odie
Bad ass biker
Posts: 263
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Post by odie on Oct 10, 2013 2:58:22 GMT 1
Thats ok matey. Thanks for letting me know it arrived. Rick
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micawber
All Weather Rider, well hard
No longer lurking in the shrubbery.
Posts: 151
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Post by micawber on Nov 3, 2013 21:20:08 GMT 1
As a follow up to all my learned advice, I had a near miss a few days ago myself.
Waiting behind a lady driver in a white Polo at a T junction with a major road. She was positioned to turn right, so I moved into the space on her left, since I was turning left, and expected her to take some time before she would have a gap in the traffic to be able to turn right herself.
As I was moving slowly forward she must have got fed up with waiting and suddenly decided to turn left, nearly including me in her turn. I thought FFS! and stopped. Once on the main road she stopped again, obviously waiting to turn right into a car park entrance which was a few metres from the junction. I passed her on the left as there was plenty of space, wide road, etc. and carried on.
Thinking about it afterwards, it is probable that she was not even aware that I was there or even that she could have taken me out, and possibly still has no idea. She didn't look in my direction before turning and if she had been concentrating on traffic on the road probably did not register me in her mirror as I came up behind.
Another case of a driver not knowing what a bike can do such as being able to get into a space that a car cannot, so not expecting me to be there when she changed her mind about turning.
Lessons to be learnt? Expect the unexpected. Always have an escape route (I didn't -the only thing I could do was stop). If an indicator is flashing, the only thing it proves is that the bulb is working. And despite bikevis bullets, halogen sidelight bulb and a pretty audible exhaust, not to mention a large fairing -all in daylight, you are always invisible if the other person does not look!
What ifs? What if I had not been covering my brake? What if the car had turned a few inches tighter? (I think she turned a bit wide not because I was there but because she was going to turn right a few metres down the road). What if I'd been prepared to wait a bit? What if my biker's radar had been working? (because sometimes you just know something is not right, without knowing why).
I stopped at a local supermarket to finish off my shopping and while I was taking my helmet off a driver who had obviously seen the incident said to me, "That white Polo nearly had you then, didn't it?" and I couldn't disagree.
Micawber
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Post by rattypete on Nov 4, 2013 21:34:48 GMT 1
Glad you came off without a prang. Certainly makes you think.
After my "off" it took about 2 weeks for my foot to be OK - (about 95% now)
I'm booked in for a 1/2 day lesson/refresher tomorrow, will have to see what he advises after that.
Pete
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Post by rattypete on Nov 5, 2013 16:21:46 GMT 1
Oops, came to start the bike this am and usually starts 1st time, this time didn't take and 2nd/3rd attempt battery died. Got a new battery charger, charged for 2hrs and the bike started straight away. Hopefully will be OK now, but will have to see how it goes 'cos I put heated grips on a few weeks ago and yesterday was the first time I tried them out properly. I know an NTV will normally be able to run heated grips I just hope the alternator is giving out full charge. Pete
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odie
Bad ass biker
Posts: 263
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Post by odie on Nov 7, 2013 20:31:47 GMT 1
if not let me know, i have a spare. Rick
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Post by rattypete on Nov 7, 2013 21:54:11 GMT 1
I've started it three times since, and it seems to be OK now.
Many thanks for the offer (AGAIN), Rick
Pete
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odie
Bad ass biker
Posts: 263
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Post by odie on Nov 8, 2013 21:04:23 GMT 1
No probs mate, always willing to help if i can. cheers Rick
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