[1Adam12]

Was on the way home today, in heavy traffic. That alone was my first mistake, I honestly did not have to be home right away, I don't work until 5PM tomorrow. I had gotten off a faster highway and decided to take city streets, mainly to avoid a small construction zone...mistake two.

I was stopped in a lane for heavy traffic. Light up ahead turned green, but of course, cars aren't yet going. I was watching behind me and saw a Honda coming up fast, and I had that feeling of "I'm going to die if I don't act now." I've had this feeling before, many times - I've experienced it in my job too many times for comfort, and on my recent deployment to the Middle East. Good thing too - I found the friction zone and zipped into the double yellow line median. Thank goodness it was there. Didn't have to go far.

Heard the screech of tires and immediately a crunch as the car behind me struck another, which had been immediately in front of me only a second prior. I didn't get hit, or hurt. I had left a good amount of distance, so the actual impact wasn't that bad.

I don't think I've dropped so many F-bombs in public. That's how I tend to react in life-or-death situations, I start cursing and get real mad, knife handing people and everything. Military background, can't help it. Guy claimed he didn't see me but he saw the light was green. Never mind my white bike, or white helmet, or obnoxiously bright high viz neon jacket, or the fact the sun was at my back and therefore lighting me up like the 4th of July.

Guy starts going on about how he can't afford another ticket and he'll lose his license, and he already fixed his car from crashing before. Clearly a menace on the roadway. I gave my statement to the police when they arrived, and left.

I was so mad and amped up, I forgot to put the kickstand down when I got home, and dropped my bike. I had my Pelican side cases on, so no damage, but honestly, I probably should just have pulled over and had dinner someplace before continuing. That was my own damn fault, riding while amped up and emotional. Probably justified based on how close I came to becoming the meat in a car sandwich, but still. Better to sit down and collect myself for a few minutes than get into something worse.

Definitely could have avoided the entire thing by just waiting for traffic to simmer down a bit before leaving, but I'll take small victories when I can get them.

Ride safe, everyone, and check your six constantly. I've never been rear ended on a bike, or in general, but the fact is, you may very well not see it coming.

 

[Doc Samson]

Wow! Yeah, that's about as close as you can get without experiencing the real thing. Glad you are okay! Hope that dude loses his license for a looong time... not that it will stop him from getting behind the wheel...

 

[DGS65]

Glad you had the heads up to get out of the way I was hit in the rear years ago this was in a parking lot waiting for a light so it was slow moving and yet it still hurt! Like you I flipped out and nearing hit the guy until I looked around and everyone was looking at me like I was the crazy one and I calmed down, not a good day!

Again glad you are OK

 

[Critter]

Glad you are okay. A simple question, when you gave your statement, did you do it as citizen Joe or officer Joe?

 

[beemer dood]

Was on the way home today, in heavy traffic. That alone was my first mistake, I honestly did not have to be home right away, I don't work until 5PM tomorrow. I had gotten off a faster highway and decided to take city streets, mainly to avoid a small construction zone...mistake two.

Now those decisions appear to be "mistakes." But at the time it seems they were just matters of convenience.

I was stopped in a lane for heavy traffic. Light up ahead turned green, but of course, cars aren't yet going. I was watching behind me and saw a Honda coming up fast, and I had that feeling of "I'm going to die if I don't act now." I've had this feeling before, many times - I've experienced it in my job too many times for comfort, and on my recent deployment to the Middle East. Good thing too - I found the friction zone and zipped into the double yellow line median. Thank goodness it was there. Didn't have to go far.

Had that feeling several times in my life as well. Not a good feeling at all. It sure is good for the level of adrenalin though, right?

Heard the screech of tires and immediately a crunch as the car behind me struck another, which had been immediately in front of me only a second prior. I didn't get hit, or hurt. I had left a good amount of distance, so the actual impact wasn't that bad.

Very glad that you were watching your mirrors. That's one of my main concerns when stuck in stopped traffic.

I don't think I've dropped so many F-bombs in public.

ROFL. I do the same thing. Usually there are several "mothers" in front of them!

Guy claimed he didn't see me but he saw the light was green. Never mind my white bike, or white helmet, or obnoxiously bright high viz neon jacket, or the fact the sun was at my back and therefore lighting me up like the 4th of July.

There's a special kind of blindness that affects some. They only see things that are threats to them. Since you're a bike, you can't hurt them (at least not relative to another car or a large truck), and so you don't register. You could be wearing neon lights and they still wouldn't see you.

Guy starts going on about how he can't afford another ticket and he'll lose his license, and he already fixed his car from crashing before. Clearly a menace on the roadway. I gave my statement to the police when they arrived, and left.

Obviously not his first rodeo. We've seen the syndrome before.

I was so mad and amped up, I forgot to put the kickstand down when I got home, and dropped my bike. I had my Pelican side cases on, so no damage, but honestly, I probably should just have pulled over and had dinner someplace before continuing.

Doing some intense, but brief exercise, helps me in those situations. I can't eat anything after an adrenalin dump.

Definitely could have avoided the entire thing by just waiting for traffic to simmer down a bit before leaving, but I'll take small victories when I can get them.

Sometimes it doesn't make any difference how bad traffic is. Idiots are still out there and they're not going to see you, even in light or moderate traffic conditions.

 

[1Adam12]

I just acted as a regular citizen for this one, since I was off duty and thoroughly unwilling to get into work time. Otherwise it gets more complicated.

