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Larry G.
Very Active Member
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Posted: Thu Sep 20th, 2007 04:15 am | 41st Post |
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fysty-1 wrote: That's not to say I have never layed a bike down. I have done this quite a # of times in the past in accident avoidence. Someone pulls out in front of me, I just lay her down & step off.
I have never understood the wisdom behind "laying it down." Does the bike stop sooner sliding on metal and plastic, totally out of control, than it does on the rubber tires with brakes applied?
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Larry G.
1985 GL1200 Interstate
Previous bikes:
1971 Suzuki Hustler 250
1973 Yamaha RD 350
1982 Yamaha Seca 650
2001 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500
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cldryder
Active Member
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Posted: Thu Sep 20th, 2007 02:06 pm | 42nd Post |
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Here's a nice trick.
pretty much everyone has heard of a rider that was hurt or killed because he was unable to avoid an object in the road.
The 1st way to avoid this is to always make sure you have enough clear road ahead of you. However, sometimes thru no fault of your own you have less space ahead than you'd like. (many times I've wished for a sign "THE CLEAR SPACE IN FRONT OF ME IS FOR SAFETY, NOT SO YOU CAN PASS!!!!)
when I'm riding on blacktop in low traffic conditions sometimes I'll pretend a road patch or dark spot in my line of travel is debris in the road. I'll practice making an abrupt manuever to avoid the spot.
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88 GL1500, 98 TL1000R, 03 ZRX1200R, 74 Z1, 78 KZ750,74 GT550, 72,75 GT380, 76 GT750, 76 GT750 Cafe, 78 GS750, 79 GS750E, 80 GS1100, 81 GS1100E
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AZgl1500
Guru
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Posted: Fri Sep 21st, 2007 02:09 am | 43rd Post |
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Larry G. wrote: fysty-1 wrote: That's not to say I have never layed a bike down. I have done this quite a # of times in the past in accident avoidence. Someone pulls out in front of me, I just lay her down & step off.
I have never understood the wisdom behind "laying it down." Does the bike stop sooner sliding on metal and plastic, totally out of control, than it does on the rubber tires with brakes applied?
Sometimes it is that "choose your time and place". I once purposefully laid a Yamaha 750 twin down so that I could go "under" the rear bumper when a drunk pulled out across the road in front of me. Having chosen to do that, I held onto the bike, squeezed my knees and rode it out. Not a scratch on me.
When approaching an intersection and another vehicle is also approaching from your left: Assume that they definitely cannot see you. Why? Because your bike is hidden behind their right A pillar. Think about it, both of you are at about the same speed, you are behind the A pillar and you stay that way right up to the point of impact.
The UPS driver's 5 points. What he was telling us is what the Smith Driver Safety System teaches.
My wish is that everyone go back to the first page and reread those 5 points. No, print them out in a large font and put that paper on your front seat or gas tank. Think about it everyday until you make it a habit.
Always stop at intersections at an angle, cover your brake and keep it flashing the light, stay in low gear and be ready to jump. Park back a full 30 feet so you have room to move.
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Signed: Cautious John
ex GL1500 owner 
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Broke Winger
Senior Member
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Posted: Sat Sep 22nd, 2007 03:12 am | 44th Post |
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I intentionaly laid a bike down once. and it saved my life.
I used to ride year round. didn't car if the roads were wet icy snowy snow over ice it didn't matter I rode.
late on nigh. On a country road that was abput an inch of ice coverd by about two inched of fresh snow. An oncoming eighteen wheeler suddeny jackeknifed in front of me the trailer swinging right across my lane.
Hit the rear brake and gave the bars just a little twitch and rode her down on her side and slid under the trailer and out the other side. Through nothing but sheer dumb luck I actually managed to pull the bike up onto it's wheels again and come to a safe stop.
So yeah...sometimes dumping the bike is the thing to do.
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http://www.patriotguard.org
Our Soldiers are what make us strong, are what keeps us free. Freedom has a high price, and our soldiers are the ones footing the bill. Without them there would be no America.
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mikef
Guru
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Posted: Sat Sep 22nd, 2007 03:19 am | 45th Post |
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| Drive like you're invisible.............
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Mike
Retirement . . . is when you stop living at work and begin working at living.......Ok, I'm starting to get bored.
http://goldwingtech.info
http://northamericangoldwings.com/
Buy & Sell your stuff: http://RudysBackyard.com/
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AZgl1500
Guru
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Posted: Sat Sep 22nd, 2007 03:20 am | 46th Post |
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You were a better man than I, my steed didn't know how to get its' wheels back upright. It went down for the sliding count.
