Drunk driver kills government employee sitting at stoplight

[Raux]

No comments about police.

Worst case scenario. driver coming up fast from behind you're sitting at a light.

what would you do?

see the topic on Eric Wells to read the story.

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=41574.0

[Desmostro]

I saw a similar scenario right in front of me. A 3.5 Ton SUV plowed into the back of the cyclist I just waved to.
 
I now lane split and sit between cars, even if there is an open lane. If the road is empty, I watch my rear view to make sure cars coming up from behind are braking. EVERY TIME
I never sit behind a car. No f'ing way.

The SUV driver I saw was piss drunk at 2PM. She plowed threw two cars and a motorcycle. That wave of bodies and metal missed me by about 16 inches. The cyclist was wearing full gear with A very good back protector and came out pretty OK. At the time however he flew over 40 feet in the air and landed unconscious. His bike was pancaked.      

A friend of mine was in another situation the same as this, saw it coming, jumped off and ran out of the way. He left withoutascratch and got a brand new bike out of it.

[dennisd]

I ALWAYS have my bike in gear at stops and try to watch the mirrors; at least until I have a cushion of a four wheel vehicle behind me that has come to a full stop but even then I still try to watch the traffic coming from behind.  There is no fool proof method but you must try to eliminate as many variables that you have at your control.  Ride defensively.  In the hundreds of thousands of miles I've ridden in my life I've had LOTS of really, really close calls but riding defensively at all times has really helped.  DAMM, I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

[duccarlos]

I stop at an angle and really close to the other lane. Watch in the rearview until a car slowly comes to a stop. Worse case scenario is that a car hits the rear wheel at an angle. Stop signs are my personal nightmare or turning into a street with no light, specially after a hill. I always worry about someone speeding over the hill and not having enough time to slow down.

[ducatiz]

I would just die.  I know at some point I'll get run over by some stupid pregnant dog driving a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna yapping on her phone and yelling at her kids in the back seat.

I hate minivan-moms.

[muskrat]

I constantly check my rear view mirrors at all intersections and like some here stay in gear and plot my escape route just in case. 

[Bigbore4]

No comments about police.

Worst case scenario. driver coming up fast from behind you're sitting at a light.

what would you do?

see the topic on Eric Wells to read the story.

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=41574.0

Nicely stated, I had just finished reading the article and was so pissed I wasn't thinking.

I stop at an angle and really close to the other lane. Watch in the rearview until a car slowly comes to a stop. Worse case scenario is that a car hits the rear wheel at an angle. Stop signs are my personal nightmare or turning into a street with no light, specially after a hill. I always worry about someone speeding over the hill and not having enough time to slow down.

I favor one stripe or the other, and allow enough room to make the cut.  I sure as hell aint perfect, but I try very hard to watch the mirrors diligently while stopped.  Stupid effing drivers in MN, don't dare split, they don't watch and some will try to block you.

[redxblack]

I keep the bike in gear, at a slight angle and watch my mirrors until the car behind me stops fully. And then I hope the light changes quickly so I might ride on.

[WhiteStripe]

I tend to 'strobe' my brakes in heavy commuting traffic to get some attention, and have always pointed my bike away from the car in front thinking its beeter to get pushed and thrown then sandwiched

My biggest fear commuting in Boston traffic

[Bill in OKC]

I got rear ended at a stoplight a few years back.  I was wearing a jacket with a race hump on the upper back - OK I don't race.  I learned that it works like a headrest - the bottom of the helmet bumped the top of the hump and *possibly* or probably kept me from getting whiplash.  My head would only go back so far and I could feel the jacket pushing down from my helmet.

[Desmostro]

...  Stupid effing drivers in MN, don't dare split, they don't watch and some will try to block you.

An ahole driving a Suburban tried to squash me once. I honked - no response- I knocked on his window while we were going 35 and he was still moving on top of me - no response...

Fist to his side mirror, taking it off the door, he swerved away.

It's amazing how polite people get when they realize it's not a video game and they are in easy access of armourd gloves.
   

[Bigbore4]

An ahole driving a Suburban tried to squash me once. I honked - no response- I knocked on his window while we were going 35 and he was still moving on top of me - no response...

Fist to his side mirror, taking it off the door, he swerved away.

It's amazing how polite people get when they realize it's not a video game and they are in easy access of armourd gloves.
   

I like your style.

[Raux]

but back on topic. how would that attitude help you if you were sitting at a light and a drunk driver was barreling down the road behind you?

[Bigbore4]

but back on topic. how would that attitude help you if you were sitting at a light and a drunk driver was barreling down the road behind you?

You're right it does not.

Back on topic:
In addition to my earlier post, like others stated I never sit at a stop in neutral.  Always ready to bail out. Watch the mirrors, hug one side or the other, never centered and right on the bumper ahead.  Wear the helmet.

I would really love one of them strobes to cycle the lights and just not have to even sit there, but pretty sure that would be trouble.
 

[krolik]

The 5 Seeing Habits will save your life.

I got this from UPS, they constantly drill us on this. UPS didn't come up with them, but they do work.

The pneumonic phrase to remember them is "All Good Kids Love Milk."

This link explains them pretty well.

 [moto]
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Five-Seeing-Habits-of-Safe-Driving&id=1751763