Blind idiots in cages

[riffer]

Hey all. I've had two near incidents yesterday which have prompted me to think about how I ride and what I can do to prevent accidents on my bike.

Both were due to not being "seen" by cars on my way home; however both were different situations.

Situation 1:

Just past Haywards Hill turnoff going north on SH2. I was in the right hand lane just going past a late model Falcon Station wagon. Just as I got alongside the Falcon he indicated and came straight into my lane. Conditions at time - overcast but no rain, no other cars within 100m. Both vehicles doing 95-105km/h.


Situation 2:
Pulled off SH2 at Whakatiki St, going through esses next to Mitre 10, and see a Mitsubishi Galant stopped at the side of the road facing me, indicating to pull into the battery shop on my side of the road. Look the driver straight in the eye as I come through the esses and when I am approx 50m from him he turns straight into my path. Hang on the anchors and just squeeze past him on my left hand side (maybe six inch gap either side).

Now the 1st situation I can understand I probably was in the guys blind spot as I came up towards him so can accept that - He saw me as when he moved across he did the old "lifesaver look" - lucky for me.

But the 2nd situation I am at a loss to explain. The driver could see me coming for nearly 150m and looked me straight in the eye as he turned. I was doing maybe 60km/h so I'm unsure if he underestimated my speed.

Has anyone else encountered drivers who look you straight in the eye and then turn right in front of you?

FWIW, I had my lights and indicator on at the time - low beam, both lights.

I wear Black Cordura jacket and pants with reflective material (no good in the day but), and a silver helmet with blue white and black flashes on it.

What can I do to make myself seen more, or should I accept that some people are just blind idiots and I should assume they will not see me, even if we are looking at each other in the eyes?

[Slim]

Blah, blah, blah, etc....

What can I do to make myself seen more, or should I accept that some people are just blind idiots and I should assume they will not see me, even if we are looking at each other in the eyes?

You got it in one. SMIDSY is the norm when you're on a bike & you should ride accordingly.

I probably would have considered stopping & having a wee chat with Situation #2 to find out exactly what was going on in his/her head - removing helmet & speaking calmly, of course.

[Ms Piggy]

What can I do to make myself seen more, or should I accept that some people are just blind idiots and I should assume they will not see me, even if we are looking at each other in the eyes?

Being a learner rider I have discovered much to my horror that a lot of cage drivers don't really consider motorbikes as "proper" traffic. I guess it's just a matter of riding defensively at all times...which I'm sure you do

[duckman]

Make your bike as loud as possible !!! Get crazy loud pipes and install an airhorn - If you ever think a car hasn't seen you give it a blast on the horn as a warning.

Apart from that - it's just a case of driving as defensivly as possible.

[Slingshot]

I was reversed into on Friday after work, I was waiting in traffic and the guy in front of me decided to reverse and then go into the Harvey Norman car park. I was in line with his right tyres and I managed to lean the bike over far enough and didn't actually come off, he did end up with a big scratch down him car from my clutch lever...Haha.

My wife was very close to getting hit last week as well, I was following her, we were in the left lane when a guy in the right lane decided to pull into a servo on the left, there were literally inches between the car and her bike.

I hate that startled look drivers give you when they finally see you.

I don't know that these's much more we can do to be seen (other than the obvious stuff), but if we ride with the mindset that other drivers won't see us then we should be a little safer

[MikeL]

I know that bikers are invisible and I try to remember that and allow for it. But sometimes people's behaviour is just unaccountable, like your #2. I seem to specialize in the near miss with the enter-the-roundabout-staring-straight-ahead species of driver who doesn't see me because he doesn't look. Perhaps this species has got into the habit of relying on peripheral vision and they only react if a large mass approaches. A more likely explanation is that they got their licence off a cereal packet and are blissfully unaware of the give way rules. I would like to think that Darwinism will eventually ensure the extinction of the species but I'm not sure it will happen in my lifetime...

