Pulled up and stopped at a red light at an intersection at the top of a hill this morning....in the right 1/3 of my lane. (near the R shoulder)
I'm first vehicle, waiting. Shrubs and house to my right.
The intersection is two 45mph shoulder-less country roads that have spread to 4 lanes, ea. direction. (16 lanes at the light)
I'm turning right onto, & from, this 45mph country road.
I check the traffic ahead of me (cars turning) and watch left until all cars have passed or stopped, then my light goes green.
All clear.
I swing my head back straight ahead & begin my right turn, rolling on the throttle moderately - and there is a woman on a bicycle 3 or 4 feet in front of me turning into me, while her husband, also on a bike, is in front and turning into me on my right. The woman screams a bit, just clears me on the left as she turns into me, against traffic.
Wife in front, passing to the left of my scooter, husband trying for room on my right.
It was all so quick that I could not describe what the woman was wearing - I swerved right and there was husband with a worried look on his face as he was hoping to clear me and still avoid the gravel on the shoulder.
These roads they were riding a bike down have no shoulder. It is a narrow high speed country road, spreading to 4 lanes near the intersection (posted 45 then 55 - cars go 60+) They were on the wrong side of the road, and were making a turn also against traffic. The woman was so out of control of her bike she was going through a red light and trying to pass in front of the stopped vehicle AND turn into them! Me.
It was over so quickly and there was no area out of the traffic flow or a good way to circle back through 16 lanes of traffic to have a chat with them - that we all 3 just carried on in our directions.
I learned another lesson: Though I have not seen a person ride a bike on this road in 20 yrs ...Allways check to the right before turning right - no matter where you are! I always check in town for a skate boarder or bike coming down the sidewalk....but not out in the country.
Since I heard her scream over the sound of my scooter revving & while wearing a full helmet, I'm pretty sure they might have learned a lesson. I know I did.
A sunny Sunday morning bike ride. All 3 of us and our vehicles missed a good chance to get scratched up pretty good.
Geez
Stig
