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Thread: The Invisible Rider

  1. #1
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    6th January 2006 - 12:52
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    The Invisible Rider

    Witnessed an unremarkable yet interesting incident on the city roads today.

    Was driving behind a young woman on a little scooter. Right next to her in the adjacent lane was a middle aged bloke in his trade van. We continue like this for a hundred meters or so before the guy decides to change over to the scooter's (and my) lane. So he indicates. He indicates for a fair amount of time after which he twists his neck around to look back. All the while he is still indicating. Then he straightens his head and lets the indicator run for another sec or so.

    Then the lane changing begins. It all seemed like happening in slow motion. The van is slowly moving over. The scooter is still right adjacent to it and still completely oblivious of the van's movements. Eventually the van is too close to the scooter to go unnoticed anymore. The woman swerves to the left, straightens out and accelerates out of the van's path and toots her little horn. Van driver seems confused, woman must have been pissed and I was half laughing/half guilty.

    Whose fault? Everyone's it seems.

    Van driver had the one big fault since he is the one who nearly run down the scooter. But I had a really good, wide angle view of all this. And he really couldn't have done anything else. His carefulness was the only thing that saved the day.

    The woman seems to be mostly at fault because she was just too oblivious of her surroundings to be a good driver/rider. Too absent minded, too short sighted, too inexperienced? God only knows. But sitting on a little scooter, hidden away at a driver's blind spot is just bad driving in my book.

    And my fault? I sat there as a mere spectator. I could have/should have tooted. I didn't for the simple reason that I was too far back and I was worried it might cause both or either one of them to make sudden, jerky movements. Thankfully, nothing serious happened at all. Else I would have really regretted not tooting.

    What's the point of the story? Not sure. The usual I guess. Be careful, be aware, be safe. Like I once heard in a song... the biggest problems are the ones that blindside you on an idle afternoon.

  2. #2
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    7th November 2004 - 11:00
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    Welcome to KB mate, great post.
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  3. #3
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    14th September 2005 - 14:12
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    Welcome mate. Good point, overall I'ld blame the chick.
    It's just one of those days, where you don't wanna wake up,
    everything is fucked, everybody sucks,
    You don't really know why but you wanna justify ripping someone's head off

  4. #4
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    20th April 2003 - 08:28
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    Not your fault. Tooting will only confuse the situation.

    Yes, the scooter seems to be at fault from your story. Never ride beside a vehicle, and never ride to it's rear unless you're prepared to be cut off.
    Elite Fight Club - Proudly promoting common sense and safe riding since 2024
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  5. #5
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    18th October 2005 - 16:47
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    prehaps people wanting to ride scooters should have to do the Basic Handling Skills course atleast, what do you guys think?
    1990 Suzuki Bandit GSF 250 for sale 39k kms $3,500

  6. #6
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    27th July 2004 - 00:36
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    its about ppl stop thinking.... I am riding so its my lane and everyone sees me....

    instead they should think... I am riding.... who might not see me... what are my hazards... u think for the drivers on the road instead and stay out of zone's of their incompentent driving or otherwise.....
    newbie since August 2004....
    VTR250 (retired) / SV650S (Fw:Keystone19) / GSXR750(given up) / CB400(traded for 919) / CB900 Hornet / CBR954 (traded) / CBR1100XX (sold) / TuonoR (sold) / CB900 Hornet / NC700X / MTS1200 / XR250

  7. #7
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    14th September 2005 - 14:12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wasp
    prehaps people wanting to ride scooters should have to do the Basic Handling Skills course atleast, what do you guys think?
    Unfortunately the BHS course doesn't stop people from being dumb fucks.
    It's just one of those days, where you don't wanna wake up,
    everything is fucked, everybody sucks,
    You don't really know why but you wanna justify ripping someone's head off

  8. #8
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    27th July 2004 - 00:36
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    its about ppl stop thinking.... I am riding so its my lane and everyone sees me....

