Bloody lucky to be alive!

**Rogue Rider** · 3rd August 2010, 17:56

Well, I had to change my undies today..... This is the closest call I have ever had myself, and it felt totally surreal...........
At approximately 0735hrs, I was on my way to work on my daily commute. It was a particularly moist day and there was alot of fog and low cloud around.
I was travelling in an 80km per hr area, and my approximate travelling speed was between 60-65km per hour. (On my speedo it was reading 62)
I was taking my time and I approached a bend. About 40m past the bend is a side road with a give way. I came through the bend and could see a white Subaru station wagon. It was stationary at that point. I watched the driver and could see him looking. It was mildly foggy, but I could see clearly and my lights were on.
As I got closer the driver looked left again and proceeded to move across my path. I didn't have time to toot or do anything other than evasive actions.
Being wet, and slippery, I couldn't brake or power out as on the triple it would just lose it. I aimed out over and across center line and onto the wrong side of the road. The car didn't brake and kept going, I don't know how, but I cleared the car. It's impossible I thought as there was no room to make it but I did.
Angels watchin over me....... anyway, car kept going, so I turned around and pulled it over. Asked what happened, nicely........

The excuse... Its my fault, I was going too fast at 62km per hour, and my bikes fault for having twin headlights........ He claimed that I looked like a car way off in the distance............ Considering I was on a corner, and my headlights are together...... the guy is a nuptie, he didn't even look.

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I guess some will be disappointed I am still here to post lol...... for now at least anyway.

**Edbear** · 3rd August 2010, 18:03

Ouch! Maybe his window was fogged enough to fool him...? Imagine if you were travelling near the speed limit! Glad you avoided the pain!

**Mrs Shrek** · 3rd August 2010, 18:08

Originally Posted by Rogue Rider

Well, I had to change my undies today..... This is the closest call I have ever had myself, and it felt totally surreal...........
Angels watchin over me...

Glad ya made it out alive and those angels weren't having a lie in

now wait for the acc

**Rogue Rider** · 3rd August 2010, 18:16

Originally Posted by Mrs Shrek

Glad ya made it out alive and those angels weren't having a lie in

now wait for the acc

The worst thing in my mind, is that while I was talkin to the driver, 2 other bikes went past, and they were fair motoring. If I was riding the same, well, I don't want to think about it.....
The driver was just so full of excuses, but misted windscreen wasn't one of them. It was clear enough for me to see what he was doing inside the car. I did get an apology though so grateful for that at least.

**mrchips** · 3rd August 2010, 19:48

His age ?

10 char

**DarkLord** · 3rd August 2010, 19:52

Love the fact that the stupid fuck tries to blame you, and your bike for having 2 headlights, whilst removing all responsibility from himself.

Some people deserve a kick up the arse for being so desperate to blame their problems on others. I honestly would have struggled to maintain composure in that sort of situation and if I received that kind of response from someone who was clearly in the wrong, I would have struggled to refrain from physical violence.

I am glad to see you got an apology though.

**phill-k** · 3rd August 2010, 19:56

I have read about this before - twin headlights being mistaken for a car in the distance. I know what you are going to say the close corner and all but the driver probably wasn't a rider as well so his situational awareness might have been subdued or even compromised.
Well done on handling the situation though.

**St_Gabriel** · 3rd August 2010, 20:01

Originally Posted by Rogue Rider

If I was riding the same, well, I don't want to think about it.....

Well when you do decide to think about it, you would have been well clear of the intersection and long gone by the time the numpty got anywhere near the intersection. Nevermind the fact that because you could have been 3 klicks up the road it may have been a truck pulling out of a different intersection.

You can never play the what if game unless you can examine EVERY variable. If its you're time, you're screwed. And if not......

BTW well done on the saving yourself the pain, and hope ya undies work themselves out in a couple of days

**Rogue Rider** · 3rd August 2010, 20:10

Originally Posted by phill-k

twin headlights being mistaken for a car in the distance. I know what you are going to say the close corner and all but the driver probably wasn't a rider as well so his situational awareness might have been subdued or even compromised.
Well done on handling the situation though.

I did an experiment tonight, it wasn't foggy, but I wanted to be clear about what this guy saw.
At 20m I could see a slight resemblance of twin headlights, but it was pretty much phased together.
At 30m+ it was un noticeable, twin lights or not they certainly didn't look like separate lights.
I think it is fair to say, this middle aged numptie was suffering from "cager syndrome" This is the term of reference given to those who don't ride, get flustered, and feel defensive for there pathetic actions. These people conceive in there mind whatever plausible line of thought explanations they can to defend their ignorance and negligence..........
I forgave the chap, he was clearly shaken up and nervous.... suprised he pulled over actually as I wouldn't for fear of a road rager....... (almost justifiable in reasoning, not in action though). So glad I got to positively educate a cager, lets hope he learned his lesson.

**_Shrek_** · 3rd August 2010, 20:12

Originally Posted by phill-k

I have read about this before - twin headlights being mistaken for a car in the distance. I know what you are going to say the close corner and all but the driver probably wasn't a rider as well so his situational awareness might have been subdued or even compromised.
Well done on handling the situation though.

if he thought it was a car what the hell was he pulling out for anyway, when he clearly sore another vehicle coming, doesn't matter if he's not a rider, end of the day Phill they have no exsuess

**phill-k** · 3rd August 2010, 20:18

Originally Posted by _Shrek_

if he thought it was a car what the hell was he pulling out for anyway, when he clearly sore another vehicle coming, doesn't matter if he's not a rider, end of the day Phill they have no exsuess

The article I read indicated that the perception was as the lights were very close together they were in the far distance.

In the perfect world you're right there are no excuses, however these things do happen, people don't look properly and see things that aren't there, but that doesn't prevent this sort of "accident"

**raftn** · 3rd August 2010, 20:30

Glad you are still here...........It will be one of those moments you will never forget.

**Rogue Rider** · 3rd August 2010, 20:35

Originally Posted by raftn

Glad you are still here...........It will be one of those moments you will never forget.

Thanks for that, appreciate it. By the way, love that machine in your profile pic, Awesome.

**_Shrek_** · 3rd August 2010, 20:37

Originally Posted by phill-k

The article I read indicated that the perception was as the lights were very close together they were in the far distance.

In the perfect world you're right there are no excuses, however these things do happen, people don't look properly and see things that aren't there, but that doesn't prevent this sort of "accident"

I hear you, but I had that exscuess in chch a while ago (the two head lights) on the beamer yeah right & he did a runner, caught up with him at his house, that scared the shite out of him..... & no I didn't do the road rage... but he knew he was on thin ice with hot skates

at least RR is still riding at the end of the day