An 18 mile Guantlet this morning!

[Guest KitCarson]

I am going to post this last statement on defensive driving and then be quiet..!! Thank God some will say!!:rotf:. I am a service plumber, I drive on the average of 200 miles a day, 6 days a week in city and town traffic, I go to and make contact with six to 20 people a day. I drive a lot, in fact sometimes when someone asks me what I do for a living, I jokingly tell them I am a truck driver!!

 

So I am home for lunch......can type 80 words a minute......so listen to my morning.....instead of watching all this with numb attitude like I usually do...I wrote down everything I observed on the way to my first job this morning. It was nine miles there, and nine miles back.

 

1. When I got to the end of my long driveway and was getting ready to turn unto the highway....a teenage boy went by doing 90 miles an hour, he about sucked the bumper off the front of my truck......he was late for school, cutting across on the way to the High School.......I had to get out and see if the bolts were still in my bumper(no not really, just my sense of humor acting up)!!

 

2. I made my left hand turn and proceeded up Sease Hill road.....a White Ford Mini Van comes out of a driveway right in front of me...never stops , never looks....has one ear glued to that Cell Phone......he rips out in the road.....swerves back and crosses the center lane into on-coming traffic. Corrects this and almost takes out a mailbox on the right side.

 

3. I proceeded on and at the first 4 way stop an Red SUV(Tahoe) rolls up to the busy 4-way, sees me coming......never stops.....just goes on and makes a left hand turn in front of me, did not make eye contact with me....on purpose.....saw me I know...just hurried up to make the turn.

 

4. On up a bit Ace Hardware has a sprinkler situation.....they have been on all night.....road is wet......full of puddles.

 

5. They have built a new Walmart on Highway 6. They are in the process of clearing trees to make a 4 lane highway. I could see the blue lights way up there...before I got to the scene. There was a track-hoe and dump truck involved and a small chevrolet citation car. Evidently the track-hoe operator was inexperienced, forgot about tail swing and pushed the dump-truck into the highway........what the little car was doing there. I do not know......there was a lady sitting in it........we are all slowly going around as the trooper directed us.........I was totally past the whole scene and heard the squeal of heavy braking....lol!! The lady in the little car...decided to get out.....opened the door......sure enough.......the next idiot in line.........do not think they ran into the open door.........almost....saw the trooper throw up his hands. I think he was getting a little aggravated at this point!!

 

6. On top of all this.......we have not had rain in a long time.....but in a half mile stretch it did put enough down to just wet the road......motorcycles beware......this is when it is the worst.

 

7. I was just about to the job and was easing over into the left hand turn lane at a junction........another little white car(lot of them out today) rips around me....partially in oncoming lane...zips in front of me and slams on the brakes at the light.

 

8. One the way home for lunch.....at the corner quick stop......more blue lights, this time a little red car is sitting in the middle of the road.......with a White Ford Truck smashed into the side of it......this one pulled out in front of the Truck........

 

All this in just about 45 minutes of driving time and only 18 miles of total travel time. Most of the time when we are in a car or regular vehicle we seem to tune it out.......or I do......this is a daily gauntlet we all run.

 

On a bike this stuff if you do not pay attention.........well you know the result of that.

 

Thought you might find this interesting........try it yourself sometime....just pick a time at random......pay attention to everything you see.......do not tune it out......actually take note of it all.....It will wake you up......sure will.

 

So what did I learn today? In the past I have been one of the culprits of if I am riding with someone to ride beside them. It seems to be something we all do .....we ride with someone.....we become trusting of each other, naturally so.........we do not hold to the staggered file line we should. I see bikes doing this all the time. This lady who opened the car door, in heavy traffic.......what could the biker if he had been there on the right track do?

Might have caused him to swerve into his buddy's bike......both might go down............this is what I mean when I have written before......learn to drive defensively......try to learn something everyday to be more observant and to be a better rider. I will hold that staggered line.....I will talk to my friend when we get there....that way we both will make it.

 

Okay I am done.......I was just entertaining myself on the way to the job this morning.......had not realized myself how much can go on in such a short trip in town. Kit

[BEER30]

Well Kit , you did say is a clean description (plumber) , you have a Crappy Job ! :rotf: .........and might as well be expected to be treated like it ! (Double) :rotf: ........Just Kidding of course .

 

I see this all day long when I am on the road . Ecspecially amongst these marines coming and going off base . Then the elderly locals whom think because they have lived here all there life , everyone should cater o them .

