"Close Calls". | Page 3 | GTAMotorcycle.com

"Close Calls".

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First day of my season this year I went over some train tracks I’d been over tons of times before. My bike has good suspension and this crossing was smooth before so I didn’t slow down. This year something must have shifted however as I did a good impression of riding a rodeo bull.

Lots of other close calls though. One in Quebec was amusing, got stuck behind two hay lorries on a very hot day, couldn’t see **** for miles and I couldn’t overtake either.
 
Have had many but the most memorable ones:

1) Riding on appleby line north of derry rd on top of the hill. There are a few spots where you crest some hills, as I come over the top of one of them there was a car doing a 3 point turn at the very bottom of the hill. Was on the binders hard as soon as I came over the top, locked the rear tire on my ktm 625smc at the time and veered slight right onto gravel shoulder missing the rear bumped by a hair. Driver casually drove off. I had to collect myself a minute before taking back off..

2) Similar area, Going north on Guelph line bridge over the 401 there is a specific lane where westbound 401 traffic can exit south on guelph line. As I am approaching that spot with noone behind or in front of me a mazda 3 decided to peel out at the very last minute... again hard on the brakes and narrowly missed the rear bumper.. again time to collect myself.

3) Last one was follwing a truck with what looked to be an unsafe load (my fault bad positioning) I think it was an office desk. Truck hit something that made the load bounce and fall out of the truck. Luckily had a free lane to my right and swerved in time. I should never have been behind that truck though so partially my fault.
 
Just today. I came very close to hitting a woman pushing a baby stroller.
I wasn't paying close enough attention, the song on my headphones was bothering me. At the intersection of Bay and Bloor, I was changing the song and pulling around the corner to go north on Bay.
Woman was almost invisible wearing black pushing a black baby stroller.

I came very close at about 50kph.
I can just imagine what would have happened if I didn't swerve at the last second.
 
Low rider said:
Just today. I came very close to hitting a woman pushing a baby stroller.
I wasn't paying close enough attention, the song on my headphones was bothering me. At the intersection of Bay and Bloor, I was changing the song and pulling around the corner to go north on Bay.
Woman was almost invisible wearing black pushing a black baby stroller.

I came very close at about 50kph.
I can just imagine what would have happened if I didn't swerve at the last second.
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just when i thought i've heard it all.
 
Can I count close calls in my car?
 
Low rider said:
I wasn't paying close enough attention, the song on my headphones was bothering me. At the intersection of Bay and Bloor, I was changing the song and pulling around the corner to go north on Bay.
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Distracted driving really bothers me.
 
Low rider said:
Just today. I came very close to hitting a woman pushing a baby stroller.
I wasn't paying close enough attention, the song on my headphones was bothering me. At the intersection of Bay and Bloor, I was changing the song and pulling around the corner to go north on Bay.
Woman was almost invisible wearing black pushing a black baby stroller.

I came very close at about 50kph.
I can just imagine what would have happened if I didn't swerve at the last second.
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I think I seen that lady! Did she walk right up to the street corner and push the baby carriage way closer to moving traffic and turning trucks then a sane person would ever stand?
 
GreyGhost said:
When stopped your focus should primarily be behind you. The vehicle in front of you rarely causes you issues, every summer there are many bikes that get punted from behind.
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So true. I always have room and a path forward when I stop in traffic. Only ever needed it once but if I wasn’t prepared I’d have had a face full of F150 bumper. The truck ahead of me overshot the intersection then backed up - I moved, the car behind me took the pain. No escape route and I’d have been crushed.
 
jc100 said:
First day of my season this year I went over some train tracks I’d been over tons of times before. My bike has good suspension and this crossing was smooth before so I didn’t slow down. This year something must have shifted however as I did a good impression of riding a rodeo bull.

