Street Strategies: A Survival Guide for Motorcyclists
Author: David L. Hough

Poor Predicting
If You Guess Wrong, You Can Morph a Near Miss Into a Collision

You're on your way home after a quick Saturday afternoon trip to the store. Traffic on the urban arterial is heavy with a lot of drivers making left turns into businesses. You're aware that left-turning cars are a big hazard for motorcyclists, so you scrutinize oncoming vehicles for clues that they may be turning across your path, and you cover the front brake lever in case you need to make a panic stop.

You're not surprised when you see an oncoming car starting to turn left. The driver doesn't signal, but you see the hood dip slightly, and the front wheel start to turn in your direction. You know what's happening, so you're in no danger, but you are indignant that the driver doesn't seem to care. You predict that there will be just enough space for you to cut close behind the offending driver as he continues into the parking lot. You intend to ride straight ahead and then beep your horn as a wake-up call.

But halfway across your path, the driver suddenly sees you and slams on the brakes. Pushing hard on the left grip, you're barely able to swerve around the car, missing the rear bumper by inches. Now you're really angry at the driver's stupidity.

Approximately one-fourth of all motorcycle accidents are collisions with left-turners, so being aware of possible left-turners is wise. But you can't assume that a driver turning across your path sees you. And you can't predict that the driver will continue into the parking lot across your path if he or she suddenly sees you at the last minute. You need to be ready to make a quick stop in case that driver panics and stops in your path. You should also be aware of other vehicles that could pull out into your path, such as a driver waiting to pull out from your right. In this situation, you can improve your odds by ignoring the unintentional transgression and using your knowledge and skill to create more separation.

From Motorcycle Consumer News: "Street Strategies: A Survival Guide for Motorcyclists" by David L. Hough
Text Copyright © 2001 by BowTie^TM Press
Jacket and book design copyright © 2001 by Michele Lanci-Altomare
Photographs and diagrams copyright © 2001 by David L. Hough
Photographs copyright © 2001 by Ginger Kathrens, except as noted
All rights reserved. No part of this book (text) may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of BowTie Press^TM, except the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

©Copyright 2005, BowTie Press and Fancy Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy/Your Cailfornia Privacy Rights
Dog Channel Cat Channel Horse Illustrated Thoroughbred Times Aquarium Fish Reptiles Magazine