Forced out of my lane TWICE on this morning's commute

[OfficerImpersonator]

So, who exactly, had put your bike in a position where this action was needed?

I was heading southbound, through the Express Lanes in downtown Seattle. Here's what happens when you're entering downtown from the Ship Canal Bridge:

Once a rider/driver reaches the Mercer St. exit, the Express Lanes go under the "mainline" lanes. The far right lane is general purpose and is used for exiting to the Mercer St. or the Stewart St. exits. The next lane to the left is an HOV only exit for access to the Bus Tunnel (when it's not being retrofitted for light rail) and Pike St. The next lane to the left is the only through lane for either general purpose or HOV vehicles. This is the only "Express Lane" that reconnects with the I-5 "mainline" just south of the downtown high rise area.

There are no shoulders on these subterranean highways - only concrete pillars and tile walls on either side of the lane.

The far left HOV lane is HOV only from the south end of the Ship Canal Bridge all the way to it's terminus at the Columbia St. exit. Often HOV cheaters will try to avoid the long line backed up to use the one through lane and will dart out into the HOV lane at the last moment. I anticipate this and ride in the left position to give myself some space and always have a plan to deal with any car darting out into me.

Often these HOV violating cheats will chicken out and need to merge back into traffic, or legitimate HOVs will try to squeeze back into the backed through traffic lane as they don't want to exit at Columbia St. This backs frequently up the HOV lane until the merging car can enter the through lane.

It was under these circumstances that I - unfortunately - ended up creasing the door of a very nice Porsche. Traffic in front of me had slowed to approximately 4-5 mph. I was braking behind the car in front, with perhaps 15 feet of space between my front tire and the bumper of the car in front. I was anticipating coming to a full stop, and had my left foot off the peg, clutch in, and was using both brakes. At the same instant the car in front of me quit braking and accelerated as the obstruction had cleared, the silver Porsche Carerra 4S tried to dart out into my lane and follow the car in front of me. Unfortunately for both of us, he neglected to look before he changed lanes as he had a phone tucked between his ear and his shoulder. I sounded my horns. He was oblivious.

On my left was about 18 inches between the white line and the pillars and walls of the Express Lanes. On my right was a car approaching me rapidly, with an ignorant and distracted driver. I couldn't go left because of the wall. I couldn't go forward as the Porsche was coming in on me from the right. I couldn't go right, and my bike doesn't have reverse. I was going to either have to find a way to get this driver's attention, or I was going to get squeezed between the Porsche and the wall. Luckily, the sound of my boot hitting his door startled him into realizing what was about to happen and he swerved back into his original lane. He never missed a beat on that phone call, though.

 

[Threeteas]

on your shoulders.

The questions still stands.
Who put your bike in that situation, at that time?
The answer is, you did.
I seem to recall someone saying that, if they thought lane sharing was required they should, either move house, or change job.
May I suggest, you dont put your bike in a position where you will be at risk.
Accidents are unavoidable occurances, crashes are a build up of factors, whereby the elimination of any of those factors can be a reason the crash is avoided. You, your bike, your position on the road, your decisions are all factors that lead to this incident. You can change your actions, you can't change those of the porsche driver.
You are responsible.

 

[OfficerImpersonator]

The questions still stands.
Who put your bike in that situation, at that time?
The answer is, you did.
I seem to recall someone saying that, if they thought lane sharing was required they should, either move house, or change job.
May I suggest, you dont put your bike in a position where you will be at risk.
Accidents are unavoidable occurances, crashes are a build up of factors, whereby the elimination of any of those factors can be a reason the crash is avoided. You, your bike, your position on the road, your decisions are all factors that lead to this incident. You can change your actions, you can't change those of the porsche driver.
You are responsible.

I fail to understand the motive behind your post. If you claim all incidents - whether contact with another vehicle was made or was avoided - are ultimately the fault of the rider, then I reject your underlying premise that I'm responsible when another driver intrudes into my right of way.

If I wished to reduce my exposure to risk to zero, I'd stay in bed all day and pile eight feet of pillows on top of me in case a meteorite crashes through my roof. I take risks taking a shower in the morning, riding to work, and crossing the street from my parking garage to my office. I realize riding has risks, and I do what I can to minimize my exposure to them.

