I wouldn't be surprised if a cell phone was involved. Tuesday when I was riding a car kept veering into my lane. When I moved to the far side of the lane and sped up, I noticed the driver was gabbing away on her cell phone.

 

I was going through tunnel going north out of Golden Gate Bridge. Car ahead of me went straight across 2 lanes when tunnel curved and almost hit wall! I sped up and passed them to get away... yup talking on cell phone! Grrr..

 

I'm not sure the juice is worth the squeeze with these drivers on the road. I wouldn't even consider motorcycle commuting at this point but may still try to get one and find roads where the people aren't. Of course, we know that you're supposed to anticipate left-turning drivers but it's hard to get anywhere constantly slowing down and having a plan while riding as if invisible.

 

I try to avoid traffic completely .. imposdible I know ... Good riding habits are learned from many mikes on the road . Watch out for yourself , try to stay out of situations , put other vehicles in between you and other drivers to protect yourself ... my life is more important than getting somewhere quickly . ... Take your time , and , Watch out for the other guy .....

 

Yep; I too was nailed by a 16yo turning left on a blinking yellow arrow who blew through at 40ish mph and nailed my left side as I correctly went under the green light.

We were headed opposite directions and she gassed it left to get home for dinner (6:30pm Sun 2 miles from her home)
Hit Into A Two Month Coma

 

Two 19 year old motorcyclists were killed in the last two months in different accidents in my town. Both involved the biker going straight and a car or pickup turning left directly in front of them.

But .... with one of them it was purely the cagers fault, while on the other it looks like the motorcyclist was speeding and weaving in and out of traffic.

 

The biker is the one in charge of safety more than anyone ......

 

Had a left turning van do it to me a few days ago. Some very serious braking happened on Bluzu. At least the van had his left turn flasher on.

 

My biggest fear is an unobservant driver slamming into my backside if I need to brake in a hurry, or even while waiting at a stop light or sign. I'm always looking in my rear-view mirror to watch for this and have a planned escape route.
I would assume that most all of you here, if you've been riding long enough, have avoided more than one incidence where you would have been killed if not aware of your surroundings.

I've had at least three, and they've all been on high-speed highways, where I was driving in the fast lane, and the guy or gal to my right decided to take my lane, with me right beside them! I anticipate this every time. Off I go into the left median between the line and the concrete barrier. The looks I get! One lady did this to me at around 75 miles per hour. I stayed to the left for a brief moment as she shoved me over and waved at her from about two feet away from her window. The shocked look on her face was priceless. Hate that median area though. gravel, glass, and great spot to get a nail.

 

--
I've had my share of cagers doing something carelessly ahead of me. I don't get upset about it since there isn't anything I can do about what they've done, i.e.: holler, throw something, show middle finger, raise fist. More times when they see me a little late, they act "somewhat" repentant.

In a way, I can understand. Even when out riding my bike, but even more when in my own car, or my truck with a tall ATV in the back, I find I get used to looking out for another car and don't look for a bike. And sometimes they were suddenly there and I never saw them approach. Or one time with truck and hauling my bike in a trailer, I changed lanes in front of a biker on the freeway. I knew he was around, but he was in a blind spot between mirror and side window. Again, smaller than what I normally was looking for.
--

 

--
I've had my share of cagers doing something carelessly ahead of me. I don't get upset about it since there isn't anything I can do about what they've done, i.e.: holler, throw something, show middle finger, raise fist. More times when they see me a little late, they act "somewhat" repentant.

In a way, I can understand. Even when out riding my bike, but even more when in my own car, or my truck with a tall ATV in the back, I find I get used to looking out for another car and don't look for a bike. And sometimes they were suddenly there and I never saw them approach. Or one time with truck and hauling my bike in a trailer, I changed lanes in front of a biker on the freeway. I knew he was around, but he was in a blind spot between mirror and side window. Again, smaller than what I normally was looking for.
--

Depending on your area, any sign of aggression toward a cager who cuts a rider off, tailgates, or whatever dangerous thing they do, can end up very badly. Road rage against a cage or a bullet is today's USA. I did a very stupid thing 25 years ago, and kicked the car's driver's side after he nearly killed me. I made a fast beeline to get away just in case of reprisal. One of those "Why the he** did I do that?!" moments. Now I chill and allow them their stupidity.

