The Invisible Rider

[cruising]

Witnessed an unremarkable yet interesting incident on the city roads today.

Was driving behind a young woman on a little scooter. Right next to her in the adjacent lane was a middle aged bloke in his trade van. We continue like this for a hundred meters or so before the guy decides to change over to the scooter's (and my) lane. So he indicates. He indicates for a fair amount of time after which he twists his neck around to look back. All the while he is still indicating. Then he straightens his head and lets the indicator run for another sec or so.

Then the lane changing begins. It all seemed like happening in slow motion. The van is slowly moving over. The scooter is still right adjacent to it and still completely oblivious of the van's movements. Eventually the van is too close to the scooter to go unnoticed anymore. The woman swerves to the left, straightens out and accelerates out of the van's path and toots her little horn. Van driver seems confused, woman must have been pissed and I was half laughing/half guilty.

Whose fault? Everyone's it seems.

Van driver had the one big fault since he is the one who nearly run down the scooter. But I had a really good, wide angle view of all this. And he really couldn't have done anything else. His carefulness was the only thing that saved the day.

The woman seems to be mostly at fault because she was just too oblivious of her surroundings to be a good driver/rider. Too absent minded, too short sighted, too inexperienced? God only knows. But sitting on a little scooter, hidden away at a driver's blind spot is just bad driving in my book.

And my fault? I sat there as a mere spectator. I could have/should have tooted. I didn't for the simple reason that I was too far back and I was worried it might cause both or either one of them to make sudden, jerky movements. Thankfully, nothing serious happened at all. Else I would have really regretted not tooting.

What's the point of the story? Not sure. The usual I guess. Be careful, be aware, be safe. Like I once heard in a song... the biggest problems are the ones that blindside you on an idle afternoon.

[Sniper]

Welcome to KB mate, great post.

[2much]

Welcome mate. Good point, overall I'ld blame the chick.

[Marmoot]

Not your fault. Tooting will only confuse the situation.

Yes, the scooter seems to be at fault from your story. Never ride beside a vehicle, and never ride to it's rear unless you're prepared to be cut off.

[Wasp]

prehaps people wanting to ride scooters should have to do the Basic Handling Skills course atleast, what do you guys think?

[Zapf]

its about ppl stop thinking.... I am riding so its my lane and everyone sees me....

instead they should think... I am riding.... who might not see me... what are my hazards... u think for the drivers on the road instead and stay out of zone's of their incompentent driving or otherwise.....

[2much]

prehaps people wanting to ride scooters should have to do the Basic Handling Skills course atleast, what do you guys think?

Unfortunately the BHS course doesn't stop people from being dumb fucks.

[Zapf]

its about ppl stop thinking.... I am riding so its my lane and everyone sees me....

instead they should think... I am riding.... who might not see me... what are my hazards... u think for the drivers on the road instead and stay out of zone's of their incompentent driving or otherwise.....

[Nicksta]

Welcome to KB.... i'm voting the chick..... i don't even drive my cage in blind spots or beside cages if i can help it because even my cage hasn't been seen on occasion... I also agree that they should have some sort of testing or course to be licenced to ride any 2 wheel vehicle... even if it is a day course where they teach you the how to's and what not to do's... ie, ride like no one can see you and to spot dangers... what do you think guys?

[Colapop]

Welcome and enjoy Cruising.
Surprisingly enough that's one of the things that made sense in the road code! Nice start...

[raster]

Welcome cruising. Good point, how long you been riding for.

Had that this morning, first time in a while.
I was behind a car, in right hand lane of motorway just after Manakau offramp going north.
Slowly cruising past a Falcon, I was level with her rear door, noticed indicator, "hasn't seen me", I change down gear, as soon as she crossed line, I Beep, Beep, beep while I accellerate out of her way, she looked at me rather shocked and weaved back.
Nothing drastic but increased my heart rate a little.



You are alway an invisible rider to someone.

[Drum]

Too often we blame cage drivers for close calls, when in this case the rider is cleary contributing to the danger by not paying attention and riding in the blind spot.

