Near Miss Today

[SMSW]

This was one of those things that I am not sure I could have done differently. I was driving on a state route in a built up area, speed limit was 35 and moderately heavy traffic was moving at about that speed. There were lots of stores on both sides of the road (two lanes in each direction with turn lanes in the middle) and plenty of driveways for cars to pull off the road. I had just crossed an intersection and pulled up maybe 10 feet behind 3 or 4 stopped cars in the right hand lane. There was a huge utility truck to my left with orange cones all around the truck completely blocking the left lane. I was in gear, hand on the clutch when I checked the rear view mirror - a silver Infinity was coming up behind me FAST. Far too fast to stop before rear ending me. I let the clutch out, and was moving ahead and pulling to the right of the car ahead of me when he/she/it slammed on the brakes and with a long drawn out squeal, skidded to a stop. I don't know if the Infinity stopped where I had been (I was not entirely out of my lane by the time it stopped completely, but I was almost alongside the car ahead of me). Absent that last minute braking, the impact would have totaled the bike and/or slammed me into the car ahead of me, or if my evasive action was sufficient it probably would have pushed the car now to my left into me - I was NOT accelerating with wild abandon - there was simply no room to pop the clutch and scream away.

I have auxiliary bright LED brake lights that flash when I stop - all the good stuff. This driver was simply not paying attention and would have nailed me and the car ahead of me except for that last second awareness of all the stopped traffic and panic braking. (Yes, a loud skidding screech of locked tires on the road - what happened to anti lock brakes?).

Scary stuff. I replayed this all the way home. Sometimes we are the bug on the windshield and there is nothing to be done about it.

 

[AV8R]

Glad you are fine and a quick reactor

i have to admit that i dont check the rear view on stops as i should.

 

[dwalby]

Sometimes we are the bug on the windshield and there is nothing to be done about it.

we ride between the lanes of stopped traffic, and let the cars behind us worry about being rear ended. Glad you had room to do the same.

 

[Al Gully]

Glad you were covering all angles while you were stopped.
Great quick thinking on your part.

 

[Jay51]

I'm glad that you are okay. Your observation, awareness skills and quick thinking move saved you!

A few weeks back I was traveling on a crowded freeway with traffic moving about 55 mph. I was in the second lane from left and riding in the left side of the lane. Out of nowhere, a car shifted from the third lane into my lane just behind me a surged ahead as if I wasn't even there. The driver of that car literally attempted to pass me on my right in my lane. I narrowly was able to move left to let him pass me in my lane. When traffic slowed down up ahead, I pulled up next to the driver who forced me over, to see that he was smoking pot, listening to music and oblivious to what he had just done. I can't stress enough how significant it is to stay alert and be aware for our own safety.

 

[ST-Traveler]

Good job watching traffic behind you. probably texting away. I have seen videos on youtube that show exactly what you are describing and rear end collisions happen. You were lucky today.

 

[SMSW]

Thank you all, but my point was, as fast as I was, and watching behind me, I am not sure that I did anything that would have saved me from harm had that guy (or gal) not slammed on his brakes in the nick of time. It all happened so fast that another blink could have had me as his hood ornament.

And I thank ALL of YOU guys who have hammered at us here to be situationally aware; to leave room for escaping, cover the brake lever (and clutch) with two fingers, etc. Without those lessons some of us might not be around to write more oil threads.

 

[dduelin]

You stopped in gear and ready to go...good choice. Thanks for sharing the moment.

 

[ToddC]

A lesson to be learned by all. Situational awareness is key.....!

ToddC

 

[AV8R]

Think ill do more stopped lane splits

 

[Upt' North]

Well done SMSW, you're a switched on cookie.
You did all you could, be aware and work out a secondary plan for every eventuality. No one can ask anymore.
The trouble is it's extremely tiring riding/driving for every bonehead out there, and it's been discussed at length before; it will only get worse. With mirror link why look where you are going when you can text, stream, call, tweet, blah blah blah. I hate distractions whilst riding.
Someone on here posted a picture recently about ball mounts on the bike, they must ride with more infotainment than I have in my home!
Each to their own. Glad you're in one piece.
Upt'North.

 

[ddemair]

we ride between the lanes of stopped traffic, and let the cars behind us worry about being rear ended. Glad you had room to do the same.

That's a good tactic, but California is apparently the only state that allows lane splitting. Around here, there's rarely room to lane split and if there were, there's a good chance it would get you a ticket or,at a minimum, piss off everyone around you. Of course, that's not to say that we all shouldn't be situationally aware and do what we can to avoid being part of a car sandwich. I try to stop to one side or the other of the lane. If there's a shoulder and I'm in the right lane, I usually stop a little further left than where I normally ride with the thought that a mindless motorist would use the shoulder rather than hit something.

