Please read this and think about what others have said about Clutch, Safe distance, and leaving yourself an out.

U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant David Smith Survives Against All Odds
When David Smith was more than 30 minutes late coming home, his fiancée Vanessa Potts grew concerned. She unsuccessfully called his cell phone and then sent her father to retrace David’s usual route home. That’s when the phone rang and a Palomar Medical Center (PMC) social worker told her David had been brought to the Trauma Center.
It was July 31, 2011, and U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant David Smith was returning home from a haircut. Sitting on his motorcycle at a red light one block from home in Rancho Bernardo, David was rear-ended in a horrifying and senseless mid-day crash.
Her father drove Vanessa to PMC to be with David, who she planned to marry in October.
“I felt so helpless, seeing him and not knowing if he would live or what the future would hold,” Vanessa says.
While David was on life support, Vanessa made the emotional decision to postpone – not cancel – their wedding, which had been scheduled for October 8. And then, she waited for a hopeful sign that David would come back to her.
“My first glimpse of hope was about 24 hours later when he blinked is eyes,” Vanessa says. “It was still a few more days before he started moving anything, first the fingers on his right hand. I kept hoping that he would continue to improve, but I knew he had a hard fight ahead.”
David remembers waking up after neurosurgery on August 9 and being confused.
“The last thing I remembered was slowing for the red light,” David says. “I was confused because I could see tubes in my nose and mouth. I couldn’t feel my left leg.”
Then he saw Vanessa and his commanding general at his hospital bed.
“Three things kept me going, kept me working to get better even though doctors didn’t know if I would ever walk again,” David says. “First, I was getting married in October and I wasn’t about to let Vanessa down. I was going to be there.”
“Second, my daughter Kaitlyn. I have her name tattooed over my heart so she is always close to me.”
“And, my Marines. They were there for me, like they were always there for me in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am part of them and always will be.”
After David had neurosurgery to stabilize his cervical spine, he took his first steps. Each day, with physical therapy, he walked more.
“He became a little celebrity,” Vanessa says. “People would stop by to watch him walk. We ran into Dr. Marcisz in the elevator one day and he was surprised to see David standing upright so soon.”
“The doctors and nurses were wonderful because they kept me informed at every step,” Vanessa says. “Everyone made sure I never felt left out. I talked with David’s doctors everyday and the nurses always let me know what procedures they were doing for him.”
“The entire staff at PMC is amazing, from saying a cheerful good morning to knowing exactly what to do,” David says. “Dr. Marcisz is an angel. What he can do with his hands is incredible.”
“I still get cards from all over the country,” David says. “That’s why I’m still here, to tell people: ‘don’t give up hope. Even when it’s really bad, you have the chance it will get better. Do everything to the best of your ability.’”

The rest of the story...
The driver whose SUV allegedly rear-ended a motorcycle in Rancho Bernardo on Sunday afternoon is facing two felony charges that could become three felonies if the motorcyclist dies, police said.
Jessica Bloom, 21, was arrested at her apartment on the 11200 block of Paseo Montanoso in Rancho Bernardo shortly after the 12:32 p.m. Sunday accident near the Bernardo Center Drive and West Bernardo Drive intersection, according to San Diego Police Traffic Division’s incident log.
Bloom, driving a white Chevy Blazer, was reportedly traveling eastbound on the 16100 block of Bernardo Center Drive when the SUV allegedly accelerated and rear-ended a motorcycle driven by David Smith, a 35-year-old Marine, according to police.
The motorcycle was pushed into the intersection and Smith was thrown from it, according to the report. Bloom left the scene after stopping and getting out of her vehicle, according to the report, which noted there were witnesses.
Smith was taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido with major head trauma and a lacerated liver and spleen. Traffic Det. Dan Wall said Monday afternoon the victim was listed in “grave” condition due to his head injury.
For now, Bloom could be charged with felony hit and run and felony driving while intoxicated (alcohol). “If he dies, it’s vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence,” Wall said.
Her quick arrest was due to witnesses who followed Bloom from the accident scene, Wall said. “I’m proud of them,” he added.
“People who watched the accident followed to her apartment and waited for police to arrive and take her into custody,” Wall said. “I wish everybody would do it. It helps us out a heck of a lot.”
While appreciative of the assistance, Wall added civilians need to make their safety first priority.
“Don’t put yourself in jeopardy or peril by driving 100 miles per hour (to follow someone),” he said. “In this case, they kept a reasonable distance and did not put themselves in jeopardy. That’s fine.”

http://www.10news.com/news/woman-ple...injured-marine

Please stay alert and aware of what is going on ALL around you! Stay Safe!

 

Usually I'm shifting in neutral as I'm rolling up to a red light. If I think its gonna change soon, I'll drop it down to first and hold clutch. Maybe a little off-topic, but while I don't fixate on what's behind me, I can say I always stop in the inside lane of a double left when applicable.

 

I'm a clutch guy, but if I can tell it's going to be a long light then I'll shift it in neutral. Generally by then I've got a few cars stacked up behind me and I'm not as worried about getting run over.

 

Clutch always.

 

Exactly what I was going to say.

 

Depends on the circumstances.

 

I avoided certain death about 4 years ago by being ready. I was at a red light, no car in front of me and an SUV on my right. It was a t-road so no traffic was coming from my left. A semi was coming up behind me fast in my lane. I could hear his empty grain trailer hopping because he'd slammed on his brakes trying to stop. I popped my clutch and swerved into the edge of the intersection in front of the SUV. The semi did get stopped but the cab was past where I'd been sitting. Had I not been ready to react I wouldn't be here today.

 

1st gear, clutch, and sometimes front or rear brake depending on the grade of the road. Neutral is just a pain in the ***.

 

On my new 2012 SG I normally have to tap it up and down four or so times to get it to quit passing and stick into neutral so in an effort of saving myself the grief I just keep it in first with clutch in.

 

Always have it in 1st while I am stopped. No telling when someone will come flying up on you while they are on their cell phone/not paying attention then BAM. I ride like all the cagers are trying to kill me, been riding since 99 so far I am fortunate.