Unusual Left Turn Incident

[Paul_F]

Ever had this happen to you?

I live on a quiet street which joins a rather busy one. Yesterday, during the afternoon when returning home, I was waiting for oncoming cars to thin out to allow me to make a left turn (with the left turn signal flashing) onto my street, with a few cars behind me. When the oncoming traffic left a gap for my turn, and just as I began the left turn, I quickly hit the brakes because a woman in the car behind me, also took that opportunity to pass me on the left and continue on her merry way.

I can usually anticipate most traffic incidents but this maneuver by her caught me totally off guard, and somewhat unhinged. I confess I lost it and aborted the left turn and pulled up beside her at the next stop sign and told her that she could have killed me. She replied with being sorry but I was holding up traffic.

 

[pffog]

I am not a violent person, but at her answer I would have replied, last I knew holding up traffic is not an offense punishable by death!!! And again said you could have KILLED ME!!!!!!

At the same time her mirror and both doors and maybe her hood would be in need of some attention from a body shop.................I feel better now

If I were a violent person, I would have replied most states allow me to defend myself when someone tries to kill me , as I grabbed her and tried to pull her through the window!!!

 

[miairhead]

Make me remember

Your situation made me remember a close call I had a few years ago. I was going to turn left on SR 5 on to 20 in Shipshewana. I was just about to get the the left turn lane, and a young bitch on the phone cross over the double yellow line an pulled into the left turn lane. I not sure why I hesitated getting into the turn lane, but if I had gotten in the lane she would of shot over me. I wonder if I saw her in the mirror, or just the angel of bikers keep me from getting in the turn lane. People on phones never see motorcycles, hell they don't see tractor trailer either.

If she hit you it would of been called a accident. It would not of been a accident ( undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap).
The drive broke the law, she would of crashed into you because of her ignoring the law.

 

[donbmw]

I am wondering if there has been a change in traffic laws here that not everyone knows about. I have been seeing a rash of left turns being made from the going straight lane when the left turn lane is backed up.

Don

 

[Bud]

First, I'm glad you didn't get run over!

You were much more relaxed in your response. I think my choice of words would not have been the same and perhaps the adrenalin level high enough to cause me to take action.

Sometimes it seem like they are trying to kill us.

Ride well my friend.

 

[pauls1150]

Yeah, I've had that happen too.
Many drivers around here are either stupid, ignorant, flagrantly careless, just don't give a rodent's rear, driving in a, shall we say, "altered" state, or a combination of the above.
There are several intersections around here where the left-turn lane is painted into the middle of the intersection, and on-coming left-turners will actually be on your right in their painted lanes.
In my most recent case, the idjit not only passed on my left, but had to actually change lanes and face the on-coming traffic to do it.

Quite foolish... this is the type of driver who not only will kill us, but also very much deserves whatever "accident" he or she causes. Darwin just ain't enough.

 

[classicvw]

The problem with "Darwin" and drivers is many times they take out an innocent person along with or instead of themselves.

 

[timtyler]

Check your rear turn signal.

I was riding behind a friend on his old Honda last week and his left turn signal was only flashing on about half of the left turns. His turn indicator on the dash was flashing normally for all turns. The only way he knew there was a problem is because I was behind him and I know he always uses his turn signals.

 

[Darryl Cainey]

Left turn

Glad you are okay, but according to law if there had been an accident, you both would have been charged. When you make a turn you are to make sure you are clear in ALL DIRECTIONS before turning. I know this because Darryl and I witnessed an accident in front of our previous home where someone with left signal on were turning left into our neighbours driveway and was hit by someone passing him as he turned. Both drivers were charged, one with making a turn in an unsafe manner and the other passing in an unsafe manner.

Where Darryl and I live now, our quiet street is off an 80 km road and I always look behind me before I turn left as I have been passed several times when slowing down with left turn signal on.

One time it was same work truck from a local tire company that had done this several times before, as soon as I came into my home I called the said company and the woman owner answered, I told her what happened and it was not a singular incident, her response was "oh really", she said the driver was just puling in and it would not happen again. It has not with this particular truck, not sure if he still has a job.

My father told me before my first driving lesson remember one thing only "drive like no one else on the road knows how" that advice has served me well in over 40 years of driving.

Posted by Terry (didn't want to change Darryl's set up on the home computer, mine is set up on my work computer)

 

[tourunigo]

Paul, you are very much more even tempered than I would have been. I think your response better though in this nutbar world. Mary has been actively attempting to adjust my attitude regarding such happenings. However. as Terry mentioned, a quick glance to the left should be one of our 'best practices'. Like looking the 'wrong way' on a one way street before pulling away from a stop sign...... just in case. - Bob

 

[deilenberger]

Eilenberger's Rule of Riding: "Don't think about them not seeing you, think about them seeing you and wanting to kill you.."