It has been said many times over that we have to be more aware than cagers. The fact that it was my lane/ I had the right of way means little if I'm lying in a hospital bed.

All crashes are a chain of events. Breaking any link in that chain will prevent the crash. Even when a cage u-turns in front of you there was something you could have done to reduce the risk of a crash. You could have identified the high risk situation and slowed down/ stopped or placed your bike in a safer position.

[sefer]

Well I'll go the reverse and say the van should have been more attention, a blind spot is not an excuse and anyone who has ever driven a trade vehicle (or any larger vehicle) should be well aware of any visiblity problems and take actions to ensure that these areas are checked. After all, it usually only means turning your head, slowing down, or speeding up slightly.

Sure there were actions that the chick could have taken to improve matters, but a scooter has limitations. Maybe she was going top speed and couldn't move into a more visible area. After all slowing down and sitting behind a larger vehicle can just as bad, or worse, for visiblity.

[Wasp]

Unfortunately the BHS course doesn't stop people from being dumb fucks.

yea i know that (I didn't learn shit form mine) but that was the only course i could think off.

forgot to say that im kinda scared when im out riding so im *almost* always cautious. just as well too, had 3 cars pull out infront of me (1 out of a park, 1 a u-turn and one off a roundabout), the one off the rounda bout i excuse because its on a slope (bridge entrance) and the asain guy that pulled out infront of me looked REALLY sorry.

[Marmoot]

Sure there were actions that the chick could have taken to improve matters, but a scooter has limitations. Maybe she was going top speed and couldn't move into a more visible area. After all slowing down and sitting behind a larger vehicle can just as bad, or worse, for visiblity.

Then slow down until you are just before the blind-spot.
Position yourself to the proper side if you are behind large vehicle, to make sure the other vehicles (on the lane to the left, or right) can see you.

If you can't pass him, then let him pass.
Afterall, we are on two wheels. Regardless whose fault it is, if we are bumped then we'd be the one kissing the ground.

Ride defensively. Stay alive.

[Marmoot]

yea i know that (I didn't learn shit form mine) but that was the only course i could think off.

forgot to say that im kinda scared when im out riding so im *almost* always cautious. just as well too, had 3 cars pull out infront of me (1 out of a park, 1 a u-turn and one off a roundabout), the one off the rounda bout i excuse because its on a slope (bridge entrance) and the asain guy that pulled out infront of me looked REALLY sorry.

Sorry....I missed the other three......are they asians as well?......Also, what about yourself?

[Lou Girardin]

I had a young stud-about-town in his import Beemer do that on Newton Rd last night, I hit the horn and nailed it to get ahead, no major harm done.
Then I saw the traffic ahead stopped, so I slowed to let chummy pull up alongside. We stopped and I indicated for him to open his window, he shook his head and tried to surrepetiously lock the door with his elbow so that I wouldn't notice and then stared straight ahead. I damn near pissed myself laughing at him. He was getting redder than the traffic light.
It's a good little lesson that your invulnerable cage isn't so invulnerable when you're trapped in traffic.:tugger: Imagine, being scared of a middle-aged fart on a warehouse bike.:rofl:

[ajturbo]

Welcome mate. Good point, overall I'ld blame the chick.
:lol: :lol:
sorry but i find that funny:bleh:

[MSTRS]

No-one's and everyone's fault.....praps had you been on a bike you could have saved the day by tootling melodiously.....
Welcome to our corner

[bugjuice]

welcome ;)
great FI!

I had a good classic the other day. I was over taking in the right lane, and some lady decided she wanted a go at this over taking lark too, but I hadn't quite finished passing her yet! She flung her indicator on, and started to move over, I knocked down a gear, tooted my horn and blipped it to get out of the way. As soon as she heard my horn, her first reaction - was to swerve - into me. Dozy bitch. I beeped with plenty of distance, a good couple of metres. After she swerved, it was less than a metre! I promptly packed my pants, and gave her the best evils and hand gestures I've done for a while. Hope she learnt for a few weeks..

