Kawasaki KLR Forum banner

I Agree With This Guy

1K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  dohalloran 
#1 · (Edited)
Video of the crash he's referencing was originally integrated into his video, but apparently somebody made him remove it. I think he brings up a lot of good points here.

Here's what he has to say about the crash:



Here's the video/accident he's talking about: (You'll probably have to click the "Watch This Video On YouTube" link)

 
#2 ·
I have been called an absolute dick, a harsh asshat, and a ****ing retard for taking the position that every accident, save being hit from behind by an asteroid, is the motorcyclist's fault. The motorcyclist doesn't anticipate, predict, and expect that what is going to happen is what is going to happen and take steps to avoid it. This is my position and many, if not most, don't get it.

It is my belief that the stakes are simply too high for any other belief system to prevail in any motorcyclist's head. You have to think this way to survive. If it happens, you let it happen and that makes it your fault. Not legally, perhaps, but painfully and perhaps fatally. Being dead right is still being dead. Legal doesn't mean jack shit when you're laying on the ground, laying in a bed, or laying in a box.

I believe this so strongly that I won't even entertain discussion of the topic.
 
#3 ·
I thought I posted on here last Fall venting about a car that unexpectedly turned the wrong way onto a two-lane, one-way street while I was waiting to turn left and came within inches of hitting me. I can't find the post, so maybe I didn't actually post it. I was peeved about it at the time, but after thinking about it some more, I've come to the conclusion that there was really no reason I shouldn't have anticipated that scenario could possibly unfold.

We have quite a few one-way streets in town and even though I'm familiar with them, there have been instances where I approached an intersection intending to turn right or left and realized just short of the intersection I couldn't because it's a one-way street. The one-way signs aren't that noticeable, especially to folks unfamiliar with the town and its streets even when they're sober, let alone if they're drunk. So, I shouldn't have presumed "there's no way one of these cars approaching this intersection from my left is going to turn right, the wrong way on to this one-way street."

Even if it annoyed the drivers behind me, I could have still stayed a car's length back from the intersection for a little cushion room and paid more attention to the cars approaching the intersection. I had already confirmed that at least the car directly behind me had already come to a full stop. I do recall that the turning car did not use a turn indicator to signal he was going to make the turn and I presumed his slowing down was because the light was about to change, but had I been paying more attention to him I would have seen him starting to turn sooner than I did.
 
#4 ·
I always expect EVERY vehicle IS going to pull out in front of me but that gets you only so far. When you're doing 55 down the highway and there's a side road intersecting the highway, unfortunately you have to have some trust in that driver. You can't slow down to a crawl or you'll get hit from behind. I try and look for my "way out" if they would pull out in front of me. Eye contact helps and move around in you lane to be seen. Some people flash the high beams but the driver could think you're signaling them to go. That's debatable.

One thing I think most riders lack is to add some extra lights. So many riders go down the road depending on that 1157 bulb from China to work. Face it folks, bulbs burn out. My bike has the factory brake light and 4 more red LED's on the trunk, mounted up high. Two burn with that parking lights and all 5 come on with the brake. Two of those flash for 3 seconds as well. Then I've also added one red and one amber LED to each side of the bike as side markers. They're mounted up high same as the brake lights.

One thing I did some time ago was to change where we ride. I no longer go through the really congested areas. We ride for pleasure and I don't commute to work or the store on the bike. The only time my bike goes through a congested area is when it's in the trailer behind the motorhome. I'm not saying an accident can't happen out in the country but the fewer cars there are, the better.

I only wish there was a law requiring deer and elk to be fitted with amber strobe lights and dogs had to be fenced in their yards. I've found that if you get to far back on the country roads, the dogs come after you. If you stick to the main country highways, the cars have already killed the dogs that chase cars. Also it seems that if you stop and yell at the dog, they run back to their yard. The "fun" for them is over.

There was this dog once that I passed by "his" house all the time. NOTE: It could have been a female, I never looked. Anyway,,,,, That sucker wouldn't stop and chased me every day. A hand full of gravel at 55 MPH (plus as hard as I could throw it at that speed) solved his issues. Pay backs are a bitch! After that he'd hear me coming and head for the porch. Chicken shit little mutt!

:laugh3:

PS: Sell that black jacket to someone you don't like and buy yourself a "High Vis" one. Same with your helmet and gloves.

Double PS: I know some of you guys ride that camouflage painted KLR. Is that the best idea??????
 
  • Like
Reactions: Swamp
#5 ·
I have a brighter than stock bulb with a 3rd brake light flasher and was still rear ended, I did my mirror check only to watch a jeep hit me. It was a panic stop and after I verified that I wasnt going to hit the car in front of me did I do the mirror check but it was too late. The jeep had to be towed but I rode to work. Since I had a helmet on it only exaggerated the whiplash that I got. When The morning sun is in a teeny bopper's eyes and probably texting those things happen.
 
#6 ·
That's odd. No need to sit there and get hit when all you had to do was move forward into your escape lane, which was right in front of you and to the left of the car in front of you.

Let the Jeep run into the back of the car while you sit safe off to the left of it.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top