It helps lessen this sort of thing if you always expect the unexpected. I'm rarely disappointed when I start thinking about what some idiot is gonna do.. and it helps keep the blood-pressure where it should be.

BTW - in NJ today - turned left onto a rural highway at a light, and glanced over at the 6-7 cars stopped for the light. 4 heads were facing their laps as the drivers busily texted away. What IS so important?

 

[AKsuited]

This happened in my car, but still: I was coming home from work, on my street, right signal on to turn right into my driveway. I thought to myself, that's odd, there was a car behind me, now it's gone? Yup, idiot passing me on the right, in the parking lane, while I was slowing and had my right signal on. I paused, which prevented an accident. Even worse, the same idiot woman did precisely the same thing about a week later. I avoided that wreck as well.

There is simply no way to under-estimate the stupidity of drivers out there. Lesson: check mirrors before turning...

Harry

 

[Paul_F]

Checked the rear turn signal last night, and yes it is working, including the one on the left mirror.

I did a slight sideways glance which is how I managed to see her pull out. I regularly check mirrors but was taken by surprise to see her move of passing me in that situation.

Restrained? My attitude was rather hostile but damaging her vehicle was not in my playbook. Wish I had taken her plate number to ask the police to see if she had a valid license or insurance.

Luckily, I got to live and learn. In the future during rush hour, when on a bike, I will always approach that intersection from the opposite direction, to make a right turn onto my street.

 

[Omega Man]

Something to think about-
From years of being involved in thing type of thing on a number of levels, I have concluded that very few of these incidents are done on purpose. Most of the time, what you would see from the offending operator is either- they way they always drive, they were busy eating or texting or yelling at the kids or shaving or putting on lipstick etc.
If you happen to ask "what the *&^$# were you doing, they will not know what you are talking about. Your confronting them is seen as the first piece of the incident rather that the the second.
Go easy, ride safe and try to remember what you are dealing with.
YMMY OM

 

[classicvw]

Something to think about-
From years of being involved in thing type of thing on a number of levels, I have concluded that very few of these incidents are done on purpose. Most of the time, what you would see from the offending operator is either- they way they always drive, they were busy eating or texting or yelling at the kids or shaving or putting on lipstick etc.
If you happen to ask "what the *&^$# were you doing, they will not know what you are talking about. Your confronting them is seen as the first piece of the incident rather that the the second.
Go easy, ride safe and try to remember what you are dealing with.
YMMY OM

Yes, that's something I've been saying for a long time, that they are not purposely trying to be an idiot, that's the way they normally go about their daily drive. Went for a ride on Friday and in just an hour and a half I counted having four somewhat "near misses" - I know, that sounds crazy even for New Jersey- that could have been worse had I not been extra careful and been applying the Eilenberger rule. And three out of the four drivers were girls in the 17-22 age group just driving "normally" I'm sure. The fourth was just some crazy young male passing everyone on the right at high speed in a 40 MPH zone, leaning on his horn as a "warning" to everybody.


Agree that not confronting them is the safe and sane way to handle the matter, but appearing at their driver's window and screaming: "How about you get your head out of your ass?!" feels so darn good.

 

[Darryl Cainey]

Felt Road Rage

I came the closest I have ever felt road rage last week in St.Catharines Ontario.

I was in the let lane of a 4 lane road doing the speed limit beside a Chevy Impala,
I was even with the drivers door when I saw the left turn signal flash and I hit my horn twice.
The driver started to move into my lane and I layed on the horn to his open window,
still he came over forcing me into the opposing lane. Fortunately there was no traffic coming
so I yelled at the driver a 75 - 80 year old man. I think I said "you are #***#%& going to kill someone"
I just got a blank stare from him, better judgement took me over and I accelerated away from the idiot.

The loud horns on my RS must have been deafening, unless he didn't have his hearing aid turned on?

That's why I like riding out in the country, the tractors move more slowly!

 

[classicvw]

One day last year I was riding home from a 100 mile ride to nowhere in particular, it's afternoon on a sunny day, I'm about 4 blocks from home and it's a local road 25MPH, I'm in the middle of the block and a car coming from the opposite direction turns left into a driveway like I'm not there. It was an immaculate approx 1978 Chevrolet station wagon. I leaned on the horn while braking and stopped in front of his house. A man that looked to be- no kidding- 90 to 100 years old got out of the car, and I yelled at him : "You're going to kill somebody!" We were only about 30 or 40 feet apart and he slowly walked toward the front door of the home, completely deaf to my screaming voice. They will drive until they kill somebody, THEN the state may act and take away their license.