Pay attention folks

On Saturday I went for a ride and on my way to meet up with the other riders, I encountered this Bozo. This could have ended a lot differently but I had a 6th sense about it. Although I was slowing down for what was happening in front of me, something in me knew the vehicle on the right was going to do something stupid! My muscle memory works well for my clutch and braking, I just need to get my thumb to do it for the horn.

[video=youtube_share;iO2sSi7se5Q]http://youtu.be/iO2sSi7se5Q[/video]

 

Wow good job D--- glad no one was riding your ass like they all do here.



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I Smh head and fist at them, as well as giving a good stare. Yea, the horn button for some reason isn't user friendly on mine as well. Something about long thumb and fingers. one really needs to have their spidi senses on full alert more than usual these days.

 

Good save! You'd have to be a real genius to drive a minivan with blacked out rims LOL

 

Phew - Some good defensive riding there - Pay attention folks indeed!

Something I learned on an advanced riders course organised by the local Gendarmes is to to take extra care whenever you see long shadows on the road. It certainly looks like that van driver was looking pretty much straight towards the low sun which would make it very difficult to see any approaching vehicles and especially small ones like motorbikes.

The related defensive step when approaching a junction with strong sunlight risk is to also consider (after checking you are clear) to smoothly reposition the bike within your lane - so guiding the bike towards the left side or right side of the lane and then back. (A gentle weave entirely within your lane). Even assuming that van driver did look to see if there was anything approaching from your direction, by slightly weaving within the lane, you will make it much easier for them to spot you if there is relative movement against the background.


This article explains why the vision of all road users (even those with perfect eyesight) is actually pretty crap when it comes to driving vehicles..

To put this in context British military pilots spend an entire week of their expensive training course just learning "how to see" properly meantime to get a driving license people just spend 10 seconds to prove they can read a license plate at a specified distance. Whilst one part of Government evidently knows about the SMIDSY issue, the transport department seem unwilling to ensure that learner drivers are taught about the risks and how to force your eyesight to scan properly.

If you are off to R3 - Have fun and Ride Safe



SkiMad

 

A sexist post! The van operator is not a Bozo. She is a Bozoette! My apologies to the gender neutral types.

Looks like a police vehicle pulling into the gas station. One can always suggest to the local cops that there might be an impaired driver that needs taking a look at.

 

Good premonition 00tv.

This is what I believe happened there for what that is worth. Mini van driver saw the police vehicle and watched it as it passed in front of him/her then when it cleared, he/she continued through before checking for others. But if you look, the driver did see but too late. Take another look. There was an "Oh fuck" moment look on the face of that driver.

I say this speaking from experience, and not on the bike. I was in a marked police car lights and siren going through an intersection. I was # 2 car responding and following the #1 car also code 3. Car to my left yielded to first police car, then pulled right out in front of me. Bango! And it was dark so my emergency lights were far more visible than during the daytime. I hit that SUV so hard both my hands grip on the steering wheel broke loose and I punched the windshield with my fists. No hand injury, but that added a great deal to my already fucked up back.

Because of that experience, I changed the way I proceeded on a multi vehicle emergency situation. Either I would be right on the tail of the car ahead of me, much like VIP Security Teams drive, which is not ideal at all. Or I hang back a fair distance so that I become my own entity.

I think a modulating headlight system is an ideal safety device for motorcycles. Flashing headlights are illegal most places except for emergency vehicles, but most places also have an exemption for motorcycles. In Canada, the traffic legislation is a provincial matter but the provincial law makes reference to some obscure federal standard that permits the motorcycle use of these modulators. it is difficult to find that standard, but it is there in the land of maple sugar and political correctness.

With all that in mind, when we are about to enter an intersection, we should always look both ways even though we had the right of way. Right of way does not mean much in a collision. Biker usually looses. My training has taught me that when my light turns green after a red, I look both ways before I enter that intersection. This is a matter of habit now. I have avoided a few collisions with those who race the yellow light. Cagers and bikes both.

Back in the day, all Harleys had what appeared to be modulators. Truth is, the headlight was swinging around in the wind.

 

Pretty funny how often you can tell when the vehicle in front is acting weird... even if they're at a stop. Motorcycling is definitely an activity for people who don't have difficulty paying attention 100% of the time.

