Remember that video posted here earlier of the truck driving through the motorcyclist who was stopped at the intersection? There but for the grace of the Harley gods went I. Driving home this evening from an afternoon ride. I was on the main road just before our residential area. I was in the left lane, positioned in the left third of the lane when the upcoming light turned yellow. I shut it down fairly quickly, down shifting and leaving it in first. I was within about 5-10 feet of the intersection, just putting my left foot down when I heard the cage directly behind me lock up all four, tires screaming :yikes. It is amazing how quickly the mind can think when it thinks its gonna die! I swear, I remembered each and every post on the discussion in this forum about leaving it in gear or not. I remember cursing myself for not being in a better position. I remember thinking specifically that I should have stopped in the rightmost part of the lane with my escape route out and to the right. The thing that save me was the cross traffic had not yet started to enter the intersection, and there was no traffic at all from the left. That gave me a clear shot to go straight forward, which I did. By this time the light had turned red, but I blasted throught the intersection, immediately getting into the right lane to get out of the way. Looking in my mirror I could see that the cage had slid through where I had been, but stopped before blocking traffic in the intersection :yikes :yikes :yikes :yikes. It would have knocked me off my bike, and probably done significant damage. I would like to say that I flipped a U-turn, came back, dragged the fool out of his car and beat his head against his hood. Instead, I continued...somewhat shakily...down the road, turning into our residential area within the mile, and went home.

Lesson learned? we have to always be prepared. We have to practice safe riding, all of the time so we can rely on instinct when a situation comes up that we don't have time to think about. I almost got nailed at that intersection. I hesitated, thinking of what to do, instead of reacting. If that clown had hit his brakes only one second later than he did, I would probably still be in the emergency room getting my rear fender pulled out of my :censor ! I should have reacted much quicker than I did. I suggest we all put greater emphasis on our awareness, postion, strategy, and escape route...particularly when we are riding in the city.

Quick thinking gilx,

I remember the MSF training too. Always keep it in gear to make your escape.

I'm sure your avatar matched the experience

Hi Gil.

I just wanted to say that you did do both things right, you did not get hit, and you didn't get arested for Asault & battery.
You would be suprised at how many people would have froze up in your place....and ben hit.

Now all you need to do is have a beer tonight, and say an extra prayer at church sunday for that Angle you were riding with.

Thanks for sharing your close call, Gil! We should almost have a thread just for close calls...I think we can all learn from each other on these near misses! As I read your experience, one question I thought of was how do you think your visibility was from behind? I've been giving that some thought recently and have noticed there's not a whole lot back there other than a three (?) inch light that's fairly low to the ground...where was the sun positioned at the time? If you were driving west, your visibility could've been hidden even more...then add the cell phone in the cage's ear, and it's definitely a formula for a mishap! I've started using what a few folks here have mentioned...to consider yourself invisible at all times...and that's helped me ride more defensively...I'd say you did very well in your reactions...you were able to adapt to the situation even though you hadn't positioned yourself where you ideally wanted to be. I'm glad you're ok...if you think of anything else as you analyze the incident, please throw it out for discussion...Mike

Gilx,
I was ready to go to bed, but after reading your post, you have me wide awake. In all my years of riding, I've never had a close rear ender, but I think about it at every stop intersection. We should take all the precautions you did. However, if a cage is on top of us, with no braking going on, Tonto would say, "we're in heap trouble kemosabe". I'm happy you are here today to write about your experience. I'll surely remember it if this weather ever lets me out to ride again. Thank You!

Billy

You were luckier than I was. On September 23 I was on my 750 Honda sitting at a dead stop in front of my house waiting to pull in my driveway. The next think I remember is being in the meat wagon go to the hospital. I was hit from behind my bike was pushed into on coming traffic and ran over by 2 cars. I was knocked off of the bike in my lane and the person that hit me took off. They never did find them. Needless to say I was very, very mad. Thank god I was wearing a helmet, it was banged up pretty bad. 5 weeks latter I had a 2005 XL883c sitting at home. I had a cut on my right knee and a few cuts on my hands. I was very lucky. Now I can't wait for Spring to get here.
(Helmets do save lives.) Iam proof of that.

