Close call!

[SoulRider]

Well today after work i had an hour free before i had a team meeting. Dont worry i only went back because i get the hour back and there was pizza and drinks, need i say more.

Anyway i saw the weather and thought i'd go for a bit of a rag around and rape some nice bends, and get knee down on my fav round about during this hour. And i did, it was great fun, not as good as it could be due to the traffic but fun none the less.

I spend at least 15 mins doing figure of 8's round these two round abouts (only one of which is knee down possible as other has traffic lights, bumps ets). Seeing other bikes come and go and i get onto the bigger round about with traffic lights, all roads coming of here are one 40, one 50 and two 70. Now i will be honest i wasn't hanging around i was doing about 35-40 leaning tight around the round about. The lights turn green as i approach and im able to slip in front of the one car before he pulls away.

I flick my bike straight over and concentrate on following the inside round. As i come round up ahead is a junction from letchworth to A1, baldock etc and a women pulls out in a white car without looking, i realise shes done this and that she has stopped in the middle of the round about. Well i take it for granted she has seen me and adjust my course slightly to get through the small gap she has left me. Well this is where it turns nasty.

She then (still going round in my head why she did this) pulls forwards about another 2-3 feet leaving a gap barely big enough for a push bike to go through. Right im leant right over at about 35mph and have to stop, i straighten the bike up and release the throttle at the same time, then slam on the brakes lift my body weight onto the front of my bike holding myself up on my pegs and back brake.

All i can see is her staring in shock at me hurtling towards her, shes fixed and cant see anything else but me coming towards her. It started to hit me that im actually going to hit her car and if im lucky go over the bonnet. Some how im still not sure i try to turn at the last minute and the back wheel locks and slides around. In amazement ive stopped, inches from her car and running parallel to it. Well i can see shes clearly shocked and some how didnt see me both times, i shake my head at her a drive of. If i wasnt so surprised i managed to stop on my somewhat budget SV brakes i think she would have been in line for a lot of abuse. So i make another lap around, get a nod of agreement from one of the gardeners working on the flower beds and bugger of to the baldock lane for a bit of stress relief followed by relaxation.

Well i know you can say if i was going slower and wasnt leaning right over it could have been avoided completely, or i was very lucky and should learn a lesson from this (which i have and i know i was). I was visible, had my lights on and my can has no baffle so wasnt quiet. But most bikers on here know bikes are for enjoyment, we enjoy leaning them over and pushing them and matter of fact most accidents whether your fault or not can be avoided if either party had acted differently.

However ive got one thing to say that has really hit home.

Never take anyones actions on the road for granted, even if you think they have seen you.

Ride safe people and enjoy the good weather we've got
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My Bike Pics

[Jull]

That must of looked so cool!

Glad you missed her.

[Hetzer]

I've had people pull out on me on roundabouts more times than I can remember when I've been cranked over, and not once has it made me angry, even when I've had to come to a scary stop. As far as I've been concerned it's been mostly my fault. Just how observant are people supposed to be? Stop at every roundabout and think "Is there a bike coming around at 40mph, laid over on it's side?" It's hard enough for them to spot us when we're bolt upright and running lights in front of a neon vest.

The highway code is one thing, moral culpability is another. Try not to get the two confused.
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[iooi]

Should have tapped on her window, and said....

If you are that desperate to get a biker here's my number and we can get together some where a bit more seculded
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[SoulRider]

Yeah i can see your point hetz but you can see from the lights to that junction as its pretty clear and open.

Could have been partly why i acted the way i did and just drove of, still it does go to show that they can look but not see. Closest call ive had to hitting another car, was bit worrying at one point.
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My Bike Pics

[.....]

[instigator]

[SoulRider]

[.....]

[Essex_Mike]

I had a bitch in a fiesta pull out on a roundabout today, glad she kept going coz if she had braked when she saw me I may have embedded my bike through her. *Thanks brakes*

Glad ya missed her mate, must av been shit scary for ya
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CBT - Passed - 14/07/2006 Theory - Passed - 19/08/2006 A2 test - Passed -19/07/2007
Previous Bike - Suzuki EN125
Current Bike - Suzuki GS500F

[numpty]

If you could see her then she must have been able to see you. Sounds like you had a VERY lucky escape mate. Dont suppose she was blonde by any chance? (Flame?)
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Current bike: CBR600F-Y

[brianmcewan.co.uk]

Thank yourself lucky mate

Lesson learnt and all that shite
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Kawasaki Z1000 '05
Honda Fireblade 954 '03

[keyser soze]

and they wonder why you have to do the "E" stop on ya test.

i would say she was right as she was driving on the road but you thought it fun to use the road as a race track.