Simply unbelievable...

[dieziege]

My father has a similar story. Stop light, dad wants to turn right. There is a car ahead that isn't turning, and no space between the car and curb for a motorcycle to squeeze through. A car in the left lane decides he is going to turn right, and that he can somehow squeeze through where my father's motorcycle couldn't. He turns his head and, looking straight at my father, turned into his lane, pushing dad's bike against the curb, bending the wheel, though fortunately not injuring him. Then the driver, having just wrecked a motorcycle, is stuck behind the same car my father was waiting behind. My father says he walked around to the driver's door and the driver kept his head locked straight ahead, refused to acknowledge anything, refused to get out of the car.

If you get into a similar situation, remember not to do what my father did, which was to spend the rest of the time until the light changed kicking the car with his riding boots. When the light changed, the driver just rolled on as though nothing had happened.

There are some seriously maladjusted people walkin around.....

[Kal]

Noted, so putting your helmet through the cars side window instead then...

"Now that I have your attention..."

[DragonSlayer]

Noted, so putting your helmet through the cars side window instead then...

"Now that I have your attention..."

and thats why you wear a fullface helmet, he cant punch you in the face

[scan]

Yeah, in that story even I would have a hard time not jumping on the guy's hood and asking him if he wouldn't mind stepping out to talk to me about why he didn't notice that I was there. I'm pretty sure the guy would be able to sue me for denting the heck out of his hood (bonnet for you Britsh folks).

[JustJames]

May be abit too late to post, but i'm glad you are okay. I understand you about LA traffic, been there done that. It is narrow street and ppl drive like crazy never check mirror or other cars/bikes before changing lane.

If you feel like taking day off from your bike "JUST DO IT" stop riding in traffic for awhile but head out somewhere nice and not too many cars on the weekend. I'd recommend along PCH and if you have a chance come down to Orang County where you can ride from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach along PCH highway. If you need company, lmk I always have time between 1:00 - 4:00PM.

Let me tell you my experience as well, I remembered the first ride almost a year ago on Mulholand canyon to Rock store with my group of friends. I entered the curve too fast and too wide hit the side of the road but able to control the bike back to the lane. Remember that was my very first ride on canyon, I felt very down and depressed about dangerous for myself. I almost sold my bike, talked to my GF for hours about this incident. I thought about it for days and came to relize, I still love riding and that incident I can control if I known to ride better. After that I took it easy for a while concentrated more on pratice.

I'm now still riding and love every bit of it. Can't wait for weekend to go riding somewhere (if my GF allow LOL).

[gitarjunky]

Hey thanks JustJames, I might take you up on that riding offer sometime. Yeah, my parents live in Irvine, which is where I'm technically living still even though I work in Hollywood and stay at my GF's most of the time. So, I'm planning to have it fixed and ride it around the O.C. for a couple thousand miles where the traffic isn't nuts before I bring it to L.A. again. (Stupid, in hindsight to have had it for a week and bring it to work...but, whatever). There is a highschool right by my house that I can go to in the evenings to practice hard braking and swerving and stuff. I just need some successful traffic stints to get my confidence back up. I'll be back on the road as soon as the bike gets fixed...which will probably take at least a week. And thanks again to everyone on the forum for the advice and just being cool!

[onlinesmurf]

Long winded but I believe it needs to be said for all of us.
The subject says it all.

Its up to you if you want to stay riding. I will just say if you do stay riding wait until you aren't afraid anymore. If you sit thinking I'm going to get hit, you will get hit. Like many say drive like everyone is trying to kill you. More importantly and correctly, drive like no matter what they want to do they can't get you. The second accident was a bad situation that was unfair, but you lose all encounters so it was smart to use a car to shield you in the intersection but it was bad to be next to it in between 2 cars that gave you no escape route. If you drive on the street enough (and aggressive streets like Detroit) you get use to fools changing lanes last minute (especially nasty on highways which is why I'm never in the slow lane).

Here is an idea anytime you are in a situation that you are between cars (or may go between cars make sure you have an escape route). Basically I look at it as if you can't speed pass the car you have to go next to its probably a bad idea.

The first accident you had was a true newbie accident (doesn't mean you don't have skill) skill is learned not born with, even if you start with better talent you still need to learn skill. You turned that handlebar and hit the front brake; which we all know is the way to fall instantly.

Practice is what you need, but you can only get street practice on the street. So how do you stay safe? Always have an escape route, always have a plan so you never have to be surprised (like almost missing your turn etc). Always try and make your motions as practical as possible (never leave your signals on to long, aggressive lane position, or defensive depending if you can escape quickly).

I really hope you do not quit, but you need more experience and you have to face these challenges and live to gain it. That is the way it goes. The biggest mistake you made was buying a NEW bike. I don't care who disagrees (unless you are rich). If you had a beater and you dropped it, you wouldn't be out all this cash, you would probably also would feel more compelled to jump back on as you were prepared for the 'scratches' you were going to take. Again this motorcycling thing is a lifelong pursuit. You always learn, and you are never good enough, arrogance leads to bad things, just as much as timidness. That confident balance that you are taking responsibility for everything you do on your bike, and you can and will do it well.

This all leads to my final point. Everything on a motorcycle is your fault. You get in a accident always your fault (even if a flying pig hit you the truck next to you in the windshield which in turn jumped a bypass and landed on your head. You have to really believe that you are the one who
needs/will improve. With that thought you wont say 'I couldn't avoid it' but you will say, next time that wont happen again.

Stick with it.