Nearly Run Over - Reminder to be careful

[sstakes1]

I was nearly run over by an inattentive driver a couple of days ago on my way back home from work.

Here's the scene. I was on an undivided multiple lane road with two lanes in each direction separated by double-yellow. Posted limit was 35 mph. I was on the left lane behind a pick up truck with out of state license plates going about 30 mph. Right lane was free, but it is pothole ridden and not pleasant for motorcycles.

So this gentleman moves over to the right lane (no flashers). I think to myself, the polite guy was letting me pass. As I speed up to pass him, he decides to do a full U-turn across my lane to go the opposite way! No flashers! No head movement! No indication whatsoever!

Fortunately the speeds were low and I was able to stop in time, with the truck's rear wheel well passing within an inch of my front wheel. I finally recovered enough to toot the horn. He just takes one look at me wondering where I came from and drives on with nary a sign of apology!

C'est la vie! Be careful everyone! And watch out for out-of-state plates with the travel season in full swing!

 

[sstakes1]

... just made a right turn onto a side street and then made a U-turn in front of me.

Exactly the same. We had just made a turn into the road in question and the U-turn happened about 200 yards from the turn. Something to watch out for...

 

[st11ray]

If there is anyway at all to get around someone, potholes or not, I will go. I don't like riding behind vehicles. Glad you didn't get hit.Although you could have just as easily moved to go around on in the right lane you never know if you might have been beside him on the right when he moved over to make his U turn! Moral of the story is the same as always, ride like everyone is trying to kill you.

 

[Peppermint]

Whew! Glad that one didn't bite you, Ram!!

Patty

 

[paulcb]

Glad to hear you avoided that. Yes, we are invisible.

 

[John Anthony]

Glad you made it through safe and sound and thanks for the friendly reminder. Between inattentive and clueless cagers, you can't let your guard down for a minute.

John

 

[SupraSabre]

This is why I have the Stebel type horn! It wakes up inattentive drivers very well!

 

[drrod]

This is why I have the Stebel type horn! It wakes up inattentive drivers very well!

What I am afraid of is that a blast of the horn will cause them to just stop leaving you little option. At least if they keep moving you have a chance to go around behind.
Whenever I am in this situation, I accelerate rather briskly past them as soon as there is enough room to go by. I think it reduces my exposure to the unexpected Uturn but I may be wrong. Has worked so far. I am always doubly wary of someone travelling below the speed limit. Good chance they are lost and likely to do the unexpected.

Glad things worked out for you but it does get your heart rate up.

Rod

 

[sstakes1]

This is why I have the Stebel type horn! It wakes up inattentive drivers very well!

I do too and use it frequently during daily commute. Coincidentally I just used it a few minutes ago in my commute in this morning, I woke up a driver just ahead of me who was trying to move into his immediate right lane on a multi-lane interstate, while a big-rig was trying to move into the same lane from the lane to its right.

However in my near miss, I was focused on stopping. Luckily, I believe that the few milliseconds shaved off of trying to toot the horn made the difference in this case.

 

[SupraSabre]

What I am afraid of is that a blast of the horn will cause them to just stop leaving you little option. At least if they keep moving you have a chance to go around behind.
...

Rod

In the last ten years and putting on 270K on ST1300s alone, most of it commuting, I have yet had ANYONE keep coming at me when I'm on the horn, except those that .."just didn't hear it.." because of loud music or whatever! But I have had NUMEROUS cagers back off of their path to run me over! So, what you are "afraid" of and what happens are two different things!

 

[ST Gui]

I have yet had ANYONE keep coming at me when I'm on the horn, except those that .."just didn't hear it.." because of loud music or whatever! But I have had NUMEROUS cagers back off of their path to run me over!

This has been my experience as well using FIAMMs. It might be different if I had some super loud and/or shrill horns and blasted them alongside a driver.

Whether splitting lanes or just passing a car in an adjacent (not opposite) lane blasting horns while in a driver's blind spot might might a problem. Other than being hit from behind I think that's when a rider is most vulnerable: in that blindspot. I'd stick with the odds and use horns anyway.

 

[Oldbikefixr]

I've seen this twice in the last two days. First one in heavy traffic...guy in the far right lane pulled a U-turn across two lanes of traffic, no signal, and into oncoming traffic, missing cars going both directions by inches.
Another this morning. Similar conditions..no warning.
I suppose it works, neither was struck.

 

[sstakes1]

...I have yet had ANYONE keep coming at me when I'm on the horn...

This mirrors my experience as well. Usually you can see them jerk back into their lane after being jolted from their inattentiveness. In my years of commuting, I have had one determined four wheeler that kept creeping into my path despite the horn. As any rider here would point out, always have an escape route ready

 

[drrod]

In the last ten years and putting on 270K on ST1300s alone, most of it commuting, I have yet had ANYONE keep coming at me when I'm on the horn, except those that .."just didn't hear it.." because of loud music or whatever! But I have had NUMEROUS cagers back off of their path to run me over! So, what you are "afraid" of and what happens are two different things!

I think you misunderstood me. I said "stop", not keep coming. I have seen people, when startled while driving, simply hit the brakes. This is not something I would want to happen if they were sideways across my path. I would want them to keep going to open up an exit behind them. Of course,as you stated, preventing them from turning across you in the first place is preferred but sometimes S*** happens.

Rod