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Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:21 am Posts: 243 Location: N GA USA
A few weeks ago, I was riding the 650F home from work around 0730, enjoying the cool air- nice clean two lane roads all 23 miles. As I rounded a blind right-hand sweeper a little fast (50mph), a parked phone company van came into view, covering most of my lane. No oncoming, so just a slow down and a swing wide- except for the crazy phone guy who was freaking out, that is. He was frantically waving his arms over his head and stepping into the LEFT LANE in front of me. I managed to miss the fool without incident, but have been "a bit wary" of that corner since then. This morning, same spot, same time, I get halfway around the curve when a semi-flatbed, loaded with agricultural supplies, popped into wiew blocking my entire lane. Worse, a forklift was unloading the trailer, perpendicular to it, and blocking all but maybe two feet of the other lane, and traffic was stopped behind it. Panic stop, and I didn't think I'd make it. I adjusted my trajectory towards the ditch (and fence) on the left, but fortunately got almost stopped when I was even with his rear wheel, right on the edge of asphalt. No flagman, no signs, not even a traffic cone or two, and the idiot glared at me! While I felt I should have yelled something appropriate as I passed, I was just happy to be in one piece, and simply motored off. I did stop down the road to call the local police (a humiliation in itself, believe me), so they knew about the situation there. Anyway, I wish I knew who that phone guy was, so I could buy him a beer- I think he actually saved my ass.
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2008 7:45 pm Posts: 952 Location: The Netherlands
Blind corners.... always nice! I had a nice experience on my weekend. Thought it would be a good idea to change gear on feeling without looking at the gear indicator. So at 100 kph I accidentally switch to 2nd gear without match revving. So at 100kph my real wheel started skidding. If thats not a adrenaline rush I dont know what is
I hope you have informed the state police of the idiots blocking the road around a blind turn.... And per the MSF, always expect the unexpected. Slow down, shift down and cover your brake if you can't see over a rise or around a turn to give you a minimum of 2 seconds to react. I've run into similar when turning into where I live, a right in/ right out only intersection. where you can't see into the intersection on the "in" side. Some clueless soccer mom decided that was a good place to do a U-turn....Our biggest problem here though heading into the fall hunting season are the deer running out of the woods. 50K hits per year in PA, second only to West VA. Just never know, have to keep scanning ahead, and as I've learned look for movement in the woods.
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:21 am Posts: 243 Location: N GA USA
Yeah, we have plenty of deer here in Georgia, and they are my arch enemy (have hit two in cages). I generally keep 2 fingers on the brake (except on the super slab) and strive to remain situationally aware, or else I'd be probably not be living right now. Nightly internet gaming improves visual acuity and fast decision making abilities, and translates to riding/driving quite well, but they don't teach you that at MSF, lol.
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 7:01 am Posts: 355 Location: Gosford, NSW, Australia
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I managed to miss the fool without incident, but have been "a bit wary" of that corner since then.
No flagman, no signs, not even a traffic cone or two, and the idiot glared at me! While I felt I should have yelled something appropriate as I passed, I was just happy to be in one piece, and simply motored off. I did stop down the road to call the local police (a humiliation in itself, believe me), so they knew about the situation there.