Honestly , I just drive my own game . Act and react to traffic , being observant . Focusing on the traffic and letting the site seeing remain unseen unless we are in the somewhat clear of loon-a-ticks and commicozzie cagers . That is why I video (helmet cam ) to veiw the sites after I get home or let the tailgunner narrate the scernery to me as we travel .

 

 

BEER30

[muffinman]

Kit not only is it inexpierienced drivers it is also all the gadgets they put in or on the new vehicles.Think about this gps,sat radio,regular radios,ect. If the automobiles were as simple inside as they used to be things might be different.Also if people would learn to leave early they would not need to be in such a hurry (shut up Lewis) I for one leave my house 1 hour before I need to be at work when it is only 30 miles. Try to pay attention to how early you or other people leave before they have to be somewhere.

Glad you made it ok

Jeff

[SledgeHammer]

it is also all the gadgets they put in or on the new vehicles.Think about this gps,sat radio,regular radios,ect.

 

Jeff,

That also describes my RSV and most other RSV. But I drive more defensive on my bike due to the lack of protection. That does not mean that I will make it through the day without an incident, it just simply means it has helped prevent anything major from occurring SO FAR (and I have been lucky) ! Ride Safe!

[SilvrT]

I am going to post this last statement on defensive driving and then be quiet..!!

 

Kit, you crack me up! ... I bet you say "then I'll be quiet" every post yet your's are longer than anyone's

 

just ribbin ya!

[royalstarjac]

I commute 90 miles each way to work 6 days a week. From the N GA mtns to the North metro Atlanta area and back. You would not believe some of the things I see on a daily basis.

 

People reading newspapers or doing crossword puzzles driving down the interstate, watching dvd players, cell phone talking make up applying soccer moms with a load of kids in the back, running in the fast lane at 45 mph, just to name a few.-Jack:080402gudl_prv:

[Guest KitCarson]

Kit, you crack me up! ... I bet you say "then I'll be quiet" every post yet your's are longer than anyone's

 

just ribbin ya!

Hi Rick.......you too Beer....: Yea I know.......and hey would rather talk to someone who is fun than some sad sack. I am about done.....I had an agenda.....not for experienced riders.......but for the new people who may have never had a bike......or recently just got one. A lot of middle aged guys go get one and may have only ridden one a few times when they were young.....okay stop throwing eggs!!......I figured maybe....just maybe if I pestered enough...some of it would sink in.

 

And yes Muffinman......gadgets will be the death of us.........cell phones, gps..all that stuff. When I went up to get mine in Rock Hill...that is what they wanted to show me.......the radio and the cruise control.......radio on a bike.......hey Kit is old school....I want to listen to the bike....all you have to do for me about this radio is make sure it cannot come on., all I wanted to know is where is the fuse box. :stirthepot:. As for the cruise control......I turned it on and played with it on the interstate coming home....has not been on since.......if I get that tired.....time for a break.......I used to go on those 700 to 900 mile non stop trips......nope not anymore......the bike is for fun.......8 hours/400 miles and a nice hot bath and a steak!! Besides I is not retired yet....I have to work:sign20:.

 

Someone might listen.....that was my goal........I have always felt if I run into one of these idiot drivers.......it is no ones fault but my own....I am supposed to be smarter than they are.....more observant......so far...been pretty sucessful.........going to work on doing better myself......sometimes things do tend to wake us up. Kit

[Sleeperhawks Mechanic]

The day had come to teach my two children how to drive, both within two years of each other so they both got the same lessons at the same time. A new Wal-Mart Supercenter was being built in our town and there was a whole large parking lot for them to learn how to drive before it opened. They learned how to parallel park, pull into a parking spot. One of the lessons there too was they had to watch out for children or people coming out of nowhere suddenly and being able to stop in time.

 

But I do believe that the best lesson I could have taught them, which I know saved my daughter's life, was "Pay attention to everything. Know who is in front of you, who is beside you on either side, and who is behind you. But most of all, think of the most craziest action and worst thing that anyone can do that you need to be prepared for".

 

My daugher was driving a 5 speed 1980 Toyota pickup on Highway 72 from Athens to Florence (Alabama). She was in the left hand lane, going just below the speed limit and she had cars in front of her, behind her and beside her. As she was coming up to an intersection about 50 yards ahead, she spotted a big GMC pickup coming up the stop sign. She immediately thought that he could run that stop sign and come across traffic. At that point, she started slowing down, downshifting and putting on her brakes.

