close calls

smartarse2007

i think each and every one of us have had a close call once or twice, most of them not being our fault of course, so i say we should post them here to give a heads up to any new riders or just sumthing we never realised someone could even do


anywho ill start

basically cars and indicators and mirrors are my big sore points with cage drivers

i have had one to many close calls when i was just driving along when the car in the lane next to me just decides i dont exist and goes to pull into my lane without even a glance to see if anyone is there then i honk and when i look at dem der just lik u f*****g idiot as if it was my fault lol anywho look forward to hearing the rest of you guys experiences

hobochris

smartarse2007 wrote: »

i think each and every one of us have had a close call once or twice, most of them not being our fault of course, so i say we should post them here to give a heads up to any new riders or just sumthing we never realised someone could even do


anywho ill start

basically cars and indicators and mirrors are my big sore points with cage drivers

i have had one to many close calls when i was just driving along when the car in the lane next to me just decides i dont exist and goes to pull into my lane without even a glance to see if anyone is there then i honk and when i look at dem der just lik u f*****g idiot as if it was my fault lol anywho look forward to hearing the rest of you guys experiences

in that situation I usually pull the clutch in, hold my thumb on the horn and redline the throttle, with a decent can on the bike they soon realize there's something in there way.

KamiKazi

hobochris wrote: »

in that situation I usually pull the clutch in, hold my thumb on the horn and redline the throttle, with a decent can on the bike they soon realize there's something in there way.

+1, a fistful of revs is the only way to wake up dopey car drivers.

Only real close calls I've ever had were stupid car drivers changing lanes without checking mirrors/blindspot or indicating while I filter.

Stupid *******

jameshayes

If that happens quite a lot i'd question my own driving - are you clearly visable to them? eg. not driving in their blind spots (which so, so, so many bikers to subconsciously)

KamiKazi

jameshayes wrote: »

If that happens quite a lot i'd question my own driving - are you clearly visable to them? eg. not driving in their blind spots (which so, so, so many bikers to subconsciously)

It's something you have to look out for alright, I know if I can see the drivers face in the rear view & one side mirror I'm not in their blind spot. They're probably asleep anyway

Max Headroom

Happened me yesterday..coming into rathfarnham ,quiet narrow road , next i see a green fiesta coming out of a garden on my right....she didnt stop, just came straight out on the road....lashed on the brakes and hit the horn at the same time...she stops half way across my side..i managed to stop about 2 feet from her passenger door..:eek:..all i could do was stare at her, she's at least 70...probably does this everyday..its lucky there was nothing coming the other way as she came straight out of her house...
Sad part ..off she goes..me behind , her right indicator goes on as she wants to turn into the church...50 fkn yards from her house..:mad::mad::mad::mad:

She could have caused death or serious injury, not just to me but to any poor unfortunate who happened to be there at the time....



BYW...what makes it worse...i was in my big fkn white van.....if i'd been on my bike i'd be in hospital now...or dead...

smartarse2007

jameshayes wrote: »

If that happens quite a lot i'd question my own driving - are you clearly visable to them? eg. not driving in their blind spots (which so, so, so many bikers to subconsciously)

ah i know what you mean but each time it has happened i happened to be in line with their front passenger window so even as they would look at their mirror they would see me,

i dont know bout you guys but i just fnd some drivers to be totally lazz no indicating no looking in mirrors etc , like i know were all human but still when your on a bike a simple mistake can and does cost lives so what really pisses me off most of all is that after they have nearly caused an accident normally you dont even get a sorry or a **** im really sorry look

P.C.

My favorite spot in Dublin is here.

Most of the time drivers do not even know that they are changing lanes here. :eek:

Xios

All my close calls are the same, people jumping lanes into an empty space w/o indicating,(in static traffic) ****ing assholes, and about 3 times i've been forced to brake as some idiot pulls into my lane, this one time here i was in the left lane with the intention of turning left towards enfield, and this idiot woman pulls into my lane, forcing me against a curb, i was literally an inch away, she proceeded to occupy the whole lane then, whats worse, there was a passenger too, didn't even notice me. Next time i'm taking the wing mirror off, they don't use the ****ing things, so what's the point?

smartarse2007

Xios wrote: »

All my close calls are the same, people jumping lanes into an empty space w/o indicating,(in static traffic) ****ing assholes, and about 3 times i've been forced to brake as some idiot pulls into my lane, this one time here i was in the left lane with the intention of turning left towards enfield, and this idiot woman pulls into my lane, forcing me against a curb, i was literally an inch away, she proceeded to occupy the whole lane then, whats worse, there was a passenger too, didn't even notice me. Next time i'm taking the wing mirror off, they don't use the ****ing things, so what's the point?

ahahah speaking of taking off wing mirrors lol, i know of one guy who was going round a roundabout and some lovely woman did exactly the same thing thing to him as happened to yourself except with de guy i know was forced up onto the roundabout cause your one wasnt bundging even with him honking flat out and reving his engine so. so he just about kept control of the bike when he had to drive up onto the roundabout as soon as he was back on the road driving he followed the fecking micra (its always micras or other ****ty small cars) as soon as she got stuck in a bit of traffic he drove by the kicked off her wing mirror ..............serves the stupid bitch right

Georgey Burgess

not my closest call but probably most interesting.