A while back, I was sitting at a red light. Before it turned green, 2 cars back, a car that was already stopped, suddenly decided to accelerate and drove into the car behind me. The car behind me got pushed forward a little bit, but not far enough to reach me. The drivers got out of their cars and the light turned green so I proceeded since I wasn't part of it, but I thought that could just as easily have been me. I have no idea how or why that happened, but sometimes doing everything you can think of to be safe still isn't enough.

 

[klaproth]

While I DO ride with music on, and a GPS up on my ball mounts, SA ( situational awareness ) is always on my mind. I think it's part of why I like motorcycling SO much! SO much to pay attention to, all at the same time. It becomes a zen like experience, trying to keep all of it in the forefront of one's mind.

Some drink to forget, I ride to forget...when riding, my focus is always on everything going on around me, and I forget the cares of the day. Yes, they are STILl there, just not at the forefront of my consciousness. IN a lot of cases, though, by NOT thinking of them, I come up with solutions for said issues.

SMSW, glad you are okay, and that you saw the danger, and were prepared. I hope it is a warning we all heed, and stay more aware.

 

[SteveST1300]

While I DO ride with music on, and a GPS up on my ball mounts, SA ( situational awareness ) is always on my mind. I think it's part of why I like motorcycling SO much! SO much to pay attention to, all at the same time. It becomes a zen like experience, trying to keep all of it in the forefront of one's mind.

That is one of the things I enjoy about motorcycling being hyper vigilant to ALL your surroundings.

 

[jfheath]

Strewth - Close call SMSW - well done for spotting it and having a way out.

Observing, anticipating, leaving myself space and all of that stuff that keeps us motorcyclists alive - I reckon I'm pretty good at stuff like that. Except when I'm not - and it is that last bit that worries me. I've had a couple of wake-up calls recently - things that would not have happened if I did every time the things that I thought that I did every time. I'm my own worst critic and I'll scrutinise the onboard video to work out what I could have done differently. But apparently, as time of life passes, the things that used to happen automatically no longer do, and it is forcing me to make a conscious effort to re-establish some old habits.

My first reaction on reading SMSW's post was yes - I leave a gap, I watch my mirrors, I tend to be in first gear holding the clutch in. Yes, I think I'd have spotted that one and got away as SMSW did - but then I thought - actually, I used to do that, but when was the last time I checked ? Maybe I don't.

 

[drtyrrel]

I hate being boxed in. I always try to leave at least one escape path. I never ride with the guys that like to ride right beside you or right on your a$$.

 

[Ashley971]

Your good riding technique saved you, but your post may save others who read it. Thank you.

Riding is making me increasingly angry at drivers. I'll bet the idiot driving the Infinity was texting. Whether in my cage or on my bike, I can't tell you the number of times I've seen people drift into other lanes, and upon passing I see them with a phone in their hand. Or stuck on their ear.

They better not allow me to become a cop. I'd go Pac Man on drivers.

Technology may be our saving grace, because making better drivers for damn sure is not a realistic outcome. Cars are increasingly being equipped with sensors that provide threat information. Someday, (someday!) we will be able to buy sensor kits that detect rear aspect threats and provide AI-informed warnings inside our helmets. We'll even be able to retrofit our bikes to include those systems -- or they will be built into our helmets so that we take the capability to any bike we're riding.

As well, as AI and advanced sensor systems get into cars, the cars themselves may have intelligence that override the stupidity of drivers.

You know, years ago, my first thought about autonomous vehicles was, yech! Nowadays, seeing some of the drivers here in California, I can't wait for the day that it becomes mandatory -- down to the level where a car won't allow a door to be opened in a way that causes a door ding!

I wish the government would make getting a license to drive a car as difficult as getting an Airline Transport Rating.

Did I just fall into a rant?

Anyway, glad to read that you created your own luck. Thanks for posting that.

 

[AV8R]

IN GA, that will cost you big if caught. I guess the state would rather work the accident then to allow some lane splitting. I'd be thrilled with just that ability. TO ride between cars to get to the front of the line at stop lights. I wouldn't even try to lane split in traffic if it's moving.

Really?

For once, Left California does something right?

Geez even the PD lane split for both moving lanes and at stop lights.

Lane splitting is like an unspoken “privilege” for motorcycles. Some what like how CA allows EVs single drivers (no passenger) to ride in the HOV lane (which normally requires two people in 4 wheeled vehicles). Oh and motorcycles get to ride in the HOV lane too. Just be careful about riding the dividing line as it might be considered as going in/out when not a dashed line.

 

[Dale_I]

I would bet there was no last minute recognition by the driver. My money is on the car and advanced software that saved their fanny and when the brakes came on they were more shocked than you.

Sad...

 

[ReSTored]

+1

If it was a relatively new Infinite it it probably sensed an imminent collision and applied the brakes automatically. I suppose that over the next 5 - 10 years we may see a reduction in rear end collisions as these advanced systems become more widely available over time.