Bikers "sixth sense"

[Bob]

You know that way you pick up on signs telling you something is going to happen? I had a perfect case last night.

The East India Dock Road allows bike access (legally) to the bus lane. It has a left turn a little way down, so vehicles have to enter the lane momentarily.

So I enter the bus lane... and notice the car slightly ahead in the 'normal' lane is sitting a bit over to the left. So instinctively, I positioned myself a lot closer to the kerb than I usually would.

Just as well - stupid *rse comes up to the back of the line of traffic and just swings the wheel and goes into the lane without checking. I still had to brake *hard*, but my "just in case" positioning had saved it from being an even harder task to avoid the fool.

Obviously, in all of the braking, I also sounded horn, revved engine and yelled abuse. The fool was so unaware, she looked in her rear view mirror to see if someone was there! I was actually sitting to her left - from where I issued another torrent of abuse (I was actually quite calm once the slight shakes any emergency braking move will generate had subsided - but decided that if you can scare the cr*p out of this sort of person, next time they might think first) - which she realised shortly before getting out of my way as quickly as she could manage...

[Ms Piggy]

Good save! I reckon you kinda get to know & prepare for the worst after riding a while. I've given up gettin g annoyed at the number of drivers that pull out in front of me from side streets - it happens at least twice a week now.

[ajturbo]

seams to me that if you have to commute ... a small sledge hammer in right/left hand at all times is a must??:angry2:

[sAsLEX]

seams to me that if you have to commute ... a small sledge hammer in right/left hand at all times is a must??:angry2:

heard of people keeping a rather large bolt down the head stock of their bike, and if people cut them up or endager their lives they just throw them a bolt!

[Wolf]

Can understand what you mean, Bob. Quite often I know what other vehicles are going to do before they do it based on where they start to position themselves before the manoeuvre. As bikers - less protected and therefore more mindful of what's happening around us - we tend to read the subtle cues better than cagers.

[Maximus]

seams to me that if you have to commute ... a small sledge hammer in right/left hand at all times is a must??:angry2:


:killingme Or BOTH hands?!! :niceone:

[Lou Girardin]

It's a life saver that the noob's need to learn fast.
Little things like a cage moving left or right slightly as the driver checks the exterior mirror for a lane change.
Watching for the front wheels start to pivot on a car waiting to turn as you approach.
Or on twisty's when you see a momentary flash through the trees as the sun reflects off an oncoming car.
Checking for shadows moving in front of parked trucks etc.

[Maximus]

Checking for shadows moving in front of parked trucks etc.


Definately!!!
This advice was passed on to me by my old man, and I have never forgotten it- which is lucky cause I probably have avoided at LEAST 4 accidents (in bloody auckland) by heeding this advice! :2thumbsup

[James Deuce]

I had more than 20 incidences of drivers pulling out on me last week, as soon as I'd decided to trade the GSX. It is not hyperobole at all! All of them happened within 5kms of home, and half of them were generated by Taxi drivers either failing to give way or stop at stop signs. Every incident was presaged by mental alarm bells that had me slowing and on the brakes before I knew what I was doing. It was very, very scary. In one case I took to a side road to avoid a redlight runner. I was half way round before I realised that I was going the wrong way home, and then I heard the horns tooting behind me. It's nice to have my 6th sense back.

[Ixion]

It's a life saver that the noob's need to learn fast.
Little things like a cage moving left or right slightly as the driver checks the exterior mirror for a lane change.
Watching for the front wheels start to pivot on a car waiting to turn as you approach.
Or on twisty's when you see a momentary flash through the trees as the sun reflects off an oncoming car.
Checking for shadows moving in front of parked trucks etc.

All good ones

I watch for the reverse flash on a car that pulls up. Most cages are auto nowdays. Most autos when you put them from Drive to Park they flash the reverse light for a second as they go through reverse. If a car pulls up and I don't see the flash, or see seatbelts being taken off (if I'm close enough) , I assume they're going to do a U turn in front of me. Heaps of false alarms, but it's saved my neck a few times.

