Learning from your mistakes

[DataDan]

I’m a huge believer in accepting one’s tendency to make mistakes, analyzing them when they occur, and working out ways to prevent them from happening in the future. I was forced into this attitude early in my career as a computer programmer—a craft that quickly brings the overconfident to their knees. But it works equally well for motorcycle riding, another humbling craft.

Inspired by several good riding tip threads lately, I thought I’d start a do-it-yourself thread about riding errors and remedies. The idea is for you to describe a near-miss or crash and, more importantly, what you learned from the incident and what changes you made to your riding to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. I think it would be helpful to get contributions from well-respected veteran BARFers to show less experienced riders that we all make mistakes, but that to survive and become a grizzled old fart you must learn from them.

I’ll start off with a few to get the ball rolling:

• Exiting 680 southbound at Treat in Walnut Creek, I’m a little too hot on the offramp and brake hard. But rain the night before had left the giant arrow slippery, and when I hit it, I go down hard. Lesson: Never brake hard on traffic markings; stay to one side or the other.
• Riding in light traffic on a 2-lane rural freeway, I’m in the #1 lane coming up on a Ford Explorer in the #2 and, further ahead, an 18-wheeler. I’m doing 75 and the Explorer is 10mph slower. As it approaches the truck, the Explorer moves into my lane without looking, and I have to brake to avoid him. Pissed off, I swoop by him and glare once we’re clear of the truck. My mistake was not anticipating that the Explorer would change lanes to get around the truck. To prevent it from happening again, I expect lane changes as traffic approaches a slow-moving vehicle and either gas it to get clear of potential offenders or drop back and give them room.
• This one I’ve learned several times, thankfully without crashing. Most recently, I was northbound on CA33 north of Ojai (Ventura County) but not yet to the mountains where the riding gets really good. I was riding in a small group (WARNING! WARNING!) behind a slow-moving car that we wanted to get around. As we enter a straight, two other riders pass, and I see my opportunity and go for it. But the car slows and signals to make a left turn into a campground up ahead. I quickly get on the brakes and move back into my lane behind the turning car. The lesson is never to pass when the passee has a left-turn opportunity in sight—wait ‘til you’re clear. I really, really hope it sticks this time, because riders die in that kind of crash.

 

[donoman]

Cool thread:

• Mines Rd: Coming into a turn, had too much speed. Continued to brake into the turn and suddenly found gravel. Front wheel started sliding. Let go of front brakes. Got lucky. Learned: Brake before the turn.
• Thunderhill: Trying to pass someone between turns 5 & 6 (right then left), I grab a handful of throttle as we both stand out bikes up, trying to juice the bike past him. Rear spins up. I get spat off. Learned: R1 will own you, at any time, any place, even if you're not leaned over.
• Wet train tracks. Crossed them in non-perpendicular fashion. This was on a city street and I was trying to bleed off speed. Went down. Learned: Brakes on tracks = bad... try to set up perpendicular to tracks and try not to brake on them.
• Pescadero Rd: Exiting a turn lazily, drifted towards the middle of the road. Saw clumps of pine needles in the middle of the road. Didn't realize that pine needles could exist BEYOND the clumps and not be seen. Lost the front, slid into the clumps of needles, lost it all. Learned: There are hazards that are not visible but must be predicted.
• Started my bike. Let her warm up. Zoomed out of the parking space. Fell down. Learned: Check for disc brake!!!

 

[Agent Orange]

• 
  
  When I was bout 16 I was riding towards the Presidio on my cousins YSR. The turn was an uphill blind left hander. I target fixated at the edge of the road and that's exactly where I ended up.
  
  On my cousins Hurricane, my friend clipped a car on his ZX-7 while going up on 92 one day. He went down, but because I target fixated on him, I had very little time to react and hit him (while he was down) and dropped the bike.
  
  Forgot the disc lock on the bike a few times, that was pretty embarassing.
  
  Before turn 4 at Willow Springs, I gave the rear too much gas and lowsided.
  

I think theyre all pretty self explanatory.

 

[Tri-me]

• Stupid Cages- Driving near my house in Oregon and headed towards a stoplight, that was green, blocks from my house. A car on the side of the road with a person in it. At the last minute she turns infront of me and throws out the pavement anchor at a green light. I expected her to pull out, but I did not slow enough and had no idea that she would stop at the green light. Expect the unexpected. I ended up with a bruise or two and lost my first bike.
• Showing off- a friend got a new car and started palying with me on the way home from work. Double lane onramp and tried to look cool on the inside passing him. Leaned way off the bike when not needed and started the spin of the rear tire. Saved it and ended up going right into the #1 lane of the freeway. I passed in front of his car by no more than two feet. I was very lucky not to bite it that night.
• Mt Hamilton- Headed up to Lick Observatory. Got in too hot, not set up properlly, did not look around the corner to see where it ended, and was on a road I did not know. Not out of my ability, but out of my knowledge. Knock it down a few notches if you don't know the road. I didn't and I payed the price of a new fairing and ditching the bike.
  

