Topic: I was invisible

[Don R]

My new invisibility formula finally worked! I was leaving home on the bike and when I got to the first corner some moron stopped at the sign, sat there, looked and then pulled right in front of me. He got a mirror full of hi beam and me for a couple miles through town, he was getting a little nervous looking so I went on my way. Hopefully he realized what he did.

Remember you too may be invisible and not know it.

[CycleRanger]

I was riding a red motorcycle, wearing a red helmet and a day-glo green t-shirt at 4:30 in the afternoon not a cloud in the sky and the guy behind me tried to drive right through me!
Yeah, invisible indeed! 

[bucky katt]

i was sitting at an intersection waiting to turn when i heard screeching tires. this numbnuts didnt see me and locked up her tires, she ended up less than a foot off my rear fender. i had to park it and sit on a curb for a few minutes after that.

[dave500]

hey fellas!!be alert!!dont ever drop your guard!!!attacks are from all angles,,keep a look out,,expect the non obvious,be carefull out there,,,,,,,,,,,i drive a skip bin truck,,,yesterday i dropped an eight metre(pretty big,,like big as a car)bin on the roadway in a culdesac((umm a court?)so i could lift the full one from the site ,,then place this empty one back in postion,,so,,a worker has stopped three cars ,directing traffic,,i signalled to him to let them through,,the first two cars went by then bang!! the third hit the bin square on!!i checked if she was ok and she was,,said she didnt see it!!she was fully on the wrong side of the road to hit it,,,and ,,it could have been a pedestrian,or a motorcycle,i had a camera with me so i took a few shots showing angles etc,,, i know how these things pan out!!!ummm ,err ,,derr,,invisible obstacle,,someone else always has to be to blame for lack of attention by someone else in a moving car

[Retro Rocket]

I know what ya mean Dave. I have a mate that drives a big yellow and blue tow truck, he was removing a broken down car from the gateway bridge when a guy in an old Valiant run up his arse, he hopped out and said "sorry mate i didn't see you" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Steve had all the safety lights on and this idiot still didn't see 15 ton of tow truck............AMAZING

Mick

[dave500]

yeah retro,,i hope this pans out ok ,for me and my boss,,a year ago an old bloke,,real old with coke bottle glasses,came through a giveway sign and collected the bogie on the international acco,!!!boy!!the front of his car just exploded,,he said i thought you was in lane 2,ide been in lane one for ages,i checked he was ok,he seemed out of it,,after a while i guessed he was just too old to be on the road,glad i wasnt on my bike,long story short a witness stopped and gave me his details(always get one if you can!!!)two months later my boss rang me(i had written it all down on our incedent sheet)and saying the old blokes insurance mob were asking for full payment for damages,,ide already given the boss the witness details,,i keep a diary and gave them again,,we heard no more,,the old bloke ill bet had his claim denied for lying,,he had given a total different account of the crash.,and he seemed like such a nice old fella,,i dont trust any one after a smash now!!!

[tramp]

always, always look around because some don't see you

[Rocking-M]

yeah retro,,i hope this pans out ok ,for me and my boss,,a year ago an old bloke,,real old with coke bottle glasses,came through a giveway sign and collected the bogie on the international acco,!!!boy!!the front of his car just exploded,,he said i thought you was in lane 2,ide been in lane one for ages,i checked he was ok,he seemed out of it,,after a while i guessed he was just too old to be on the road,glad i wasnt on my bike,long story short a witness stopped and gave me his details(always get one if you can!!!)two months later my boss rang me(i had written it all down on our incedent sheet)and saying the old blokes insurance mob were asking for full payment for damages,,ide already given the boss the witness details,,i keep a diary and gave them again,,we heard no more,,the old bloke ill bet had his claim denied for lying,,he had given a total different account of the crash.,and he seemed like such a nice old fella,,i dont trust any one after a smash now!!!

sounds pretty much like hauling logs here. Haven't been hit yet but it will happen.

[Markcb750]

Happened to me last Tuesday evening.  Turning left from an arrow controlled light into a four lane.  Old couple in a maroon Nissan turning right on red.  The arrived just as I started to roll, did not stop, crossed into the left lane, did not respond to my horn, the horn of the car behind me, and I do not think knew I was around until I pulled up on their left and gave them the evil eye.


It is a fact of our existence, we are the fighter pilots of the roads, keep your head on a swivel.   And always assume the people around you are going to do something that does not take you into account.


Any of you see the video in the nightly you tube thread about the guy sitting at a redlight?  I recommend you look it up.

[Steve F]

I'd like to invent a cell phone jamming device that will knock out all cell phones in a 1/4 mile radius of where I'm riding, just to keep the distracted a$$holes off the phone and paying attention to their surroundings and the road for a change.

[cb650]

Then they would pay more attention to the fone wondering why it quit.   