I find you can make quite good guesses about what they will do just from their style of driving. Watching in the mirror and see a cage cutting in and out of the traffic , coming up behind you. Guarantee he'll move in on your space (if you let him) . Traffic coming toward you with a short straight bit ahead. Cage behind the leading cage starts closing up the distance between him and the cage in front. Bet he's going to try to pass, even though you're in the way . If you let him

[XTC]

I dunno about a sixth sense.... I think it just comes down to expecting the worst to happen and being prepared for it. You have to expect the car in that side street to pull out, or the car in the "fast" lane (that is actually going slower) to decide that he likes the space your in in your lane etc. You can't just ride around expecting to have the right of way just because you have the green light as some one coming through the red opposite can take your right (and life) away just like that. So expect these things to happen and be prepared whether you are on your bike or in the cage. Be safe out there and make yourself seen by using your lights at all times.
P.S I have seen alot of bikes lately that have thier packs hanging down over thier tail lights go check yours now as one of them may be you.... Hard for cars to know you are there or stopping without being able to see your tail/brake light.

[Indiana_Jones]

"I SEE CAGERS!" :confused:

Guess we're on our toes when we ride, we know we'll come worse off :shake:

-Indy

[Sniper]

Well done mate. Hope we can all learn the sixth sense thing

[Maximus]

Well done mate. Hope we can all learn the sixth sense thing

Where do I sign up?! :lol:

[crazylittleshit]

you notice the small changes and there the ones that count.

[Flyingpony]

Always ride defensively, never day dream nor get cold fingers.

Ensure your brake light(s) work before every journey.
:Police: Yip, got pulled over one evening for no tail light, but it was working the day before. No ticket, very nice guy.

Car's don't understand how quick a bike can stop. Always check your mirrors frequently and get rid of those annoying tailgaters (it's their speeding ticket, not yours).

One rainy day when under light braking, I heard wheels skidding extremely close behind me and discovered that in the past 15 seconds I'd attracted a black coloured cage tailgater whom was now going sideways!

:rockon:

[Motu]

I've always done the 6th sense thing,I don't question it's existance - I know! Often on back roads I will find my pace may drop off,enough for me to notice - hmm? I'll think,why am I going so slow? oh well,I'll just carry on at this pace for awhile.Sure enough I'll find out why I subconsiously backed off not far ahead.

Riding the sealed and gravel backroads that I do it's important to build a complete picture of your surroundings,everything to do with where you are,the time of day,the day of the week,you really have to be super alert,specially if you have a bit of pace on.Obvious stuff like dust and powerlines,how fresh is the poo,tyre marks,what sort of vehicle made them,milk tanker or stock trailer,which way is it pointing,because somewhere out there is the rest of the rig.

I love it...it's zen.

[avgas]

Anyone notice that bikes themselves try and warn you.
Before i did my leg, my bike would start.
Before my dad hit diesel, at the local (beforehand obviously), his bike fell off the stand.
mabey im crazy

[TwoSeven]

You know that way you pick up on signs telling you something is going to happen? I had a perfect case last night.

The East India Dock Road allows bike access (legally) to the bus lane. It has a left turn a little way down, so vehicles have to enter the lane momentarily.



That road is a bugger to drive up some times. I watched someone cut up an 18 wheel truck once while it was turning. When I came back a few hours later they were still trying to cut the car out from under it - the truck had turned over the top of the car.

[The Tazman]

[QUOTE=Lou Girardin]It's a life saver that the noob's need to learn fast.

That would be a start. I think that everyone should be made to learn on a bike first before being let loose in a car. Then they might learn some road and road user awareness!!!!

[Wolf]

I think that everyone should be made to learn on a bike first before being let loose in a car. Then they might learn some road and road user awareness!!!!
Working on that - convinced a friend that she would be best suited learning how to ride first, then came up with a whole lot of arguments she could use to convince her mum of that. If it works out, that's one more biker on the roads with the potential of there being one more savvy car driver on the road when she gets a car licence in years to come.

Tried to post a thread asking for more suggested "advantages" but I can't start new threads at the mo'.

[T.I.E]

yep i drive always putting myself in the blind spot of cage drivers. and get ready for when they can't be bothered turning their head and move over, to acclerate and hit the horn and scaring the shit out of them.

i ride as if no one can see my. i am invisible to everyone.
and thinking like that has kept me alive this far.

[Ixion]

Tried to post a thread asking for more suggested "advantages" but I can't start new threads at the mo'.