 

And he did come across Highway 72 and stopped in the crossover just enough that the back end of the truck was sticking out in the lane that my daughter was in!!!!! At this point, there was no one in front of her, but she still knew she had someone beside her on the right and someone behind her. There was also a 5 foot drop off on her left so she held on tight to the steering wheel, and started slamming on her brakes, knowing that she did not want to end up in the 5 foot ditch, and did not want to run into the car beside her. In other words, she held on for dear life. She told her passenger girlfriend "Hold on."

 

The Toyota hit the back bed of the GMC pickup and the Toyota was totaled. Because she was wearing her seat belt, the only injuries she suffered was a seat belt bruise across her body, broken collarbone, bruised nose (from hitting the steering wheel), bruised and swollen knees from hitting the dashboard and very stiff arms from controlling the truck. The trooper told me that her skid marks were straight and true and that her actions saved her life. The man in the GMC was cited for the accident. Apparently, that particular crossover had had several fatal accidents evidenced by three crosses in the ditch. I thank God that there is not a cross there for my daughter.

 

By the way, my daughter was 17 when this accident happened.

 

There needs to be an awareness of what is going on around you when you are on the road, regardless of what you are driving. A few seconds may mean life or death.

 

Ride safe,

 

Bobbie

[Guest KitCarson]

The day had come to teach my two children how to drive, both within two years of each other so they both got the same lessons at the same time. A new Wal-Mart Supercenter was being built in our town and there was a whole large parking lot for them to learn how to drive before it opened. They learned how to parallel park, pull into a parking spot. One of the lessons there too was they had to watch out for children or people coming out of nowhere suddenly and being able to stop in time.

 

But I do believe that the best lesson I could have taught them, which I know saved my daughter's life, was "Pay attention to everything. Know who is in front of you, who is beside you on either side, and who is behind you. But most of all, think of the most craziest action and worst thing that anyone can do that you need to be prepared for".

 

My daugher was driving a 5 speed 1980 Toyota pickup on Highway 72 from Athens to Florence (Alabama). She was in the left hand lane, going just below the speed limit and she had cars in front of her, behind her and beside her. As she was coming up to an intersection about 50 yards ahead, she spotted a big GMC pickup coming up the stop sign. She immediately thought that he could run that stop sign and come across traffic. At that point, she started slowing down, downshifting and putting on her brakes.

 

And he did come across Highway 72 and stopped in the crossover just enough that the back end of the truck was sticking out in the lane that my daughter was in!!!!! At this point, there was no one in front of her, but she still knew she had someone beside her on the right and someone behind her. There was also a 5 foot drop off on her left so she held on tight to the steering wheel, and started slamming on her brakes, knowing that she did not want to end up in the 5 foot ditch, and did not want to run into the car beside her. In other words, she held on for dear life. She told her passenger girlfriend "Hold on."

 

The Toyota hit the back bed of the GMC pickup and the Toyota was totaled. Because she was wearing her seat belt, the only injuries she suffered was a seat belt bruise across her body, broken collarbone, bruised nose (from hitting the steering wheel), bruised and swollen knees from hitting the dashboard and very stiff arms from controlling the truck. The trooper told me that her skid marks were straight and true and that her actions saved her life. The man in the GMC was cited for the accident. Apparently, that particular crossover had had several fatal accidents evidenced by three crosses in the ditch. I thank God that there is not a cross there for my daughter.

 

By the way, my daughter was 17 when this accident happened.

 

There needs to be an awareness of what is going on around you when you are on the road, regardless of what you are driving. A few seconds may mean life or death.

 

Ride safe,

 

Bobbie

Those kids are precious......that is a fact. I am glad your daughter survived that one. I have a little girl too.......she is now in College, not so little I suppose.......I have had her go to Drivers Ed......had Sandy drive all over town with her(dads are not good teachers-we yell too much lol!!) I have still not allowed her to have a car.....she really does not need one at the moment.......scared to death to turn her loose in one....maybe next year......after this summer......maybe even dad can behave and show her what I have learned over the years.......I see so many things.......every day........Yes a very big concern....teaching kids to drive...... Kit

[Sleeperhawks Mechanic]

Those kids are precious......that is a fact. I am glad your daughter survived that one. I have a little girl too.......she is now in College, not so little I suppose.......I have had her go to Drivers Ed......had Sandy drive all over town with her(dads are not good teachers-we yell too much lol!!) I have still not allowed her to have a car.....she really does not need one at the moment.......scared to death to turn her loose in one....maybe next year......after this summer......maybe even dad can behave and show her what I have learned over the years.......I see so many things.......every day........Yes a very big concern....teaching kids to drive...... Kit

 

 

Yes, it is and you can only hope that you have done your best to teach them.

