glad I practiced swerving

[s44678]

Read on another thread a while back something about practicing swerving with a pillion because it feels different and might just save your ass So I figured as I new rider I could do a bit of that the same reasons, so been practicing lobbing it about on quiet roads.

Well it came in handy on Saturday afternoon when I had as close a call as I'm likely to get without ending up on the tarmac. Riding on a tight country road through a village, round a blind right hander and a car had come out of a concealed driveway on the right, he was turning left but had swung his massive silver Jag right out and was in my lane. So without thinking I pulled off the mother of all swerves and managed to avoid him. Dont think I would have stopped in time although I cant be sure. I was shaken up but pretty pleased that I managed to swerve it instinctively. Got away with that one big time

Do you use up a biker life or something with things like that?

[B_A_B]

Country lanes suck...i hate them.

I had something similar happen on one of my many close calls.....approached a tight blind bend so slowed right down like i always do but just as i was going into it a fuckin bmw popped up doing a fair speed but he`d cut the corner bigtime and was in MY side of the road......dickhead!!..crazy cunt didn`t even try to get back in his own lane either so i ended up having to swerve off the road and ride along a bumpy ditch.Luckily i stayed on.
If id`ve gone into that corner like i do with most others on normal roads i don`t think i`d be here now.
Good job i`m paranoid really and always expect the worst to happen

[s44678]

Yeah I was going pretty slowly as well, any faster and I probably would have swerved into the ditch or hit him. Going to be extra cautious now and pretty much expect the same thing to be happening round every corner.

Some people (like your BMW driver) seem to take the national speed limit on country roads as a challenge to get up to 60. Theres now way that speed is safe on roads like that.

[fortknoq]

That's interesting. I'm looking to get into biking (before Oct ). Planning to take DAS (Did CBT two years ago, did nothing since, expired and forgot altogether ).

I'd mainly be commuting into London...looking at this post, just wondering whether there are other manoeuvres/tactics/approaches, new and experienced riders, have pro-actively performed that have improved their ability and responses?

[petemell]

Swerving round something can be better than just slamming the brakes on. Banging the brakes on could cause a skid and then lose control.

A decent swerve and you stay in control while dodging the object, don't know if you could practice it though.

[bs16]

Interestingly enough the new test includes a swerve component.

Having done the DAS recently and having looked into the new test a bit deeper I now believe that the new test does have some benefits, or rather it would do if there were going to be enough Test Centres ready in time

[Biker101]

Well done, unlike in a car it can be better to swerve on a bike

Plus, its those split second moments when your inches from serious injury that make biking so much fun, dont you think?
____________________
Past: 06 Runner SP50 >>> 01 Varadero XL125 >>> 08 Kwak ER-6f >>> 05 CBR600rr
Present: 99 FZS600 Fazer

[Noxious89123]

What i tend to do is brake as hard as i can, then release the brakes and change course.

[s44678]