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Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 12:58 pm
by Sev
When I'm stopped behind someone, I make sure to stop far enough back and angled so I can lane split and pull up beside the car ahead of me if someone comes up behind me faster then I'd like. Though there's always the chance that doing that will cause me to get hit from the side if the car that was going to hit me, hits the car in front of me and knocks it around, but that still puts me at less risk.
It's wierd I never really thought about doing these things, or why I do them, but I just do.
Yeah, my friends and I managed to get a lot of skiing in over the winter, but I've been having way more fun on the bike then I did on the skis.
Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 1:05 pm
by CNF2002
Sevulturus wrote:When I'm stopped behind someone, I make sure to stop far enough back and angled so I can lane split and pull up beside the car ahead of me if someone comes up behind me faster then I'd like. Though there's always the chance that doing that will cause me to get hit from the side if the car that was going to hit me, hits the car in front of me and knocks it around, but that still puts me at less risk.
x2, I always watch my back. Its hard dialing your cellphone in the car, what do you expect when a stop light jumps up in front of you?
I always leave an escape route...in fact I sometimes curse myself when I do come to a stoplight if I havent left enough space. I never go into neutral and I never hold the front brake...its always clutch in, hand on the throttle, feet on the ground, one eye on the car in front and one on the traffic behind.
Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 1:55 pm
by blues2cruise
I always blink my brake lights as I see a vehicle approaching from behind. Aside from leaving lots of space in front of me, I hope the sudden blinking of brake lights will help to catch their eye.
Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 5:01 pm
by ofblong
what if we put some blinding plastic mirror on our backs? sunlight or headlights hit it and boom instantly they hit their brakes cause they have no idea whats blinding them

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Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 5:40 pm
by Sev
I doubt loss of vision would cause most cagers to slow down.
Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 2:29 am
by Lion_Lady
I always stop to the left side of the lane and leave room in front of me, when behind a car... keep watching my mirrors until a car stops behind, then I relax a bit.
I've got Hyperlights brake light modulation, so even when that car is pulling up behind me, I'll flick the brake lever to re-activate the blinking sequence, in the hopes of making SURE the driver sees me. Seems to work.
Glad you made it thru that, KarateChick!
Pam
Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 2:46 am
by CNF2002
ofblong wrote:what if we put some blinding plastic mirror on our backs? sunlight or headlights hit it and boom instantly they hit their brakes cause they have no idea whats blinding them

.
What makes you think they're looking out of their windshield in the first place?
Cellphone are usually dialed in your lap, silly.
Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 4:10 am
by Kal
Bikes are great, even at a standstill you can still have an adrenaline rush!
My instructor was full of great sayings he would trot out at random moments.
"If you and the bike got to your detination in one piece then you did the right thing."
The vast majority of Cagers are just people like us trying to get from A to B, misunderstandings arise because they don't ride and don't understand why bikes perform differently to cars.
A small percentage however are W*nkers. Say it with me W*nker (ryhmes with anchor) - its a meme that is termendously helpful for bloodpressure and the like - extreme cases may require accompanying hand action. Curl left hand into a loose tube and move in a vigorous motion diagonally from bottom right to top left.
On the serious side of things I give myself a bikes length from the vehicle in front (can fail your test in the UK if you don't) decide on my escape route and flick my eyes over the mirrors while I am observing pedistrians and traffic around me.
Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 11:11 am
by Wankel7
Good call on moving over to the left.
I think if that happened to me I would have gone after that driver and done something really stupid.
So, good job on your restraint too:)
James
Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 11:17 am
by skinnyjoint
o yes there would have been much yelling and flipping of the finger during that event