 

The first time that my son drove to school after getting his license, I waited about 15 minutes after he had left and then drove the route that he would take to school, just to make sure that he made it safely!

 

Good luck on your upcoming endeavors as a teacher!

 

Ride safe,

 

Bobbie

 

P.S. Sleeperhawk and I are looking foward to seeing you this Saturday, by the way!!!! You are in for a treat getting to meet more Venture members as they are in getting to meet you!!!

[juggler]

That is one nasty gauntlet - Time to buy an army surplus tank to use as my commuter vehicle.

 

[TEW47]

As I was going home on Interstate 10 saturday across Mobile bay from east to west and the nearest car in front was at least half mile ahead,no one in the left lane and only one car in back of me. I was in the right lane and move from one side of my lane to the other. I had just moved to the right side of my lane when motion caught my eye. The car in back of me was passing me in my lane, the kid was so close I could have stuck my hand in his window. Used my airhorn for several seconds when he looked at me it was as if he thought , get out of my way! Got really mad ( and scared) for a few seconds and got off of the interstate. I had taught a MSF class and was on the way home. Did I have a story to warn the students about. On Oct. 18 a biker was killed,while riding in the rain, three cars ran over him and left the seane. They were later caught and they said they didn't know they had ran over some ,just a bumb in the road,yea right, can of hard to believe. It was 9am.

 

tew47

[Guest KitCarson]

As I was going home on Interstate 10 saturday across Mobile bay from east to west and the nearest car in front was at least half mile ahead,no one in the left lane and only one car in back of me. I was in the right lane and move from one side of my lane to the other. I had just moved to the right side of my lane when motion caught my eye. The car in back of me was passing me in my lane, the kid was so close I could have stuck my hand in his window. Used my airhorn for several seconds when he looked at me it was as if he thought , get out of my way! Got really mad ( and scared) for a few seconds and got off of the interstate. I had taught a MSF class and was on the way home. Did I have a story to warn the students about. On Oct. 18 a biker was killed,while riding in the rain, three cars ran over him and left the seane. They were later caught and they said they didn't know they had ran over some ,just a bumb in the road,yea right, can of hard to believe. It was 9am.

 

tew47

It is an honorable thing to teach folks about motorcycles. It is one of the joys and freedoms on this earth. But.......yep....it has lots of dangers......and is not for everyone.......that kid who who pushed you...may have been on some kind of drugs.....I suppose I live in my own world.....I become aware of just how bad the drug problem was when we moved to South Carolina and I started doing some work in Columbia. When riding solo(two up) by ourselves I always hug the left track.....or the right track in the left lane.......keep on eye on each passing vehicle...be ready to run the shoulder if I have to.

 

There are those out there who will deliberately try to push a biker off the road and laugh about it. This used to be worse than it is ..kinda rare now.....used to be an everyday thing. Glad you survived that one and became wiser.........Kit

[TEW47]

Yes Kit you are right. 30 yrs ago it was alot worse. Had someone try to do something stupid to me while I was riding to work almost every week, thanks to TV and the movies. I had people trying to run me off the road on purpose, throwing bricks,beerbottles, had a kid swing a baseball bat at me, they all though it was funny. Ran into a tree while tring to dodge a car which moved into my lane head on and didn't stop to see if I was all right.

 

tew47

[Orrin]

Kit, you said it real well. I agree.

[Sleeperhawks Mechanic]

That is one nasty gauntlet - Time to buy an army surplus tank to use as my commuter vehicle.

 

 

I have been saying for years that when I turn 60 I want an army tank! Pink and purple so everyone can see me coming down the road, no camoflauge for me!

[BEER30]

I have been saying for years that when I turn 60 I want an army tank! Pink and purple so everyone can see me coming down the road' date=' no camoflauge for me! [/quote']

 

Not to much longer to waite there , huh Mechanic ? LOL !!!! :rotf::stirthepot:

[Sleeperhawks Mechanic]

Not to much longer to waite there , huh Mechanic ? LOL !!!! :rotf::stirthepot:

 

Hey!!!!!

 

But you are right - I cannot tell a lie!!!

[Condor]

I donno what youse guys are talking about. I never see any of that stuff on my commute to work. I do have one problem. Spilling coffee while walking acrossed the patio to the office.....:rotf:

[Rocket]

I donno what youse guys are talking about. I never see any of that stuff on my commute to work. I do have one problem. Spilling coffee while walking acrossed the patio to the office.....:rotf:

 

Sounds like coffee abuse to me............

[Condor]

Sounds like coffee abuse to me............

 

Yeah, I know.....but I am trying to be carefull.....