Sitting Ducks
You’re riding home through the maze of shopping center entrances and neighborhood access streets after a hard day of work. Traffic lights control the heavy commuter traffic. It’s a routine ride, but you are distracted by the nagging thought that you left your cell phone at work, so you take the opportunity at the next red light to quickly search your tank bag to find it.
You stop behind a minivan, click the transmission into neutral and begin opening the bag’s zipper when you hear squealing tires behind you. A quick glance in your mirrors reveals the sickening sight of a car closing very fast. You squeeze the clutch and stop the bike into first gear, but you’re too close to the minivan to maneuver out of the way. The impact sends you violently backward onto the hood of the careless driver’s car with the back of your head smashing into the windshield. Thankfully, you were wearing a helmet and you escape with only a seriously bruised elbow and shoulder. Unfortunately, your bike is a total loss.
It was a good ideal to eliminate the distraction about your cell phone, but it would have been smarter to pull out of traffic, or at least wait until the surrounding traffic was completely stopped before attempting to search your tank bag. When sitting in traffic, it is smart to keep our bike in first gear and your attention on your mirrors to identify and react quickly to hazardous situations from behind. Flash your brake light to alert inattentive drivers that you are stopped. Finally, it’s better to stop far enough away from vehicles in front to allow a near-straight escape route between the rows of cars to the left or in the breakdown lane to the right. Following these simple steps can prevent you from being a sitting duck.
Anita
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3 comments:
Anita -
Your posts are interesting and informative. This post was scary.
I have to admit that I am one of those people who thought that riding must be fun. Your clear writing has shown me that there is so much more to it than fun. I don't think I have the ability to concentrate as much as I would need to to be safe and successful.
Thanks,
Kathy
Anita,
Thank you for adding the part about the helmet. As a former motorcycle passenger, I have seen lots of cyclist who have been saved by wearing helmets and zipped up leather. It really can make a difference!
Kathy and Osbeck,
When I was a passenger, I had not a care in the world. Although I did wear full leathers and a full face helmet, I would sit on the back and look around at the scenery and sometimes even read a book.
As the 'driver' it is a totally different world and I must admit that I have had my share of accidents. All of these topics I have written about in this blog come from first hand experiences.
Anita
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