ooooops....

[slofox]

Had the "twang" moment again this morning....:wacko:

Proceeding straight through an intersection (with lights) when a little RAV4 or similar suddenly blasted a right turn across my bow...put the skills of stopping fast into action (see How Fast Can You Stop? thread...) and avoided any grief. Also raised the finger at the offending driver who was fast retreating into the rising sun..."WTF?" I was thinking "was that in aid of?"
And then I looked down at the dash...and found that my left turn signal from the previous intersection was still indicating a left turn...so Ms RAV4 was quite within her rights to turn across my bow in the belief that I was competent with signals and intended to turn left.....course she might have noted that I was heading straight through. But the fact remains that I was wrong, not she...
Lesson? Cancel your turn signals kiddies else people might think you know what you are doing when patently, you don't......
Dumb bum rides a bike....

[sondela]

Haha I've done that exact same thing with the same reaction till I realised with embarrassment that it was my own fault.. I'm waay more careful now.
I can get away with doing stuff like that however, cause, as I'm always being told, I'm a woman driver/rider.... :yes:

[CB ARGH]

Oh dear... that sucks!

Was riding to Taupo one day behind a nice big bike (no idea what it was - too long ago) who had his indicator on for at least 10km before he realised. :laugh:

We all do it!

[vifferman]

Yup. Potentially very dangerous.
A few years back, I was riding to work and thinking, "WTF is up with people?!? Why are they all trying to kill me?!?" A long street, with multiple intersections to the left and right, I had right of way at each one, and yet nearly got cleaned up at several of them.
Yup - indicator still on from when i turned left onto the end of the street...
:o

[Devil]

so Ms RAV4 was quite within her rights to turn across my bow in the belief that I was competent with signals and intended to turn left.....

Actually she's not. Nothing overrides the give way rule.
Leaving your indicator on is asking for trouble of course because people just assume that's what you're doing.

Tip for riders and drivers. Never assume *anything*. Dont trust that indicator!

[kiwifruit]

We all do it!

no we don't!

[Devil]

no we don't!

ditto.....

[PrincessBandit]

Lol. It think there would be very few riders who have never been caught like that at some time (if they're honest). I think there is even something about indicators in the road code for bikes since most are non-self cancelling.

Shoulda done a quick back-track, followed her then turned up with some pwetty flowers as a "sorry for the finger" as you probably frightened the daylights outta her as well! (flowers wouldn't work so well if it had been a bloke though I guess) :lol:
And vifferman, you may well have had to buy out the entire florists hahaha!

[vifferman]

I've only left it on very rarely - if anything I tend to be obsessive about turning it off, even when I haven't used it (like when I've gone around a corner that didn't require use of my confirminator), or have already turned it off.
It's a wonder I haven't worn it out. It definitely leads to premature retirement of my gloves due to the left thumb having a hole in it...

[McDuck]

no we don't!


ditto.....

ditto X2. It is not hard to do a scan every 5 seconds

[MsKABC]

I had a dumb-dumb moment on Tuesday night. It nearly resulted in a collision with a car (for which I abused the poor sod :o), and in fact it was so blonde, that I'm not even gonna share it! :oi-grr:

Certainly brings you back down to earth with a thud though, don't it?

[prettybillie]

Had the "twang" moment again this morning....:wacko:

Proceeding straight through an intersection (with lights) when a little RAV4 or similar suddenly blasted a right turn across my bow...put the skills of stopping fast into action (see How Fast Can You Stop? thread...) and avoided any grief. Also raised the finger at the offending driver who was fast retreating into the rising sun..."WTF?" I was thinking "was that in aid of?"
And then I looked down at the dash...and found that my left turn signal from the previous intersection was still indicating a left turn...so Ms RAV4 was quite within her rights to turn across my bow in the belief that I was competent with signals and intended to turn left.....course she might have noted that I was heading straight through. But the fact remains that I was wrong, not she...
Lesson? Cancel your turn signals kiddies else people might think you know what you are doing when patently, you don't......
Dumb bum rides a bike....

That's amusing - thumbs up for admiting you were wrong though!!! :2thumbsup

[PrincessBandit]

ditto X2. It is not hard to do a scan every 5 seconds

No, it's not, but when you're tired or distracted (in which case there are probably larger issues about ya riding than just indimacator operation) it can be easily overlooked. Lack of scanning frequently is my first clue that I'm getting tired since it's something I tend to be obsessive about too.

[Dr_seuss25]

Yeah i have this habit now of always pushing the indicator button to ensure my signals are off. It almost like a twitch sometimes and i worry im going to wear out the button :)

[Warr]

Yeah i have this habit now of always pushing the indicator button to ensure my signals are off. It almost like a twitch sometimes and i worry im going to wear out the button :)

You too eh!! Caution is always the best policy :)

[slofox]

. Dont trust that indicator!

