*** Situations & what you did ***

PU7E

PU7E

PU7E

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Thought I'd start a thread as I'm constantly learning about random situations that happen when riding and remembering what I did to get around them safely as possible, I think it would be a good idea to share findings with each other to help give both new and experienced riders thoughts about how to deal with situations and help get rid of any bad ideas of how you'd deal with a situation you've never encountered.

I'll start.

Earlier today I got caught in a heavy blizzard with severely reduced visibility especially as it was dark.

What I did:
Kept the bike in a high as gear as possible (so it still felt smooth) and bellow 4k rpm.

Even though I was starting to freeze kept my body as loose as possible and didn't hold on too tightly

If I felt the back wheel slip a bit on a roundabout let it follow through and keep going instead of trying to correct it (worked for me in the situations I experienced, although I'm not sure if it's right :p)

As I could barely see anything at points with the snow building up on my visor very quickly , I focused on looking for approaching cars and cars in front light directions to help me figure out what way the road might be going, kept the centre line in my vision at all times and to make sure it's a few feet to the right of me, although my visor kept snowing up I tried to clear it only when necessary to reduce the amount of times I took my hands off the handlebars (I cleared it for corners and roundabouts)

I slowed down for corners in plenty of time, trying to use the brakes as little as possible and mainly using engine braking with a dash of clutch to smooth it over (felt really smooth, but I might be doing it wrong)

Think that's about all I can remember so far from my hour ride home though the blizzard in the dark, if anyone can think of other things I should/can be looking and things I might be doing wrong, please let me know, I've only been riding a few weeks and still have a hell of a lot to learn :D
 
PU7E said:
If I felt the back wheel slip a bit on a roundabout let it follow through and keep going instead of trying to correct it (worked for me in the situations I experienced, although I'm not sure if it's right :p)
Click to expand...

:eek:

Definitely not? You should have been going slow enough to be able to put your feet down if you were trying to ride in snow IMO.

Anyway, I suppose the first thing that comes to my head is an incident that happened not long after I started riding.

I was on my CG 125 and had just joined a national speed limit road. I accelerated to 60mph and stayed there for about 20 seconds when all of a sudden I heard an almighty bang. Following the bang, my back end suddenly swung round and I was going down the road, still in the correct direction only I was completely sideways.:p I had a blowout and the tyre came completely off the wheel. I was travelling at 60 on the rim :eek:

Of course, my immediate reaction was to try straightening the bike up, I shifted the back end the other way hoping it would centre off. It didn't, instead it swung round completely and I was still sideways. I continued swinging the bike round a few times and decided I was probably going to come off so I may as well try the front brake.

Somehow, applying the front brake between swings when the bike was forwards I managed to slow to a stop.

How I didn't come off I have no idea and neither do any of the other bikers I've told that story to. Luck I guess.
 
I had a blow out at about 60 on the DR 350, tyre only came off one side of the rim and the bike crabbed sideways, I just eased off the throttle gently and came to a stop, no drama or difficulty.
 
Generally most incidents I've encountered are on roundabouts (full and mini). Never take what cars indicate to be what they actually intend to do. Hang back, plan for cars pulling out on you all the time. Trying to look them in the eye as you approach is a good way to see if they have spotted you or not.

My main near miss accident was on a mini roundabout. I was approaching the roundabout at the same time as a car was approaching from the other direction. He could go straight or right, I could go straight or left.

I slowed down to try and gauge what the car was planning to do, he showed no signed of slowing and didn't indicate his intent at all, so assumed he was going straight on, thus leaving me to go straight on myself. I'd just made it out onto the roundabout and the guy decides to cut right in front me without any indication whatsoever. I was in a slight right lean but reactions took over and I slammed the front brake on. The back wheel was off the floor and the ABS kicked in. 3 ABS stutters later (and 3 bald patches on the right side of my front tyre) and I was at a stop and upright after the back end landed again.

The car had also slammed his brakes on and just sat there looking at me. I flailed at him a bit and pointed at his indicators and the git just drove off leaving me in the middle of the roundabout :mad:

So now I never ever assume car drivers know what they're actually doing :p

..

Oh, I also had another near inicident at a T junction on my way home from work. Rush hour traffic. I'm waiting at the T junction to turn left onto the main road. In rush hour you have to take your spaces otherwise you'd be sat there all day.

So I'm sat there looking to my right for spaces, or cars turning in. A car comes over the brow of the hill indicating that he's going to turn, so I commit and move out. I'm up to 40mph (the speed limit) within 2-3 seconds and well out of the path of any car even if he wasn't turning. The next thing I know this car comes flying past me incredibly close, like he's buzzed me on purpose, indicator still flashing left. So I catch up to him and start pointing at his indicator still blinking away. A few moments later he sticks his hand out of the window, as a "sorry" sort of gesture probably.

I couldn't help thinking that wouldn't mean much if he'd ploughed into the side of me... grr.

So now when I'm at junctions I wait to see if non-indicating cars start to indicate before moving, rather than seeing them already indicating and assuming they're turning...

I guess basically we just shouldn't trust indications at all... :p

I know people always say not to turn out unless you're sure the incomming car is turning, but in that situation where you have to pick your spaces...
 
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I'm trying to recollect any recent dodgy moments but nothing much is coming to mind.

One thing I am always aware of is positioning though. On my commute it's generally narrows roads with driveways, often walled/hidden so nobody can see much. As a rule I try to position as near to the centre-line as practicable so as to give people the best chance of seeing me, and vice versa. This appears to help as instead of people pulling out I now - if anything - see them start to go and then stomp on the brake as they see me a bit earlier. Hopefully. :)

I came home when the snow was coming down last night and found it most enjoyable, even peaceful, but that was because the road was clear of snow. My apartment car park was another matter and took a further 5 minutes to navigate!
 
MADMAN69UK said:
I guess basically we just shouldn't trust indications at all... :p
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That.

all it means is the bulb works.

I'll generally wait until the car has started to turn into the junction before moving off, especially if I want to turn right across the lane. Watch how often people behind will overtake the car as it begins to turn left.

Mini roundabouts are a pain, I usually adjust my speed if I can, so that I don't arrive at the roundabout at the same time as the other vehicle.
 
arctine said:
:eek:
Definitely not? You should have been going slow enough to be able to put your feet down if you were trying to ride in snow IMO.
Click to expand...

I was going around 10mph around roundabouts, probably a bit too quick and the reason for the tyre slipping :p
 
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