Things that make you smile

[p.dath]

I was riding over the harbour bridge in Auckland earlier in the week. I was in a right hand lane that was moving faster than the left hand lane, so was slowly passing traffic in the left.

As I approach one vehicle on my left I can see it start to move slowly right into my lane and start indicating. I look at the drivers head, and I can see they are looking at a child in the left hand seat and talking to them. I never saw the driver look in their right hand mirror, or even look right.

At this point I can read the writing on the wall, and commence breaking hard, at which time the driver fully commits to the lane change. I start shaking my head, as the "miss" was very close. Certainly without the braking I would have been hit. The driver spots me in his rear view mirror, and I think is surprised by how close I am still to their vehicle (I'm pretty sure this is the first time they have discovered my existence). I was actually still braking at this point in time.

Initially I thought I should follow the driver, and let them know how close this was to a lot of pain, but shrugged it off. It's best not to get upset. If you ride a motorcycle on the road you have to expect things like this to happen from time to time. Humans make mistakes. And riding upset or angry is not a safe thing to do.


Anyhow I pull off at a later off-ramp, any much to my surprise a guy next to me leans out and say "Sorry mate". He had followed me just so that he could apologise. He said a few other words to explain his actions (was talking to child, and so on).

I have to say, it completely turned my attitude around. The guy clearly knew he made a cock up, and that things could have been a lot worse. It doesn't change what happened, and it's hard to explain, but it was a bit of a relief and made me feel much happier to have him acknowledge what had happened and how close it was. I also know that it took a lot of courage to do what he did. It would have been so much easier to just carry on his own way.


I just hope that if I come so close to hurting someone like that I have the courage to try and locate them to apologise.

[Ocean1]

I just hope that if I come so close to hurting someone like that I have the courage to try and locate them to apologise.

It's a sad day when what almost everyone would acknowledge is simply good behaviour becomes worthy of comment.

[Asher]

Does your horn not work?

[p.dath]

Does your horn not work?

I thought about that afterwards. Funny that. My mind was too occupied with trying to create a cushion of safety space around me.

[slofox]

I thought about that afterwards. Funny that. My mind was too occupied with trying to create a cushion of safety space around me.

I find that a decent horn (Stebel magnum f'rinstance - or a pair is even better) helps develop that cushion of safety space.

Nice that the dude wasn't the usual road rager believing that he is infallible.

[Deano]

Emergency braking (if that is what was required) takes precedence over the horn anyday. Better to avoid a crash than let them know your hitting them, as you hit them.

[jellywrestler]

I just hope that if I come so close to hurting someone like that I have the courage to try and locate them to apologise.

if not send them some flowers and a voucher for some counselling, that might work

[Grashopper]

It's a sad day when what almost everyone would acknowledge is simply good behaviour becomes worthy of comment.

I don't know. Everybody can say I'm sorry, smile and wave, but to go out of your way and to go as far as to following someone to appologize that is quite big.

Nice story anyway. Made me smile, too.

[McFatty1000]

Does your horn not work?

Had an incident last night with a few guys in a car where even multiple air horns didn't stop them reversing into my car and doing a runner.

Kinda shows the extremes in people. Glad your story was a good one in the end, especially given the example he set for the kid.

[G4L4XY]

Could get a louder exhaust :P Good on the guy for following you to apologize though, you don't really see that these days. I sometimes have the urge to follow someone when they make a dick move, give them a stern talking to, make them more aware etc...Better just to forget about it and lookout for the next moron out there to kill ya :P

[Road kill]

I thought about that afterwards. Funny that. My mind was too occupied with trying to create a cushion of safety space around me.

I've also always belived that if you have time to use your horn,,,,then you weren't really in danger.

It was a good thing the guy manned up like he did,,,,but also a bit sad that Ocean1 is correct that it shouldn't really be worthy of comment,,,,yet it is..

[Maha]

Things that make me smile?...Pavlova in fridge, rain on the roof, seeing my wife after work, a cold cold beer with a decent head, to name a few.

[Grashopper]

Things that make me smile?...Pavlova in fridge, rain on the roof, seeing my wife after work, a cold cold beer with a decent head, to name a few.

That it is Friday

[Dadpole]

Things that make me smile?...Paula Bennett in a fridge, rain on the roof, knowing my wife is at work, a hot hot slapper giving decent head, to name a few.

[pritch]

Does your horn not work?

Similar to my reaction.
Two words: "Stebel Nautilus".


To those who preferred brakes, "time and place" people. If you see the potential problem early enough you have choices.
Otherwise it's brakes, or taking to the scenery, or whatever...