Thanks to the videos and experiences we share, another accident has been averted. I'm happy you came outta that ok.

Similar thing happened to a mate of mine Josh last Saturday night....
here's his post on another forum.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
my worst fear about riding came true on saturday night. i was rear ended by a car. a camery actually. and a cab at that....

story goes....

i had just spent about 5 hours cleaning EVERYTHING on my bike, (fairings off motor cleaned ect ect) and decided to go out and show off my shiny beast. went out and had only been riding about 10mins tops and pulled up at a set of lights and this car came to a very heavey stop behind me. gave me a bit of a fright as the first thing i knew about it even being there was the head lights on the ground around me. ok that was a close one but now the fool SHOULD be paying attention.

so i tear off the lights ( not breaking the posted speed limit ) to get some distance between me and this clown, who takes off very slowly. i get up the road about a block and have to pull up for some people crossing the road on a pedestrian crossing. Now i was to busy having a perve on these chicks crossing the road to be looking to make sure this person behind me was now paying attention. Should have known better. All i hear to my horror is locked up wheels!!! i jumped the bike forward as far as i could without running down a pedestrian and then held on for dear life. then WACK i couldn't belive it!!! this f#*kin moron has nearly cleaned me up once before!!! now as if that wasn't good enough he actually does it!!!!!

i very calmly got off the bike ( god knows how i kept it upright ).... walked back to the car and proceded to tear strips of this silly old taxi driving f#*k!!!!! The funken idiots that were in the cab at the time made the terrible mistake of getting out and trying to calm me down. to wich they copped a mouth full straight up for distracting the cabby who was clearly an incompotent fool. must have been putting on a good show cause when i was walking away from this fool i looked up at the appartment building i was infront of and there were people hanging out of the forth story windows.

i promtly then called the police. and took this guys details. the cops showed, and supprise surpprise supprise, were of absolutly no f#*kin use. didn't even charge the guy for dangerious driving or anything. not even so much as a threat.... nothing.

during the time that the cops were there the taxi company sent out the shift superviser. this prickwas so useless that he couldn't even fill in the form that he had. no more needs to be said about that!

so i jumped on the bike, praying that nothing was bent so bad i couldn't ride it, and rode home. got onto the insurence company and reported it all. so now i have to go and get 2 quotes and take it in on wednesday for the insurance mob to look at it and tell me where to take it.

total damge to the bike is unknown at this stage is hard to tell. the number plate is bent and the under tail is pushed out of place a bit. but the thing doesn't feel right to tip into corners at any sort of speed and feels a little strange under brakes.

so it is now a waiting game till they get it apart to see whats wrong with it.

will keep you all updated.

I'm glad everybody made it through to tell their experiences. These stories keep us sharp, and increases our awarness with every ride. Lessons learned well, become instinct. I have to run off for a little while, but later I'll add one about a wreck I saw take place in front of me.

a freind of mine (who looks just like tommy chong) was rearended by a drunk bitch on his just finished trumpit bobber (first ride) , hit him just hard enuff to roll his fender to the wheel and shatter the tail light

he got off his bike walked over to the bitch and punched her once through the side window knocking her out , then he pulled her keys out of the ignition and threw them acrossed the road and told a person watching to call the cops cause she was drunk

he then pulled the fender off the tire enuff to ride and got the hell outta there (he didn't have his bike license at the time)

never did find out what happened to her , but she sat at the stop light for quite awile before the law got there

a freind of mine (who looks just like tommy chong) was rearended by a drunk bitch on his just finished trumpit bobber (first ride) , hit him just hard enuff to roll his fender to the wheel and shatter the tail light

he got off his bike walked over to the bitch and punched her once through the side window knocking her out , then he pulled her keys out of the ignition and threw them acrossed the road and told a person watching to call the cops cause she was drunk

he then pulled the fender off the tire enuff to ride and got the hell outta there (he didn't have his bike license at the time)

never did find out what happened to her , but she sat at the stop light for quite awile before the law got there