I was on the M50 on morning heading southbound coming towards the tallght junction. anyway the traffic was heavy but moving at a good pace. I was in the fast lane and there was a cement lorry in the left hand lane about 2 car lengths in front of me.

the cement lorry hit a bump and the half tube arm on the back unlatched and hinged down. in doing this it snapped off its hinging and hit the road. it took about 2 hops into the hard shoulder and then flew straight across the traffic.

i had to speed up and off the edge of the right hand lane. it missed me and slammed into the side of the car behind me.

I was chasing the driver of the cement lorry cause he was oblivious to this.

so while it wasn't that close to me it was close enough that once it bounced onto the corner and flew across the 2 lanes of traffic, it could've gone anywhere.

KamiKazi

Georgey Burgess wrote: »

not my closest call but probably most interesting.

I was on the M50 on morning heading southbound coming towards the tallght junction. anyway the traffic was heavy but moving at a good pace. I was in the fast lane and there was a cement lorry in the left hand lane about 2 car lengths in front of me.

the cement lorry hit a bump and the half tube arm on the back unlatched and hinged down. in doing this it snapped off its hinging and hit the road. it took about 2 hops into the hard shoulder and then flew straight across the traffic.

i had to speed up and off the edge of the right hand lane. it missed me and slammed into the side of the car behind me.

I was chasing the driver of the cement lorry cause he was oblivious to this.

so while it wasn't that close to me it was close enough that once it bounced onto the corner and flew across the 2 lanes of traffic, it could've gone anywhere.

That's like something right outta Final Destination :eek::eek::pac:

Fabio

jameshayes wrote: »

If that happens quite a lot i'd question my own driving - are you clearly visable to them? eg. not driving in their blind spots (which so, so, so many bikers to subconsciously)

Definately we need to aware of that on bikes, try leave them enough room either behind or in front of you so if they do change lanes, they don't kill you.

Cuddlesworth

I think I had my worst about three days ago. Came to a junction near UCD on the n11, Landcruiser broke a red light while turning onto the n11, pulled across the two lanes and would have killed me had I not been paying attention and saw him well in advance. I accelerated in front of him and then hit my brakes hard. Last I looked in my mirror he was fishtailing out of control in front of moving traffic. I hope the ****er got ploughed into by a truck.

zzr

i nearly got married once ah f**k that was a close one:P

reece

pulled out of my estate and this car was bombing down (in a 50kph zone) - but there was about 150 metres and I was up to speed in no time. 20 seconds later knobhead speeds up within 3 feet of me flashing lights and throwing hands up in the air honking the horn - I'm 15 feet from a roundabout at the time. Slightly confused by looking at this cager dcik in my mirror I take a left in the roundabout instead of my usual right and skimmed the outer kerb of the roundabout. Ordinarily I would have done a u-turn and introduced my steel toe caps to his face but was too shook up to do anything

Dorsanty

P.C. wrote: »

My favorite spot in Dublin is here.

Most of the time drivers do not even know that they are changing lanes here. :eek:

+1

I do that part of the quays most mornings. I like to drive in the left lane beside a car, maybe a little in front so the car sees me no probs and then force the car in the right lane to stay in the right lane after the junction. It is very amusing to see some drivers not understand what is happening. Poor guys just want to drive straight on without using that round thing in their hands.

jimmyendless

Well I didn't have a close one yesterday, the car drove into me. Was going through a junction on the amber light and a car that was in the junction waiting to turn right didn't see me and pulled out. She doesn't think its her fault.

Xios

jimmyendless wrote: »

She doesn't think its her fault.

I'm sure her solicitor is gonna have fun defending an idiot, glad you're here to type up a report, how's the bike lookin?

hobochris

jimmyendless wrote: »

She doesn't think its her fault.

Oh well that case, you better fess up the monies as the rules of the road are based solely on her opinion.

I'd get yourself checked out, no point being a hero to lower a claim against an idiots insurance.

jimmyendless

first off i thought the bike just has cosmetic stuff, indicators, headlamp, clutch leaver, side panel, but after collecting it today the frame is completely warped. The engine to one side now. Its a write off.

KamiKazi

jimmyendless wrote: »

first off i thought the bike just has cosmetic stuff, indicators, headlamp, clutch leaver, side panel, but after collecting it today the frame is completely warped. The engine to one side now. Its a write off.

Ah well it's only metal, and now you get to go bike shopping

jimmyendless

KamiKazi wrote: »

Ah well it's only metal, and now you get to go bike shopping

Now that doesn't sound too bad.

