Survey

[Lawman]

You are riding on a two lane secondary road with no shoulder. Traffic is very light.

The road is in thick woods with trees and brush close to the road. You are midway through a sharp curve marked 35 m.p.h. You are about 50 - 55 m.p.h.

and right where you want to be and are about to beging to accellerate out of the curve

when you meet an oncoming vehicle. Because of the poor visibility you are very close together

before you even see it. Choose the description that best applies.

[Knifemaker]

#1 = ignorance

#2 = real fear

#3 = PUCKER POWER

[Bob Palin]

When you say "meet another vehicle" do you mean it's in your lane or in its own lane?

[Lawman]

It's in it's own lane

[leikam]

"Right where I want to be" is not committed to the turn before I can see through it. If I'm beginning to accelerate out, it's because I can see that my exit is clear: precisely that there is not an oncoming vehicle in my path.

[Silver Surfer/AKAButters]

Since you said, "close," I would hold my line without altering anything. Now if you said, "too close," or,"in your lane," it would clearly be time for an adjustment.

[steve.foote]

"Right where I want to be" is not committed to the turn before I can see through it. If I'm beginning to accelerate out, it's because I can see that my exit is clear: precisely that there is not an oncoming vehicle in my path.

 

+1

 

If nothing is unusual (such as the car being in my lane), I rarely react in any way to the oncoming vehicle. In other words, they don't surprise me.

 

But, earlier in my riding experience, oncoming traffic used to cause me to flinch in a corner. I recognized that this was a problem and fixing it.

[Francois_Dumas]

Since 80 % of my riding takes place on such roads, and as I understand nothing exceptional is happening in your example, I voted for #1. Just continue as planned.

[Wyn]

It's in it's own lane

 

 

 

Mmmm, I'm sorry. Life is good then you live.

 

 

 

ISYHTRAH

[T__]

Billy, it’s not that car that suddenly appears that bothers me as those are somewhat predictable.. It’s that 200# deer that busts up out of the thick brush along the road side that gets my & undivided attention as those things are unpredictable & deadly..

 

Twisty

[John in NC]

Because of the poor visibility

 

On that type road in those conditions I would not be exceeding the speed limit.

Otherwise is the curve to the left or to the right?

[Lawman]

Because of the poor visibility

 

 

Otherwise is the curve to the left or to the right?

 

Good and relevant question..The curve is to the left..I am often much more startled by unexpectd traffic in a tight left hand curve than a right hand curve. I failed to include that when I set up the question...Thanks

[Paul Mihalka]

Good and relevant question..The curve is to the left..I am often much more startled by unexpectd traffic is a tight left hand curve than a right hand curve.

That is the key. In a right turn the tendency is to stay close to the right so a oncoming car is not a problem even if it has a wheel on the center line. OTOH in left turns we stay closer to the center line so we'll be closer to anything coming. Some times I have to make a effort to stay more to the center of my lane in left turns, so I don't hang parts of my bike and myself over the center line.

[ElevenFifty]

Good survey and honest responses ... I didn't want to admit that little tinge of fear, and it bothers me when I feel it ... but it happens, especially with a passenger aboard. Usually, after the first encounter of a days riding, this scenario wouldn't bother me - just adjust and ride on.

 

I believe a bigger problem is trying to refocus after momentary inattention ... a great view - animal - bikini - whatever gets your attention away from the road when you're in a technical spot. When you come back to focus, it takes a moment to recalculate speed, angle, apex.

 

It was an amazing blaze of autumn color near the start of a decreasing radius turn going up Blood Mountain in No Georgia that almost got me. My wife and I were on intercom admiring the scenery and I looked away too long. When I re-focused, I was hotter and further into the turn than I should have been.

 

Millisecond of fear ... roll off the throttle ... feel the bike straighten ... and see the wall approaching. My first reaction just made the situation WORSE!

 

'RIDE THROUGH IT!' was the thought that saved the day.

 

Push down firmly on the left grip, revs back up, radius tightens and we swing through the corner with lots of room to spare. Sharon is chatting away, loving the autumn air and oblivious to my mistake ... but the lesson was INGRAINED - it WILL NOT happen again.

 

I think this momentary inattention and the 'instictively wrong' reaction when trying to refocus, is the most common mechanism of single bike accidents ...

 

As to the specific question - I always take corners I can't see through, as though the approaching vehicle is half way in my lane. More than once they have been. Speed is great fun, so is a well executed line.

 

Now if I can just learn to ride slow! I'm confident in almost any situation except 10 MPH and below.

[nbooth]

I'm not certain this question is expressed well enough for a meaningful survey response. The results would tell us nothing given the subsequent "clarifications." I suggest the author take another shot at thinking through what he wants to find out using this survey tool.

[Lawman]

I'm not certain this question is expressed well enough for a meaningful survey response. The results would tell us nothing given the subsequent "clarifications." I suggest the author take another shot at thinking through what he wants to find out using this survey tool.

 

You are right. I did a poor job setting up the question and perhaps no better listing the reply options..Sorry I wasted your time..

[Ben_Ricci]

I'm not certain this question is expressed well enough for a meaningful survey response. The results would tell us nothing given the subsequent "clarifications." I suggest the author take another shot at thinking through what he wants to find out using this survey tool.

 

You are right. I did a poor job setting up the question and perhaps no better listing the reply options..Sorry I wasted your time..

 

Yeah, don't ever post a survey like this again! (Just kidding)

 

I selected response No. 1. Even without the clarfications, I generally have an expectation that going around any curve I might encounter something that will ruin my day. Although I have been in situations that would have caused me to select No. 3, but that has been on a straight road where oncoming traffic momentarily crosses the line and I have to make a maneuver to avoid them.

[notacop]

Sometimes in situations like this I've had to fart a few times to get my leathers unstuck from the crack of my A-- due to inadvertent pucker reflex.

No stains yet...

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Last time it happened to me was up on the Cheif Joseph and, of all things, it was a right and I had already gotten through the curve. For some reason a pickup caught my attention and I had to tear myself, and the bike, away from the thing.

 

Most of my riding I spend so focused on the road that Pam Anderson sans bikini would only register on my fore brain well after I had passed. I am sure my lizard brain would take note.

 

On the left turn/right turn thing, I tend to pick a path on lefts that doesn't get me anywhere near the yellow line at any part of the darn turn unless I not only can see the whole turn but far enough up the road on the other side to know that nothing is going to show up. Yeah, it is not the classic "fast" line but I don't want anything in my left front pocket but my house keys.

[LuckyLeif]

Right hander shouldn't be a problem (as noted by others). For a left hander, you might want to employ a "delayed apex" style, similar to what you would be using on a decreasing radius curve. The delay would carry you farther into the curve and give you a better view of oncoming traffic with the bike not yet in maximum lean. Of course this technique carries risks of its own ... better not to cook such corners too hot or you could end up in the weeds (trees) or as a hood ornament.

[Quinn]

I think I get a #3 reaction even on a straight cresting a hill and having a car suddenly appear coming toward me. Even if I'm well in my lane, I've only got milliseconds to go into avoidence mode or prepare for contact mode if I determine it's a threat. I need to practice more what-ifs in my head while riding.

[Kinsley]

I was entering a left hander the other day and as it was opening up I noticed a bicycle in the oncoming lane, followed by another, then to my surprise a 4x4 was passing them in the corner

He had half of my lane, but I was still over in the right part of my lane, so I just stayed there instead of countersteering hard into the turn for the apex which was under his transmission

 

 

I didn't even get excited, but I guess that's because everything felt under control