Was that Dar?..........naw he would have shot her :p

Heading home one day(driving not riding) a guy I knew from the neighborhood was ahead of me on his Sportster. We were going south approaching a street that had stop signs for the cross traffic but the one we were on was straight through. Sure enough just as he was about to go through the intersection, a car ran the sign. From where I was he had three options. Hit the car head on , lay the bike down, or try to swerve and miss the back end of the car while trying to make a sudden left he hadn't planned on making. He chose the second. The first, no way, the third he would have layed it down anyway and probably slid into the curb. His decision probably saved him from even more damage. This guy had a lot of experience, as he was a former Bandidos prez. His left leg was also a prosthetic, the original lost in a bike accident. A girl was driving the car with a guy on the passenger side. To her credit(her only one) she pulled over instead of running. She wouldn't get out of the car though because he got up, and was hopping around on one foot cussing up a storm. The foot on his prosthetic had broken off and was laying in the street, so I can see why she was freaked. I stopped and got him over to my car and retrieved his foot.Another biker had called the cops then came out of his house, and joined us. A motorcycle cop showed up first to check out the accident. Turns out the girl had no license, no insurance, and traffic warrants. The bike cop called a squad car, and when the guy showed up, he eyeballed the three bikers standing there, and asked the bike cop "Which one do I haul in?" The bike cop pointed to the girl and said "That one". Well at least least there was some justice there, and we were able to laugh much later about the freaked out expessions on the cops and girls faces over the one footed biker, and my booted hood ornament. I'm glad he survived the crash, and I learned there's times when laying the bike down can be the best option, for survival. Almost had to use it myself a time or two.

........and I learned there's times when laying the bike down can be the best option, for survival. Almost had to use it myself a time or two.
There was a post not to long ago about laying down the bike or not and there was a pretty good mix of riding it out and laying it down. Here is a example of a good time to lay it down. Glad it all turned out well.

GILX,
You know these Utah drivers. He probably thought you, him and the 2 cars behind him could get through that light. I don't know what you were thinking, actually stopping at a light that was changing. lol

Hey I have been riding since I was 16 on the road and on dirtbikes and such since I was 12. Since I have been on the road I only downed the bike once when I was going 25 and hit a oil slick while stopping for a turn. After that I have had a handful of close calls. Once when some 90+ year old ladies going to bingo tried to occupy the space I was already in. Its pretty funny to see 4 old ladies faces when you flip them off and call them every name in the book :censor ! Then the only other close call I have had is a bunch of kids that decided to run the stop sign at a 4 way intersection a block away from my house! Even though PA no longer has a helmet law I still wear it religiously! I spent too much on school too lose all that information now :D

...where was the sun positioned at the time? If you were driving west, your visibility could've been hidden even more......if you think of anything else as you analyze the incident, please throw it out for discussion...Mike

I should have put in a few of the environmental factors. It was about 4pm, clear and dry. I was traveling southbound. Visibility was probably about as good as it could be. From my vantage point I couldn't say what the driver of the car was doing...other than skidding! I went back to the scene this afternoon and was shocked at where the skid marks were. They ended right where my rear end would have been. The surprising part was the skid marks were only about 10 ft long :yikes . That means that after hearing the skid start, however much processing I did before thinking I really ought to get out of the way, couldn't have been more than a car skidding 10ft, with an entry speed of 45mph...assuming he was going the speed limit. It must have been pretty close...hope he messed his pants :laugh

...I was hit from behind my bike was pushed into on coming traffic and ran over by 2 cars. I was knocked off of the bike in my lane and the person that hit me took off. They never did find them. Needless to say I was very, very mad. Thank god I was wearing a helmet, it was banged up pretty bad. 5 weeks latter I had a 2005 XL883c sitting at home. I had a cut on my right knee and a few cuts on my hands. I was very lucky. Now I can't wait for Spring to get here.
(Helmets do save lives.) Iam proof of that.

Ouch! My heartfelt sympathies. I'm glad you are recovering. I remember a motorcycle induced meatwagon trip...37 years ago. My helmet then actually cracked. I agree, helmets do save lives. I wear mine 99% of the time.

