let us be careful out there

Over the pass month I have had 2 cars make left turns in front of me without incident I was able to ask them if they saw me and why they did it I was informed they did and motorcycles are to yield to cars. I informed them they were wrong one believed me the other not sure both were early twentys or late teens.
I have been looking at accident reports this year the trend seems to be car vs cycle daytime and cycle at night so in my opinion cars do not see use in daylight or care and we are, are own worst enemies at night.
Just remember my opinion and five dollars will get a cup of coffee at starbucks.

Sounds like the rest of the civilised??? world too!

I think one of the problems with cars turning in front of you can be "helped" by putting a set of driving lights on using Dennis's mounting bracket. The other thing you need to do is make sure when you are following traffic to stay to the inside lane in other words follow behind the driver side of the car in front of you. This way on-coming traffic can see you coming. If you follow on the passenger side of the car in front of you look out! This is in the U. S. where we drive on the right side of the road. I think this is something you need to be very aware of.
Old Dave in Western Nebraska

Eldon wrote:

Over the pass month I have had 2 cars make left turns in front of me without incident I was able to ask them if they saw me and why they did it I was informed they did and motorcycles are to yield to cars.

Excellent discussion with the other drivers.

Eldon wrote:

I informed them they were wrong one believed me the other not sure both were early twentys or late teens.

I would suggest that you might want to re-enforce your statement by letting them know that ignorance of law does not prevent them from expensive personal lawsuits, arrest and jailing ... and a lot of motorcyclist are now actively filming with camera for irrefutable proof.

DaveR wrote:

I think one of the problems with cars turning in front of you can be "helped" by putting a set of driving lights on using Dennis's mounting bracket.

If ignorant drivers do not not know the correct driving laws and falsely (or incorrectly) believe that motorcycles are to yield to cars ... then driving lights will not help prevent the ignorance (or selfishness) of the driver.

In their twisted minds , who has the right of way between them and a motorcycle policeman ... I betcha they would be thinking twice My philosophy has always been the closer I look to a policeman or the closer the Silverwing looks to a police motorcycle ... the better my chances are. Even when I am off the Silverwing, just wearing my gear I constantly get the question ... are you a policeman or fireman

Despite what some people say, drivers here in Tennessee are usually pretty good. There does seem to be a lot of people who tailgate though. I notice it in my car but I'm more careful about it on my scoot. Usually I pull over and let them by, even though that just encourages them.

Driving at night it's the wildlife that scares me. I commute 50 miles to work through a state park and last week I got stuck at the office until after dark. Driving through the park I flicked on my brights to see a deer as big as my swing standing on the shoulder of the highway like he wanted to cross. He let me go past without making a move, but it was scary.

Bill, I am curious... are you a fireman or a policeman? You look more like a pilot to me... or maybe a medic....

DuggleBogey wrote:

Despite what some people say, drivers here in Tennessee are usually pretty good. There does seem to be a lot of people who tailgate though. I notice it in my car but I'm more careful about it on my scoot. Usually I pull over and let them by, even though that just encourages them.

Driving at night it's the wildlife that scares me. I commute 50 miles to work through a state park and last week I got stuck at the office until after dark. Driving through the park I flicked on my brights to see a deer as big as my swing standing on the shoulder of the highway like he wanted to cross. He let me go past without making a move, but it was scary.

The deer are not just in the country areas. I have seen three deer in people's yards or at the edge of some woods in my mother's housing development (about 300 homes). About a month ago, one of them barreled across the road between me and an oncoming car - it's head was down and it didn't look anywhere except straight ahead. Luckily, I saw it with enough time to slow down for it (and I was on the 150cc scoot at that time).

Back on Mother's day a friend was riding his Kymco Xciting 250 and T-boned a deer on a semi-urban street. He wrecked, but has since recovered. The deer did not survive. A driver of the car following him stopped to help him, and said he saw two deer cross the road; the second one is the one my friend hit. Both he and the dead deer ended up in a person's front yard.

I've been a bit nervous while riding these days.

Everyone be careful, please.

Do be careful out there.
I was jsut informed this morning One of my friends from Atlanta was injured by someone "being in his lane" (not sure what that means) and his wife was heading to the hospital.
That makes 2 of my friends from that area in the last year that were injured by people turning left in front of them.
Thes two have 75-80 years and hundreds of thousands of miles of riding under their belts. They do not speed and are VERY conservative riders and do pay atention.
I am waiting for an update on his condition.

We were to meet in Townsend Tn for a week in AUG.

Say a prayer , since he has some other health issues. he is 68 yrs old.

it doesn't matter the years or experience or karma. JUST BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

MaxB

Hope your friend will be all right, Max.