More than likely, they'll just handle this between insurance. Circumstances are very cut and dry. No big deal, the guy who got hit barely had damage, courtesy of the nice space I left him.

A few hours and one of the fattest pizzas I've ever eaten after the fact, I've calmed down. In retrospect I probably did appear crazy to people! No one else stopped though.

Either way, I'm just glad I was watching myself. Whether it was fate or luck, it's not my time yet. Death claims us all eventually, but with healthy diet and exercise, and keeping my head on a swivel when riding, I hope mine is many many good years in the future, peaceful and surrounded by loved ones.

That or a graceful swan dive out of a rocket ship while blazing through fire hoops in the sky before a spectacular landing, accompanied by the most epic face melting guitar solo the world has ever witnessed.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

[SemiFast]

Get used to it Adam. NONE of them can see you! :surprise:
Or should I say, you gotta ride as if you are invisible and no one can see you.
Usually I follow that statement with " except the police". (Probably doesn't apply here). :grin:
In your case, with your training, you might not realize that to most people on the road a bike is invisible, but we are.

A motor cop friend of mine was doing a funeral escort and some lady pulled out of the procession and hit him.
He said if he can get hit while his red and blues are flashing it's time for him to quit riding.
Not that we, or you, should stop riding... We just gotta know, we're invisible......

 

[Unkle Krusty]

Sometimes they see you, but they do not care. Many use braille while driving. They feel their way by bouncing off other vehicles. They will run you over. Defensive riding is the only way to survive. Tapping the brake light is about the only signal you can make when stopped. Plan B was getting out of the way, and it worked. Good for you. After braking hard and other maneuvers I am always working on plan B, an escape route.
I am really pleased you did not get pasted.

UK

 

[hogcowboy]

Get used to it Adam. NONE of them can see you! :surprise:
Or should I say, you gotta ride as if you are invisible and no one can see you.
Usually I follow that statement with " except the police". (Probably doesn't apply here). :grin:
In your case, with your training, you might not realize that to most people on the road a bike is invisible, but we are.

A motor cop friend of mine was doing a funeral escort and some lady pulled out of the procession and hit him.
He said if he can get hit while his red and blues are flashing it's time for him to quit riding.
Not that we, or you, should stop riding... We just gotta know, we're invisible......

I ride as it they are trying to kill me. Just a slightly different way to look at it but puts you at even a higher level of awareness.:grin:

 

[Porky]

"Guy starts going on about how he can't afford another ticket and he'll lose his license, and he already fixed his car from crashing before. Clearly a menace on the roadway. I gave my statement to the police when they arrived, and left." Quote 1Adam12

I'm sure our resident anti LEO member will say that you somehow abused your power, just giving your statement to the 'MAN,' I bet He would say that you should have just let the guy go on his way:wink2:

I'm very glad you are okay! Thank GOD you kept glancing at your mirrors!

I guess that famous "Orange cone" practice allowed you to maneuver safely between those other cars and saved you from getting squished :grin:

It used to take me 2 hours to drive 20 miles, from my home to my offices in West Los Angeles and 2.5 hours to get home due to very heavy traffic:surprise: The side streets that I took home took me right through the Ghetto's of East LA, Watts, Compton and places not recommended for civilized people to enter:surprise: However, I drove an unmarked 'Narc' car and never had any trouble :grin:

Again, glad you are OK:smile_big:

A lot of us have stopped, got off the bike and realized that we didn't put the kickstand down:smile_big:

Sam:nerd:

 

[hogcowboy]

A lot of us have stopped, got off the bike and realized that we didn't put the kickstand down

Quilty. And you just know every neighbor around saw it too.:sad:

 

[Critter]

Martin Milner (officer Pete Malloy) of 1 Adam 12 recently passed.

 

[Porky]

Died on September 6, 2015 (aged 83):surprise:

Good actor and a fun show:wink2:

Sam

 

[Critter]

That long ago, I just saw something about it this week.

 

[beemer dood]

A lot of us have stopped, got off the bike and realized that we didn't put the kickstand down

I did that once at a very large gathering of bikers. Was so taken by the spectacle that I just forgot. Stepped off and walked away. FORTUNATELY I was riding with, and had parked right next to, a very good friend who grabbed my sissy bar and kept the bike upright. Also fortunately, my buddy 'low keyed' it, calling me back quietly, so as to not let me be embarrassed by my incompetence/forgetfulness/distraction/Bozo, in front of the large crowd.

I also did it with my new‒to‒me 2011 BMW within 1/4 mile of picking it up from the dealer. Discovered the kickstand shutoff feature and while exploring it, got out of sequence, Yosemite Sam style.

 

[mike721]

WOW.
Glad you had your eyes open!

 

[FlipFlop]

I hate traffic even when you out weight them by 38 tons or more in most cases, annnnd out size them by 6, 7, or even 8 times they still drive like dicks. Drive like they want to kill you is how I operate and the reason I try to be off the road everyday by 4pm for the evening rush hour because people are nothing but zombies when they get into their vehicles and do what they do or trying to do other things or think about other things. They don't WANT to hurt you or cause an accident or whatever buuuut that is what they do and have done for years, just worse now as our populations here in the US are growing. It is ridiculous and seems nothing can be done about it, except watch the heck out.

Who here remembers what was the distractions before the cell phones. Things I remember were the kids in the back seats, people turning all the way around changing a diaper going down the road.

 

[Weston Jezek]

glad youre ok.