However, I also demand that other drivers obey the rules of the road and pay attention to driving. I don't think that's asking too much.

 

[henzilla]

here we go again...

y'all cannot go without each other...it's amusing ...but,

I think we all agree you two disagree ...let's have a safe weekend and

 

[BouncinBob]

I fail to understand the motive behind your post. If you claim all incidents - whether contact with another vehicle was made or was avoided - are ultimately the fault of the rider, then I reject your underlying premise that I'm responsible when another driver intrudes into my right of way.

What I would take away from his post is that many many situations are avoidable. Sit back and watch traffic. How many of the close calls are because someone is exercising their right to their right of way. How often does the car coming in the lane you are signaling to move into accelerate to make sure you can't get there. Too often, let it go.

Nobody can make a mistake. Personally, most of the time someone intrudes into my space, I can see it coming. It is easy to avoid by slowing and giving the space. Does not matter if I had the right of way.

I try to exercise tolerance for the mistakes of others and courtesy. Yes there are far too many mistakes made by drivers distracted by far too many things. But hey, hopefully one day, I will be repaid when I make a mistake.

Making the demands you state above are fine. Honk of a horn, hang up motion. But aggressive action to protect your right of way (many do it) will only provoke a reaction in many. Who cares if you are right, I like the rubber down.

 

[Threeteas]

I fail to understand the motive behind your post. If you claim all incidents - whether contact with another vehicle was made or was avoided - are ultimately the fault of the rider, then I reject your underlying premise that I'm responsible when another driver intrudes into my right of way.

If I wished to reduce my exposure to risk to zero, I'd stay in bed all day and pile eight feet of pillows on top of me in case a meteorite crashes through my roof. I take risks taking a shower in the morning, riding to work, and crossing the street from my parking garage to my office. I realize riding has risks, and I do what I can to minimize my exposure to them.

However, I also demand that other drivers obey the rules of the road and pay attention to driving. I don't think that's asking too much.

All I'm saying is, that if you had behaved differently, you wouldn't have been where you were. You need to accept that you had options and the ones you took lead to the conflict.
Staying in bed may have resolved the issue for a while, but over time even that action poses a risk.
Where as I'd feel happy lane sharing, you feel the risk is too great for us all. I may have felt the risk of being in the position you found yourself was too high for me. I may well have not done what you did in the circumstance and would have experienced a different outcome as a result.
So, you are responsible for your situation, not just in this case, but in every inch, of every ride you take. Responsibility is where freedom of choice gets paid for.

 

[cjack]

I fail to understand the motive behind your post. If you claim all incidents - whether contact with another vehicle was made or was avoided - are ultimately the fault of the rider, then I reject your underlying premise that I'm responsible when another driver intrudes into my right of way.

If I wished to reduce my exposure to risk to zero, I'd stay in bed all day and pile eight feet of pillows on top of me in case a meteorite crashes through my roof. I take risks taking a shower in the morning, riding to work, and crossing the street from my parking garage to my office. I realize riding has risks, and I do what I can to minimize my exposure to them.

However, I also demand that other drivers obey the rules of the road and pay attention to driving. I don't think that's asking too much.

You're not getting it. The job of the rider is to make sure nobody gets to him/her. When riding, get rid of all thoughts of blame and payback. If you let someone get to you, that's failing to protect yourself. The bottom line is if you have to think and do everything and anything you have to just to keep yourself safe. No time spent blowing the horn just to let the car know after the danger is gone. No thinking about blame, just vigilance to prevent the next bozo from getting you.
Fault doesn't matter when you are on a motorcycle. If you get hit, you lose. The only thing that matters and is worth thinking about is keeping safe.

 

[Threeteas]

realistic expectations

I don't think that's asking too much.

It appears it is.

 

[userw5]

My own view of other road users is that they are just as likely to be: drunk, doped up, high on prescription drugs, driving without their glasses, playing with the GPS, Stereo, CD, cellphone, Blackberry, shaving, putting on lipstick, drinking a latte/espresso/coffee/beer, reading a map/magazine/encyclopedia, etc., etc., etc., instead of "driving with due care and attention".
PT9766

Don't forget folding laundry.