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Signed: Cautious John
ex GL1500 owner
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Broke Winger
Senior Member
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Posted: Sat Sep 22nd, 2007 03:48 am | 47th Post |
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| Not better...just luckier. I just happened to hit it just right and by dumb luck had nothing to do with skill bring it up.
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P.G.R. Member
http://www.patriotguard.org
Our Soldiers are what make us strong, are what keeps us free. Freedom has a high price, and our soldiers are the ones footing the bill. Without them there would be no America.
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why me?
Very Active Member
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Posted: Sat Sep 22nd, 2007 04:54 pm | 48th Post |
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| I always consider every car on the road is out to kill me, sounds negative but it's saved me a lot of times. I also don't use highway pegs they look comfortable but I like having my feet right at the controls. Also watch out for cell phone users they are not paying attention to their driving. And last but not least I maintain my brakes in tiptop condition over 40 years of riding they've saved me many times. Ride well, Bob
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Bob, why me? cross? 1981 gl1100 standard
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AZgl1500
Guru
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Posted: Mon Sep 24th, 2007 12:34 am | 49th Post |
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Please read and be aware. I participate in a diesel truck forum and came across this which was just posted two hours ago. Hits very close to home with both us as users, and with the theme of this thread.
The 2nd post was in response to Mr. Lent's post in the 1st post. How tragic is a loss of life, and all within the space of a few hours of each other.
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Cummins724 09-23-2007 06:26 AM
freak accident! Please pray!
My brother was riding his Yamaha 700 Raptor yesterday & the wheel flew off spinning him out of control. He got ejected from the quad into a backhoe attachment sitting in my back field which killed him on impact. When I ran to the scene & saw my brother lying there he had no pulse & a bad head injury. I revived him & we called 911 lifeflight. When they got there his pulse was starting to drop & he faided away. He was 18 years old & his name is Jesse Lent. I am freaking out about this & I ask that prayers go out to my brother & my family.
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LaserBob 09-23-2007 07:21 AM
From my heart to your family, I send prayers.
My 21 year old daughter died in a motorcycle accident midnight thursday-friday.
The young man she was with is on life support and it is unknown whether he will live or if so what he may have for a life.
Bob
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Signed: Cautious John
ex GL1500 owner
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w5blt
Very Active Member
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Posted: Mon Sep 24th, 2007 08:12 pm | 50th Post |
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| Just a little while ago when I was going down to my local cycle shop, there was a mini van in front of me. He/she slowed down, stopped and had their left turn signal on. Speed was about 20 mph. I slowed a little and decided to pass on the right. Not a wise thing. As I began to pass, a car came out of the business driveway in front of the van. Had I not been watching closely, it would have been a nasty day for me. The good news is that I was able to stop with plenty of space to spare. Phew...another learning experience. Glad this wasn't a high speed thing....
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Bob
It's not the destination in life that matters.
It's the journey and the friends that you make along the way.
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MoneyGuy
Active Member
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Posted: Mon Sep 24th, 2007 08:29 pm | 51st Post |
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w5blt wrote: Just a little while ago when I was going down to my local cycle shop, there was a mini van in front of me. He/she slowed down, stopped and had their left turn signal on. Speed was about 20 mph. I slowed a little and decided to pass on the right. Not a wise thing. As I began to pass, a car came out of the business driveway in front of the van. Had I not been watching closely, it would have been a nasty day for me. The good news is that I was able to stop with plenty of space to spare. Phew...another learning experience. Glad this wasn't a high speed thing....
This points out to me that the most important thing we can do is to slow down, always assume that there is someone who will cross your path without warning, plan your escape strategy and always be aware of all possible SH!T that can happen. I don't have the experience that a lot of you have, but I'm extremely careful and doing that has helped to keep me accident free for the better part of a decade that I've been riding now and I hope and believe will keep me safe for many years to come.
Slowing down, always thinking and giving yourself stopping room or a space to escape into can get you out of a lot of trouble.
Wow, I had no idea I've posted 147 times how. I had no idea it's been so much. I hope this one has helped someone. This is a great thread, BTW.
Last edited on Mon Sep 24th, 2007 08:31 pm by MoneyGuy
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1984 Honda Gold Wing 1200 c.c.
2000 Honda Shadow American Classic Edition 1100 c.c.
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Rudy
Forum Ferret
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Posted: Mon Sep 24th, 2007 09:40 pm | 52nd Post |
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Problem with this thread is the paradox of there being so many situations possible for threats and probably more than that for minimizing them from broad generalities to specific acts that may be contradicted in another situation.
With that in mind, I'll throw out one for one set of situations I see in the city.