[sAsLEX]

What's the point of the story?

Get fuckin loud arrogant pipes and then see if people cut you up!

Loud pipes save lives!

edit: and look like a mongrel mob member, bet no cuts them up!

[DMNTD]

Vans fault for not checking his blind spot and the scooter rider's fault for riding in it IMO.
I make a point of being seen and stay over alert especially when in a city or on a motorway as people seem to have too much on their minds...other than their surroundings.
What happened to the lady on the scooter is exactly what I expect.
Open ya eyes and expect the worst...tend to live longer that way :ride:

[Marmoot]

Get fuckin loud arrogant pipes and then see if people cut you up!

Loud pipes save lives!

Yea, especially if you point them to the front.

[MisterD]

prehaps people wanting to ride scooters should have to do the Basic Handling Skills course atleast, what do you guys think?

How does being able to ride around cones help in this situation, there's b-all in the BHS course about road craft.

At least the UK's CBT (compulsory basic training) teaches you to do the "lifesaver" look over your shoulder and then takes you out on the road with an instructor for a 30 minute ride before you're let loose. Even then that's only required if you want to ride a 125, same rules there as here for 50cc.

[Aaron]

Welcome to the site, happy posting and all that.

I agree, Miss Scooter was at fault, not aware of her surroundings. Sounds like the van driver might have been caught before and is now very cautious with lane changes.


Yes, the scooter seems to be at fault from your story. Never ride beside a vehicle, and never ride to it's rear unless you're prepared to be cut off.
This is a problem I encounter daily going home down Bealy Ave in Christchurch, (six lanes dual carriageway).

I usually ride the middle lane so I'm ok for the direction change at Fitzgerald Ave, this means I've got traffic on both sides, and at 17:20 it's peak hour traffic, long story short I'm always in someone's blind spot, usually two.

I'm happy there, paying full attention to my left and right, (and front), ready with cat like reflexes should I be squashed from either side.

If a gap opens up in front I'll usually 'zoom' up a few car lengths into the open, to avoid the situation altogether, however I'm wonder if one day I'll be pulled up for speeding or unnecessary accleration and could I argue the case, it was for my own safety? Note, I don't exceed 65 when moving ahead of traffic like this. Everyone else is going slow enough you don't need to go 'fast' to clear them.

[sAsLEX]

Yea, especially if you point them to the front.

No need, the strong deep sound of a loud twin through yoshis et al can be heard a fair distance at cruising speeds.

Quasi's old duke you could feel coming up behind you.

[Marmoot]

If a gap opens up in front I'll usually 'zoom' up a few car lengths into the open, to avoid the situation altogether, however I'm wonder if one day I'll be pulled up for speeding or unnecessary accleration and could I argue the case, it was for my own safety? Note, I don't exceed 65 when moving ahead of traffic like this. Everyone else is going slow enough you don't need to go 'fast' to clear them.

If you're zooming, be careful of the cages changing lanes without looking at their mirror. Progress carefully might be a good options. Never take anything for granted, and expect the unexpected

(but that would make the unexpected become expected, hence mooting the point of the 'un' particle. However, that is a different debate altogether and we best not dwell into that matter here).

And yes, Sasslex, the v-twin rumbling gives me orgasm at times :yeah:

[JWALKER]

lol, that is funny. they do get quite nervous once you stop next to them on a bike.
also agree loud pipes are great and one of the best safety things

[sAsLEX]

be careful of the cages changing lanes without looking at their mirror.

its funny you mention that, as I get to uni quicker if the traffic is bumper to bumper the whole way as the cars have no where to go but trundle along straight ahead at a snails pace. Once flowing though they switch and change lanes and you have to slow to be ready to take evasive action.

[Marmoot]

Once flowing though they switch and change lanes and you have to slow to be ready to take evasive action.

That's the one.

Filtering speed is inversely proportional to the filter speed.

[zooter]

Read the post again. He says the van driver did a head check but carried on. In other words he was just assuming the scoot would get out of his way, when the indicating didn't do the trick he just barged on in, what an arsehole.