Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[VT-XS]

Rothlisberger's accident brought up how dangerous an intersection is to a biker.

I have read many places that statistically, intersections are the most dangerous places a biker can be, and that the most common bike accident is a motorist left hand turn across an intersection in front of a bike. So I watch intersections real close.

That and deer were the main reason that I bought a light bar which I read was the best precaution to take other than approaching interesections with concern.

Another place I've read is...accidents....where motorists are more concerned with looking at the accident than what is in front of them.

These things seem obvious enough but it helps to keep them in the front of your mind.

Can anyone add to this?

[Davesax36]

Houston sucks for bikes. Since I haven't had to be at work the last couple weeks I've been out and about at all hours of the day. Mostly in the car running errands and such, but I've had about 10 different screwy traffic situations that I was happy to be in the car for. my favorite was yesterday when I drove behind a hay truck that had 4 bails about to fall off and was dropping chunks of straw all over the place. Two minutes after I got past that guy, a mercedes decides to just wander into my lane. I honk, he looks, he comes over anyway, honk again and I got a friendly wave.... how nice of him. I'll be happy to be getting out of town, only to go to another crazy traffic town, this weekend.


Stay alert, they don't see you, count on that.

[Dusty]

Pete and I took HWY 6 to 1960 last Sunday on our way back from SA.

The cagers were absolutely nuts. No one seemed to know where they really wanted to go. They were changing lanes left and right. Commiting to turns and then going straight. It was wild. One guy kept changing lanes behind me and there was no place to go. It was bumper to bumper. He finally pulled up beside me and his window was down about 4 inches. I couldn't resist and told him what I thought about his driving skills. He pretty much slowed down after that and stayed in his lane.
We stopped for some water and to say our goodbyes because we were fixing to split trails. I told Pete that it was a damn good thing I don't carry a gun. His response was, that's why I don't. Damn idiots.

[rod181]

My biggest pet peive is people talking on cell phone while they are driving I know i do it too but i keep the conversation small and keep an eye out for other vehichels. I know in hoston on two seprate situations I was run off the road both times by a woman talking on her phone and didnt even see me the second time i was so pissed that i got up next to her and started to cuse her out. Of course i looked like Darth vador cause i was wearing my jacket gloves and fullface helmet lol. She did not know what i  was talking about cause she was to busy talking to her friend about what to wear o ee her bf.

[cyberchick]

Driving in Houston scares me. Of course, I'm  new but still! Tomorrow I will ride my bike for the FIRST time to work. Of course it's not my normal work location - that will happen Friday. But I'll take 288, thru construction, to beltway 8. Then around West to I10 - to the Memorial Hospital. SCARY! But it's killing me sitting in my truck on the drive home!  (and I used to enjoy driving) But it still scares me. I think I have a route planned out to avoid I10 but parts of the beltway scare me and the way people drive. Sheesh! It's made me a better driver though.

[rod181]

Driving in Houston scares me. Of course, I'm  new but still! Tomorrow I will ride my bike for the FIRST time to work. Of course it's not my normal work location - that will happen Friday. But I'll take 288, thru construction, to beltway 8. Then around West to I10 - to the Memorial Hospital. SCARY! But it's killing me sitting in my truck on the drive home!  (and I used to enjoy driving) But it still scares me. I think I have a route planned out to avoid I10 but parts of the beltway scare me and the way people drive. Sheesh! It's made me a better driver though.

what kind fo work do u do ?
and Yes I 10 is scary i used to go I 10 to get to baytown when i lived in Houston

[VTeXan]

Driving in Houston scares me. Of course, I'm  new but still! Tomorrow I will ride my bike for the FIRST time to work. Of course it's not my normal work location - that will happen Friday. But I'll take 288, thru construction, to beltway 8. Then around West to I10 - to the Memorial Hospital. SCARY! But it's killing me sitting in my truck on the drive home!  (and I used to enjoy driving) But it still scares me. I think I have a route planned out to avoid I10 but parts of the beltway scare me and the way people drive. Sheesh! It's made me a better driver though.

