I was driving back from Florida with my wife today, cruise control set at 78 mph on my chevy truck in the right hand lane somewhere in S Carolina. I see this dude merging lazily on to the interstate on an ultra off an on ramp and move over to the left lane to give him room. As he's merging, I glance in my rear view mirror and see a little white sedan coming up behind me at a very high rate of speed (well over 100 mph). The biker never turns his head to check oncoming traffic and now is moving onto the right lane of the highway. I don't see the sedan slowing down and as I'm thinking " you aren't going to do that are you!!", the idiot in the car swings around me onto the right lane with the biker no more than a cars length ahead of me. I slam on my bakes to give the idiot room to swerve over infront of me instead of taking the biker out and he swings infront of me and around the biker with literally no room to spare. I cursed up a blue streak for about 10 miles and the dude on the ultra never realized how close he came to meeting his maker. The first inclination he had was when the white sedan blew by him and he continued to motor down the highway on his Sunday ride.

 

Good that nothing went bad. I'll start with that. That being said, if I ever pull out into the highway without making sure I'm not about to be run down, don't grieve for me.

 

As for the biker never turning his head to check oncoming traffic, this is quite common among riders who use their rearview mirrors primarily especially if they are wearing helmets or goggles that seriously limit their peripheral vision. Good for you for looking out for the biker.

 

You saved the rider's life; today. If that's his normal MO, he'll wind up as a link in one of the news story threads about motorcycle fatalities.

 

Good deed done for the day....

 

This makes me think about how mwny times I read where someone gets on their bike to clear their head, I do just the opposite, I clear my head before getting on my bike.

Riding a motorcycle requires full attention and having your head on a swivel at all times, good for you that you were watching out for the rider, he may have been clearing his head (as opposed to riding).

 

Sounds like the guy on the bike merged into a clear lane. The idiot in the white sedan was in the left lane.

 

Unfortunately, these types of riders are what is common around here. No safety gear, no turn signals, and when they have them, they are diminutive, usually incorporated into the license plate frame or some other part of the bike where you can't see them. They ride 20-30 MPH over the speed limit with no regards for their safety or the safety of those around them. And of course, they have to roll on the gas repeatedly while stopped at a light.

I must be getting old.

 

The white sedan broke the laws that turned the situation dangerous. The biker could have done better looking around, but the OPs truck also might have been blocking the riders view since the sedan was in the left lane until the last moment. Kind of sounds like the sedans view was blocked as well. Which is why passing to the right of traffic is dangerous.

I agree with the poster who said bikers wearing helmets tend to turn their heads less and rely more on their mirrors. My full face helmet requires a lot more head turn to see traffic. I was surprised to learn of how many motorcyclist are hit while making a U-Turn because they simply don't turn their head around. It's a lot.

Thinking about this situation, it could have been me. My philosophy is get to a faster speed than the traffic I'm merging into because it's easier to slide over into a space without disrupting the other traffic than forcing traffic to slow down to let me in. While I try to glance over and get an idea of traffic on the highway as I'm speeding up the ramp, I'm not sure I would have detected a car going that fast. Very dangerous. I'm glad the OP was that riders guardian angel.

Beary

 

There was a thread not about close call but something else, maybe mirrors related some months ago? Was a mod stated he never turned his head as I remember? Thought it stupid at the time and hope none of the more junior riders thought the tool was being a positive influence. ALWAYS turn head no matter what any time changing lanes/merging.