Today I was sitting at a stop light looking to make a right turn on the red signal. The road is 4 lanes, 2 each way with an island in the middle. I was on my way to the cleaners from work driving my GMC. There was an SUV approaching me in the right lane, doing about 30 mph or so. The limit on this road is 45, so I figured I would make the right turn and go to the left lane to make things plenty safe. I looked to check the SUV, then begin turning my head back to commit to the turn.
I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, sort of a blur. I looked back to my left and a guy on a sport bike popped out from the SUV in the left lane doing maybe 55 or 60. Technically he was speeding but he wasn’t really flying or anything – who among us hasn’t gunned it and got up a few mph over the limit?
This really shook me up. The worst thing I can imagine doing is to splat another rider – I would rather crash myself. I’m really careful when I’m in a cage to look out for bikes. But if I hadn’t taken a second look before turning today that guy on the sport bike would be spending a night or two in the hospital; or god forbid the morgue
We all hate cagers with cell phones, or eating, or the infamous texting. But maybe we’re our own worst enemy out there on the road sometimes. Sure it’s the person failing to yield the right-of-way who causes the accident but it’s up to us to make ourselves as visible as possible. That guy on the sport bike didn’t really do anything wrong but he didn’t recognize a seriously dangerous situation that his 15 mph over the limit could have made deadly. Being a good rider means developing a sense for dangerous situations.
You guys be careful out there.
I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, sort of a blur. I looked back to my left and a guy on a sport bike popped out from the SUV in the left lane doing maybe 55 or 60. Technically he was speeding but he wasn’t really flying or anything – who among us hasn’t gunned it and got up a few mph over the limit?
This really shook me up. The worst thing I can imagine doing is to splat another rider – I would rather crash myself. I’m really careful when I’m in a cage to look out for bikes. But if I hadn’t taken a second look before turning today that guy on the sport bike would be spending a night or two in the hospital; or god forbid the morgue
We all hate cagers with cell phones, or eating, or the infamous texting. But maybe we’re our own worst enemy out there on the road sometimes. Sure it’s the person failing to yield the right-of-way who causes the accident but it’s up to us to make ourselves as visible as possible. That guy on the sport bike didn’t really do anything wrong but he didn’t recognize a seriously dangerous situation that his 15 mph over the limit could have made deadly. Being a good rider means developing a sense for dangerous situations.
You guys be careful out there.