Sooooo, crusing home from work last Friday I got in my first "real" accident (aside from backing into someone's bumper, etc...). I was in the outside lane of a 5 lane road with two lanes each way and a suicide in the middle. Traffic in the middle lane was at a stand still so I was just eeking along at around 25mph coming up to a stop. I guess somebody in the inside lane waved a car to turn in front of them onto a side street and kaflewie, she ended up with a Caravan shaped dent in her passenger door and one less rim attached to the car. Looking at the ground after the fact I couldn't see any tire marks meaning I didn't even have time to lock up the breaks. It happened that quickly. The last thing I saw before I hit her was just the tip of her bumper creeping out from in front of the other line of cars.
I've always driven with caution in mine. I always know where cars on the highway are in relation to me, I'm weary of people pulling up quickly to side streets when I know I have the right of way, and I always make sure I have an out, even in my cage. The situation, however, changes when someone else makes a dumbass mistake (that's all it was, a poor judgment on her part and nothing more) that puts you in danger. I had NO way of avoiding the impact. I wasn't on the phone, fiddling with the radio, or rummaging around. I was fully aware and I still had zero reaction time. All I could think about was "what if I was on the bike". I would have hit right in the middle of her passenger side door and most likely have been chucked over the car. Still scares the shit out of me, and I haven't even had a chance to ride since then because of the weather.
Since I work out of my company van (50k+ miles a year) it's my office and I occasionally catch myself doing things other than driving. I assure you that's going to change. The accident happened IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE and I'm sure anyone who's ever been in an accident will tell you the same. No matter how honed you think your skills are (I'm a skilled rider with very good reflexes), there are some things you just can't avoid. I never found any sense in praying so all I can do is hope everyone keeps their heads on a swivel and does their best to stay out of Captain Cager's way.
On a "silver lning" type of note, there is one less PT Cruiser on the road ;D ;D ;D
Glad nobody was hurt. Good thing you weren't on the bike! [thumbsup]
On a "silver lning" type of note, there is one less PT Cruiser on the road
Glad your okay [thumbsup] Dango PT Cruisers.
i have to say that wasn't a "mistake" a mistake is accidently spelling the word "hte" wrong in a sentence or possibly giving someone 10cents extra change.
but that was a careless driver, this was a totally avoidable accident. that other person should not go unless they have full visibility of the situation, obviously they didnt' or didnt' judge your speed correctly, if they couldnt' see you then they should not have went.
In this case it took 2 dumbasses to crash you, one who thought he was doing the other a favor, being a real courteous driver, yeah.
Like always, you do the best you can.
So many drivers really don't understand the responsibility involved in driving.
Glad you weren't hurt.
+1 glad you're ok. Funny but to date I've never had a bke accident on country roads. Both have been riding to or from work in New Orleans. I don't do that much anymore.
I remember more than once, when someone waved me through like that. But I always proceeded cautiously and occasionally, I see that the lane next to them wasn't clear.
There was an accident similar to that which occurred in L.A. a few years back.. only instead of waving a car through, the dumbass waved a little kid through. He ran out into the lane and got smacked 20 feet to his death. I'm sure the driver that hit the kid didn't have any time to react, just like in your case.
Maybe you should start praying! [bow_down]
Glad no one was hurt. I usually get into a bit of a discussion with my other half on this point exactly. It is not a good idea to wave someone through for exactly this reason. In fact it is against the law. I think it reads something like "only authorized traffic control peeps are allowed to control the flow of traffic"
Stopping to let some one in may seem like the kind thing to do but is a good way to get yourself rear ended, or get that person clipped when they think that because you gave them the go ahead they can cut across 5 lanes to get into the left hand turn lane
Quote from: Jarvicious on December 23, 2008, 06:46:42 AM
On a "silver lning" type of note, there is one less PT Cruiser on the road ;D ;D ;D
Good man [thumbsup]
Glad you're okay.
been trying to make this point to my daughter, 16, who is learning to drive. Sometimes you can do everything right, but still get burned. That goes double for those of us that work out of our cages. For us it's the law of averages, you drive 30 to 50k a year, it eventually will happen.
Glad you weren't hurt my their bad decisions...
I know the feeling.
I got into one like that a few months back.. driver in truck blew a red light, I couldn't see him until it was too late because of a wall. both vehicles going 35 (I still say they were going faster), I was driving, my mom in passenger seat, we slid across the intersection at 45 degree angle, jumped a curb, and hit a phone poll, their truck flipped and slid down the street a bit on its roof. 12hrs in the emergency room later, they decided my neck and jaw wasn't broken (something smashed my window, and my face was swollen) they released me. my back KILLED me for about a week and a half after that.
We were in a 99 A4, they were in a 96 ranger. we were up and walking around, they were carted off unconscious. (I know after asking mom if she was OK, I got out and went to kick their asses. but people were pulling them out unconscious, then it dawned on me holy shit, that was a wicked accident!)
I had a opportunity to go riding a few weeks after, but I didn't take it, because my back was still a bit sore, and the fear of the accident and how fast it happened fresh in my head.. like you, my first thought was, holy shit, if that had happened to me on my bike, I would be dead as dirt, wouldn't even have realized what happened, just lights out. So, I try not to think about that.
it was truly unbelievable, one minuet your on your way, the next looking out the window from the ambulance..
+1 on not waving anyone through. i will just stop and wait for them to merge, make a turn, etc. It is my understanding that if I wave another motorist into traffic and they get into an accident b/c they didn't check for traffic (only going on my say so), then I am liable. I could be wrong on that last part, but I def. don't want anyones stupidity to come back on me.
glad you are OK
+eleventy billion on one less PT cruiser on the road.
Glad you're OK. [thumbsup]
Good perspectives in your commentary, too.
Nice write up.
But after one accident and two very near misses on the bike I make it a point to avoid (if at all possible) driving in a clear lane next to a line of stopped traffic. Even if I have to effectively lane split with traffic in the next lane over.
On four wheels... Well, I drive a minivan and pray every time for something interesting to happen ;D
The exact same thing happened to a friend of mine while he was riding his VFR on the way to work one morning. Bad traffic, but he's trundling along in what they call the T3 (transit) lane - where only buses, bikes or cars with 3 or more people can run during peak hour traffic.
A station wagon in oncoming traffic must have got a "kind" break in the traffic, and made a dive across my mates' lane for the road she wanted to pull into just as my buddy was coming up on it.
No time to brake, must have been doing about 60 Km/H - he hit the car just near the C pillar - nuts into the tank, helmet into the roof - and spun like a top through the air and somhow landed on the clear road ahead - he flew over the car.
Needless to say, the bike was totalled, the car was also a write off - and there was a dent in the tank where his nuts slammed into it the size of a softball. :o
Apart from the expected lacerations, massively bruised nuts and sack full of blood, he was mostly OK. Fortunately for him, his helmet worked - and no other parts of his body really connected with the car.
those are some nuts!!
Glad you're okay. Collisions are scary things and posts like these are a good reminder to keep the gameface on in the cage. On behalf of the rest of the world, thanks for helping depopulate the roads of the dreaded PT menace!