Sounds like you had a lucky escape. Interesting you mentioned slamming the bike over, as this was one of the suggestions on the Bike Safe course if you've run out of options, since in some (not all cases), you might still have enough time and the room, to overcome gyroscopic effect and get the bike pointing in the direction you want and make the corner. It was pointed out to me at the time by one of the police officers, that it is often a lack of trust/confidence or rather knowledge as to what the bike can be made to do, if desperate measures call for it. They were hustling Pan Europeans around as if they were on scooters. I learnt a lot for the £38 the course cost me back in the day.
On the basis of this thread I’ve just bought an airbag jacket. I have a 1 piece but don’t like that on the road.
When the chips are down and you have a choice between running wide or putting more lean on the bike/tyres, then always put more lean into it, is the lesson learned for me
When I did the bike safe course, which was great and I thoroughly recommend, the view of the Surrey Force was that most accidents happened at junctions. As opposed to rider error on bends. When asked I was amazed at how many other riders on the course didn’t know where to position their bike, in order to give them the most advantageous viewpoint, if they were approaching a junction whilst behind another vehicle. If you haven’t done a Police bike Safe course, just do it. I’m going to do it again, you never stop learning.
Steer a little tighter, squeeze the throttle a little more was the advice given to me if you felt you were running in a bit hot. Fortunately never had to put it to the test on two wheels, had to once on four wheels and it worked.
There are no bad roads, just poor drivers/riders. On the bikes front. I see and hear so many idiots droning up and down the local bypass at ridiculous speeds. All are on high end sports bikes, all have to be men in their 50's upwards that have a modicum of talent and no sense. They are the only types that can afford bikes like that. Several have been killed and it happens every season, it still does not deter the idiots. Factor in the chavs from the cruise scene and it becomes one very scary road. I dont know what the answer is, but I do see that a minister or senior civil servant somewhere will come up with a radical solution sooner or later to stop the carnage. That will affect the sensible ones too. It seems to be purely a UK thing, as whenever I have been into Europe on 2 or 4 wheels, the riders and drivers are way better than the shite we all witness every day here. The roads are better too.
This time of year there's a lot of very tired farmers driving very big tractors on very small roads. Take care peps.
Have done Bikesafe, days out with RoSPA and other instructors plus most recently, 5 years ago, Skills for Life with IAM resulting in a First. Didn't help with my moment of ineptitude at the end of June. Hands-up a bad call on my part and I've paid the price, just very glad that no one else was involved. It's tragic threads like this that really make me think "is riding for me". My girlfriend certainly would like me to quit riding. However, the pleasure that it personally brings to my life is something that I only want to give up when I'm really not able to ride any more.
I occasionally got comment from riding mates at how I am often on the other side approaching LHS junctions and will use all the road if needed so I can see a junction. My approach is simple: everyone intends to kill me so I plan accordingly.
I too do the same only augmented by my headlight being on high beam constantly which annoys other road users coming in the opposite direction when they flash their headlights to remind me that I am doing something right.
I applied some time ago and keep getting reminders, I may yet put my riding to professional scrutiny.
Imho headlight puts your more at risk not less. A light disperses what’s seen and makes speed harder to judge. I’d rather have higher vis jacket that can been seen moving than a light in and would turn mine off during the day if I had the chance
Try it. Stand and watch a cycle with lights on coming towards you and see if you can judge speed. Or a car even a little bit mainly where you have a large bright object in front - you simply cannot judge if it’s doing 30 or 60 or 90 as it doesn’t really ‘get bigger’ quick enough
Yes I've experienced that first hand. I was heading through some Essex twisties towards Finchingfield, came up to a tractor towing a trailer of hay. Any way it was clear to overtake, I didn't see any junctions coming up, as I'm half way over taking it, they've swung over to the right, I was WTF! and slammed on the brakes, slowed just enough not to end up under the trailer, then the driver swung left into a small opening! Twat never checked their mirrors before swinging over to the right to help them turn left into the opening!
A lot of them are young men on price work, so they blat around our lanes in huge things at a decent lick - you get out of the way or else!
Back on topic.....passed the accident site yesterday of the 3 Ducati fatalities on the A53 out of Buxton going toward Leek and was very surprised and shocked at the location, no junction, no serious bends to speak of. Very upsetting...affected me quite badly actually, and still is..