Don't forget you can take the HOV on the bike.

Brian

[cyberchick]

Don't forget you can take the HOV on the bike.

Brian

For someone that's claustrophobic - the HOV lane is FREAKY scary to me! ROFL! And does the beltway have an HOV lane?

Oh and rod - I'm a nurse. (that's so cool that I can say that now! ROFL!) 

[rod181]

belt way does not have an HOV and cool Im A RAD tech AT Baylor

[Snake Doc]

Houston sucks for bikes. Since I haven't had to be at work the last couple weeks I've been out and about at all hours of the day. Mostly in the car running errands and such, but I've had about 10 different screwy traffic situations that I was happy to be in the car for. my favorite was yesterday when I drove behind a hay truck that had 4 bails about to fall off and was dropping chunks of straw all over the place. Two minutes after I got past that guy, a mercedes decides to just wander into my lane. I honk, he looks, he comes over anyway, honk again and I got a friendly wave.... how nice of him. I'll be happy to be getting out of town, only to go to another crazy traffic town, this weekend.


Stay alert, they don't see you, count on that.

I remember Houston.  I spent a week there one morning.   

[rod181]

Houston sucks for bikes. Since I haven't had to be at work the last couple weeks I've been out and about at all hours of the day. Mostly in the car running errands and such, but I've had about 10 different screwy traffic situations that I was happy to be in the car for. my favorite was yesterday when I drove behind a hay truck that had 4 bails about to fall off and was dropping chunks of straw all over the place. Two minutes after I got past that guy, a mercedes decides to just wander into my lane. I honk, he looks, he comes over anyway, honk again and I got a friendly wave.... how nice of him. I'll be happy to be getting out of town, only to go to another crazy traffic town, this weekend.


Stay alert, they don't see you, count on that.

hey I ,isss houston  I knew all the back roads take me an hour to go somewhere


I remember Houston.  I spent a week there one morning.   

[jmdaniel]

I lived in west Houston, (Katy, 290 & Hwy 6), for 8 years, and think I drove East once on my motorcycle. Too many idiot cagers in one spot....   

[VT-XS]

Sun and Shadows.


Sun

If you are riding down the road and are blinded by the sun, so are the people behind you. Be mindful of them when turning or slowing. (obvious enough)


Shadows  (Your shadow points towards possible dangers.)

If your shadow is long and points in the direction that you are traveling, the people in front of you may be blinded. Watch for them to turn in front of you.

If your shadow is long and points directly right, the people entering your road from the right may be blinded...watch for them to pull out in front of you..... and so forth if your shadow points to the left and is long.

The longer your shadow is, the lower the sun and the more likely it is in somebody's eyes.


I read that somewhere. It has been useful to me so I passed it on.

[Davesax36]

good stuff. martin. easy to think about,  but easily overlooked.

[RobDogg]

According to the NHTSB, 78% of all motorcycle accidents are the result of a automobile failing to yield the right of way (ie - left hand turns across traffic)

That's why I installed a headlight modulator and swear by it.  I have seen the difference in driver response at intersections, it's obvious that I'm more visible.

Another risky place to be is at the 4-5 o'clock or 7-8 o'clock position of a vehicle that is travelling the same direction as you on a multi-lane road.  I was in the left lane about 3 bike lengths back from a van in the right lane.  As the van passed a road that intersected from the right, a driver on that road pulled out to cross both lanes.  I watched his head as the van went by and he followed the van with his head, NEVER looked back again and proceeded.  He never knew I was there because I was hidden by the van (I should have been riding more defensively).  When he pulled out he stopped in my lane to wait on traffic to pass in the oncomming lanes.  I wrecked out uninjured fortunately, the bike faired worse.

Ride defensively and don't put yourself where you can't be seen.  Slow down, speed up. change lanes, change lane positions, use other vehicles as 'shields', don't hurry through yellow lights, but don't stop quick for a yellow light and get Cranberries-ended.  Get a headlight modulator.

BE SEEN.