[ROADKILL]

This past Saturday I went up to have breakfast at the Grumpy old Men's hang out....it's where all us retired guys meet up and drink coffee...It was also a good morning for a ride. When I left I pulled up to a redlight a car was in the lane next to me...the light turned green and as usual I always wait a couple seconds before pulling off...the car next to me didn't and when it entered the intersection...BAMM!!!..a car coming from the left ran the light and hit them in the left front , both cars ended up in my lane a few feet in front of me......after that I decided the heck with it and went home to watch football

 

[savage9]

glad u avoided that disaster.. atleast u got to go home and do what u were meant to on sunday..watch football!! haha

 

[SmokenJoe]

Good call on waiting! I never feel I have to be the first off the light.

 

[Mr monte]

I tend to wait a second or 2 at a green light to make sure the cars are stopping then its a speed test to get thru the intersection ;D

 

[fujums]

The first of many rules I taught my boys when they were learning to drive was that green does NOT mean "go".

 

[stroguy]

I am teaching two boys to drive. I ask them what a green light means. Of course their response is incorrect. I tell them it is the signal for the other stupid mf to run the red and tbone you. Always scan left and right before proceeding. Glad you waited.

 

[strykenshane]

i do this as well, when i bought my VTX i got a wonderfully great deal, i asked the guy why he sold it so cheap and he told me he bought the bike new and bought his wife one the same day, a few months later they were pulling off from a light and she was in front, a truck ran the light and he watched his wife die in front of him, the bike was 3 yrears old with 983 miles on it, he said he never rode it again, since that day i have always waited a second or too before i pull away from a light, it has served me well a few times, glad you avoided disaster my friend

 

[Skwerlee]

i do this as well, when i bought my VTX i got a wonderfully great deal, i asked the guy why he sold it so cheap and he told me he bought the bike new and bought his wife one the same day, a few months later they were pulling off from a light and she was in front, a truck ran the light and he watched his wife die in front of him, the bike was 3 yrears old with 983 miles on it, he said he never rode it again, since that day i have always waited a second or too before i pull away from a light, it has served me well a few times, glad you avoided disaster my friend

man...i can't even imagine something so terrible

 

[strykenshane]

yeah, i bought the bike on ebay from a guy in east tennessee, he didn't tell me the story till after i loded it up, turned out to be a great bike but i always rode weary on it

 

[middleagecrisis]

It is astonishing how many close calls happen while on your bike. I try to always assume the worse circumstance as I ride and plan my "out" if such occurs. I always try to cross intersections at the same time as a car in the lane parallel to me. This gives oncoming traffic a larger presence to see, plus it protects me at least from one of the sides. Oh, and I too wait until I see that the crossing traffic is stopped.

 

[strykenshane]

It is astonishing how many close calls happen while on your bike. I try to always assume the worse circumstance as I ride and plan my "out" if such occurs. I always try to cross intersections at the same time as a car in the lane parallel to me. This gives oncoming traffic a larger presence to see, plus it protects me at least from one of the sides. Oh, and I too wait until I see that the crossing traffic is stopped.

sounds like you ride like me

 

[elle]

i do this as well, when i bought my VTX i got a wonderfully great deal, i asked the guy why he sold it so cheap and he told me he bought the bike new and bought his wife one the same day, a few months later they were pulling off from a light and she was in front, a truck ran the light and he watched his wife die in front of him, the bike was 3 yrears old with 983 miles on it, he said he never rode it again, since that day i have always waited a second or too before i pull away from a light, it has served me well a few times, glad you avoided disaster my friend

That is a sad story. I just couldn't imagine witnessing something like that.

 

[Saltyseafarer]

The first of many rules I taught my boys when they were learning to drive was that green does NOT mean "go".

X2

I'm now teaching my oldest son to drive, and I've told him "green" means look really really hard in all directions then go smartly thru the intersection.

 

[UrbanRage]

Good call on going home and watching some football. I have developed the same habit over the years..lol... I will take a quick look left and right before I go.

 

[Strykeback]

20 years ago I attended traffic school and a retired officer was teaching the class. Not knowing where he was going with questions he asked the class by a show of hands who thinks "yellow means go faster before it turns red?" Then he asked who thinks " green means your at the drag strip and hit the gas to be the first across the intersection?" He then followed up with those who raised their hands should shake hands and introduce yourselves to each other because you are going to meet each other again out on the street.

I never forgot this. So horrible to hear about that guy watching his wife die. I think I would have turned around and gone home too after being so close to what you witnessed Roadkill.

 

[canyon1]

I, too am an old retired guy and I guess with age comes a certain amount of wisdom. The best thing I have going now is that I can ride anytime I want to and don't have to wait for the weekend like the poor workers of the world do. You sound like a smart person, Roadkill. There's lots of things out there on the road that can get you so I try to use some common sense and avoid traffic if at all possible. I used to live in a populated area and it just wasn't worth riding from stoplight to stoplight. Hard on the bike too. My biggest concern now is the deer that will soon be spooked by the hunters. ;D

 

[strykenshane]

Has anybody noticed the rise in accident reports involving scooter?

 

[ROADKILL]

I, too am an old retired guy and I guess with age comes a certain amount of wisdom. The best thing I have going now is that I can ride anytime I want to and don't have to wait for the weekend like the poor workers of the world do. You sound like a smart person, Roadkill. There's lots of things out there on the road that can get you so I try to use some common sense and avoid traffic if at all possible. I used to live in a populated area and it just wasn't worth riding from stoplight to stoplight. Hard on the bike too. My biggest concern now is the deer that will soon be spooked by the hunters. ;D

Not quite sure how smart I am...but I've almost been taken out at an itersection before it only takes one time for me to learn a lesson.

 

[x96mustanggtx]

Reading this 30 minutes before my 50 mile ride home in 5 o'clock traffic brings upon myself a new sense of awareness. I think I too shall start waiting a second or two before I proceed through an intersection. I've got a fiance and beautiful Pomeranian pup to get home safe to.

Glad to hear that you're ok, friend.

 

[JesterAZ]

Once the light turns green, I make a point to look both ways before entering the intersection. Also as I approach on the green I look both ways to make sure no vehicles are going to run their red light. This practice has saved me a world of hurt many times.