 

[Threeteas]

just wondered

The Ontario Provincial Police in their Victoria Day traffic blitz on a controlled access highway to "cottage country" once stopped a guy who was making soup while driving at 60+mph.

PT9766

Does it matter what flavour soup it was?
Tomato has got to be easier to make while driving, than pea and ham, surely?

 

[RGVILLA]

I've always thought that the attitude I took to the ride was the most important part of my defenses. I expect the worst from every driver and thus, as has been previously mentioned, my rides are usually much better as I don't expect anything but the worst from drivers and the worst is not often the case. As I stated before I ride like I'm invisible and everyone is out to get me. I know I will lose in an contest with a cage, it outweighs me several times over. I was once rear ended (I was in a cage) by a women who was changing her babies diaper! Thankfully the baby wasnt' badly injured. People do really stupid things when driving. One of the reasons I like motorcycle people so much is they are smarter than most, except today here in Western Pa it was close to 90 and the riders were out in force with shorts, flip flops, t-shirts no helmets etc. I saw every kind of bike, sport, cruiser and even a BMW with riders who were not ATGATT. Meanwhile I was sweating away in my hard armor, armored mesh pants and jacket, helmet, armored gloves and boots. I like my riding attitude it has seen me survive 44 years of riding and I hope will continue to do so for me. Ride safe everyone!

 

[100394]

Hindsight is 20/20

I try to ride like I am invisible and try to manage my lane space. Occasionally I get cut off anyway. I think the person who invented the cell phone should spend eternity driving on the road with other cell phone users. It appears we are no better here though, there was a post here on about an Nolan helmet with bluetooth capabilities, why? So we can make cell phone calls when we're riding, do

We can sit back comfortably on our computers and critique the op and the other rider who "knocked" on the porsche's door but we were not there. Maybe we would not have gotten into the situation, maybe we would have, maybe we would have handled it differently.

Like another poster I drive a tractor trailer, 70,000lbs and people cut us off constantly. I drove a school bus for a couple of years, it was the rare day someone didn't run my red lights. People driving just seem to be oblivious.

 

[Threeteas]

We would have...

We can sit back comfortably on our computers and critique the op and the other rider who "knocked" on the porsche's door but we were not there. Maybe we would not have gotten into the situation, maybe we would have, maybe we would have handled it differently.
QUOTE]

My point is, we would ALL have acted differently and so could the rider in this situation. We all have options that are constantly changing as we ride. There are thousands upon thousands of influences. We weave our way through life taking the options we feel suit us at that moment. So, and here's my point...we are all ultimately responsible for the outcomes.

sorry I had to write this from the comfort of my computer, but if it helps, the chair could be better sprung!

 

[beemerguru]

You use all the correct driving techniques, keep plenty of distance wherever possible..and they still try to defy physics and occupy your space .

The last best thing I did for commuting in the Bay area traffic was to put ONE Stebel horn on each bike..except the /2 ;-(

Something about a horn that sounds like the semi is RIGHT next to you will make most drivers immediately jerk the wheel back where they came from and look all over the place for that truck they missed.

It works...at least in California.

 

[billy1200]

Reminds me of the Allstate commercial - "...Mr. Changing His Pants While Driving..." Funny, but sobering....

- Dave

You can "demand" all you like but it will not make other drivers do anything. And to think that they should "obey the rules of the road and pay attention to driving" is a similarly silly (and dangerous to you) attitude.

My own view of other road users is that they are just as likely to be: drunk, doped up, high on prescription drugs, driving without their glasses, playing with the GPS, Stereo, CD, cellphone, Blackberry, shaving, putting on lipstick, drinking a latte/espresso/coffee/beer, reading a map/magazine/encyclopedia, etc., etc., etc., instead of "driving with due care and attention".

To expect otherwise is to fool only yourself. Assume the worst of your fellow road users - you won't be disappointed if they turn out to be better than you feared - but you will make it home.

PT9766