The unsafety glance

[mowgli]

This morning on my way to work I got another wake up call. Into the city along the old Hutt Road, right into Tinakori then left onto Murphy. The lights were green crossing Tinakori so I was about to merge between 4 and 5 in a line of 6. At first 5 didn't look like he wanted to let me in but after a indicating, looking over my shoulder (#1) and moving right, he got the idea.

Then things happened very quickly. The back of 4 is all brake lights as 1 stops for pedestrians @#%!@$#. My initial reaction was perfect with a rapid counter steer to the left back into the merge lane (practice works). For some reason (probably panic and inexperience) I also stabbed the rear brake (but not the front thankfully) and locked the rear. I went a bit sideways but got it back under control after releasing the brake. Anyway nothing hit, nothing dropped, but a little red faced I completed the merge and carried on to work.

Over the next few hours I pondered the incident trying to figure out where I'd gone wrong. I decided that coming off Tinakori I must have been going a bit quick for the merge. It wasn't until the ride home that it struck me what I actually did wrong. It was basic. It was dumb. And it happened at the (#1) in my account above. I changed lanes while watching over my shoulder!!!! If I was that concerned about the guy behind then I shouldn't have been switching lanes in the first place. The safety glance should be just that. A quick look for danger then eyes front again BEFORE moving position on the road.

Fortunately I got away it and I've learned from the incident. Hopefully my red faced account will cause other noobs to watch where they're riding and not over their shoulders.

A final thought. Strangely, going sideways felt quite normal - perhaps it was the dirt from my teens.

[heyjoe]

Thanks for sharing that story. Good to hear you are ok.

[Grub]

Good catch and excellent analysis ... another good learning I shall remember

[Dino]

Nice avoidance, a red face is nothing to what may have happened, well done.

[CookMySock]

[...] I changed lanes while watching over my shoulder!!!! If I was that concerned about the guy behind then I shouldn't have been switching lanes in the first place. The safety glance should be just that. A quick look for danger then eyes front again BEFORE moving position on the road.I positively hate looking over my shoulder. There are better ways IMO.

DB

[mowgli]

I positively hate looking over my shoulder. There are better ways IMO.
DB
Do you mean mirrors?

[koba]

Good call posting that for others to benefit.
Just dont let katman hear you not making excuses or it could get political :lol:

[McDuck]

I positively hate looking over my shoulder. There are better ways IMO.

DB

One of the stupidest things i have heard form you.

[CookMySock]

Do you mean mirrors?Mirrors, combined with clearing my blind spot by using acceleration.

This is ; if there is no one approaching from behind (long check with mirrors - no one entering the area, and no one likely to) quite likely I can avoid someone in my blind spot by accelerating away suddenly followed by a lane change.

This would require said person in said blind spot to a.) have the same location and same speed as me for some time (I would have seen him enter this area), b.) accelerate away at exactly the same instant as me (improbable), c.) be able to out-gun me (BAHAHAHAHA)...:rolleyes:

DB

[CookMySock]

One of the stupidest things i have heard form you.cmon, there are plenty more stupid things I have said. :whistle:

DB

[McDuck]

cmon, there are plenty more stupid things I have said. :whistle:

DB

Ok ignoreing the busted fr flashng thread....

[CookMySock]

na, really, think about it.. if you are moving forward in traffic constantly it is improbable that someone is in your blind spot, and if they are, it is either another biker that you can trust hot on your tail, or someone coming up really really quick.. OR someone you should have seen enter this area but didn't.

The problem arises when brain is in neutral not sweeping this area to begin with. If someone enters my blind spot, I note them in and note them out, or remove them.


DB

[mowgli]

na, really, think about it.. if you are moving forward in traffic constantly it is improbable that someone is in your blind spot, and if they are, it is either another biker that you can trust hot on your tail, or someone coming up really really quick.. OR someone you should have seen enter this area but didn't.

The problem arises when brain is in neutral not sweeping this area to begin with. If someone enters my blind spot, I note them in and note them out, or remove them.
DB

Your theory works in any situation where you have road space and can maintain your speed faster than the traffic around you. In my case the traffic was slowing, road narrowing and the cages either didn't notice me (yeah right!) or weren't keen to let me in. Clearing my blind spot using acceleration was not an option in this case.