GILX,
You know these Utah drivers. He probably thought you, him and the 2 cars behind him could get through that light. I don't know what you were thinking, actually stopping at a light that was changing. lol

Especially on 1900W in Roy! Don't know what I was thinking. If a cop was around, I probably would have been ticketed for obstructing traffic. :laugh

Thanks to the videos and experiences we share, another accident has been averted. I'm happy you came outta that ok.

I tell you what, if it hadn't been for all the discussions here, and mulling all the information over in my mind, I don't think I would have reacted as I did. That probably gave me the 1% boost to add to the 99% luck that got my fanny out of the way just in time. :wonderlan

Especially on 1900W in Roy! Don't know what I was thinking. If a cop was around, I probably would have been ticketed for obstructing traffic. :laugh


Have you tried Antelope or Hillfield by the freeway at about 5 oclock? It's downright horrifying.

gilx

Glad to hear you're OK!!!

That is my worst fear, getting rear ended!!! :yikes

My greatest fear is wakin' up to ugly women... :laugh

My greatest fear is wakin' up to ugly women... :laugh



so.....do you face your fears often??????? :laugh :laugh :laugh

I would think Will has a "Coyote Arm" for mornings like that by now! :D

by now he'd be nearly 'armless :D:D:D

Don't you all know he type's with his toes!!!!!!

:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

so.....do you face your fears often??????? :laugh :laugh :laugh
A time or three but those are stories I just don't wanna tell. :laugh :laugh :laugh

The other night, I saw a motorcycle that had the rear running-signal-brake light conversion. It was surprising to me how much more visible his was than I know my bike is. He looked kind of like a little car from the back. Granted, it was at night and the effect wouldn't be as much in the day, but I'm sure it would help. There are conversion modules like this one:
http://www.jpcycles.com/productdetail.aspx?PID=340-095&cs=Harley&GID=34b06892-95e5-42c5-92c5-262715df06bc&store=&page=&search=

Yesterday, during the day, we came up over a little hill in our van, and I saw some flashing lights about 1/2 mile away. There were a lot of lights on the road, but the flashing lights got my attention, and it was day time. It got me thinking about modules similar to this one:
http://www.jpcycles.com/productgroup.aspx?GID=98EF6925-259D-4E94-A6B6-15D63A768342

Maybe other guys (or gals) have better examples than these two above.

I know a few months ago, someone wrote that all you have to do is pull some wires to get running and brake lights out of the rear turn signals. I would really appreciate someone who has done this, if they would please post some pictures of the process, beans as how I'm electronically challenged. It would help me, and hopefully others.

There's too many stories, and I am aware of others, about motorcycles getting rear-ended. We're kind of like sitting ducks out there. Maybe there are some things we can do that might save our butts. This is by far, my favorite motorcycle stop on the web, and I want all you guys (and gals) here so I can continue to get free advice.

I know a few months ago, someone wrote that all you have to do is pull some wires to get running and brake lights out of the rear turn signals..
What you'll need is two front running/directional lights available from sevreal of the catologes for about $13 each. Install the m on the rear in place of the single element directionals and pull an extra wire from the breaker/fuse to the new running lights. Some guys are able to replace the single element bulb holders with the doubles. It's really quite simple and a heckuva lot cheaper than the module.

www.J&Pcycle.com
www.jireh.com

I have the Kuryakyn Panacea taillight on my bike and when you hit the brake it flashes twice then goes solid red.

I will catch your eye!!!

When I'm sitting at a light, I'll hit the brake a couple of times to attract peoples attention to me sitting there!!

But I Always watch for the :censor that aren't paying any attention at all!!!

:D

Great story Gil, thank you for sharing! This kind of first hand experience is invaluable for us new street riders and a great reminder for the seasoned vets.

My brother in law (my riding mentor) hammers into me that if you ride these things long enough, you're going to lay one down. He isn't trying to scare me or be pesimitic, he's just trying to drill into me the importance of safety.