    instead they should think... I am riding.... who might not see me... what are my hazards... u think for the drivers on the road instead and stay out of zone's of their incompentent driving or otherwise.....
    newbie since August 2004....
    VTR250 (retired) / SV650S (Fw:Keystone19) / GSXR750(given up) / CB400(traded for 919) / CB900 Hornet / CBR954 (traded) / CBR1100XX (sold) / TuonoR (sold) / CB900 Hornet / NC700X / MTS1200 / XR250

  9. #9
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    31st October 2005 - 21:24
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    Welcome to KB.... i'm voting the chick..... i don't even drive my cage in blind spots or beside cages if i can help it because even my cage hasn't been seen on occasion... I also agree that they should have some sort of testing or course to be licenced to ride any 2 wheel vehicle... even if it is a day course where they teach you the how to's and what not to do's... ie, ride like no one can see you and to spot dangers... what do you think guys?
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  10. #10
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    2nd April 2005 - 11:58
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    Welcome and enjoy Cruising.
    Surprisingly enough that's one of the things that made sense in the road code! Nice start...
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  11. #11
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    4th July 2005 - 18:22
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    Welcome cruising. Good point, how long you been riding for.

    Had that this morning, first time in a while.
    I was behind a car, in right hand lane of motorway just after Manakau offramp going north.
    Slowly cruising past a Falcon, I was level with her rear door, noticed indicator, "hasn't seen me", I change down gear, as soon as she crossed line, I Beep, Beep, beep while I accellerate out of her way, she looked at me rather shocked and weaved back.
    Nothing drastic but increased my heart rate a little.



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  12. #12
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    4th August 2005 - 22:21
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    Too often we blame cage drivers for close calls, when in this case the rider is cleary contributing to the danger by not paying attention and riding in the blind spot.

    It has been said many times over that we have to be more aware than cagers. The fact that it was my lane/ I had the right of way means little if I'm lying in a hospital bed.

    All crashes are a chain of events. Breaking any link in that chain will prevent the crash. Even when a cage u-turns in front of you there was something you could have done to reduce the risk of a crash. You could have identified the high risk situation and slowed down/ stopped or placed your bike in a safer position.

  13. #13
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    1st April 2005 - 16:59
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    Well I'll go the reverse and say the van should have been more attention, a blind spot is not an excuse and anyone who has ever driven a trade vehicle (or any larger vehicle) should be well aware of any visiblity problems and take actions to ensure that these areas are checked. After all, it usually only means turning your head, slowing down, or speeding up slightly.

    Sure there were actions that the chick could have taken to improve matters, but a scooter has limitations. Maybe she was going top speed and couldn't move into a more visible area. After all slowing down and sitting behind a larger vehicle can just as bad, or worse, for visiblity.

  14. #14
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    18th October 2005 - 16:47
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2much
    Unfortunately the BHS course doesn't stop people from being dumb fucks.
    yea i know that (I didn't learn shit form mine) but that was the only course i could think off.

    forgot to say that im kinda scared when im out riding so im *almost* always cautious. just as well too, had 3 cars pull out infront of me (1 out of a park, 1 a u-turn and one off a roundabout), the one off the rounda bout i excuse because its on a slope (bridge entrance) and the asain guy that pulled out infront of me looked REALLY sorry.
    1990 Suzuki Bandit GSF 250 for sale 39k kms $3,500

  15. #15
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    20th April 2003 - 08:28
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    Quote Originally Posted by sefer
    Sure there were actions that the chick could have taken to improve matters, but a scooter has limitations. Maybe she was going top speed and couldn't move into a more visible area. After all slowing down and sitting behind a larger vehicle can just as bad, or worse, for visiblity.
    Then slow down until you are just before the blind-spot.
    Position yourself to the proper side if you are behind large vehicle, to make sure the other vehicles (on the lane to the left, or right) can see you.

    If you can't pass him, then let him pass.
    Afterall, we are on two wheels. Regardless whose fault it is, if we are bumped then we'd be the one kissing the ground.

    Ride defensively. Stay alive.
    Elite Fight Club - Proudly promoting common sense and safe riding since 2024
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