Bad Move on My Part

I was driving to work this morning (the bike's in the shop), and turned left in front of a two wheeler.

Two lanes in each direction, I'm in the left turn pocket, big clot of cars approaching on the other side; I see a scooter behind them. The cars pass, my eyes are on the cars, and my head's somewhere else. I begin my left turn, and see the scooter - no headlight - approaching. It's far enough away that I elect to continue my turn; I don't see the scooter's front end dip or the body wobble, so I think the rider thought there was enough room too...or else he didn't see me at all. My car has DRLs.

I felt (still feel) disturbed. Had I remembered seeing the scooter, I wouldn't have made the turn. While there was enough room, it wasn't as much as I'd normally choose. The idea that the image dissipated in the few seconds between first sight and turn is not comfortable.

Be careful out there.

Don't beat yourself up...at least you did not cause an incident. As riders, it seems we are even more aware of close calls others never see.


I have had folks going way over the posted speed coming at me while I was preparing to turn...hard for the mind to judge speed when you "think" they are going at a certain rate.

Another plus for having headlights on in urban conditions,especially on motorcycles...for those who can turn theirs off!

Yeah, the inevitable misjudgments of driving happen to everyone despite how careful one might be. Luckily no accident occurred, so it was a valuable lesson for both to be even more careful.

Scooters often throw of my sense of timing too since my head instinctively reacts as though they'll behave like larger motorcycles, which they never do. I either over or underestimate their distance or their speed.

Thanks for the kind words, Steve.

And Maylett: that's an interest observation on scooter perception. I have a little of that, not being quite sure what they're going to do, too. This morning, it was really not even knowing what it was at first, the shape was so strange.

what are DRLs?

sccoters get no respect! but if you want to experience a total lack of respect, try driving an RV. *everyone* disses you!

Daytime Running Lights.

Dbrick:
Most people don't even know they messed up. Safest place for a scooter right now is turning left in front of you!

You also taught the scooter rider a valuable lesson.

Thanks for sharing this.

I've gotten close to doing this myself, and it just reinforces the notion that a motorcyclist's safety is 100% in his/her hands.

"Reinforces" in that if even another motorcyclist can miss seeing you ... .

And, it ain't your bright clothing or your headlight that makes any difference, it's your brain.

When I got my Virago many years ago, I was at a light that was also a train crossing point..
A scooter got beside me, and the way the arms came down he was in the way...

I saw it coming down and thought he saw it too.. It went BAmm on top of his little bicycle helmet he was wearing and down he went as a wrestler that just had a SUplex put on him.. the bike fell over... he was down for about 10 seconds and as I was getting off, he came too got on his bike like nothing had happened...

I snorted laffing my butt offf and rode off after he started back up....
I felt bad about that...

Karma is ... unique... I had a new truck... was a track crossing traffic was just stopped in front of me....and I was trapped in the crossing arm area.. The arms came down... WHacked my roof... and as I tried to back up- which was limited by all the traffic behind me... it then took off my antenna, went back up whacked my hood twice... Karma....

SNortttttt

haughty said:

I was trapped in the crossing arm area.. The arms came down... WHacked my roof... and as I tried to back up- which was limited by all the traffic behind me... it then took off my antenna, went back up whacked my hood twice... Karma....

SNortttttt

Click to expand...

You are never 'trapped' in the crossing area if you never stop there.