CrazyRabbit

I almost drowned on my bike. Don't laugh!!!

There was some flooding a few years ago and I was driving down Knockmaroon hill in Castleknock. As I got near to the end, a Garda was warning motorists that there was a foot of water near the cottages at the bottom on the hill. He advised me to drive up on the path and to drive slowly. So, myself and the 4 cars behind me started to slowly navigate through the flooded area.

All was going fine until the idiot 2 cars back decided that since he was in a 4x4 Range Rover, he hence didn't need to drive so slowly through the water. So, he accelerated and overtook us at about 30-40mph. Now...that had the unfortunate effect of creating a mini tsunami which hit me and knocked me against the wall. I bounced back off the wall and the bike came down on top of me, pinning my leg underneath.

My entire body was under water and I was a little shocked by both the impact and the freezing water. But the scariest bit was still to come. After seeing what had just happened, the next car behind me decided to just drive around me, narrowly missing my submerged head with the wheels of his car. On of the last things you want to see when pinned underwater is a wheel whizzing past just a few inches from your head.

I managed to get up after what seems like ages and by some miracle the bike actually started. A good 20 mins later I was safe home but in an almost hypothermic state, still in shock from what had happened. No more driving in floods for me.

smartarse2007

jesus christ i say you nearly shat urself alright but its the typical reaction though aint it "i dont want to get involved and i aint getting my hands dirty"

sure only in early december i was driving through some traffic just at the custom house facing the side of the VHI building in dublin when up ahead i see a guy on a pretty big bike just fall over as he was bout to change into 1st as the light went green

the bike fell on his leg and cause of the size of the bike he could barely pick it up, so i tried to get up to him as quick as i could to help him out while everyone in their cars just sat their and looked at the guy struggeling with the bike eventualy he got it up and pushed it up onto the path so i followed him up and turned out his foot slipped on a drain cover cause it was lashing out

and sure even myself was driving on day on a pretty unfamiliar country road so i was taking it easy round the bends all was good when an S shaped bend came up and one was really sharp so much so i was nearly up on the verge when my front wheel slipped on all the gravel at the edge of the road and went flying into the ditch all the cars behind me just kept driving on as my and my bike tumbled down into this ditch but luckily i was able to get me n de bike out safe and sound minus one wing mirror ahahah

but yea people just would leave ya der to die and then when its dem they would be the first to be like oh i would help anyone and i was left there to die yadda yadda yadda

Chaos Marine

Some of the worst close calls I've ever had the dubious enjoyment of were women drivers with no sense of patience. Driving along the curving road from Blackpool to Ballyvolane while it's lashing down, dark, I'm on the near side position so I can get the best view of on coming traffic and doing about thirty, thirty five miles an hour, taking it safe as you do. Woman in a Ford Focus accelerates from behind me and over takes in mostly the same lane.

With the road curving to the right, you can no doubt understand I was leaning over a bit as well. I honestly can not remember ever remember a male driver doing this (Not that there aren't some idiot male drivers either who don't seem to realise that you stop at the white line, not half way over it and nosing into the oncoming traffic lane, I'm looking at you taxi drivers) besides one or two I recall who pulled up along side me when I was to the side for turning either left or right. Now I just stop in the middle.

Another close call was that pot hole outside the Cork Opera house, it's like someone used a digger once and then realised he wasn't supposed to dig there and fecked off. If I hadn't avoided it Hades only knows what would have happened my bike.

[Edit] Though I didn't have much difficulty with flooding at most points, the other night (Before this second cold snap that has seemed to settle in), it was raining as it does and I didn't notice this deep patch of water between the Heineken brewery and just before the petrol station, I ran right through the water at about forty miles per hour and the back wash nearly took my legs off. I now have a very healthy respect for the kinetic power of water and what it must be like to be hit by a high pressure water cannon.

delop

My pet hates are:

1) When taking a right turn that has one of them wait boxes the car behind you cant wait till you clear, so they 1/2 overtake you and wait on your left.

2) Car changing lane seeing you and bulling you over, Ive caught up to fellas who did this at lights a number of times, and the answer was usually, your only a bike, there was plenty of room..

On confrontations : Just be careful with the 'red mist' , Ive found that if i think I'm in the right, I can be very intimidating... Black suit, Face mask, I could be anyone.....

Brought a grown man to almost tears one day, he was petrified of me, had to finish by saying I'm not giving out to ya, just pointing out that you didn't see me, and to be careful, advice like..... I felt terrible for the rest of the day, after all he is human too..

Asok

Sunday night in thick fog nipping to the shops.... she had no lights on at all and gave the look of wonder at me when I started flashing her.

Have had the usual ****e of white vans over taking ya when coming off a roundabout etc. (This has stopped now that I use the "Defensive style" I got taught when I was getting me first training)

Worst was having to slam full on in the lashing rain because a van decided the stop sign was optional, Managed to stop her about 2 - 3 inches from the side of the van.