 

I tell ya, cager drivers are NOT looking for vehicles other than cars, light trucks, and SUV's.
They don't see motorcycles.

Now, I myself was driving my cage when I didn't see the pedestrian who must have been standing on the sidewalk or at the curb, waiting to cross.

Because I didn't notice him until AFTER he stepped out into the road in front of me,
and a fraction of a second after I braked and swerved left to miss him,
he crossed right BEHIND ME, so close his body filled my rear windshield.

So, I guess I wasn't scanning the road around me for all possible hazards and intrusions into my space.
I was only scanning for motor vehicles, and bicycles ( I assume, I've logged many miles on bicycles over the years).

 

Riders , Beware .....

 

Stories like this are so sad to read, and they show how important it is to stay alert on the road as both drivers and riders. Even when conditions and visibility seem good, it can be easy for a smaller road user, such as a cyclist or motorcyclist, to go unseen. Unfortunately, in the case of deaths caused by negligence or under circumstances that are not quite clear, families have to seek legal processes in an effort to obtain answers and find someone to blame. In all these instances, a capable lawyer, such as the Tulsa Wrongful Death Attorney, could help a family through these difficult times.

 

Stories like this are so sad to read, and they show how important it is to stay alert on the road as both drivers and riders. Even when conditions and visibility seem good, it can be easy for a smaller road user, such as a cyclist or motorcyclist, to go unseen.

Worse yet, in traffic such as the busy I-5 corridor of WA state, you absolutely cannot ride a motorcycle without being tailgated (I'm talking 5 feet from your rear tire at 70 MPH) or cut off in some manner. It doesn't matter if you are in the "slow lane" because there is no such animal. People drive angry, fast and dangerously, period.

 

Everett to just South of Olympia. Bit of a gong show.
Cage cut off Shirley in her cage the other day. The angle of the other cage on the right, should have been at 90 degrees, but other driver was at a shallow angle, which made turning neck to look, more difficult. Especially for older folk. So they did not look. Shirley fixed by blasting them with her hooter.
All captured on the new dash cam that she got for Christmas. We will use the new dash cam in the Tukvan. We will go South via the Olympic Peninsula, missing I5

 

Use the horn? Yes, but like Shirley did, to warn. But in today's WA state, using it to reprimand can get a person shot. Sad state of affairs.

 

It just gets worse! In Phoenix area two Fridays ago, 5 bikers were killed in single day at intersections. Two of them by red-light runners and 3 by cars turning left into their path.

 

Sounds about right. When in Phoenix about 5 years ago, people would flash their lights and honk or present the bird if you slowed down to make a turn or fail to obey the unwritten rule of travelling 30mph over the speed limit.
Very lawless there. I recall a long time back when radar ticket cameras were set up, and an official who was either setting one up or repairing it was killed or at least fired upon. The county or city caved to the number of people that wanted to speed but not get caught and pay for it, and very few people paid their fines. That would have been an easy fix. Suspend their license until the fine is paid, place a lien on their mortgage; whatever it takes.

 

Yeah, folks are still used to old days of dirt roads with no traffic. My wife grew up in Lake Havasu and remembers being able to drive for hours through to Phoenix then to Mesa without encountering any traffic or stoplights along way.

But progress is inevitable with freeways and +130K immigrants from CA, WA, TX, etc. every year. Now natives have to learn to drive on roads shared with other people, oh my!!!

City's mistake was using outside contractor for traffic cameras and citations. Due process required someone from outside company to come to town and testify validity of their footage and citation. It got too costly and most tickets were tossed out. If they had implemented this themselves slowly as budget allows, they would've been able to enforce effective penalties of fines, license revocations and jail time! That would've made people take notice of new traffic laws and learn to drive!

Main issue currently. like everywhere else, is idiots driving distracted on their cell phones. We need directives from top. some federal mandate dealing with cell phones.

 

You mean one immigrant and 129,999 illegal aliens.

 

You mean one immigrant and 129,999 illegal aliens.

Sad how people believe fake news propaganda or doesn't have education to understand real govnmt reports.

https://ohss.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2024-06/2024_0418_ohss_estimates-of-the-unauthorized-immigrant-population-residing-in-the-united-states-january-2018%25E2%2580%2593january-2022.pdf

About 3.5% of population of AZ is unauthorised immigrants. From 8-11% of immigrants any given year.

