Discussion
Thought I'd share this one with you all....
A few weeks ago I was riding along a single carriageway A road that was just turning into dual carriageway with a t-junction on the left. I'd gone past a couple of cars and pulled back in well before this junction. However, as I neared the junction, a car began to slowly pull out from the left straight into my path. I knew I wouldn't be able to stop for this sudden obstruction so I aimed for the most likely gap and prepared for the worst. My thoughts were with me enough to consider jumping up off the bike just before the moment of impact so that I would fly over the top of the car and my injuries would only be caused by me hitting the road and sliding to a halt.
FORTUNATELY, the car stopped and I went by between the front of the car and the central grass verge. But it's the first thing to really worry me in all my years of road riding.
Anyone had anything similar?
B
A few weeks ago I was riding along a single carriageway A road that was just turning into dual carriageway with a t-junction on the left. I'd gone past a couple of cars and pulled back in well before this junction. However, as I neared the junction, a car began to slowly pull out from the left straight into my path. I knew I wouldn't be able to stop for this sudden obstruction so I aimed for the most likely gap and prepared for the worst. My thoughts were with me enough to consider jumping up off the bike just before the moment of impact so that I would fly over the top of the car and my injuries would only be caused by me hitting the road and sliding to a halt.
FORTUNATELY, the car stopped and I went by between the front of the car and the central grass verge. But it's the first thing to really worry me in all my years of road riding.
Anyone had anything similar?
B
Ben, the following is not intended as a criticism, so please don't interpret it as one. From your description it sounds as if you didn't react properly to an impending hazard. Yes, you were riding perfectly within your rights, but it doesn't help to be in the right if you are dead or seriously injured.
When you come across an approaching hazard on a bike you must behave defensively. Change your road position to make yourself visible and to give yourself room to manoeuvre. Slow down. Make contingency for the worst possible scenario to become reality. Control your immediate destiny, don't be a helpless passenger.
Under these circumstances you really should have engineered a cast iron escape route or given yourself enough space in which to stop. And then, as soon as you are past the hazard, nail the bitch!
>> Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Friday 16th July 08:48
When you come across an approaching hazard on a bike you must behave defensively. Change your road position to make yourself visible and to give yourself room to manoeuvre. Slow down. Make contingency for the worst possible scenario to become reality. Control your immediate destiny, don't be a helpless passenger.
Under these circumstances you really should have engineered a cast iron escape route or given yourself enough space in which to stop. And then, as soon as you are past the hazard, nail the bitch!
>> Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Friday 16th July 08:48
I feel I ought to explain things a little more. This particular piece of road was just turning into a dual carriageway. Whether it had been at 40 or 60mph, the same result would have occurred. I don't believe for one moment that anyone else would have slowed down when approaching a dual carriageway just because a car was sitting in a T-junction to the left. I was wearing bright clothing and had my lights on so I believe he should have had reasonable time to see me.
Incidentally, if the car had shot across the junction without any hesitation, I wouldn't have had an issue either. It was purely the slowness with which he pulled out that caused the issue.
I know he didn't do it on purpose, but his actions greatly put him at risk too. 1 bike travelling at 60 mph into the side door is going to cause major damage to the occupant of the vehicle I would have thought. When crossing a major road, I would choose to be out of the way of any cross-traffic asap. This didn't seem high on this drivers list of priorities.
Ben
Incidentally, if the car had shot across the junction without any hesitation, I wouldn't have had an issue either. It was purely the slowness with which he pulled out that caused the issue.
I know he didn't do it on purpose, but his actions greatly put him at risk too. 1 bike travelling at 60 mph into the side door is going to cause major damage to the occupant of the vehicle I would have thought. When crossing a major road, I would choose to be out of the way of any cross-traffic asap. This didn't seem high on this drivers list of priorities.
Ben
Glad you're ok and maybe I'm over-simplifying here, but this is all down to being able to stop in the distance you know to be safe to me. The car driver may be completely in the wrong, but chances are it'll be you, not the driver, in the hospital bed with a plethora of broken bones, ruptured spleen etc. etc.
I'm not saying I'd get this right either by the way, first ride I did with the IAM I had the same stomach churning feeling. No one pulled out, but I spotted a car in a side road way too late for my own comfort and I knew I couldn't have stopped should the worst have happened.
Safe riding,
Steve.
>> Edited by Steve_T on Friday 16th July 14:08
I'm not saying I'd get this right either by the way, first ride I did with the IAM I had the same stomach churning feeling. No one pulled out, but I spotted a car in a side road way too late for my own comfort and I knew I couldn't have stopped should the worst have happened.
Safe riding,
Steve.
>> Edited by Steve_T on Friday 16th July 14:08
I was actually riding a couple of minutes in front of Benny on this particular day and went past this junction.