And I don't think I've ever managed to honk at someone who tried to kill me. I'm usually too busy thinking about not dying to remember which button is the starter and which is the horn.

 

Pretty much this.

BB, I was being gender neutral, as you never know, could have been one of SOW's shemales!

 

What nearly happened to OOTV is why I run with an LED flasher - probably technically illegal but I've yet to be hassled by the police over it and I've been at intersections where I've had my flasher pointed directly at them for long periods of time. May or may not have helped OOTV but it couldn't hurt and I think it has saved my @$$ on several occasions. I still assume the cagers can't see me though :beguiled:

[video=youtube;89YPB554HCg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89YPB554HCg[/video].

 

Nice piece of riding, OOTV. Situational awareness is key, including making sure cars aren't tailgating you. That sitch stunk to high heaven from far away.

 

I saw your flasher when you first posted it and yes, here it would be illegal. The standard I make reference to had criteria that had to be met. It actually caused a constant switch from high to low beams and had to be at a certain frequency. To be perfectly honest with you, I believe the modulators built for the purpose would provide you with better visibility but I cannot say yours does not provide some.

At my age, memory is not what it used to be but I kind of remember during my research, the Gold Wing had this modulator as either an option or standard equipment. It is easily seen for at least a quarter mile down the road. But, something is better than nothing at all.

 

I looked up flashers on Google. Now I'm confused as to what minigater is doing down there if Florida. This kind of flasher may not be illegal but it's sure not in the best of taste.

http://storage.winnipegsun.com/v1/d...97241975128_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=420x

 

That photo is 40 years old Badbilly. The Sun assured me they had destroyed all copies. Gonna have to consult my attorney..... again

 

With a couple of those rechargeable LED flashers, some Velcro and two small photo filters in appropriate colors, one could get damn near everybody moving oot of their way.

Since you have become once again a part of the workforce and on a short schedule, do I have a deal for you and maybe even minigator. The ultimate flasher fest:

http://www.solsticecyclist.org/

 

I'm surprised they never taught you that in your police driver training as it's one thing we have drummed into us during ours should we ever request a police escort. Works on the premis most folk only expect one emergency vehicle. Use different lights ( usually turn off headlight modulator ) and siren tone and expect them to pull out.

 

Other than for VIP Security teams, like those who escort visiting high level politicians and royals, it is against Force policy to escort anyone. Then the following is scary close. The cars were equipped with very small lights on the trunk of the car that indicated the car ahead of you was on the gas, off the gas or on the brake. They followed something like 10 feet behind which may seem like a lot but at 30 - 50 MPH is not. I have done a couple high risk prisoner escorts too but on those, I remained far behind the Canada Corrections Van. If there was to be an attack, it serves o purpose for everyone to be taken out and no one to report the attack so I remained far enough behind to be able to report. It also kept me from ruffling my chicken feathers.

During one Abbotsford Airshow, my detachment commander agreed to escort the Blue Angels from their hotel to the airport. Apparently that was a condition of their performing at an airshow. A code three escort by police. Pompous assholes. Boss tried to discipline me for refusing to comply with a order until I pointed out policy to him. Discipline was cancelled on the spot. I won that battle but suffered major casualties in the war. I transferred out of that post pretty soon after that.

 

VIP/ Close Escort teams are different class all together. Plenty of you tube vide of Met pol CE team in action, pleasure to watch. Have only been escorted by bikes once and that was a time critical patient. Wish I could have recorded it.

We only ask for an escort if its time critical or to a hospital we are unfamiliar with ( if we have a prisoner on board its std procedure ). Those are generally traffic division, who drop off and pick up at their area boundaries.

I have experienced folk pulling out loads of times and on 2 occasions having started off in the back found myself embedded in the dash, or wrapped around the gear lever as a result of those idiots.

 

The modulator I use and love is the Kisan, it does not "flash", instead it gently throttles the headlight power up and down between 20% and 80% of normal.

 

Headlight modulators are a required condition for my riding motorcycles. I have used them for years, and they work 100%. I just bought a Signal Dynamics system for the 800. I don't understand why we all don't have them.