 

Oh no, I've been belittled.
Those are either falsified stats or they all went to everyone else's states. Approximately 30 million illegal aliens in the USA and just a handful in AZ. Now I'm educated!
BTW, you must be a democrat. "unauthorized immigrants?" That's some sweet frosting. Unauthorized to do what? They are criminals, sunshine.

 

I entered the US as a legal immigrant, under the 1962 immigration act, which was rather strict, and had a quota system. I may be off with the year, but whatever was in force during the sixties. And it was adhered to. I am probably the only one. The US folks originally from England, and the folks already here, is another subject. For that there is a good book called I think, Not Stolen, that is worthy of reading. Part of the discourse on that subject, and many other subjects, is current fads and what flies. And it would appear as always, bullshit travels better than history.

 

Up here we are working on an armed militia, just in case Donald attempts to make Canada the 50 51 or 52 state, depending when it happens.

 

Jeeze, Uncle! Surely, you jest.
Now for the correct response?

 

Dammit, Jim, I get no support from the conservatives here! Feared you'll lose friends? People can and do disagree with me, but I'll still stop and help them change a tire.

 

Who said they were simple? I didn't. It will be a long road to recovery.

Yeah, folks are still used to old days of dirt roads with no traffic. My wife grew up in Lake Havasu and remembers being able to drive for hours through to Phoenix then to Mesa without encountering any traffic or stoplights along way.

But progress is inevitable with freeways and +130K immigrants from CA, WA, TX, etc. every year. Now natives have to learn to drive on roads shared with other people, oh my!!!

City's mistake was using outside contractor for traffic cameras and citations. Due process required someone from outside company to come to town and testify validity of their footage and citation. It got too costly and most tickets were tossed out. If they had implemented this themselves slowly as budget allows, they would've been able to enforce effective penalties of fines, license revocations and jail time! That would've made people take notice of new traffic laws and learn to drive!

Main issue currently. like everywhere else, is idiots driving distracted on their cell phones. We need directives from top. some federal mandate dealing with cell phones.

You mean one immigrant and 129,999 illegal aliens.

Blacks commit the majority of crime

Maybe I misread, were you NOT implying the majority of problems with bad driving are illegal aliens and blacks are the ones committing the majority of crime? If not, what were you trying to say? Seems like overly simple interpretation of complex social issues, but if I am wrong, please feel free to clarify.

 

The latter is fact.
The former is sarcastic inflation of statistics which in truth, reveal the opposing exaggeration of statistics and my subjective interpretation.
And now I have an appointment with a few Christmas cookies before returning to my movie.

 

I am not really interested participating further in your overwhelming bigotry, so I will be putting you permanently on ignore now, have a nice life, goodbye.

I guess my vote for Obama in his first election would overwhelmingly flabbergast you. He conned me into accepting his empty and smooth oration.

I am not really interested participating further in your overwhelming bigotry, so I will be putting you permanently on ignore now, have a nice life, goodbye.

I guess my vote for Obama in his first election would overwhelmingly flabbergast you, so it's a good thing you're not reading this. He conned me into believing his charming, empty, smooth oration and lies.

 

Let's not de-rail thread with bickering , and political BS. .. RIP Jimmy , Lived a great life ... The world got a lesson from him ...

 

Yes, he was a wonderful man. Back to left turns?

 

If the biker was speeding this could be contributory negligence on his part that might be legally significant, although in most jurisdictions not fatal to a lawsuit based on the greater negligence of the cager that turned left in front of him.

Why would speeding and or weaving in and out of traffic contribute to this kind of crash?
Well because a driver who is waiting to turn left may not notice a bike that had been hidden behind a car or truck suddenly pop out.

Also, and a cager that looks down the road then looks at something else in a different direction and then makes that left turn because two seconds ago it was clear
may collide with the bike that was speeding and covered twice as much ground in two seconds as the car driver would've thought.

 

The biker is 80% to blame . His decision , You got to look out for yourself ... You have to be prepared for anything ..
You put yourself in the position , You decide to proceed or back off ... Never rely on the other driver to be on the lookout ..
Put another car / truck , whatever in your guarding position .. Let them take the hit for you ... Never let your guard down ....