Left Turner Almost Got Me

[fshfindr]

I was coming home after a short ride.  I was at a stop sign with a pickup going in the opposite direction.  He did not have a signal on and did not look like he was ready to turn.  He was sitting there talking to his passenger.  I started to move forward but hit the brakes hard when he started his left turn.  He was looking into his turn the way we would.  He only saw me when the passenger pointed to me.  It would have been about a 10 mph collision.  I'm sure he read my lips through the full face helmet, but could not hear me.  I guess that's why the left turners don't see us.  They are looking into the turn and not in front of them.   

Richard L.

[Hoolander2]

Stopped at a stop sign and he didn't notice you stopped opposite him???  How can you NOT notice a vehicle opposite, even a scooter!  That's being unobservant in the extreme.  Either that or he saw you and just didn't care. 

Anyway, glad you were the observant one and avoided the crash! 

[ScooterWolf]

Glad to hear you're okay too. Samething almost happened to me and my wife this summer by a pick-up truck. He was pulling out of a parking lot a restaurant on the left side of the road. We were coming up the road to his right, so were were on the far right lane. I don't remember if he had his turn signal on, but just as we were about to pass him he accelerated out of the parking lot, across the left lane and into ours in an attempt to turn left. I hit our brakes, hit the horn and swerved to the far right side of our lane as my wife and I glared at him. He got the message and slammed on the brakes with an astonished look. Either he clearly didn't see us, or was shocked that we had to audacity to not let him in when we clearly had the right of way.

Since that day I've always covered my horn when I see any kind of vehicle at an intersection, driveway or road set to come into my the lane I'm riding on.

Thanks for sharing and glad to hear you're fine.

-Wolf

[fshfindr]

I'm trying to get into the horn habit too.  I don't know if it will do any good.  We just have to be ever vigilant.  I have learned that it is crazy out there.

Richard L.

[CommuterScooter]

I'm a horn and passing flasher person also.  I'm always on the lookout for someone to pullout in front of me.  Anytime I see a potential I cover my horn and passing flasher.  I use the flasher the most and will often times give a couple of quick flashes of the high beams to alert someone of my presence.  I know it has saved me several times for people who either didn't see me or were miss judging the distance I was at and thinking they had more time to pull out then the did.

[blue]

thats when my road rage comes out of me and wish I had a billy club with me at times.
id be taken out some tail lights and mirrors.

[ScooterWolf]

My worries with the flasher is that it may give someone the idea that you're telling them to pull out in front of you, unless you use the horn together without slowing down. Anyway, I've always been afraid to use it as it may give mixed signals to a rider.

-Wolf

[cochris]

Having ridden for 40 years I am constantly surprised by the lack of perception drivers have.  I have blaze orange on the front of my motorcycle and the headlight is always on and I still get disrespected. 

I have found that looking into the drivers face for some indication of engagement and more importantly looking at the front wheels of the car.  If the wheel starts to rotate grab the brakes.  Trust no one.

keep safe

[fshfindr]

I think you can forget about looking into his face.  He looks but does not see.  The tires may be an indication, but I just assume that he will come at me.  That's why I kept my eyes on him and covered my brakes.

Richard L.

[CommuterScooter]

My worries with the flasher is that it may give someone the idea that you're telling them to pull out in front of you, unless you use the horn together without slowing down. Anyway, I've always been afraid to use it as it may give mixed signals to a rider.

-Wolf

I haven't heard of this unspoken rule before.  Has anybody else heard of this?  If this is some big "rule" I'm violating, please let me know before I kill myself. 

[DoubleSC]

I haven't heard of this unspoken rule before.  Has anybody else heard of this?  If this is some big "rule" I'm violating, please let me know before I kill myself. 

Yeah, I've heard of it.    Not as a "rule", but every once in a while I've seen it. 
Same goes for momentarily dimming/turning off one's lights.

[fshfindr]

Yes, where you both are at a stop sign, a blink of the high beams means, "you go".  A flash back is, "thank you".  Always been that way here in the states.

Richard L.

[CommuterScooter]

Yes, where you both are at a stop sign, a blink of the high beams means, "you go".  A flash back is, "thank you".  Always been that way here in the states.

Richard L.

That makes sense for the above and I've probably done it myself.  I guess I'm more wondering if when you are cruising down the road and you see somebody wanting to take a left in front of you or somebody on the right getting ready to pull out and you think that they may not see you or aren't judging your speed you are approaching them at properly, is it a good idea to give a quick flash?  More of an informal poll and peoples thoughts on this.

[juice]

It's a good idea to proceed as if they don't see you at all , and at least some of the times they don't . Good luck .

[fshfindr]

It's a good idea to proceed as if they don't see you at all , and at least some of the times they don't . Good luck .

Agree with juice, give a flash to make certain he sees you.