Just a reminder to give yourself some distance folks .. you don't have near enough control of unknown variables when you don't give yourself enough room to maneuver. Seems obvious but I see it all the time; tonight while driving home in my car a bike was riding my *** (I was going about 8 over the limit) and I came up on a big dead black dog in the middle of the road. It was a back 2 lane road with no street lights and I knew as soon as I came up on it (didn't see it 'til very close due to it being black like the asphalt and no street lights) that there was going to be trouble.

I could make it fine by driving over with enough space for the dog to clear in between my wheels but there wasn't enough time to slow down to give the following biker warning time, if I slammed the breaks he would've run into me and if I slowed he would've had even less time to see it since he would've been even closer to my tail. Not enough time to do much else either since it was all a matter of a few seconds. So I continued my pace and cleared the dog and sure enough look in my rear view to see homey going down and out sliding off the road. I pulled over, walked back and helped him up and made sure he was okay (he was scratched up but geared up and okay) but his bike was rashed all over. Helped him get the bike up and told him how easily avoidable that was and he sheepishly said "I know" and then thanked me for the help and went on his way.

Slow down or at least back off .. you tailgater's make me nervous .. lol

 

very true, my cuz is a tailgater, never enough room, i give my self 6-8 sec of space when i ride, its my safe zone. at least the guy was ok, scratches are better then broken whatevers.

 

That is smart, I read that most collisions can be avoided if you have most than 2 seconds to make a decision. The other thing I read was that 17% of accidents are from a bike following too closely and rear ending a car.

I think it is important for a bike to either go faster or slower than traffic, it makes it easier to notice for other drivers, but most important is to have that safety 'space' and when I ride I always try and maximize my distancefrom bigger objects.

 

yeah, my "dad" is a great rider, he had years of exp, taught me well, i ride with fear so the more room i have the safer i feel.

 

Good post, Kewl. I'm glad he was alright and I hope he learns.

 

I usually ride on the side of the road not in the middle. That way if the car infront of me decides to explode or a massive pot hole instantly forms I can just ride on around it on the sholder.

 

Yeah, I enjoyed reading it. I could only imagine what a non rider in your position would have done?

 

Did ya at least tap your brake? I know it was only a few seconds reaction time. Nothing you could really do, bet that guy will either pass from now on or hang back.....

That is one of the things I hate is crap in the road. I hit a chunk of blown out tire after it was hit and flung over into my laneby another car, I was going close to 65 and got tank slap bad and it lasted for a long time before it corrected. I thought I was going down.

 

I typically ride in the side of the lane, that way when cars in front of me use their side mirrors I am in view of them; this also keeps you out of the main oil/fuel/water/tranny leak spots. I also like for oncoming traffic to have a chance to see me so they don't try and make a quick turn behind the car in front of me. I always always keep my distance when riding, I freak out if I'm too close. Despite us being able to stop quicker we also have more of a chance of locking up brakes and lowsiding, cars slide, so do bikes, but out from underneath us.

 

You know, there is one possible reaction that "may?" have saved the biker but I did not think about it until after the incident:

Obviously, with very few seconds to react, my first thought was whether my car would clear the big dog since my car is pretty low to the ground (not enough time to swerve) but if I had known immediately I would definitely clear it, I guess I could have gunned it and sped up thereby giving the biker a second extra reaction time that may have saved him. Hindsight is always 20/20 though.


Yes & No. It was a curvy road and not much time to think but my first reaction was to stomp the brakes which I quickly decided was the wrong move .. so my brake lights did come on for a fraction of a second but not intentionally for the reason you mentioned.