle and started on the brakes because I knew the dog would over shoot and when it turned back it would be in front of me. Sure enough it all unfolded and rover didn't get whacked by a Harley Dresser that day, I did however give the owner a piece of my mind.

[kkaykk]

Glad you are OK... great riding skills to react so quickly. I have to ask... was the van white? I always get bad vibes around white vans.