I had that problem last night. Cleared cookies and cache, restarted Firefox and it seems to have come right

[Motu]

[QUOTE=Lou Girardin]It's a life saver that the noob's need to learn fast.

That would be a start. I think that everyone should be made to learn on a bike first before being let loose in a car. Then they might learn some road and road user awareness!!!!
Up until 10 or 15 yrs ago when bikes were much more common most people started on a bike,only later graduating to a car when they could afford it...just like Helen Clark did.I think the standard of driving may have been worse back then - at least I remember the drivers being much more aggressive.Now days it's more often that they are timid and hesitate instead of making a purposful move.

[TonyB]

Hows this for 6th sense?
Many moons ago I went to a AB's vs Wallabies game at Lancaster Park. Took my RZ250 and doubled my mate Roy there. A nice security guard let us park right outside, but I digress...
On the way back we were lane splitting a little too fast past stationary traffic down Ferry Road. I was riding along when Roy's helmet smacked into mine and he started climbing up my back. WTF? Then I saw a car that was pulling out through the traffic right in front of us, so I went to hit the anchors BUT THEY WERE ALREADY ON! Thats why Roy was climbing up my back- I was already braking hard. My only explanation is that it was a reflex reaction, the subconcious brain reacted before the concious brain had even had time to register the car (que jokes about me being retarded etc!) No I'm not bullshitting you.
Oh, and we missed the car...and the AB's won...they lost the next one though, THAT was the one when the Aussie hooker scored and gave Fitzie the finger. Sigh, the beginning of the long decline...

[Wolf]

I had that problem last night. Cleared cookies and cache, restarted Firefox and it seems to have come right
Tried that and failed. Still getting "malformed reply from server" both at home and (cough) at work. alucard_draken said he'll start the thread for me, tho'.

[750Y]

I will occasionally get all my leathers on at 6am go out to the shed to start up the bike ready for the coro loop assault, then get this bad feeling & will walk back into the house & get all the gear off, make a coffee & sit out on the deck watching the sunrise. i don't ride on those days.
Also sometimes i will just stop partway through a ride, turn around & take it straight home & park it up. don't know why i do this but i NEVER go against that feeling.
sixth sense? probably not, who knows, just a 'weird feeling' really like You're doing something wrong...

[TonyB]

I will occasionally get all my leathers on at 6am go out to the shed to start up the bike ready for the coro loop assault, then get this bad feeling & will walk back into the house & get all the gear off, make a coffee & sit out on the deck watching the sunrise. i don't ride on those days.
..
Hmm, I just ignore that feeling... it's never been right yet (touches wood- the kind that grows on a tree OK!)


I've always done the 6th sense thing,I don't question it's existance - I know! Often on back roads I will find my pace may drop off,enough for me to notice - hmm? I'll think,why am I going so slow? oh well,I'll just carry on at this pace for awhile.Sure enough I'll find out why I subconsiously backed off not far ahead Yep, that happens to me too. Weird eh?

[Lou Girardin]

yep i drive always putting myself in the blind spot of cage drivers. and get ready for when they can't be bothered turning their head and move over, to acclerate and hit the horn and scaring the shit out of them.

i ride as if no one can see my. i am invisible to everyone.
and thinking like that has kept me alive this far.

Of course you're fucking invisible. you're in their fucking blind spot. One of them will scare the shit out of you one day. Literally!

[ManDownUnder]

Of course you're fucking invisible. you're in their fucking blind spot. One of them will scare the shit out of you one day. Literally!

now now... don't go getting all causal and stuff... (it IS a good point you make there though Lou !!!! :killingme )

[Legolas]

I always listen to the little voice in my head. (Quick send for the men in the white coats) It's got me out of truoble so many times. Not just when on the bike either. :banana:

[Lou Girardin]

This 6th sense thing struck home on Friday. We were going to Napier (in the cage unfortunately), we'd just reached the summit of the Napier-Taupo at Te Haroto. Just past the shop, the road drops away into a left hander. There was a queue of cars behind a truck coming towards us about 50 metres away. To the left of our lane was a wide sealed area, something made me take the corner tight, almost completely out of my lane. Just as I did so, a maniac in a Holden comes around the corner in the lane where we should have been. It would have been a certain head-on.