Survival Rule: Rights v. Lefts

[Spidey]

This weekend I was on Pacific Coast Highway in my cage when a motorcyclist blew the double yellow and came into my lane as I was entering the turn.  Luckily, I'd been going slow and was keeping an eye out for riders as it was the prime time and spot for a Sunday morn ride.  I was able to move the outside of the lane and brake without too much problem.  However, it reminded me of some sage advice from a racer buddy and local riding guru, Gary J.  I posted this on TOB before, so if you've seen it before, sorry for the derby. 

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-                                GOLDEN RULE:                                         -

ALWAYS limit yourself to taking "RIGHTHAND" corners, up in the twisties on two-lane backroads, at a MAXIMUM of 80% of the speed that you'd take an identical corner .... if it was a "LEFTHANDER".

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What's the logic?

Blow a "LEFTHAND" corner, and run 12" wide, and in most cases you'll find yourself running out to the shoulder of the road, or perhaps off into the dirt, etc. (excluding of course turns with Armco barriers immediately at the side of the pavement). A scare, maybe some scratched plastic, but often that's the extent of the punishment for your error.

Blow a "RIGHTHAND" corner and run wide by a mere 12", and you'll find 12" of you and your bike over the centerline of the road, and in the path of the approach of a 50MPH+, 3,000lb. (or more), cage. The fate of whether you live or die, at the moment you've crossed over that "LIFE-LINE" in the center of the road in a turn ....... is no longer in your hands. It's a roll of the dice at that point. If you lose ........... a lot of others lose with you (family, friends, others). The punishment for this seemingly "minor" (only running 12" wide, right?) error in a "RIGHTHAND" turn? ........ the ultimate penalty .... lights out!

So bottom line, the key to maximizing the odds of our survival while participating in the world of performance sportbike riding on the twisty backroads of the street, is to always maintain a solid cushion between what one "could' do (as far as corrnering speeds, etc.) and what one "actually does". Adding an additional 20% cushion on top of that already cardinal rule, for all "RIGHTHAND" turns, serves to stack the odds even higher in our favor.

As a final note, please take this "Right vs. Left" concept along with you on your next ride up Hwy 9, or whatever backroad that you may frequent. You, and everyone that cares about you, will be glad you did.

Submitted by Gary J

[r_ciao]

Thanks from a newbie.

[mossimo]

Thats great advice, I think we all have that in the back of our minds but it is never really spoken.   Good post

[COWBOY]

I posted this on TOB before, so if you've seen it before, sorry for the derby. 

Some posts you just don't tire reading.   Thanks for the derby and reminder.

[ScottRNelson]

Gary Jaehne first published that a couple of days after I had a potential close call with a truck hauling a trailer who was a couple of feet over the line coming towards me while I was in a tight turn.  I had just been thinking that I could probably take right turns a little bit faster when the truck came by and I was glad I was at a speed where I could still maneuver to the inside of the turn.

I had another similar experience a couple of weeks ago with a Dodge Ram truck exactly straddling the center line while I was in a blind right turn.  Apparently he was trying to give a bicycle rider plenty of room without thinking about motorcycles coming the other way.  If I had been in a four wheeled vehicle I'm sure I would have hit him, but on my ST2, I just tightened up my line a little bit and continued on my way.

I always wear the left side of my front tire off before the right side and I use Gary's article as a good excuse to continue that practice.

[Jetbrett]

For some reason, I like rights better than lefts.  I've always told myself that I'd make a practice of taking a blind right corner at no more than 60% of my ability.  Last week, that saved my life.  I was coming up a twisty mountain road....lots of 15mph turns on a great day.  On the last of the twisty part (why does stuff always happen on the last turn) I came around a corner and was face to face with 2 "oversized load" trucks coming down the mountain 3/4 of the way into my lane.  I had about 4 feet to work with.  Had I been pushing it, I'd be a hood ornament.  As it was, I was able to counter-steer a bit harder and run up the fog line with no problem.   [moto]

[somegirl]

I had another similar experience a couple of weeks ago with a Dodge Ram truck exactly straddling the center line while I was in a blind right turn.  Apparently he was trying to give a bicycle rider plenty of room without thinking about motorcycles coming the other way.  If I had been in a four wheeled vehicle I'm sure I would have hit him, but on my ST2, I just tightened up my line a little bit and continued on my way.

Unfortunately, a lot of drivers don't think twice about passing cyclists in blind corners on narrow roads, I see this way more often than I should.  I always take blind corners assuming that there may be something stopped in my lane ahead...but it's even worse when there is something coming towards me in my lane. 

[sugarcrook]

Maybe because I'm left-handed, and therefore superior to you right-handed heathens, but I have a much harder time staying in my lane with left-hand turns than with right-hand turns.  Sure, I'm a newblet and timid, but the difference between the two is staggering.  I tend to drift into the other lane. 

[Speeddog]

One of our SoCal'ers paid that price on July 4th. 

RIP Caleb.

[DesmoTull]

"The Pace" says that if your going around a turn on the street, and can't stay in your own lane, you need to slow it down.

Save it for the track. 

[Popeye the Sailor]

Maybe because I'm left-handed, and therefore superior to you right-handed heathens, but I have a much harder time staying in my lane with left-hand turns than with right-hand turns.  Sure, I'm a newblet and timid, but the difference between the two is staggering.  I tend to drift into the other lane. 

Take your left hand off the bars and stop fighting yourself