 

[Phaedrus]

Riding down a two lane road with side streets. There was a car stopped on a side street to my right who is waiting to turn right. A large vehicle made a safe and legal left turn into the same side street from the oncoming lane far in front of me. However, this large vehicle had blocked the car's view of me and when said vehicle was clear of the road, I had found that the car had pulled right out in front of me. I was doing about 45 and I would have hit him had I not braked and swerved into the oncoming lane.

Lesson learned: Never hide yourself from other vehicles.

 

[budman]

I have a couple: Intersections.

* When jumping to the front in traffic at a stop light...be aware of the cars coming left and right. Those red light runners combined with you urgency to jump out in front of the cars you just split can be deadly. Just the other day..went to the front and then had to wait for the van coming the other way to finish his left turn in front of me on a red...the truck next to me..was poised to blow me off the line and proceeded to bolt out and then slam brakes not to hit the van.

* Left turn lane at at red light...I was first in line..Wife on the back of the sled..get the green..quick glance to left and bingo..red light runner..flew past me at 50mph 5' in front of me..only rolled a ft. out and stopped..Phew!
Good to check both ways..!

* When stopped at the back of a line of cars..line yourself up to the right or left to provide an escape route should a car not stop coming from behind. Eye keep an eye in the mirror to check progress of cars coming up from behind. Once I saw one coming way to fast..quick click into gear and I pull between the cars...brakes squeeling..it stopped..where I was! Meanwhile I was 15ft. ahead moving out of the path.

Shit happens at intersections...commute hours and busy City intersections are something to keep you heads up on..don't daydream about the day..keep the focus.


:smoking

 

[Bowling4Bikes]

In addition to painted arrows and debris on the ground, watch out for the tar stripes they use to fill cracks!

Saturday we're on Pinehurst Rd in East Bay , it's frikking hot outside! lean into a 20mph-er and my back tire starts swaying around like I have a flat...nope, just the tar stripes getting all hot from the sun. With tar stripes everywhere on the road, I had to slow to a crawl some places, I really don't like to slide around!

Keep 'em upright.

 

[NoGall]

Most recently, I was northbound on CA33 north of Ojai (Ventura County) but not yet to the mountains where the riding gets really good. I was riding in a small group (WARNING! WARNING!) behind a slow-moving car that we wanted to get around. As we enter a straight, two other riders pass, and I see my opportunity and go for it. But the car slows and signals to make a left turn into a campground up ahead. I quickly get on the brakes and move back into my lane behind the turning car. The lesson is never to pass when the passee has a left-turn opportunity in sight?wait ?til you?re clear. I really, really hope it sticks this time, because riders die in that kind of crash.[/list]

:thumbup

 

[grindcoreNbikes]

Here's something I never had to think about in a car:

Parked my bike for a couple hours on my friend's dirt backyard at night. Rolled out of the driveway, into the street, give the bike some gas, and the rear end shakes like a bucking bronco! Luckily I rode it out. Woulda been pretty horrible to eat it literally 20 ft from the driveway.
Lesson learned: check for dew on the tires cause even a little acceleration can be unstable on a slightly wet tire.

 

[kxmike]

Coming down Dry Creek Rd after a Skaggs Springs run. I was cruising at about 65 to 70mph thinkin about the awesome ride I just had, when I notice a truck in a driveway on my right up ahead. He's stopped so I figure he must see me (it's a straight). So I keep my speed...all of a sudden he starts to pull out (I'm about 300ft. away) Not a big deal, I figure He'll get out of my way in time...then I see the trailer he's pulling!:wow . I'm hard on the brakes now (back end gettin light) and I'm thinking should I go left or hope I can go right and clear the trailer? Then he finally sees me and out of panic he stops!... blocking the entire lane and right shoulder.:wow :wow Now I'm thinking lay it down or go left and hope he doesn't decide to go again .
I went left and survived ...lesson learned...don't assume other drivers see you and always be prepared for drivers to pull out in front of you (drop speed , cover brakes and watch the front wheels of the vehicle...don't think that making eye contact with the driver is good enough, they're usually looking right through you!) .

 

[mine_ghames]

Cool Thread

Blind Spots
Avoid riding beside a vehicle on blind spots. I've seen many MC riders do this.

