Eliminating left turns from commute ... re: crackheads

[VStarRider]

I have ridden my bike to work about a dozen times so far this year.

In those dozen trips, particularly on the way home between 4-5pm, I have had two incidents with vehicles coming up behind me and an alarming rate of speed or have been tailgating, then go around me with inches to spare as I turn left or wait to turn left. Both of these events have occurred on similar roads...two lane, 50+ mph, narrow shouldered roads with heavy traffic.

The first event was a couple of weeks ago. I am waiting to turn left from a two-lane road with no traffic controls (just a stop sign for the traffic turning on to the road I am already on) and oncoming traffic. I have to signal, stop, and wait for an opening to make the left turn.

A Honda Pilot comes flying up behind me while I am waiting. I flash the brake light a couple of times to make sure they see me. That driver slows down and goes around me with enough room to spare. Still, it is unsettling watching a vehicle come up behind you at a high rate of speed while sitting there on a motorcycle, waiting to turn.

Today's event was worse. I am already speeding...going 55 mph in a 45 on the road I live on. A guy in an old, beat-up Mitsubishi Lancer comes flying up behind me and rides my ass for about a mile. I already do not feel comfortable. As I approach my house, I flash the brake light a couple of times to make sure this crackhead sees me, and then hope he cares. He veers right and looks to go around me even before I turn on my left signal. He re-centers in the lane. I have a ton of oncoming traffic as I get within 500 feet of my driveway, on the left side of the road. I signal and hug the centerline, as usual. The bastard hammers and goes flying around me, within inches of my right saddlebag.

Normally, I am a sedate guy. I am not confrontational in any way, shape or form, despite having the presence associated with being 6'1", 235 lbs. (6'3" with boots). Something boils my blood on a bike when cagers get careless around me.

After this nut does this maneuver, I turn off my signal, and fully open the throttle bodies of the flat-six, which roars to life as the big black F6B leans back on her haunches and hurls forward. I hurried my way through the first two gears at wide-open throttle. The crackhead saw I was coming fast but he made it through a yellow light at the next intersection before I could get his plate number.

I was enraged.

I am not putting myself at risk anymore with people like this. 99.9998% of drivers are NOT like this around here...they wait for riders, give us space, and are generally respectful of our vulnerability on two wheels. That being said, this type of thing seems to occur about once or twice per riding season...these events that, regardless of my training, protection, caution or bike's visibility, still present great danger.

I have therefore made the decision to eliminate left turns from my commute. Both of the spots above are "hot spots" and are the only truly vulnerable locations on my drive home (none in the morning). Avoid the left turn into my driveway requires "going around the block", and adds a couple of minutes to my ride home. Small price to pay for safety.

[Sorcerer]

Hate to tell you when you hug the center line you are inviting exactly what happened to you. Right , wrong, indifferent. Claim your lane fully or get passed in it. I learned that a long while ago.

[F6Bster]

Agree on crazy drivers. That being said, I think changing the route so that you avoid that left turn situation is a good idea. Could save your life.

There are many left turns to be avoided. I will often go a block or two to get to a traffic light when making a left turn on to a busy street or highway.

[VStarRider]

Hate to tell you when you hug the center line you are inviting exactly what happened to you. Right , wrong, indifferent. Claim your lane fully or get passed in it. I learned that a long while ago.

Interesting feedback. I will consider this. I have always thought the safest place to be was the centerline, to give cars who do not see you an option to avoid you at the last second instead of getting creamed.

However, by hugging the centerline, I wonder if I am making it worse by not only not establishing lane presence, but also by potentially blending into the oncoming traffic.

As for this specific situation, I do not think anything I would have done would have made a difference. He was determined to be an a-hole from the beginning.

[Dweisman429]

I agree with both. As I am riding down the road under normal circumstances I do prefer to hold toward the center line.
At left turns I take the entire lane. I even do this in my other vehicles as well.
There is a spot close to home where there is just enough room for one car to squeek past another if the lead car is over left. Regardless of what I'm driving...my bike or my truck pulling a trailer...I hold to the right so none of the clowns get the idea to try and pass

[Draxsr]

I've read articles that speak about bikes getting tickets for being on the left side of the lane while waiting for a left turn. Obviously it varies from state-to-state, but check this for an example of where you're required to get in the far left side of the lane: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.290

[olegoat345]

One of my best buddies says, "you get so many safe left turns in life. The rest you're taking your life in your hands."

[Cali261]

Just be glad you don’t live in California where everything is ass backwards. The guy on the motorcycle kicks at the car and the driver responds by trying to ram him into the wall. When all is said and done, the motorcycle guy gets booked. Keep in mind that the driver is in the carpool lane with no passenger which is illegal in California. In my mind he had the intent to engage. I can see the testimony, “Your honor, the defendant has prior Kung-fu training, and used said training, and exhibit “A” ( a size 9 boot) to terrorize my client, causing him to crash into a wall and initiate a chain reaction roll over crash”. If it pleases your Honor I would also like to introduce his socks as exhibits “B and C”.


I don’t know what transpired prior to this video or who is right or wrong, but it is not very often the guy on two wheels comes out on top.

http://abc7.com/arrest-made-in-14-fw...-rage/3154774/

[willtill]

Modifying your daily route to negate the vehicularly difficult "hot spots" is smart. Also, as mentioned by others; fully claim your lane in traffic. Though keep that forward egress point for yourself reachable, in case you need to scoot out of the way of a pending rear end collision.

In heavy traffic I do use hand signals frequently for a left (or right) hand turn if I'm still rolling; augments the signals and gives more visual cue to drivers whom are not really focusing on what that motorcycle is doing in front of them.

[3Chief]

It must be something in the air this time of year. I've noticed a distinct up tic in stupid by all parties involved. I got blitzed by another bike in my lane heading to work the other day, cagers of all varieties cannot seem to check a mirror or actually look where their going, 18 wheelers going full throttle in the right lane passing stopped traffic heading into a merge, Pre-holes driving up your hind end until they get in front of you then dropping to 10 under prevailing traffic in the left lane, the 30 second pause after a light turns green before moving, stopping 20' back of the stop line an wondering why the light won't turn and all the other stupidity I cannot begin to mention... We all make the occasional bone headed decision in traffic or don't see someone however it's becoming way more apparent to me that people flat don't care anymore and drive like their the only ones on the road.

Stay safe my friends, it's getting more and more dangerous out there.