Hit or Be Hit

[stormi]

The semi was starting to merge into my  lane, right behind the minivan I was behind!  I honked the horn, and waved my arms, trying to get the guy's attention.  Again, he looked directly at me, and kept moving.

Because he his needs are more important than yours, and he knew he could force you to do what he wanted.

Unfortunately, a small minority of truck drivers make the rest of them look bad.  Every occupation should police the ethics and behavior of their own kind out of professional pride.

I'm not sure he -actually- saw me.  He looked at me, we made eye contact, but I think the brain wasn't attached to the eyes.  Maybe he had a fight with his wife earlier, or he was running late and thinking of other things.  

The thing about it, is that if I hadn't moved, and if the guy in the pickup hadn't seen and let me in, he would have killed me.  There are no two ways about that.  How would he have gotten what he "wanted" if he had an accident to contend with?  As I hear it, may drivers are automatically fired if they get into an accident, their fault or no.

My destination that day?  Meet the other half, who used to work for his parents' trucking company.  He wasn't too happy either, and encouraged the phone call to the trucking company.

[Sven]

I'm not sure he -actually- saw me....

I read your post to mean that he *did* see you, but it's kind of you to give him the benefit of the doubt.  But the evidence of the issues you mentioned leads me to still conclude that he was confident you would yield, and he didn't expect you to do something unlikely, like fail to take action to avoid getting killed.

[stormi]

I'm not sure he -actually- saw me....

I read your post to mean that he *did* see you, but it's kind of you to give him the benefit of the doubt.  But the evidence of the issues you mentioned leads me to still conclude that he was confident you would yield, and he didn't expect you to do something unlikely, like fail to take action to avoid getting killed.

You're probably right.  I just prefer to think that the people I'm on the road with, especially the professional ones don't have homicidal tendencies.  Somehow, incompetence bothers me less than maniacal...

[Red01]

What I figured happened in my case (and maybe in stormi's?) was the driver was looking for a cage before moving over. A motorcyclist doesn't even register in their brain because they aren't looking for something that small.

Imagine what it'd be like to drive a go-kart in a traffic situation.

[stormi]

Very possible.  Or a situation of look but don't see.

[Sven]

Very possible.  Or a situation of look but don't see.

Like the woman I work with who drove to work ahead of me this morning, waving at me several times.  I only noticed her when we STOPPED at a light.  I don't look AT cars, but not INTO them unless the driver's behavior makes me think they are unreliable...like drifting* while talking on a cell phone.

*not to imply drifing as in the racing sport, but as in inattentive driving.  Although seeing someone race-drift while on a cell phone, or even better, while drinking VERY hot coffee, would be interesting!

[rmtcook]

Am I the only one who's majority of close calls are due to his/her own stupidity? I find that most of the time I find myself staring at the broadside of a cage (or a fence, or a tree) it is due to one of the following:
A. Busy looking at scenery
B. Going too fast for conditions
C. Riding beyond my ability
My most memorable accident was on a 1976 Honda XL250. I ran smack into the back of parked car about 1/2 mile from home because I was looking at something in my neighbors yard! Luckily I was 19 at the time and flexible, so I didn't get hurt. My forks and engine case weren't so lucky.  

[Sven]

Am I the only one who's majority of close calls are due to his/her own stupidity?

Oh *hell* no!

I've done the "took a curve too fast and braked (broke?) too late and slid off the road" thing.  Me no hurt, but had a little issues with fairings.

My first *real* lesson, in my first season as a rider, was that whole "you drive where you look" lesson:

I was looking at the trees as I rode past them and then rode off the road.  Not into a tree, just into the grass.  It was a VERY slow slide off the pavement, and did minimal damage to the bike, but I ended up with a  broken thumb (Bennett's fracture, from not letting go of the handlebars as I went over), which required that I ride an hour home with extreme pain (shifting was hell).  I didn't know it was broken, but  I knew something was wrong when I spent a hot August afternoon laying on the sofa, shivering, watching an *Adam Sandler* movie.

I ended up having surgery (yes, it was full nudity and anesthesia), with a series of three casts and two pins (which were later removed but I still have them), and I lost two months of riding weather.   A few days after I got the cast off, it was off for our first fall vacation.  Man, *that* was challenging.

So not only did I take to riding a little late in life, but it resulted in my first broken bone and my first cast and my first surgery.  And you know, the experiences were *almost* worth it all.

[Red01]

Am I the only one who's majority of close calls are due to his/her own stupidity?

Oh *hell* no!

+1

But in this thread we're pointing fingers at cage drivers.  

[ZenMan]

Your mined can be as sharp as a trap or like Zenman's

At least I know how to spell "mind".    

   

[Red01]

Your mined can be as sharp as a trap or like Zenman's

At least I know how to spell "mind".    

   

  Hey! I'm the vulture around here.  

I think he's still stuck in his USN/USCG mindset.
. . . you know, where harbors are mined.  

[ZenMan]

Your mined can be as sharp as a trap or like Zenman's

At least I know how to spell "mind".    

   

  Hey! I'm the vulture around here.  

I think he's still stuck in his USN/USCG mindset.
. . . you know, where harbors are mined.  

Considering the big capital "CWO4GUNNER" letters, his avatar, and the 2-3 times a day he reminds us about his 30 years in the USN/USCG and how it taught him everything there is to know about everything, I tend to agree.  

[CWO4GUNNER]

[Sven]

Your mined can be as sharp as a trap or like Zenman's

At least I know how to spell "mind".

And you've mined, or minded a three-week-old typo?  Man, you need a job!

[ZenMan]

Your mined can be as sharp as a trap or like Zenman's

At least I know how to spell "mind".

And you've mined, or minded a three-week-old typo?  Man, you need a job!

And you need to mind your own bizness.