Text 7257, 101 rader
Skriven 2007-10-15 10:16:56 av Jeff Smith (1:14/5)
   Kommentar till text 7243 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
Ärende: Bicycles
================
Hello Robert.

15 Oct 07 13:27, you wrote to me:

 RB> Jeff Smith wrote to David Drummond on Monday October 15 2007 at 00:02:

 RB>>>> As in most cases, MUTUAL consideration is the best policy.
 RB>>>> Otherwise you're likely to wind up like the guy whose tombstone
 RB>>>> read "He had the right-of-way".

 DD>>> This concept is foremost in my mind as a motorcyclist - legally
 DD>>> having "right of way" does not make me any less dead when someone
 DD>>> does not afford me that "right of way".

 JS>> Yup, as a motorcyclist in reality you have only the right of way
 JS>> that the others on the road around you are willing to give you.

 RB> And sometimes that's not much. There was still another report on an
 RB> in-town motorcycle accident in today's local paper (Datteln, pop.
 RB> around 30,000). Unfortunately the "usual": an auto driver wanted to
 RB> turn around in the street and overlooked a motorcycle behind him
 RB> (although motorcycles here have to drive with the headlight on in the
 RB> daytime "for safety's sake"). When the car turned, the motorcycle hit
 RB> it broadside, seriously injuring the motorcycle rider. There was no
 RB> information in the report whether the car driver had used a turn
 RB> signal or not.

     Turning around "U-Turn" is illegal here (Minnesota, laws in other
states may vary) unless the driver can see and can be seen at a distance
of 1000 feet in either direction. I see many people make "U-Turns" but
usually at traffic light controlled intersections and then when the left
turn arrow light becomes green for then. I guess if then need to turn
illegally THAT is the safest way.


    The law here is that motorcycle headlights are to be on at all times
while the motorcycle is being operated or driven. Newer motorcycles here
1980-1985 and later don't have a headlight switch. The headlight comes on
as soon as the engine starts.


 RB> This kind of accident is so typical that I have even personally seen a
 RB> couple here in town. The usual picture is a car angled to the left
 RB> across the road, a big dent in the left front side and a motorcycle
 RB> with a crushed front end just ahead in the middle of the street. The
 RB> motorcycle rider is lying on the right side of the road or in the
 RB> right ditch being tended to by medical personnel.

     I have seen a couple three accidents in my years. Once a motorcyclist
hit the front drivers (Left) side fender of a car the motorcycle was doing
about 40 mph. The bike stopped immediately, the rider didn't and proceeded
over the hood of the car and went tumbling down the street. Then there was
the time a car driver wasn't paying attention to notice that a mototcycle
had stopped ahead of them preparing to turn. The car drove over the motorcycle
causing the bike to burst into flames. Melted parts of the bike right into
the asphalt. The rider was thrown and avoided being toast.

    There was one time I was traveling on my motorcycle in the cities here
and was in the right lane of a two lane each way street. A car was passing
me in the left lane and pulled into my lane before there was enough room
to safely do so. I was forced to pull to my right to avoid the car. Trouble
was the footpeg of my motorcycle caught the runningboard of a parked pickup.
Now THAT will spin you ass around quick. <g> Ended up with a badly sprained
ankle when the bike flipped around and landed on my leg.


 RB> The basic problem is that most car drivers are totally unfamiliar with
 RB> the power a motorcycle has, it's acceleration, and it's ability to
 RB> change direction suddenly.

     As well as a motorcycle's ability to stop alot quicker.

 RB> Top that with the fact that car drivers are
 RB> generally only attuned to other cars and can overlook narrow things
 RB> like motorcycles, bicycles and scooters, and the recipe for accidents
 RB> is perfect.

     Add in the fact that bike's, scooter's, and motorcycle's fit nicely
into a car driver's various blind spots. Often times the driver either
isn't paying attention or is looking but can't see the motorcycle. When
riding I try to stay in a location where I can see the mirror(s) of the
vehicle ahead. I figure if I can see them (Or at least the mirrors) they
should be able to see me. Course "should" and "do" are do very differant
things.

 RB> The only thing a motorcycle rider can do is drive as defensively as
 RB> possible, never simply assuming that the car driver knows what he's
 RB> doing or that the motorcycle rider has actually been seen AND
 RB> recognized.

     Best bet is to assume that they don't see you.

 RB> Cheers, Bob

 RB> --- GoldED+/W32 1.1.5-0613
 RB>  * Origin: Jabberwocky System - 02363-56073 ISDN/V34 (2:2448/44)

Jeff

--- GoldED+/W32-MINGW 1.1.5-b20070503
 * Origin: Twin_Cities_Metronet - region14.us (1:14/5)