U-turn surprise

[AnotherLee]

On a ride in eastern Oregon- not much there but tar snakes & sage brush.

The 2-lane road has almost no traffic. It's a bright sunny weekday.

I'm approaching a car in my lane which is slowing down, so I slow down.

The car pulls off the road onto the gravel shoulder and I start to go around.

Then the car starts to make a u-turn.

It gets halfway into our original lane when the driver sees me and brakes hard.

I am already braking hard.

The driver gives me a polite "you can go ahead" gesture.

I am too shaken to be polite at that point.

[smiller]

The car pulls off the road onto the gravel shoulder and I start to go around.

Then the car starts to make a u-turn.

One of the most common (and dangerous) accident scenarios there is, most everyone will experience it sooner or later. Luckily my education was at parking lot speeds and an accident was avoided, glad your experience was also without injury. Bottom line, never pass someone who has pulled over on the right without expecting them to make a U-turn.

[4wheeldog]

TADT. If you expect them to, it is not near as much of a surprise.

[flat_twin]

Hey otherLee, Glad it worked out that way for you. An instant T bone could have been real bad. And, thanks for posting, it's a good mental reminder.

[PhilipJCaputo]

exact thing happened to me a couple of years ago... tboned a late 60s VW Bug. went over the back to the bug and landed on the street. Luckily it wasn't highway speeds, and I probably hit him at 20mph.

 

The kid driving told his insurance company I was trying to pass him on the left. luckily I had a witness who told the insurance company what she saw. "I don't know where that VW came from, but all of a sudden he was sideways in the intersection, and there wasn't anything the motorcyclist could have done".

 

Since then, I've been recording my daily commute with a Contour+

[lawnchairboy]

The surgeon general of the Navy got taken out nearly dead with that scenario on his LT a few years back.

[Deek]

".......Bottom line, never pass someone who has pulled over on the right without expecting them to make a U-turn....."

 

...or do something equally stupid or illegal!

[Sil]

A few years ago I was cruising on one of those straight, flat, country roads in coastal South Carolina where you can see miles ahead. I noticed a gas station on the right about a mile ahead and slowed to the "suggested" speed, probably 55 mph at the time. I noted that the only customers at the station were motorcyclists and relaxed a bit. My relaxation lasted a few seconds when I saw a big cruiser come onto the road (about 25 yards in front of me) to execute a u-turn to get to the other side of the pump. His eyes grew huge as he heard my horn blaring and me braking hard and moving into the oncoming lane to avoid him. Lesson learned, even motorcyclists can p$%^ you off.

[Rickbrowngsts]

Had something real similar happen to me not long ago. I had been following a car for a few miles and around a turn the road was ride on the right. Driver slowed way down and pulled to the right, I thought to let me pass, like cars often do. Only to have them turn left in front of me onto a dirt road I hadn't even seen. Ended upright, but took out the car's mirror, and some minor scratches on my bike. Learned that lesson well!