Almost went head-on with a cage

I was behind a small pickup that turned left in front of a GSXR600 and the rider hit the front brake so hard that it launched him head first into the side of the truck. He never woke up...

I'm glad that you're not hurt any worse than you are.

 

I meant sollid yellow line.

 

You can ride/drive over a single solid yellow to get into the turn lane lawfully, otherwise we'd all be breaking the law for using the turn lane.

Although the rider could have done more to prevent this, if he's able to stop properly before the beginning of the crosswalk, there is nothing illegal that he's doing. A car slicing across an oncoming traffic lane is pure laziness on his/her part, regardless of if the double yellow is worn away at the begging of it or not.

 

Yeah, most drivers cut corners when turning left all the time. I approach any intersection with caution, whether on two wheels or four....

 

I got pulled over on my motorcycle for crossing over a solid line at an intersection. I assumed it was a suggestion to stay in your lane until a broken line appeared, but apparently it could have got me a ticket. He gave me a warning.

 

This is an illustration of one of my biggest pet peeves for today's motorists. Pure laziness and inconsideration on the driver's part. Imagine if the OP was driving a box truck that didn't have the ability to stop that quickly. The car would have been drilled.


Yeah, the OP could have reacted differently. Yeah, his approach could have been a bit slower. Maybe his skill set doesn't yet include a good reaction for this type situation. It doesn't really matter. It doesn't make him wrong and the driver right. It just means he has some braking techniques and situational awareness to work on.


I can't count the number of times I've been sitting at a stop light and a car has almost taken me out due to this type of shit. I've even had cars line up squarely to take my turn lane as their lane of travel causing me to almost have to bail off the bike to avoid getting hit.


IMO, all motorists should imagine the painted lines as a 50' concrete wall that cannot be crossed. They just might give the proper amount of attention and respect that way.


The only single solid line that is parallel to the flow of traffic that is specifically illegal to cross is the single yellow that is the same width from outer edge to outer edge as a double yellow. I forget the actual width but it's something like 18" or 24". They're kind of rare but they're out there.


TBH, I'm somewhat appalled by some of the responses thus far.

 

^ I can't rep you enough. There are a lot of lazy f*$%ing drivers out there with no regard to others, or even the potential for problems.

 

Yep, no shortage of Monday morning quarterbacking on this one. It's a very rare situation indeed where the parties on both sides of a problem couldn't have done something that would have made the problem less significant. In this situation it seems pretty damned clear that the cager was predominantly in the wrong. I sure don't see a basis to give the rider a hard time about this.

 

Nobody is giving the rider a hard time. We are observing and commenting on his accident video. It is maybe more nuanced than car-at-fault pronouncements.

 

Remove the car from the equation and the situation does not exist. Give the rider more skills and the problem still exists but with a different result. It's really a simple mathematics equation with a few variables.

 

Judging by the video you overreacted and grabbed a handful of front brake, not that the car should be in your lane but you need to be ready for people doing stupid things like this video of mine from a few weeks ago.

 

Ah yes, the old lane change mid-turn trick. Another of my favorites.

 

Yes this happens all the time (on bike or in a cage), but we have to remember it doesn't matter who is in the wrong if you are dead or maimed. IMHO the OP was coming up way to fast for a congested stop. And the good old SR's kicked in and did him wrong...

 

Couldve been better, could've been worse. Point is you are okay, and this is a GREAT reminder to all of use to approach intersections with caution and to assume the worst.

 

You stopped too well!

 

Legally, there is no way the OP is at fault for this one. I'm with Pavement Tested....this was a clear example of a careless/clueless driver. However, from a practical standpoint, I'm not so sure this was unavoidable. From what I saw, even if the OP moved to the outside of the lane or anticipated that someone would cut into his lane, it looks like his view was completely blocked by the cars stopped to his right. Although he had time to swerve - even while on the brakes - it looks like he fixated on the oncoming car (I've got this problem too) and in a moment of panic, locked the front. Then again, I've had more than a few minutes to consider how I'd respond...he only had a fraction of a second.

 

I'm not jumping on the OP's case, but better long range scanning, better planning upon approach to a hazardous situation, better escape planning, and improved braking skills would have turned a splat into a great story at the next bike night. Yes, the turning driver was a useless shit stain on Gary Busey's shorts, totally in the wrong, but his behavior is not anomalous, therefore it is something that should be taken into account.

My advice to the OP is that when he gets back on two wheels he needs to get himself to a deserted parking lot with lots of runout and start practicing his emergency stops. Start at about 20MPH and work up as he gains proficiency at squeezing the front brake to full range. The only difference between a emergency stop and a routine stop is how far the brakes are squeezed, not how fast.

That goes out to everyone on this site. Practicing proper braking every time you use the brakes will help develop the muscle memory (aka "reflex") so that when you need to make that emergency stop it will be a natural reaction.

 

Exactly. This is how I got creamed. Only, it was a F350 truck and it completely sheared off the left side of my Pacific Coast. Asshole cutting a left turn way too much. If I were in a car, it would have been a head on based on where I was and where he hit me. His driver's side mirror hit me my helmet.....