I can personally say without a doubt that if anyone could manage to avoid an accident by consciously making a decision, it would be Ben.
This particular scenario was just one of those things where some numpty leaves you no where to go and no choice (bar jumping over their car)...
J
I can personally say without a doubt that if anyone could manage to avoid an accident by consciously making a decision, it would be Ben.
This particular scenario was just one of those things where some numpty leaves you no where to go and no choice (bar jumping over their car)...
J
All points seem to be valid. Awarness for me is the key, trying to interpret this cars movements as you speed up may beg the question should you be speeding up? Should you have waited until after the turning? I guess its easy to say after the event. I had a similar thing on a push bike!! Got knocked off from the side, although not an aceleration problem!!
Glad your okay.
AJ
Glad your okay.
AJ
"This is all down to being able to stop in the distance you know to be safe".
The only trouble with this is that there is no safe speed. It applies everywhere. If you're on the motorway in lane 1 with 2 lanes of traffic to your right and somebody is sitting on the hard shoulder, you shouldn't slow to 20mph, just in case they pull out into your path. It's just about obeying basic traffic law.
Incidentally, I'm 99% sure I would have walked away from this one without any broken bones, but if I'd leapt over the top and my bike had hit the drivers door it would surely have killed the driver.
B
The only trouble with this is that there is no safe speed. It applies everywhere. If you're on the motorway in lane 1 with 2 lanes of traffic to your right and somebody is sitting on the hard shoulder, you shouldn't slow to 20mph, just in case they pull out into your path. It's just about obeying basic traffic law.
Incidentally, I'm 99% sure I would have walked away from this one without any broken bones, but if I'd leapt over the top and my bike had hit the drivers door it would surely have killed the driver.
B
thats exactly teh point benny. As you said you cant just slow right down every time a car may pull out or swap lanes or you would never get anywhere.
You can mimimise the risks by watching them and trying to seond guess what they are doing. On junctions I watch the persons head to see where they are looking.
Quite often its only left
Anyway it all turned out ok
nice one. Id have probably hit the car anyway being 
useless as I am at the minute
still not got over my little spill. riding like a noob
You can mimimise the risks by watching them and trying to seond guess what they are doing. On junctions I watch the persons head to see where they are looking.
Quite often its only left
Anyway it all turned out ok
nice one. Id have probably hit the car anyway being useless as I am at the minute still not got over my little spill. riding like a noob
bennyboysvuk said:
"This is all down to being able to stop in the distance you know to be safe".
The only trouble with this is that there is no safe speed. It applies everywhere. If you're on the motorway in lane 1 with 2 lanes of traffic to your right and somebody is sitting on the hard shoulder, you shouldn't slow to 20mph, just in case they pull out into your path. It's just about obeying basic traffic law.
You're quite right and it was an over simplification. What I meant to say is just to minimise risks. I have had occasions where I've slowed because I think someone is going to turn across my path and if anything it seems to encourage them, so that's certainly no silver bullet.
Steve.
In these circumstances it seems the first instinct is to try accelerating past the emerging car. The problem is both vehicles are moving in the same direction.Try practising aiming to the left, converse to all instinct: most riders aim for the centre line on right-hand bends, thinking the nearside is the most dangerous, however the safety margin in the centre is reduced, movement being more dangerous. In Norway where Elk avoidance is part of the driving test the advice is "aim for the arse" because it takes longer for an Elk to turn around than to run into you
diddly said:
In Norway where Elk avoidance is part of the driving test the advice is "aim for the arse" because it takes longer for an Elk to turn around than to run into you
Fantastic!!
I think this should be part of the UK driving test!! - not for Elk of course but the same rule must apply to elderly & doddery drivers - see "saturday shopping trip"
Ben - I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer for the best way to avoid 'puller outers' keep yer wits about ya & presume that their all gonna do summat daft at any time.
X
Anna
Diddly, in this particular case, the numpty pulled out so slowly that I'd have hit the arse end if I'd chosen that option. Totally with you on the cornering thing though and sticking to the outside verge on right handers. The police roadcraft line is the one to go with. Helps in 99.9% of cases.
Steve, I think sometimes you can spot the numpty by way of everything they're doing, but in this case it was like the guy was continuing his "looking at the scenery" drive and not at the traffic on the main road that he was crossing. A terrible state of affairs.
Oh well. I guess he'll live and (hopefully) learn .
Cheers all,
B
Totally with you on the cornering thing though and sticking to the outside verge on right handers. The police roadcraft line is the one to go with. Helps in 99.9% of cases. Steve, I think sometimes you can spot the numpty by way of everything they're doing, but in this case it was like the guy was continuing his "looking at the scenery" drive and not at the traffic on the main road that he was crossing. A terrible state of affairs.
Oh well. I guess he'll live and (hopefully) learn . Cheers all,
B
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