[Candice]

Hi All!
So I had a good reminder Sunday morning, 745am, heading out on my motorcycle, pull out of the neighborhood, come to a stop light. What should we do at a stop light people???? Stay in 1st and watch your mirrors! I want to say I ALWAYS do this but I wasn’t Sunday morning so I can’t say that.

I hear screeching wheels, now I look in my mirror and there is a large SUV trying not to hit me. I see screeching and swerving and what do I do? I just sit there like a dummy.

How many freakin’ times have I planned if that were to happen that I would see it coming and get the hell out of the way? So many times, but, not this time.

So, luckily, the lad managed to swerve into the other lane and miss me. I didn’t look at him as we waited right next to eachother for the light to turn green, all I could think of was, holy crap.

[briderdt]

…is looking for a cell phone plastered to his ear…

Then looking to see if the door is locked, to drag his sorry a$$ out for a royal beat-down. ;^)

Okay, not really, but it’s one of those movie scenes where this happens, then the picture cuts back to reality.

[Candice]

I think I was trying not to panic because I did think, briefly, that I should give a couple of fingers or yell or do something but I was too freaked out and I had a whole day of riding ahead of me so I was just thankful he didn’t hit me I think. Not thankful because I wanted to ride that day but thankful that I was alive and in one piece.

[megaspaz]

you only flip the bird, yell, curse, or whatever if you’re prepared to fight, prepared to deal with going to the hospital if the driver decides to hit you with the car instead, or prepared to dust the driver in traffic. If not, you’re better off going your own way.

[Candice]

I agree. People have guns too.

I’m a lover not a fighter.

[eon]

Glad you are okay and learned a lesson without sustaining any injuries.
Similar thing happened to me a while back and I had conflicting emotions as I caught up with the offender at the next light (she swerved past me and blew through a red light). Part of me wanted to scream at her and let off the anger that was building but I consoled myself with simply glaring at her while she stared straight ahead trying to ignore me. Afterward I read of a guy who says he politely knocks on their window and asks them to try and be more careful in future as his children like having a father. That seems like an effective strategy to me. Hopefully I never have another opportunity to try it out.

[nok610]

Was there other traffic at the intersection that would’ve allowed you take off with getting hit from the side? Did you have an escape route? Definitely a good safety tip of the day! Good thing everything was ok.

[Candice]

At least pooping my pants would have been some kind of action/response.

Seriously though, there was NO ONE around, not a soul besides myself. I could have just pulled out and gone throught the stop light, I could have pulled over to the shoulder, I could have done whatever. BUT, then I was thinking what if I chose to pull out into the path he was taking, then I would get run over anyways. Hmm, it’s quite a dilemma.

Unfortunately I did not have an escape plan this time because the one time I wasn’t paying attention or expecting it – it happened. Isn’t that just the way of it?

[SafetyFirst]

I focus on avoiding the situation as much as I can.

I have Harbor Freight cheap-China reflective white and red tape on the back of the helmet. I might be moving up to the DOT-C2 approved stuff Walmart has in the automotive section (like you see on the back of truck trailers) for more visibility at night. At night, that stuff lights up like mad, especially with hi-beams.

When I see someone behind me, because I’m always watching those mirrors, I give the front brake a little squeeze for a few to get the rear-brake modulator to do it’s thing. Usually gets noticed.

I leave about one car length between me and the car ahead of me at a light. I figure those few feet are enough to move and split between cars if I hear locking brakes, or at least buy the driver behind me skidding a few more feet to stop if I move up.

I’ve never had it happen, but it still worries me.

[owlie]

Candice, I have great empathy with you. I had two close calls yesterday in my car. The first one would have just ruined my day, the second one could have killed someone. It is nothing short of a miracle that nobody got hit on the second one. Both times the drivers in vehicles behind me were not paying attention to what was happening in front of them. I won’t be forgetting either incident anytime soon.

I’m glad you are safe and that you shared your experience with us.

[Author]

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