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[Twolanerider]

Offered only as a refresher / reminder as I screwed up today and nearly wrecked the Road King.  Was heading south out of town accelerating away from the last interchange before open two lane highway.  Got to 60-65 and way too close in front of me a red hatchback of some kind pulls out from across street.  It had a stop sign and had been stopped.  Car just never saw me.

It was less than a block in front of me.  Not sure how far but way too close.  He did see me part way across and locked his car up.  Even worse probably.  When he got stopped is when I screwed up though. 

I initially thought he was going to go on through.  That's what it looked like.  So I'd started aiming for the area that would be behind him.  Then when he stopped I stared right at the driver that was dead in front of me.  And at least for a hare's moment that's exactly where I went.

Back wheel wasn't locked but was starting fishtail a bit as the bike's weight shifted forward.  Had this vivid thought that "chit, going to have to rebuild the Road King."

There was a sliver of open lane in front of the car and I got the bike pushed that way.  Whatever it was that stuck out farthest on the car actually slapped my right highway peg and folded it to its upright position as it went by.  But it was way too close.  Wouldn't have been that bad if I'd not locked eyes with the driver rather than where I should have wanted to go.  As it was I just got way too lucky.

So remember my friends, look where you want to go.  Because if you don't you'll screw up just like I did this morning.

[SneakyPete]

Don,

Great advice, sorry you had to be reminded this way, but at least neither you or the bike got hurt.

[kiro]

Glad you're okay after the close call Twolanerider! Your advice on where to look is right on...

[GregKhougaz]

Great post and lesson, Don.        Thanks!  If we don't take responsibility for our mishaps, we will not get better and the next one could be worse.      I watched my nephew learn that lesson the hard way when he went down on a freeway transition ramp.  He made out with only a cracked kneecap. I'm very glad you were not hurt!

[FlaHeatWave]

Thanks for the reminder, glad you're OK

[Twolanerider]

Thanks guys.  I quite literally had a moment where the thought in my head was "don't look there."  If I'd not bitch slapped myself at that moment would have ridden right in to the side of the car as the bike never had a chance to get stopped in time.

[iski]

Good advice Twolane, very glad you made it through ok.  Will offer this, your initial reaction was understandable, the car was moving.  You re-evaluated & adjusted your line of travel in a split second which requires great skill, will,  determination, some luck, & in at least my case a new set of skivvys.

Best always to live to tell the tale & ride another day! ;

 

[Chains]

Glad you made Don, makes me think of all the times l have been told you go were you look. Your close call will stick in my mind more so than the words.

By the way I know you can rebuild the bike if it goes down but who would rebuild you if you were hurt bad.

[Twolanerider]

By the way I know you can rebuild the bike if it goes down but who would rebuild you if you were hurt bad.

A minute or so down the road when a case of the hee-bee-geebee's crawled up my back I laughed at myself over the same idea; that I'd had my priorities screwed up there just a little bit.  It's weird not just what goes through your head so quickly but how much. 

Guess the real lesson is to hopefully be able to keep thinking.  If that had stopped that car would have been trying to very hard to screw with my good looks.

[J-Carr]

A minute or so down the road when a case of the hee-bee-geebee's crawled up my back I laughed at myself over the same idea; that I'd had my priorities screwed up there just a little bit.  It's weird not just what goes through your head so quickly but how much. 

Guess the real lesson is to hopefully be able to keep thinking.  If that had stopped that car would have been trying to very hard to screw with my good looks.

A) Very glad your OK!!!
B) Very glad the RK is OK!!!
C) Thank you for the reminder - we try to war game this kind of stuff all the time but it doesn't always work when all the chit goes south at once.
D) Are you sure those where hee bee geebees crawling up your back?  Sometimes, in a moment of extreme terror... well... you know.  And it squishes.   

[Royalroadie]

Don,  glad you can think on your "wheels".  This was a great reminder of, "you go where you look". That is the reason I did not see any of the scenery when I was on the million dollar highway last month.  I was too afraid that I might go over the edge.  Total pucker!

[Twolanerider]

A) Very glad your OK!!!
B) Very glad the RK is OK!!!
C) Thank you for the reminder - we try to war game this kind of stuff all the time but it doesn't always work when all the chit goes south at once.
D) Are you sure those where hee bee geebees crawling up your back?  Sometimes, in a moment of extreme terror... well... you know.  And it squishes.   

Yeap, checked my shorts later .

Only figuratively crapped myself.

[Twolanerider]

Don,  glad you can think on your "wheels".  This was a great reminder of, "you go where you look". That is the reason I did not see any of the scenery when I was on the million dollar highway last month.  I was too afraid that I might go over the edge.  Total pucker!

After a little reflection later in the day I've realized some bad habits I've picked up over the years.  Ok, maybe not bad habits picked up more than good habits not practiced. 

When out on the two lanes I used to with some regularity do as we're all supposed to and practice the panic stops and war game in my head through scenarios.  Things like if someone pulling out in front.  Just to keep the habits at least somewhat habitual.  I don't do that anymore; and haven't for --- well--- I'm not sure how long.  But a long time.

I'll do the panic stops.  But sometime I stopped practicing through other reactions and maneuvers.  Even just as a mental exercise.  Whether that had any bearing today on losing what felt like half of the available reaction time to just staring straight ahead at the car or not I don't know.  I'm an old fart anymore so reaction times and reflexes already aren't what they were 20 years ago.  Can't afford to have the brain shut down at inopportune times on top of that. 

[ultrafxr]

Whew!  Glad you are OK Don. 

[Boatman]

Very happy you are ok Don as others have stated.  Thanks for the life lesson!