After the second one I just said, "Lord, just get me home"

Twice today, I narrowly missed having collisions. It sure sacred me.

The first one, was kinda my fault. I was just cruising down Veteans Parkway, here in Columbus, and saw brake lights coming on in traffic in front of me. Several cars were up there turning right into Lowe's. I figured they'd just do a slow turn, we had the green light, but all of a sudden the traffic stopped. Oh shet. I hit the brakes, felt the rig start to slide, drifting to the left, as side cars are prone to do. I was sliding up toward the car in front of me and wasn't stopping fast enough, so I barely released the front break, got some traction and got the rig stopped. After stopping, my front tire was to the left of the car and the hack was about 2 inches from the rear. Man, that was close and really scared me.

The second one, was not my fault and how I missed the car can only be the work of the Lord. On this one, I had just gased up at Sam's ($4.04 a friggin gallon) and was on my way home. The road was two lanes of traffic going in the dame direction and I was in the left lane. A guy in a UPS truck was in the right lane and was stopping to turn right into Circuit City. I had planned continue on and pass him on his left - when all of a sudden and pickup truck coming out of the Circuit City parking lot crossed in front of the UPS guy, and me, and turned left in front of us. I never saw the pickup, the UPS truck blocked my vision. I guess the cage thought the UPS truck was being polite and waiting for him to get out of the way. The UPS guy was stopped to turn right, but I wasn't. When I saw that pickup cross my lane in front of me, it scared me and again, adrenaline kicked in and I hit the brakes and was sliding leftward, into the rear of the pickup. I thought my luck had run out, but saw the pickuo accelerate and get out of the way. I'm glad the pickup hit the gas, or it would have not been good. Even as he accelerated, I didn't think I was going to be able to avoid contact.

When I got home, I parked the rig for the day and took my cage to the grocery store. I figured, 3 strikes and your out. I already have two strikes on me.

But tomorrow is a new day.


Lessons I learned (re-learned)

1- Keep your mind and eye on the traffic, be prepared to stop - even when you don't think you'll have to.

2- On a 2 lane road, if you're in the left lane and someone else is stopped in the right lane, watch out for a third vehicle pulling
out in front him, and you.

3- Think the Lord for every day you ride and return safely!

Humbled Hack

 

Oops, what am I doing? Must have clicked on something by mistake.

Hack

 

Glad you weren't hurt there buddy. We can all learn from other's experiences.

 

Sounds like you may have needed a fresh pair of "fruit of the looms"
Flad to hear you made it home in one piece.

 

You are so right, the good Lord was looking out for you as he does for all of us, glad your ok. That is a big problem when along side Vans and Trucks, people can't see you and unfortunately, you can't see them. I guess one has to assume that someone is going to be stupid when they can't see and be prepared to stop. Isn't there any way to prevent the hack from pulling you off a straight line? That would sure scare the health right out of me. Seems like the brakes aren't braking evenly and could be adjusted to pull straight. Just a thought.

 

Whoeee and both in the same day. I don't blame you for parking and revisting the moment on 4 wheels. Glad you came out okay.

While one should always be vigilant on 2 wheels, when on a sidecar one never seems to be able to glean that from time to timemoment of relaxing as compared to being on 2 wheels.

As expressed on another thread I was 10 miles from home at the end of a long day of sidecar riding. I had traveled about 385 miles, was 10 miles from home and almost got tboned at a high rate of speed (not me speeding it was the would be tboner). Kinda took the joy out of the days successful and educating ride. It was in no way my fault in any capacity. What upset me even more was as the car flew by I glanced at himand he looked like one of the many many many illegal aliens in the area. While the highways present there own voilatilities, I'll take my chances with the polite 18 wheelers and the 40-50 mph winds then the inner city crazies anytime.

They ought to change North Carolina's name to North Mexico.

 

Hack brakes - don't have any. I don't have the use of my right leg, so I don't even use the rear brake on the bike. That was one of the major factors in my getting a RK to attach the hack to, The RK has dual front disk brakes. I really liked the Heritage Springer, but shied away because it only had one front disk brake.

When I'm not taken by surprise, I have no problem keeping the rig going straight during a stop.

Like so many bikers know, you've got to be almost paranoid in your defensive riding. But every now and then, I get taught a lesson, like the day this thread is about.

The worst lesson was when the guy ran the red light and hit me, resulting in the lose of my right leg, above the knee. Man, if I had my knee, I wouldn't have near the difficulties. And I definitely don't want to go there again. It'll soon be 5 years since the wreck, time flies.

Oh well, can't change the past, got the make the best of the future - right, grimm.

Hack

 

This might cost and couple of dollars but since you don't use the rear brake, Have the rear brake work off your front brake as well. There is a lot of weight behind your that passing you and I had wonder why you slide side ways when braking.
&nbsp\\; Driving 18's years ago on ice or snow we would pull on the trailer brakes to get the rig to slow down. if we went for the front brakes and the trailer brakes were weak then the rid would slide to the right.
&nbsp\\; But I would use that rear brake also on your ride with the hand controls.

 

The brakes in front got me once also , I didn't see the car on the right.&nbsp\\; Bike went down , the regular bent stuff , 5 stitch arm cut/scrape .