[Angry Puppy]

I know a guy who had twin 100 watt halogens on his bike and people still managed to pull out in front of him. admittedly, they were squinting when they pulled out!

It's not so much about being seen, (or heard) as perception of risk. Cagers don't see bikes as a thread therefore their subconcious blocks us out. According to an article in Ride magazine anyway. To proove this point, some guy stuck a couple of lights on the ends of his bars to make the bike look bigger and it made a noticalbe difference.

Mike - in this instance Darwin's theory of evolution is not so much 'suvival of the fittest' as 'suvival of the guy with the most mild steel'!

[Slim]

I would like to think that Darwinism will eventually ensure the extinction of the species but I'm not sure it will happen in my lifetime...

Considering the fact that they seem to breed at a rate worse than rabbits, I'd have to agree that it's not going to happen in our lifetime.

[fpsware]

This afternoon I was riding riding into town (Te Puke) and about 100mtrs away there was van stopped on the right hand side at an intersection (stop sign). There was no traffic ahead of me, and there was no traffic behind me. I got to about 10 mtrs (give or take) and the idiot just decided to pull out right in front of me! It wasn't until he crossed the centerline that he saw me and swerved into the right hand lane. He must have missed me by no more than a foot at most.

I ride with my lights on full beam druing the day. I have a black jacket with reflective stripes on it. My bike is a very bright nice metalic burgandy. Strangely enough I have been thinking about getting a fluro vest just to be more visible, but the thing is I honestly don't think it is going to help that much.

[SPman]

"Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will piss on your computer."
Or in my case - the Video!


Keith Code sums it up well in this article - Presence

I ride like I own the road and other traffic knows it. The only time I have trouble, is if I'm being timid......well....its worked for me for 30+ years

[DEATH_INC.]

Has anyone else encountered drivers who look you straight in the eye and then turn right in front of you?

Yep,two of them....the first I T-boned when he pulled in front of me then STOPPED in the middle of my lane
The second I dumped the bike trying to stop/avoid a repeat of 1 when she did the same thing
Then both denied even seeing me to the cops......

[wkid_one]

I agree whole heartedly and I believe if you have driven a car before riding a bike you tend to think like a car driver when in traffic and put your bike in the position a car would expect you to be. This is largely what is comes down to - expectation.

As a bike is quick, nimble, and small - it can often be in places car drivers don't expect you to be. Also - we can put ourselves in positions where we shouldn't be also.

Expecting a car driver to see you when you are closing on him at warp factor nine, just whipping across three lanes from the on ramp is ludicrous.

At the end of the day - if you are going to drive amongst cars - think like a car driver, will save you arse.

Next time a car driver cuts your off et all - cast a little thought as to whether what you were doing at the time was right. I have done this and been in the wrong.

No point slagging car drivers - at the end of the day they are there to stay - learn to live with them........

Also - many of the situations you have described have happened to me in MY CAR as well - no limiting them to motorbikes.

[wkid_one]

Yep,two of them....the first I T-boned when he pulled in front of me then STOPPED in the middle of my lane
The second I dumped the bike trying to stop/avoid a repeat of 1 when she did the same thing
Then both denied even seeing me to the cops......

I am sorry - but this to me is poor riding. You should have identified the hazard and taken appropriate action - especially if it happened twice.

As Keith Code says - identify the hazard, plan you escape.

[wkid_one]

I ride with my lights on full beam druing the day.

This isn't a good idea - as riding with your lights on full makes it incredibly hard for someone to judge your speed when coming straight at someone.

Not viewing bike riders as the threat??? Come on - who wants to have an accident???

Seems a little of the us against them mentality here.

[Lou Girardin]

Being a learner rider I have discovered much to my horror that a lot of cage drivers don't really consider motorbikes as "proper" traffic.

When I was in the MOT; a woman, who nearly had me off when she turned in front of my patrol bike, said that she didn't have to give way to motorbikes!
They're all out there!
Lou