You are sooo right - and for myself, I NEVER trust an indicator - I wait to see further evidence of the turn actually happening - been caught out too many times myself.
It is rare for me to miss cancelling an indicator - I have this habit of looking at dash immediately after a turn...but this a.m. I was watching other traffic instead and missed it...it only takes the one time and you are.....:buggerd:

[nudemetalz]

ditto.....

ditto x 3.

I always give my indicator cancellor (ie push it) a push every nown and then when I'm riding just to ensure this doesn't happen.

[slofox]

Shoulda done a quick back-track, followed her then turned up with some pwetty flowers as a "sorry for the finger" as you probably frightened the daylights outta her as well! (flowers wouldn't work so well if it had been a bloke though I guess) :lol:


To catch her, PB, I would have had to totally flaunt the speed rules in a built up area - she was gone with the wind.....obviously in a big hurry.

[slofox]

That's amusing - thumbs up for admiting you were wrong though!!! :2thumbsup

OH - I have been wrong before....1979 I think was the last time...I think it was on a Monday...:whistle:

[FJRider]

Indicators are just that... "indicators". NOT sworn statements of intent. To be used as a guide only. Trust them at your peril.

[turtleman]

OH - I have been wrong before....1979 I think was the last time...I think it was on a Monday...:whistle:

I THOUGHT I was wrong once - but I was mistaken... <_<

[Mully]

...put the skills of stopping fast into action (see How Fast Can You Stop? thread...) and avoided any grief

So you stopped from 60km/h in two metres, then?

Done the same on Miss Mully's bike - dash is really hard to see in bright sunlight.

[Naki Rat]

So you stopped from 60km/h in two metres, then?

Done the same on Miss Mully's bike - dash is really hard to see in bright sunlight.

Had the same problem with dash lights so fitted a couple of extra 'indicator indicators'. Green super bright LEDs that are aimed directly at me so like being targeted by lasers - can't miss them !

[slofox]

I THOUGHT I was wrong once - but I was mistaken... <_<

So you were wrong then....

[slofox]

So you stopped from 60km/h in two metres, then?


Errrr not quite....but interestingly enough, I stopped MUCH quicker under duress than when I practice quick stops....nothing like a bin staring you in the face to get the old reflexes stoked up...

[turtleman]

I THOUGHT I was wrong once - but I was mistaken... <_<


So you were wrong then....

Nup - pretty sure I was just mistaken.... :rolleyes: :msn-wink:

[Mikkel]

Actually she's not. Nothing overrides the give way rule.
Leaving your indicator on is asking for trouble of course because people just assume that's what you're doing.

Too true - and neither is it going to be of much comfort to your relatives when they go to visit you at the hospital.

But this is an incident that also clearly illustrates the shortcomings of the give-way when turning left rule!

[mattian]

Hope you don't mind, Not exactly on your topic slofox but, this is what happened to me once. I was stopped in the middle of the road, waiting to turn right from the main road into a side street. This car heading towards me had his left turn indicator on and was slowing down like he was going to stop and turn left into the same street. I was just about to go when, I realised he was overshooting the street and pulling up to the kurb just past it ! :wacko:

[Elysium]

Good on ya for having the balls to come on here and admit you stuffed up. :niceone:

[rocketman1]

Had the "twang" moment again this morning....:wacko:

Proceeding straight through an intersection (with lights) when a little RAV4 or similar suddenly blasted a right turn across my bow...put the skills of stopping fast into action (see How Fast Can You Stop? thread...) and avoided any grief. Also raised the finger at the offending driver who was fast retreating into the rising sun..."WTF?" I was thinking "was that in aid of?"
And then I looked down at the dash...and found that my left turn signal from you don't......
Dumb bum rides a bike....

I now push in the indicator button to cancel after every intersection. I find that it is now a good habit I have got into and whether or not I have been indicating I hit cancel. There are plenty out there that should adopt this practice

[McDuck]

I now push in the indicator button to cancel after every intersection. I find that it is now a good habit I have got into and whether or not I have been indicating I hit cancel. There are plenty out there that should adopt this practice

yes and scan the hole instrement cluster when checkin speed and/or revs.

[Max Preload]

Yeah i have this habit now of always pushing the indicator button to ensure my signals are off. It almost like a twitch sometimes and i worry im going to wear out the button :)

Me too. I've almost got it to the point of OCD. :blink:

[mattian]

HAHAhaa.... likewise. I often find myself canceling it even when I am on a straight road and not even used my indicators...... I think to myself "why the fuck did I just do that"

[ducatilover]

bit of a brain fart huh? yeah we all have those, except me, im perfect and have a shiny rear orifice :woohoo:

[pjpnz]

Very dangerous, very common. I bought a Signal Minder from the States for my BMW. Cost under $200; very easy to fit. Lots of options for cancelling indicators. http://www.kisantech.com/index.php?cat_id=4

[PrincessBandit]

Hope you don't mind, Not exactly on your topic slofox but, this is what happened to me once. I was stopped in the middle of the road, waiting to turn right from the main road into a side street. This car heading towards me had his left turn indicator on and was slowing down like he was going to stop and turn left into the same street. I was just about to go when, I realised he was overshooting the street and pulling up to the kurb just past it ! :wacko:

Had similar incident at the big roundabout leaving CHCH airport - saw a car signalling to exit but almost got collected as they were referring to the exit after me, not the one just before. Damned multi spoked roundabouts! As I'm not a gunning-off-the-start-line kinda rider it was easy enough to stop, but the female passenger did give me the evils as they sailed past.

[dipshit]

but the female passenger did give me the evils as they sailed past.

Well it was their car that was in the wrong. You are meant to indicate when exiting a roundabout *after* you have passed the last exit before yours... so such things don't happen.

I am always dumbfounded at the amount of people that cannot grasp such basic things.

[prettybillie]

OH - I have been wrong before....1979 I think was the last time...I think it was on a Monday...:whistle:

Ahhh see I may have my faults but being wrong isn't one of them mwahahahahahahahaha :msn-wink:

[jer66]

Had the "twang" moment again this morning....:wacko:

Proceeding straight through an intersection (with lights) when a little RAV4 or similar suddenly blasted a right turn across my bow...put the skills of stopping fast into action (see How Fast Can You Stop? thread...) and avoided any grief. Also raised the finger at the offending driver who was fast retreating into the rising sun..."WTF?" I was thinking "was that in aid of?"
And then I looked down at the dash...and found that my left turn signal from the previous intersection was still indicating a left turn...so Ms RAV4 was quite within her rights to turn across my bow in the belief that I was competent with signals and intended to turn left.....course she might have noted that I was heading straight through. But the fact remains that I was wrong, not she...
Lesson? Cancel your turn signals kiddies else people might think you know what you are doing when patently, you don't......
Dumb bum rides a bike....

No one uses them on this side of the pond.

[slofox]

I see a lot of non-cancelled indicators - specially on group rides (I am always at the back so I see all...:angry:). Bad habit. I did think I was pretty good at the cancel but maybe not so hot after all.....BUT I didn't leave any on today!!!

[DarkLord]

Yeah I see them too.... when I first started riding my flatmate went out of his way to stomp that habit out of me, I think it's ingrained into my brain enough now for me to always remember, however still make the odd mistake and don't indicate or leave them going....

I get so pissed off at other drivers who don't do it, but I get even more pissed off at myself when I forget as you can't chastise people on things that they are doing (or not doing) if you are doing (nor not doing) the exact same thing :Oops:

[StatX]

I think the moral of the story stands at - "Don't trust the indicators" or lackthereof, for that matter. Too many times do I see vehicles not indicate and move lanes suddenly, or indicate the wrong way...It's best to just watch what the thing does... :sweatdrop

[mikeey01]

Yeah I see them too.... when I first started riding my flatmate

:gob: sorry just couldn't resist. :rofl:

Bear with me folks I'm renowned for not being a great word smith!

On a serious note though...
There is a lot to be said for familiarity with your bike, the area you ride, the roads and how often you ride it.
I use to ride daily and had done so for at least fifteen years, over time things became instinctive such as instrument cluster, indicators and the like. Sure over that time I had an endless stream of new bikes to learn. One becomes so familiar with your bike you've got a good idea what speed you're doing, (within 5-8 kph) without even looking. You know what I mean?
You've also learned your local traffic black spots, areas to watch when wet, where ice would not melt, where wet leaves would collect, where gravel would build up and intersections (the list goes on and on) where people took risks, motorways, how and where to place yourself on them and your positioning around tin tops too.

If your a daily rider you'll be able to relate to what I am saying if ya know what I mean.

Having read the above, you do get thrown curve balls now and then, it's these that seem to trip us up.
Bear with me I'll try and give you one of my examples.....

I never use to give farmers tractors trundling down the side of the road a second thought, this was in the days when I was on small bikes, learning basically, developing my survival skills so to speak.
So I'm on a mates bike running it in after doing some work on it, on a 2nd class back country road and I see this farmers tractor heading towards me on the opposite side of the road, I slowed down a little for the just in case... what I didn't expect (here comes the curve ball) was the sheep dogs walking behind the tractor (couldn't see them), one decided to pop out from behind the tractor and cut diagonally across the road, right in front of me. Yep I hit him, did the peter pan thing over the bars, through the air and then down the road, bikes chasing me down too.

There are heaps of them (curve balls), what I've learned is never trust a tin top, especially their indicators, assume they haven't seen you. ( a lot of folks on here have ponted that out already)

I ride by the whites of their eyes rule, if I don't see them, they ain't seen me.

Be carefull out there folks.

Rant over, as you were :)