I decided to go for a quick ride this afternoon around some of the local country roads with very low traffic volume. As expected, lots of dry corners and the occasional vehicle sensibly travelling to where ever.
After 20 or 30 minutes I start to make my way home, coming down Bawden Road where it intersects with East Coast Road. Wanting to pull out left and head north up East Coast Road I indicate, brake, slow down and stop.
I check both ways and then check again, north bound remains clear however south bound lane has two cars. All is good, my intended path of travel is clear and I begin to pull out slowly and keeping to the left with indicator still blinking and my head light on high beam.
As I begin to make the turn, the car trailing the other pulls out into the north bound lane obviously intending to over take the car in front of it. The driver forgot to indicate, let alone for three seconds before hand, but that is irrelevant considering they've ignored the double yellow lines.
Then we are back to little old me, still crawling out of the corner and beginning to make sense of the situation. I see no way out of the situation, I can't turn anywhere, I can't accelerate or brake to avoid collision - I can't think of anything.
I accept "this is going to hurt", then brake, release the handle bars and lean back thinking the car will clip the front of my bike. I close my eyes too, I couldn't bare to see my beautiful red bike smashed before me.
In those few mili-seconds I wait, I can see the last picture in my mind, the car in front, and the car over taking leanning to right as the car swurves compressing the suspension.
Those rolling grassy green hills, fence line and scattered trees in the distance look pretty too.
I feel the rush of air and hear the screetch of tyres, and still waiting for the "this is going to hurt" feeling to finish sinking through my stomach. As the force of air passes I can hear the road noise from a car that has just passed me. To my relief I open my eyes and I'm still upright, and quickly plant my feet before the bike topples over.
I look south and both cars are still travelling along, the hooligans are now in front of the other vehicle and wave their arms out the window pulling the fingers, along with a quick honk of the horn.
A few seconds later, in comes a distant feeling of anger, I realise what is happening and compose myself. I decide at the very least I want to get their number plate and turn around to give chase.
Within seconds I am racing down East Coast Road and catch up with the hooligans in time to see them pull into a side road. Their irratic driving gets worse and they try to lose me. After a few close calls on their part they slow down and I get close enough to note a few details, specifically the number plate.
The passengers in the back look behind a few times, so I use hand singals to suggest they pull over, but they don't. After 10 minutes we approach another intersection and they again, fail to indicate. They speed off and and wave out the window showing the finger, again. At this point I'm low on Gas and we have entered onto a main road with heavy traffic, I have their number plate and decide to go home.
There are now two lotto tickets sitting in front of me.
It was a surreal feeling coming home and seeing my girl friend and my little girl asleep on the couch. I kiss my little girl on the forehead and she wakes up, gives me a massive grin then blows me a kiss.
What a huge fucken wake up call.
I could happily avoid the guy cutting me off at a round about earlier in the week. All the other cars that pulled out in front of me without indicating I could avoid too. Even the old man who ran a red light and narrowly avoided colliding with me, I could avoid that too.
BUT HEY! its all a part of motorcycling. Shit happens.
Lesson learnt, when pulling out of intersections, pull as hard left as possible, more than you would think necessary, and if practical, avoid pulling out until both lanes are clear.
I'll be down at the post office on Monday...
Anyway, Lotto's on soon.
Reply With Quote
good luck with lotto i know what i would have done if it was me a change of gear would have been high up on my list any way its a shame wankers like that put our acc lev up by hitting us all the time 
buy a R1
Originally Posted by Skyryder
Bye-Bye ZX14, Lotto no good.
Bookmarks