Got hit by a crazy bihotch in a HUGE extended cab pickup truck on the way home from work the other day. She put her left indicator on, slowed way the hell down, then moved into the middle lane used by turning vehicles. I start to pass her but at the last second she sees a parking spot on the right so she darts back to where I was! Luckily I saw the events unfolding, swerved as quickly as I could and actually almost avoided the collision. Amazingly I managed to keep the bike shiny side up. What's even more amazing though is that when she got out of her truck (both her and her husband were wearing black T-shirts with "Guilty" written on them... I thought, how appropriate!) she starts yelling at me! I must have had this look of utter disbelief, because she paused for a second, realized that maybe she check to see that I was OK, then proceeded to yell at me again. She never even hit the brakes until she was 3/4 of the way into the parking spot! Lightning reflexes!

Funny thing is that it 1) happened right in front of the police station and there were no cops around to see it happen and 2) random guy on the street came over and said "I saw the whole thing and you were completely wrong for passing her on the right." I was thinking what do you want a cookie? who the F*%& asked you anyway.. He clearly only saw the very last second when she swerved right so it looked like I was passing her on the right.

The whole situation was just so surreal to me. I looked at the bike saw that the only thing that happened was my left hand pipe was scratched from where she hit me. I thought, no matter, my CF's are on the way... I'm out of here. I was going to be late for a footie match otherwise and I couldn't be bothered to deal with this imbecil or the traveling hillbilly witness who saw jack-squat (and yes, he was actually missing a tooth:). As a matter of fact the only reason I even stopped is because the type of idiot that just pulled that dumb-ass maneuver would be the same type of person to report me for a hit and run, even though she hit me.

Riders are so often branded as hooligans, but it's the distracted, skill-less, oblivious morons that are driving with no regard to what's around them that are the real danger to everyone on the road.

Good for you that you are able to get out of the situation OK

Quote from: Z1000S on July 16, 2008, 12:57:00 AM
it's the distracted, skill-less, oblivious morons that are driving with no regard to what's around them that are the real danger to everyone on the road.

+1
...the bigger the car the more they push people around! I maybe stereotyping this but from experience it seems like that's true... Like someone here mentioned you've got to have eyes in the back of your head!!! Hope you're ok...

Give it some time,pretty soon they won't be able to drive those cages any longer, with the way the gas prices are going,they will be on two wheels,then they might be able to relate.

She just underestimated the size of her rear end when she pulled over.  Common mistake.

Women...   








lol 

Women drivers

Glad your safe and kept it all clean.

Some things are not worth dealing with and this was probably one of em.

Mod time!

Well done on voodoo-sensing her change of heart. I always assume everyone is out to kill me - stories like this confirm it.

Glad you are OK!  I'm not sure if I would have had the police file a report since so much about fault is based on local law and witnesses, but please!  She is returning from a turn lane to park, doesn't see you and she thinks it is your fault?  She should be celebrating the fact she did not hurt you.

Man -- close call.  I hope this counts as your crash and now you'll be incident-free for the next 60 years!

Wow! You hit their vehicle and managed to keep the bike upright? You should get a medal for your riding!

I had a similar situation occur a few years ago on my S4. This crazy gal was weaving in and out of traffic, so I followed her at a safe distance since she was opening up traffic for me too. Finally, she slowed down, then pulled that stunt you describe.

But I managed to avoid the hit. I pulled up to a stoplight down the road, and felt a 'tap tap tap' on my helmet. The gal was out of her truck SCREAMING at me for driving like a mad man. But SHE was the one that pulled that maneuver and almost hit ME! And she was the one weaving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed.

I told her to get her fat butt back in her truck, and she tried to push me over. Frankly, at this point I was laughing too hard to be pissed (she was short, and there was no way I was going to let that bike go over). I said, 'Have a nice day', and drove off into the sunset.

As far as I am concerned, my 'Fat Butt' comment was the only thing I shouldn't have done, looking back. That escalated her already pissed off mood.

Must have been late to soccer practice?

"Sometimes"?  Everyone in a car sucks (in my mind) at driving with more than 1/10th of their brain cells when I ride.   

Very glad you lived through it... and she did too.  Here in WA it's okay to pass on the right if someone has indicated a left signal.  Dude who tried to lecture you should've gotten his cookie alright;  in a deep and mysterious place that only doctor's should have any knowledge about.

And for MTBryan's situation... anyone who taps me on the helmet and isn't wearing a badge had better expect verbal if not full body assault, especially if they nearly shortened my lifespan and my MOJO is en fuego.  I'd say she got off light with constructive feedback wrt her apparently dominate feature. 

I say that it all starts with parenting.  I'm working on my 6 year old and my 2 year old even now to be aware of their surroundings and THINK about the consequenses of their behaviors as drivers (and riders).  It's too damned easy to get a driver's license.

Quote from: ODrides on July 16, 2008, 08:24:00 AM
Man -- close call.  I hope this counts as your crash and now you'll be incident-free for the next 60 years!

Yeah right  ... Let's just say that everything that counts still works, so I'm happy with that.

Quote from: c_rex on July 16, 2008, 01:19:03 PM

I say that it all starts with parenting.  I'm working on my 6 year old and my 2 year old even now to be aware of their surroundings and THINK about the consequenses of their behaviors as drivers (and riders).  It's too damned easy to get a driver's license.

I couldn't agree with you more c_rex! People these days don't seem to consider consequences of their actions at ALL! Glad to hear that you are trying to make the world at least 2 young people better 

Really glad to hear that you are ok after what could have been a fatal error on her part. She and the guy were probably talking and looking for some place and suddenly decided it wasn't to the left ...it was to the right ..or who knows. Just glad your ok .

When I have to be in the city I feel like I'm playing Dodge Ball. Like everyone is trying to hit me ,so I'm constantly looking for Bogeies (the enemy).