Close Call Today (Check Your Mirrors)

[MirrorrorriM]

One of the things I am most paranoid is having someone slam into the rear of my bike. Well today I got bumped from behind - thankfully I didn't get thrown though.







So essentially, I was flat footing and waiting to merge onto the main roadway when I felt a huge lurch and a loud crunch. I had the clutch pulled in in 1st gear so when I felt it, I knew immediately what was going on and decided the safest thing to do was keep the clutch in and ride it out for a few feet. The guy got out and was pretty indifferent about the situation as if two cars got into a fender bender in a grocery store parking lot. I laid into him and tried to drill it in to his thick skull that if he had been going a few miles an hour faster, I could have been launched off the bike and into traffic. Thankfully though, nobody is hurt and the damage is minimal.

Just a visual reminder to you guys to always be aware of what's behind you.

[cbdallas]

The casual attitude is the scariest part....that, and the other battle scars on his front bumper. Idiots. Glad it wasn't worse. It was bad enough.

[distantThunder]

that was close.
really glad they stopped when they did.

on my bike I have some decorations that hang off the rear end of the bike.
they are there primarily as part of the theme for my cruiser.
but they also are eye-catching and help cages to notice the exact position of the rear of my bike. consider mounting a small flag, or even some ribbons, on the back of your bike. just an idea.

dT

[4Raven]

I am so relieved you are okay....my father just lost a friend who was "launched " off his bike into oncoming traffic....You took it better than I would have....I would have dropped that bike and wailed like the a$$hat nearly killed me!!!! would have asked for an ambulance and trip to the hospital too....because if I didn't I would be in handcuffs for jumping all over the hood of the car....smashing stuff...tearing off mirrors....smacking the driver!

I have to wonder at what point he didn't think that he was going to hit you??? But then looking at his bumpers there are marks all over them....other than when someone has crashed into me...I have been driving for several decades and have never had one mark on either my front or back bumpers! And his "indifference" means that after he made those marks he probably just drove off without letting the person who he hit know that he did it...probably in parking lots! Okay I have to do some yoga and calm down....these people tick me off....

[JeepFreak81]

This is also one of the things I'm paranoid about, and I ride a dual sport with 1 tiny little mirror that gives me a shaky view of what's behind me. Anyway, glad you are ok and the bike looks to have minimal damage.

On a side note, I really like that bike....what is it??

[AikinutNY]

I always leave a cushion between me and the car in front and stop a little before the white line at a stop sign/traffic light until the car behind me has stopped. After they have stopped I might pull up to have a look down the road. It does not guarantee that you are safe, I was wrecked by the third car behind me, in my car, when I stopped in traffic. I would have been killed on a bike.

Motorcycles can be bad also. I was in the right turn lane and a sportbike took the curb WITHOUT stopping for the stop sign. We would have collided if I would have been just a hair faster letting my clutch out.

Another time I was going to make a left hand turn from my road onto a side street. I saw something laying on the road where I would have been turning. At the last instant it was a grey plastic bag and it moved. Had it not I might have swung right to cut around it and make my turn. At that instant a Bike shot past me, just inches from my elbow. I had not "Checked my six"!

[MirrorrorriM]

Thanks for the support so far guys. After I cooled down for a couple days, the driver and I decided to settle it privately. I got him to buy me a new fender delete kit that I'll install next weekend

Originally Posted by 4Raven

I am so relieved you are okay....my father just lost a friend who was "launched " off his bike into oncoming traffic....You took it better than I would have....I would have dropped that bike and wailed like the a$$hat nearly killed me!!!! would have asked for an ambulance and trip to the hospital too....because if I didn't I would be in handcuffs for jumping all over the hood of the car....smashing stuff...tearing off mirrors....smacking the driver!

I have to wonder at what point he didn't think that he was going to hit you??? But then looking at his bumpers there are marks all over them....other than when someone has crashed into me...I have been driving for several decades and have never had one mark on either my front or back bumpers! And his "indifference" means that after he made those marks he probably just drove off without letting the person who he hit know that he did it...probably in parking lots! Okay I have to do some yoga and calm down....these people tick me off....

Sorry to hear about your father's friend, it really is tragic that you can just be going on about your day and because of someone's stupidity, your life is gone, without even being able to attempt to defend yourself.

But for being a police officer, I had to keep cool. Beating this guy into the cement would have just complicated things for me in the long run and it's really not worth it. Trust me though, I really really wanted to.

On a side note, I really like that bike....what is it??

JeepFreak - It's a 1993 Suzuki GSX1100G that I did a little work to. They were only produced for 2 or 3 years here in the states but are more popular over in Europe. Hard as hell to find parts for, but it balances out because I more or less "stole" this off of a guy on craigslist for $950. Granted, it needed a few things, but a good deal nonetheless. More pics for reference: