Shiny roads and Reverse Gear

[EnzoYug]

Short Version:
Oil slick turns biker into intersection blocking idiot who can't 'reverse'.

Long Version
Spring Weather, doncha love it?

Headed to work (Auckland CBD) this morning round 8.30, sun had just come out after some light morning showers. Air was crisp, bike was warm...
Flew into the city with not a care - bus lanes? Don't mind if I do! - hit all the green lights on the way - awesome! The gixxer was purring... till the bottom of Nelson Street.

Saw the orange light as I crested the end of Nelson. Figured I'd pull her up, no sense in getting a ticket a ruining a good day (just forked out for rego yesterday. $320 seemed like a steal) Bit the front, little on the rear - smooth stop then - whoosh.... right past the white lines, WHAT THE F...?

Toe digs in, anchor out the back and the rear goes WIIIDE, Adjust the front - it slides back in a line... eases to a stop. And I'm sitting SIDEWAYS in the middle of the intersection looking like a tool. Nice big smear of WD40 (well, it seemed like it) glistening on the hill behind me. Slowly tried to walk the bike back to the line... everyone behind me looking at the dickhead biker who doesn't know how to stop....

The road behind me is rather steep and i'm a short ass who can't get a grip on the wet roads with my toes.... oh dear.

• In hindsight I should've got off, pushed it back to the line.
• In hindsight I should've watched the road a bit more carefully (sunstrike is my excuse there).
• In hindsight I shouldn't have pulled the bird at the bus driver who yelled out the door "Reverse it, you've got heaps of space!" as I blocked his lane. I think he seriously considered getting out and giving me a piece.

Oh yeah - and I should've remembered:
Heavy rain washes the oil off. Light rain just turns it into a slick.
Watch those slicks.

[jrandom]

Heh! Nice job not binning though.

I woulda just shrugged, waved at the oncoming cross traffic and continued through the red light.

(Or fucked off sidewards and pulled a U-turn before Fanshawe and Halsey.)

But it's funny how many people don't realise that 99% of motorcycles do not have a reverse gear.

I could sure use one on my GSX1400 occasionally.

[EnzoYug]

Yeah it was only later that it dawned on me "why didn't I just hoof it?"

New rule for the mornings: Coffee first, then motorcycle.

[CookMySock]

I woulda just shrugged, waved at the oncoming cross traffic and continued through the red light.

Ditto.

Shit you did really well to not drop it mate. Well done.

Steve