Hills/Curves
You never know what is on the other side of a steep hill or a sharp curve. When you come to a hill or curve, slow down (or adjust your entry point and speed) so you can stop if a vehicle is stalled (or making an illegal U-TURN).
Do not ride or pass on the other side of the road unless you CAN BE SURE that there is no on coming traffic.

Tailgating
Practice to keep a distance between YOU when following a CAGE (1/ 2 a car length or 1 car if possible). What I'm saying is leave a an "out" or "space cushion" when you need to react on an emergency situations.

Stop Light

If you choose not the share lane while stop at the stop light;

• Before you make a complete stop or slow down, check your mirrors or look behind you for vehicles coming behind.
  
• Once you are stop, check your mirrors again for vehicles behind you before you RELAX and put the gear in Neutral. Wait for the CAGE to slow down or if you are sure that he/she has seen you before you RELAX at the stop light.
  
• Keep a distance between you and the CAGE (at the stop light) and stop at the right or left path of the wheel and not in the MIDDLE behind a CAGE. Do not RELAX TOO MUCH at the stop light behind a CAGE keep a an eye or two for cars coming behind YOU. If the driver is not able to stop in time, you may have room to move forward, move to the right or left and SPLIT LANE.

 

[hkwan]

When you are approaching an intersection where you have the right-of-way and a car is waiting to cross the intersection 90 deg from the way you are aheading, slow down, cover your brake and flip on your hi-beam. Flashing the headlight might just means "go ahead" so some.

 

[jeepist]

o To add to the "stopped at a light" safety margin, it helps to flash your brake lights a few times as someone approaches from behind.

o And a real simple one, one that applies to cage driving as well, if you're in the wrong lane and are about to miss your turn/exit, don't worry about it. Just go to the next one and come back. That sudden swerve to make your exit may mean your Final Exit.

o And for the relative newbie's like me, do pick up and read a copy of Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling" so you can learn from other's mistakes instead of (or as well as) your own.

-- johnny

 

[rocface]

Me thinks I'll be in for a world of pain once I start riding ..... unless I can learn something from the good folks sharing their battles with the road here.

I had no idea people fall that often. I guess in that way I wont feel too bad once I spill a few times.

Thanks guys.

 

[DWC]

shoulders and medians

Southbound on 101. In fast lane behind slow-moving cage that refuses to move over. Plenty of room - like 5 feet - on the left in the area (median) between the lane and the wall. I decide to pass on the left. I pull out and am halfway past car when i see ahead that the wall angles in and median space goes to zero. I gun it and barely make it.

Lesson one - dont do stupid shit
Lesson two - never depend on median or shoulder space to remain constant

p.s. was told a similar story by a buddy who tried to pass on the right on the road in the presidio that runs along above the ocean. He was also caught by a diminishing shoulder and barely made it back into the lane before going into the ditch on the right.

 

[i4strtsweepr]

• heading eastbound on Mountain View Rd out of Pt Arena. Going through a nice uphill 's' at a brisk clip doing probably 45+ on what might have been 30~35 mph -- had it been posted -- when the right hander suddenly and seriously drives uphill (driving down suspension...) and tightens into what probably would have been another 20mph 's'. I barely make it around (and just on my side of the road), and my buddy (riding a bit more upright than me) drags muffler and slides out.

Lessons:
- ride what you can see.
- don't trust tight corners to be posted (especially on back roads).
- good body position and hanging off (even a bit) just might buy you that critical inch or two.
- high mounts - they're not just for posers & racers.

 

[MeisI]

I've learned a couple...

*Driveways in the twisties -Riding on Skyline, coming around a corner in the more residential area, never seen one guy pulling out... ever. Low and behold, a S2000 pulling out. Straightend up, applyed full breaks. Wasn't a panic stop, but could have been if I was zoned out.

*People on freeways are idiots -Riding on 13 towards berkeley, woman in a minivan enters, I see her. She merges, no problem, but never straightens out the car, and continues to drift into me. If I had been zoned out, there'd be a thread labled "got side swiped today" insted, i swerved away from her, applied the breaks so that I was behind her, then when it was clear, I sped up and flipped her off until I felt like the bigger man

*Do not target fixate - I spotted the pot hole in the twisties (it had a birght orange circle around it. I thought to myself, wow, how smart, I could have really hur.... next thing I knew I had two testicle shaped dents in my tank :teeth

*Don't go all out on a new road - Can you say "closeing radius turn"? Coming around a blind corner, it sure doesn't look like one.

 

[Tri-me]

next thing I knew I had two testicle shaped dents in my tank :teeth

:laughing :laughing :laughing :laughing :laughing