All maybes aside, you can turn the "improbable" into a "definitely not" with a simple glance over your shoulder. It's a habit I'm aiming to set in stone.

BTW how do you like your GT650R? I'm very tempted to go the same way.

[CookMySock]

All maybes aside, you can turn the "improbable" into a "definitely not" with a simple glance over your shoulder. It's a habit I'm aiming to set in stone.I think you are doing the right thing, but do watch where you are going won't you.. :blip:


BTW how do you like your GT650R? I'm very tempted to go the same way.I like it very much. The suspension is very hard though, and on rough road it is quite a handful - certainly not the soak-up-the-road suspension like many other bikes. But it is cheap bang for the buck and mine is perfectly reliable. If you still like your GT250R then you will really like the GT650R - they are very very similar in all respects, except for the crackle crackle pop thunderclap following you, and the light front end and very rapidly building speed under full power. :whistle: Ride one today. :blip:

DB

[ElCoyote]

This morning on my way to work I got another wake up call. Into the city along the old Hutt Road, right into Tinakori then left onto Murphy. The lights were green crossing Tinakori so I was about to merge between 4 and 5 in a line of 6. At first 5 didn't look like he wanted to let me in but after a indicating, looking over my shoulder (#1) and moving right, he got the idea.

Then things happened very quickly. The back of 4 is all brake lights as 1 stops for pedestrians @#%!@$#. My initial reaction was perfect with a rapid counter steer to the left back into the merge lane (practice works). For some reason (probably panic and inexperience) I also stabbed the rear brake (but not the front thankfully) and locked the rear. I went a bit sideways but got it back under control after releasing the brake. Anyway nothing hit, nothing dropped, but a little red faced I completed the merge and carried on to work.

Over the next few hours I pondered the incident trying to figure out where I'd gone wrong. I decided that coming off Tinakori I must have been going a bit quick for the merge. It wasn't until the ride home that it struck me what I actually did wrong. It was basic. It was dumb. And it happened at the (#1) in my account above. I changed lanes while watching over my shoulder!!!! If I was that concerned about the guy behind then I shouldn't have been switching lanes in the first place. The safety glance should be just that. A quick look for danger then eyes front again BEFORE moving position on the road.

Fortunately I got away it and I've learned from the incident. Hopefully my red faced account will cause other noobs to watch where they're riding and not over their shoulders.

A final thought. Strangely, going sideways felt quite normal - perhaps it was the dirt from my teens.

+ 1000 This is a situation peculiar to bikes as the time taken to look is far in excess of that needed in a cage. Yes you are right about aborting if you were concerned about the traffic behind but if you hadn't checked and.........well done and good post.

[mowgli]

I like it very much. The suspension is very hard though, and on rough road it is quite a handful - certainly not the soak-up-the-road suspension like many other bikes. But it is cheap bang for the buck and mine is perfectly reliable. If you still like your GT250R then you will really like the GT650R - they are very very similar in all respects, except for the crackle crackle pop thunderclap following you, and the light front end and very rapidly building speed under full power. :whistle: Ride one today. :blip:
DB
Cheers. I do like my GT250R very much hence my interest in the 650R. Your comments are much as I'd expect mine would be. Shame the shops just closed cos I just passed my full. Oh well there's a whole weekend ahead :whistle:

[musicman]

na, really, think about it.. if you are moving forward in traffic constantly it is improbable that someone is in your blind spot, and if they are, it is either another biker that you can trust hot on your tail, or someone coming up really really quick.. OR someone you should have seen enter this area but didn't.

The problem arises when brain is in neutral not sweeping this area to begin with. If someone enters my blind spot, I note them in and note them out, or remove them.


DB

What about roads with 3 or more lanes? A large 4WD vehicle sits two lanes away from you, just out of your peripheral vision that doesn't appear in your mirror either. It wants to move into the same gap that you do, doesn't notice you (being a 4WD vehicle driver) and your sudden acceleration into the gap puts you under their front wheel. Which could have easily been avoided with a quick glance over your shoulder.