car almost got me this morning

[sgendler]

Some idiot in a car made an abrupt lane change right into me this morning with no indicaor, no head movement, and I was NOT in her blind spot. Neither was I lane splitting nor had I recently changed lanes. I was right next to the driver window. Her mirror hit my leg at 70mph. I was lucky that she wasn't far enough forward to hit the fork legs and knock my front wheel around. As it was, I bounced off and into the other lane before I managed to get the bike back under control. She was fully aware that she hit me, and didn't so much as slow down.

 

I very nearly started kicking dents in her door and would have liked to have put my elbow through her window and dragged her out of the car by her hair before dropping her on the roadway at 70mph, but I managed to restrain myself (barely). It was only by random happenstance that I am alive to tell the tale. If there had been a car on the other side of me, I wouldn't be here. The other drivers around me were clearly shocked by the whole event. There were a lot of folks who were clearly on the verge of taking evasive maneuvers with very bemused looks on their faces when she just kept on driving after knocking me into the other lane.

 

Be careful out there!

 

--sam

[Twisties]

Did you get her plate no? Sounds like it might have been deliberate!

[leikam]

Glad you're OK Sam.

[RichEdwards]

Glad you're OK Sam.

+1

[upflying]

That's a hit and run, a felony if you were injured. Did you get the license plate # and make a collision report with CHP? One gottcha though, if there is no damage to your bike or the side of the car, it's not considered a collision and no report will be taken. Glad you are ok.

[SC_SVRider]

I very nearly started kicking dents in her door

 

Sounds like Shawn's friend Bob, from Michigan.

 

 

Glad you're OK Sam.

 

+1

[Tony_K]

This story is all to familiar to me! Had a experience like that also on the fwy 11 years ago same deal. They only hit my rear indicator though. But they got me from behind! That's just crazy. Kept going too.

[tallman]

Almost one too many of these. (:mad guy:)

Glad you're OK.

It's not just bikes.

I was caging this morning because of the smoke.

Passed a car going 50 in 55, sped up to @65 to put some distance between us. He jumps on my tail. Other stuff followed, but the point is. it doesn't take much/anything sometimes for the other driver to act stupid or intentionally with reckless disregard.

Hope this doesn't happen again.

[Huzband]

A perfect example of why guns are good.

 

One cap, properly delivered, does SOOO much for stress relief.

 

[AdventurePoser]

Goes for me too, Sam. I'm happy you came out of this ok. One thing they'll never run out of is morons on the road...

 

Steve in So Cal

[Huzband]

One thing they'll never run out of is morons on the road...

 

Steve in So Cal

 

A sad trueism.

[norah]

I've had it happen to me just not as abrupt. These freeways out here are getten more and more like roulette everytime you get on one. Glad your okay!!

[Eschelon1]

Sheet metal screws threaded into the soul of your boot at the toe works real good!!

 

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Sam,

Thank goodness you are OK.

 

I have to say, the only way that person would have avoided a "stern lecture" is if I ran out of gas before she did.

 

I use the term "stern lecture" in the RD Frantz sense. "Run into me on the road and you better hope you die in the collision".

[SageRider]

Sam,

Glad you're OK!

Hope you got the plate number.

[GregB]

I have to say, the only way that person would have avoided a "stern lecture" is if I ran out of gas before she did.

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

Sam, I bet you could have taken her mirror off with your boot...if you're limber anyway. Glad you got lucky!

[Laura]

My husband got just about knocked out of his lane twice in two days a few weeks ago. He was right behind me. We passed on the left, I got past the car no problem and even though he was in the rightside of the leftlane with his high beam on both cars both times just came over. He gassed it both times. It's important to be in the right gear to be able to get up and go, he was and he did. The KRS reacts swiftly.

 

 

Glad you're OK

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Betcha you were riding staggered with you in the left tire track and he in the right as is the norm for most folks. Besides the fact that cage drivers can't see, they can't count worth a darn either and they are accustomed to only one vehicle passing them at a time.

 

Good rule to practice is to switch the normal stagger formation when riding on the freeway in the left most lane. Lead rider takes the right tire track and the trail rider takes the left. It won't make the cage driver any more aware but increases the options for the trail rider when they do come over.

[BrianT]

Glad to hear you were able to save it. I've had the same circumstance happen several times, but never with contact. Good job keeping it together, the bike and you.

[keithb]

Your day sounds like mine yesterday. I was riding with some friends on Little Tujunga here in L.A.heading north towards Palmdale. Three of my buddies passed a KLR also headed north. As I was coming around a right hander another dual sport (his friend I guess) approached me going south. The guy on the KLR proceeded to stop and pull a U turn in the middle of the friggin road. He never looked in his mirrors, over his shoulder. Nothing. The only reason I did not hit him was because he stopped and then looked around and saw me and froze. My buddy behind me stopped about 6 inches before hitting him. Then not 5 minutes later and less than 5 miles a woman pulled out in front me in a 35 zone and was doing about 20 mph. Just continued to draw on her cigarette like nothing was going on around her.

 

I am glad both of us are OK. Just goes to show you can't take anything for granted and you have to be aware of what's happening around you ALL the time. Just when you think it is clear there is a car or truck or something there.

[Kinsley]

I agree with Ed, I would have followed her in a menacing way (not tailgating) to a destination of her choosing, hopefully cooling off a little in the process, then take her mirror as a suvenier since she doesn't use it.

[jfremder]

Good rule to practice is to switch the normal stagger formation when riding on the freeway in the left most lane. Lead rider takes the right tire track and the trail rider takes the left. It won't make the cage driver any more aware but increases the options for the trail rider when they do come over.

 

Ed-

 

This is great advise, and would have saved a couple OMG's this year alone.

 

Thanks

[John in VA]

Sam,

Thank goodness you are OK.

 

I have to say, the only way that person would have avoided a "stern lecture" is if I ran out of gas before she did.

 

I use the term "stern lecture" in the RD Frantz sense. "Run into me on the road and you better hope you die in the collision".

 

+1 -- And I'd make sure the eventual stern lecture was in the form of LEO bracelets for hit-and-run.

[hANNAbONE]

dAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG...sAMMY

 

Not good news here --Glad you are okay and the bike ran thru it -- but wow, any chance the plate was remembered by some of the passers by?

 

Silly people, beatin' up on my friend.!

[SHOman]

Should have reported this to the local Popo.

 

You were fortunate and lucky you were not injured, the next person this driver sideswipes may not.