When travelling down major streets with cross and lane divided traffic (not freeways),
When traffic gets sparse, like early morning or late evening, work your way up the back of a pack of cars but don't move in from the last position, but keep reasonably close to the pack. Your job here is to make yourself part of the larger crowd without joining it.
Follow that balloon close enough that waiting left turners don't need to see you for you to fit into the group if lights. Also if there are two lanes on each side, stay in the fast lane to minimize the bad opportunites that appear as people try to join or leave the crowd from the right (or slow lane).
If the crowd dissipates, try to scurry as soon as is practical to catch up with the next balloon of cars up ahead.
Don't leave yourself out there alone and don't get mixed up with the bulls in the pen.
If they come in behind you, let them get around you and join the back again.
Last edited on Mon Sep 24th, 2007 09:42 pm by Rudy
____________________
Rudy
'89 GL1500K 93k - http://goldwingtech.info
Give & Get help traveling: http://glhelpers.com/members
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AZgl1500
Guru
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Posted: Mon Sep 24th, 2007 11:12 pm | 53rd Post |
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Lots of good words there Rudy.
I abhor the outside lane(s) if for no other reason than our safety instructor from Smith Driver Training System taught us to drive in the "Path of Least Resistance". That path is dynamic and will change for you as you drive along.
It might be the #3 lane or the #2 lane, but largely it should never be the #1 lane. That is because the #1 lane can become obstructed by vehicles entering from side streets and hidden driveways.
For me, it has become a habit to get out of the #1 lane as fast as possible, even if it is clear for the next mile in front of you. It just doesn't stay that way, and when that idiot pulls out without looking for you/me, it only takes 3 seconds for clear to turn to blocked.
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Signed: Cautious John
ex GL1500 owner
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keithg64
Very Active Member
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Posted: Tue Sep 25th, 2007 03:00 am | 54th Post |
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Here's another one to add to the list.
I wear a white helmet, brighter colors are easier seen than darker colors.
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It's not what you buy, it's what you build.
1981 Goldwing GL1100
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derekhendry
Member
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Posted: Tue Sep 25th, 2007 05:59 am | 55th Post |
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| One thing i try to do when you've got them really bad windy days and you are passing trucks, i try to look ahead and wait for embankments, bridges overhead, trees etc, anything that will ease the wind and pass quickly at these points.
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GL1800 2004 US spec White.
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Tattoo Taffy
Spam Hunter
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Posted: Tue Sep 25th, 2007 06:11 am | 56th Post |
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i ride during the week so as to stay clear of weekend wannabe's and crotch rockets, it has worked for 30yrs so far....
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""THE MAD WELSHMAN in OZ""
http://www.goldwingtech.info
" Lifetime member of the ORIGINAL 6 PACK club"
http://www.northamericangoldwings.com/
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GSMacLean
Senior Member
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Posted: Tue Sep 25th, 2007 05:12 pm | 57th Post |
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What I always watch for (and scares me) is anytime I approach an intersection where I have a green light. I always assume that some cell-phone talking cager is going to run the cross street red light and into me. It pisses off the people behind me when I slow down for a green light, but I haven't been hit yet, so I suppose it's working.
Same thing goes for an intersection where I don't have a stop sign, and the cross street does.
When on highways, I always travel in the leftmost lane, so I always have an available escape route (the shoulder). If there is construction or something else so that there are Jersey barriers or guardrails and no shoulder, I'll move to an inner lane.
Everytime I hit my brakes, I make it a habit of looking in my mirror to watch what the idiot behind me is doing. If he is obviously not realizing I'm braking and coming up on me fast, I use my escape route. I ride to and from work 35 miles each way on highways a lot, and a great deal of it is in traffic, so I bet I have to do this 2-3 times a week.
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JLGoldwing
Member
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Posted: Tue Sep 25th, 2007 09:58 pm | 58th Post |
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My best driving advice....pretend you're invisible
Tim 
This is good as long as the other guy does not also pretend that you are invisible!!!
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GSMacLean
Senior Member
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Posted: Wed Sep 26th, 2007 12:16 am | 59th Post |
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JLGoldwing wrote:
My best driving advice....pretend you're invisible
Tim
This is good as long as the other guy does not also pretend that you are invisible!!!
He doesn't have to pretend - to him, you ARE invisible!
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deradler1
Member
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Posted: Wed Sep 26th, 2007 12:54 am | 60th Post |
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In the safety class I took prior to getting my endorsement for my license, they taught us to look through the turn to where you want to go and the bike will follow your eyes. If you look down you will go down, if you look directly in front of the wheel you will miss an obstacle that might cause you to swerve.
Another tip is whenever I am coming up to a green light that I have been watching and I think might turn I look at the pedestrian signs on the poles on the corner. If they are flashing red, I slow down.
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