The most common serious accident on bikes is the oncoming car that turns left in front of you. "I didn't see him", is the most common statement by the cage driver. A headlight modulator will really make a bike more conspicuous. A white helmet seems to help a lot too, most likely because people connect that with motor officers.

We have an 'expression' this side of the pond:
SMIDSY - Sorry Mate, I Didn't See You.

I, too, wish the casualty and his wife well along with all victims of thoughtless road-users.

1. One must remember the standard of driving and getting a lic. is very low in US.
Treat other drivers as if they are deaf/dumb/blind and on something. Don't trust them.

2. Deer at night. Always present. If you ride enough you will have close brush. I have had several over the years in France, WI, etc. The one I killed in 1990, Switzerland was in broad day light,@35mph exiting a town. Saw the first, the second got me...maybe my big BMW full helmet blocked side vision a little. One dead deer Honda XBR500 ok, just lots of deer poop and puke all over, large parts of his hide stuck on centerstand.

3. High Vis clothes might work.

4. Remember scooter doesn't present much of a threat to Bubba with a sex problem in his pickup or SUV----women I just don't think are paying much attention.

5. Lots on telephones----they should be pulled out and shot. They are much worse than drunks.

John Grinsel

"THE WARNING"





"THE PROBLEM"




" THE APPLICATION OF THE PROBLEM"




"THE RESULT" FATAL

I live two blocks from the freeway in a residential area and have deer come feed in my back yard, there are houses all around. We also have all sorts of small animals coming up it could be due the fact we are not far from whats called the Big Thicket. I've had to sit and wait for as long as five minuets at one time waiting for a big doe who wanted to stare me down then walked off as if no one was around.I watch close around here as they do tend to run in front of you.
Craig

last night I got a reminder of why to wear a helmet especially a full face I had collision with a bird at 65 mph if I was not wearing it I would broke my glasses and got a black eye

Eldon wrote:

I had collision with a bird at 65 mph

If the helmet took a heavy impact, you may have to replace the helmet.

Anybody know if those deer whistle things work?

They don't.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Do_deer_alert_whistles_really_work

http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/021118/02111812.htm

http://www.deer-departed.com/deer-car-whistles.html

And there are many more tests and papers on the subject on the web.

I agree that they don't seem to help alert deer. BUT... they sure look a little classy attached to Dennis' light bar. Don't cost a lot, but will get you a few looks from passer bys...

Hammy wrote:

Anybody know if those deer whistle things work?

Some people think that the deer whistle should cause to run away ... which is the worst thing that could happen. A scared deer will run in any direction ... including at you.

Some people think that the deer whistle should freeze the deer like a Star Trek phaser ... the driver then continues at full speed past the deer.

So it no surprise that the perception of the deer whistle "do not work" when people's perception of what the deer whistle should do.

When driving, I just want the deer to turn their head to me so I can see their eyes reflecting (most will raise their head and turn). I do not want the deer to move or be frighten which makes them unpredictable. Once I see the reflection of their eyes ... I slow down, carefully watch the deer and move over to give them room.

If you have any deer movement stop ... because that deer may not be the only one.

When you get a deer whistle, read the package for the MPH activation speed. Anything below the speed it will not work. I only purchased if 30 MPH or above ... deer can still do a lot of damage at slow speed.

I have live in deer country for almost 30 years, the deer whistles have worked exactly like I expected ... everything else is on me!

If you want to save your tuperwear and your wiskers. For a few bucks .
buy yourself ultrasonic whissels. they come in pairs and they really work.
I have beeb using them sice the 70s.
They start working at 40 miles p/h,one high one low pitch sound.
when riding you will notices example ravens on a road kill fly away 2 to3
times farther ,bears will run away 2 to3 poll lines in front of you.
one time a was riding with 12 riders ,,I was at the back of the pack ,allong
beside a power line with tall grass .All the group some whith loud pipes whent
by and when I past by a huge bear stod up watch me go by.
Riding allone a big bull moose on the side of the road was shaking his head
as I went by .for 5 bucks what do you got to lose.

I don't know if this thread is about deer or cars turning left in front of you.
If it is about cars I agree with John Grinsel. You have to ride like most cars out there WANT to kill you. Be ready. In traffic slow down, cover your brake,
be aware of escape routes, make eye contact, live to ride another day.

My wife and I were turning left onto an outer road where we live, this young girl had a yield sign and was starring right at us and as we approached , she tried to gun it to get in front of us. I almost stopped right there to plant my heavy boot on the hood of her car. I think most out there don't respect bikes, they see them as inferior because they are smaller , faster or whatever the reason and will try and beat you to wherever they are going.