Lots of other close calls though. One in Quebec was amusing, got stuck behind two hay lorries on a very hot day, couldn’t see **** for miles and I couldn’t overtake either.
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I always move to Center hump between riding tracks when crossing rails. It’s smoother.
 
ooooo I don't think I even want to watch that one. pass thanks
 
Baggsy said:
Can I count close calls in my car?
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Or a sled? Up near rouyn-noranda on a trail I had never been on before jumping rolling hills and it was a ton of fun. Most hills were the same slope up the front and down the back so you could get in a rhythm. That was until one hill dropped away very steeply on the backside. At that point you are high in the air, going pretty fast and hoping for the best. Damn was it a long way before I landed. Probably over 100 vertical feet. Luckily the trail was straight and the hill was still going so I got to land on a steep slope. That was enough jumping for that trip. It still sends chills down my spine. Obviously entirely my fault for being in that situation.
 
Trials said:
ooooo I don't think I even want to watch that one. pass thanks
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It's worse than you thought. Yikes. Even with an escape path and paying attention that one would have been hard to avoid. You could have set yourself up to be punted free instead of being the meat in the sandwich though.
 
Trials said:
ooooo I don't think I even want to watch that one. pass thanks
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I shouldn't have watched that. Brought back a recent painful memory.
GreyGhost said:
It's worse than you thought. Yikes. Even with an escape path and paying attention that one would have been hard to avoid. You could have set yourself up to be punted free instead of being the meat in the sandwich though.
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At least there wasn't a car in front of me, bouncing then sliding across the pavement probably hurt a lot less than getting sandwiched like that.

When I got rear ended I thought I was being safe. I checked my mirror as I approached the stop sign, the car was far enough that I didn't consider it a threat. In the few seconds it took me to stop, check cross traffic and start to roll forward he slammed into me. When he got out of his car he said "sorry I looked down for a second". That's all it takes. A second to change someone's life.
 
GreyGhost said:
It's worse than you thought. Yikes. Even with an escape path and paying attention that one would have been hard to avoid. You could have set yourself up to be punted free instead of being the meat in the sandwich though.
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Might not have been avoidable by the biker. Guys angle comes in from his blind spot.
 
killvino said:
Might not have been avoidable by the biker. Guys angle comes in from his blind spot.
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IMO only lane filtering would have saved that guy from his life-changing experience. The more I see these rear-enders, the more I'm thinking we need law reform on lane splitting and filtering.
 
Roadghost said:
IMO only lane filtering would have saved that guy from his life-changing experience. The more I see these rear-enders, the more I'm thinking we need law reform on lane splitting and filtering.
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You can place your bike there now, just dont pull through unless you have to.
 
I always aim my bike for the open space when I'm stopped, and I check the mirrors frequently.
You're more likely to be hit when you stop for a light that the person behind thinks you'll run though.
I've seen that a lot in cars.

Pulled up to a light in the car one time. Guy behind me moves to the next lane. About 20 seconds later, someone comes screaming down the hill, honks the horn once, and then drives him right through the intersection at Woodbine and Kingston Road.

Was out for a walk with the family. Youngest pushed the button at the crosswalk. Car stopped. He went to step out, wife pulled him back. Second car, drove the first, through the crosswalk. He was doing 80 in a 50, and thought she was turning left, until my kid stepped out.

I've also had a drunk coming at me the wrong way on Lawrence just west of Midland. I pulled into the left lane, and thankfully he just cleared me moving to my right. He'd taken out the traffic light on the median making a right turn at the intersection. His young kid was in the passenger seat with him. I doubled back to follow him, and the cops had him pulled over around Birchmount. {Lawrence is divided between Kennedy and Midland).

Other than doing spins on the 401, those are my close calls.
 
The bottom line is that some accidents are avoidable due more effective defensive driving/riding and some are not.

Daughter was sole occupant in SUV on major Mississauga street late evening, 3 lanes each direction and distracted driver crosses 3 lanes and plows into her at about 60 - 70 kph. Offset headon and her engine was pushed back about a foot into the (vacant) passenger footwell. Unfortunately, the other smaller and lighter car had the same type of damage and the passenger did not fare well. Needless to say, both vehicles totalled and 3 other cars involved.

I don't think there was anything she could have done to avoid this accident, just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fate plays a major role in these these types of situations.
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