[demon78]

No Steve you know and I know that they'd be trying to check their batteries or antenna or something to do with the dammed C phone, but this is not a new problem, I remember the decision to stop driving the San Bernadino freeway to work after watching some clown shaving, drinking a cup of coffee and driving with his knees, this was maybe 1964, the service Rd that ran along side the freeway took me maybe 10 minutes longer but it was a lot less scary and the thing that really did it for me was the tiny amount of snow that drifted on to it, I know it was Southern California and the Angeleno's are not used to driving in those conditions but you would think that if you're car goes sideways on you, you might want to slow down and find out why, the freeways looked like one large "Bumper Car" ride or "Demo Derby" the only way I'd take a freeway after that was if there wasn't a service road or side road that would get me there, the LA area was great for bikes but you had to pick you're routes.
Bill the demon.

[74cb750]

Then they would pay more attention to the fone wondering why it quit.    Grin

Too true, too true.  

Hey Don,
did uyou possibly forget to take off that new US Army invisibility cloak DARPA is working on?

[Jordan]

My invisibility switch is always shorting out on me, seems like every time I drive past an intersection, side street or driveway it starts working again, causing some idiot pulls out in front of me. Rule numero uno, all other vehicles and drivers, at all times, are trying to take out motorcycles and send their riders to Vallhalla.

[dave500]

as a driver,,i do too many miles ,,ive seen it all,,i like riding,,sometimes im just not in the mood,i drive a heavy truck ,,daily ill do 200-250 kays,,the old truck has a "roo killa" bull bar,,these throw any thing hit onto the road in front of them,then the truck drives over them,in the 90s i drove in the out back,and killed a few roos,,like 6ft tall,you dont slow or stuff around here,mothers taking kids to school,will stil cut off a heavy truck,and brake,,and give the finger if you toot  the horn

[scrapvalue]

Just ride like you are invisible. Pretend like no one sees you and ride accordingly.
Just because you have the right of way, or was in your own lane, or the light was green, or you thought they seen you, it doesn't matter.  
They may,(or may not), get a ticket out of the deal, but that is little cancellation when you are laying in the street.
I have been down here riding in the Naples, Fl area all winter and it would take a long time to tell you about all the people who "didn't see me".
All that matters is "that I seen them".
Is a problem avoided, really a problem?

[Spanner 1]

+1 with Scrap.. someone already posted the results of a study on why cagers 'pull-out from an intersection' with a bike in full view. It's some sort of brain deal that is caused by the narrow profile of a bike vs. the much wider profile of a car/ 4-wheel road user........ I also know for a fact ( been told it ) that some drivers think they have RIGHT OF WAY OVER BIKES,...beware !!! Also, start of the riding season is always most dangerous... maybe 5/6 months since drivers have seen bikes on the road in some areas..... stay safe.

[GammaFlat]

Even if you're not invisible, riding a bike can be "exciting".  To me, it's amazing how often you make eye contact with someone and they still pull right out in front of you. 

I think it's one of many parts of the "My driving skills are lacking" book.  In this case, I think it is the "That motorcycle is not big enough to hurt me, so I'll ignore it" chapter which is in the "Subconscious Thoughts of Drivers" section. 

[super pasty white guy]

they do exist... maybe just wire it up to the wiring so it's always on.

http://www.phonejammer.com/home.php?cat=249

spwg

[kghost]

Just in responce to Retro's and the other Ozzies post.....

You guys have no idea who much better the drivers are in Oz.

Really thier insanely stupid in the USA.

Based completely on observations of the two countries. The license system in the USA would make you cringe.

[sangyo soichiro]

I was too visible.  The problem was that the drunk saw three of me.  Fortunately I was in a Jeep and not a bike though.

[Retro Rocket]

Just in responce to Retro's and the other Ozzies post.....

You guys have no idea who much better the drivers are in Oz.

Really they're insanely stupid in the USA.

Based completely on observations of the two countries. The license system in the USA would make you cringe.

Wow, that really surprises me, i have seen a change in driver behavior in recent years in the younger generation here and it has generally made riding a lot worse over here, if it really is a lot worse in the US, WTF is going on with people?  I see a general trend in governments to fine the #$%* out of people instead of educating them to be better drivers, until there is a change in this direction, don't expect drivers to get any better......

Mick

[Jordan]

I drove Tractor Trailers in the US for about 3 years and having been in every state many times and Canada a few times I can say with personal confidence that Utah has the worst drivers by far. I found out once I moved here, their tests are open book! and in school they only get an average of 7 hours behind the wheel, usually with no adverse weather to contend with. When it rains or snows here the average accident count is 187 a day in weber, salt lake, and davis counties. It is amazing to me that insurance companies can stay in business around here. As far back as I can remember I have always been a very defensive driver and thank god I have not had any accidents in 40 years. But do I get any discounts! Heck No, my premiums go to pay for the idiots out there shaving, reading the paper and putting on makeup while driving. They actually speed up and block you from merging onto the freeway!! I think the dumbest thing mfg's did in the states is put in cup holders, who has time to drink anything while your dodging all the dopes driving around!

[Don R]

I saw one lady putting on her makeup in the mirror while driving, she wandered into my lane, it scared me so bad I dropped my egg mcmuffen and spilled my coffee on the book I was reading.

Seriously, be invisible and be careful out there. Somebody loves you. Yes even you.

[flybox1]

you gotta watch out for chicks like this..... 

effen unbelievable!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20000176-504083.html