Well, it damn near happened to me today on my way to a private lesson no less! As I've said elsewhere, my background is all dirt, so pavement is new to me. My brother in law and best friend are veteran riders and the thing they kept stressing t me was, stay out of blind spots, don't ride beside cars if you can help it, and get a "feel" for the drivers around you. Meaning watch how they drive and predict what they might do and adjust. Do the same in a cage I spose but much more vital on a bike.

I'm cruising along in the right lane of a four lane road. To my left, for a long way is an old guy and his wife in blue Ford Tempo. Erratic speed and braking and I had a hell of time keeping him soewhere that made me feel safe. Finally got him behind me but we came up on major shopping center, tons of distractions and things to watch for. I wasn't too concerned about the old guy because he was in the left lane and that is he side the mall is on. Figured him and Ma would turn in there and I'd be rid of him.

Bad plan. He sped up for what I thought was no apperant reason and passed me, got about 25 yards ahead of me. Then he just slammed on the brake and turned full on right. I could see through his back window that he was looking at me, but he turned anyway.

If I hadn't of caught him in my mirror coming up, and hadn't been thinking about that advice and rolled off the gas and watched him, I would have slammed into his passenger door. I slammed over to the left and gunned it and as it was, I missed his rear fender by about two feet. 24" is damned close even at 20mph!!!

That scared the crap out of me but it taught/reinforced lessons. He knew I was there but he almost missed his turn and thought he could make it anyway.

If you think you have to drive defensively in your cage, you have to drive offensively on your bike.

And yeah, for the record, I damn near had to pull over cuz I was shaking so bad.

went for a ride yesterday and I was running to the left of a car that was following another car , the first car slows to turn into a parking lot and the car next to me starts to drift into my lane and ocupy the same space as me

now how f**king dumb can you be to move into a lane that is filled with a loud, shiny motorcycle ... I mean my pipes were right in his ear for christ sake and he didn't hear that I was there ???????????

wel we got to a stop light (no one in front of us) and he would not pull up to the light far enuff for me to look him in the eye , he stayed back so that all I could see of his car was his front bumper , what a chicken shit

funny thing is when he started to pull into my lane I drop a gear and hit the throttle hard , his eyes went huge when he relised I was there


stupid jerkoff , kill 'em all and let god sort 'em out

OK...so we know to watch out for cages, and to assume that they are not paying attention...at least that's what I do. But, what about small woodland creatures? I just about flattened a little rabbit (the four footed kind, v. the four wheeled VW kind) last night. The little bugger must've run under my bike for a good 30 yards before he finally darted away. I thought for sure I was going to hit him and join him on the ground for a few yucks. Thank goodness it never came to that! I don't speak dead bunny. :eek:

or dead skunk , I had one stop in the middle of the road in front of me and stand there , as I got closer he tucked his head under and ducked just as I rolled passed


at least I hope he was ducking and not setting up for a blast !!!!

Mikeabe,it might not be the least expensive but as far as the easiest you might want to check out what H.D. has out.It's a module that turns your rear turn signals into brake lights as well.Even comes with the Amber lenses.Pretty much just plug into one end,find a spot under your seat for the module(it's tough but can be done) and change your lenses.One of the first things I changed when I picked mine up.Looks good and really reduces the risk of someone not seeing you.About $50.

stupid jerkoff , kill 'em all and let god sort 'em out


I'm with you there Flathead, 1000%!!! :D

Thanks for the reply Lostwheel. Do you have running lights with the HD module?

It sounds like if you have a wreck, better hope for a motorcycle cop or else it is automatically your fault. The city has them, the state has a very few, and the county has none (county traffic cops here drive Cameros). Motorcycle cops usually wave, too.

Doug
2004 883>1200 Custom

I swear that when people get in a car they think they are in a Abrams tank the way they drive. In Erie,PA its like bumber cars when we get an inch of snow. Just today there was a 4 car wreck at a highway intersection between a "esuvee" (seen those ads) and a big rig and then 2 other idiots slammed into the rig! I hope that when the weather finally get warm that the same idiots will not be anywere around me! :D