Close Calls - Stupid on 4 Wheels

[Journeyman]

Please allow me to hop on the soapbox . . .
First off, Good riding! You have well illustrated a very important danger of riding the twisties!
Right hand twisties are more dangerous than lefties and they deserve MORE caution, especially when on the hoon.
Riding a delayed apex is the fastest way 'round. On right handers this sadly will bring you out near the center line and set you up for the careless cage, or motor driver that has chosen to lengthen his radius and compensate for his excessive speed by covering or crossing the center line.
Many years ago, after experiencing a few close calls, I have wised up and reduced the entrance speed of my right hand hoon in order to maintain a 4 to 5 feet clearance to the center line.
At the risk of overextending my soapbox time, I must also point out that a motor rider should always allow enough site distance when approaching/entering a curve so he can stop or avoid a unexpected hazard in his path of travel.
While riding, when you can identify an object that defines your maximum site distance count the time it takes to reach it at your current speed. "One - one thousand, two - one thousand, . . ." and so on works pretty well for me. Once you have this time estimated, apply to this chart:

Anyone interested in how this was done, just ask.

Good advice, as always @1olbull . The standard advice it to hang wide so you can see far up ahead, but at speed in tight turns you will not have enough time to get out of the way by the time you see these kinds of scenarios. Slowing down (that's the hard one, isn't it?) and staying closer to the right (in a tight right turn) is probably the best choice. Slinging these big beasts over while in a sharp lean angle, quickly, is better said than done.

Wide angle videos don't show these situations well. Although the first two I've posted (I welcome contributions here from others) were far from soiling my britches, about 1/2 second more inattentiveness on these driver's parts changes things exponentially. Relying on THEM to snap out of their smart phone induced zombie izzm, or just general stupidity, is what makes riding, as we all know, a constant challenge.

 

[Dr.D]

I guess I’m more of an intuitive rider because I don’t consciously plan out all the corners. I typically ride the center line third since I lead a lot and try to maintain good control using the center to to line in both cornering directions. Part of this controlled riding involves speeds where I can carve the line not going to the inside third. So for this has worked for me but on crowded roads like the Draggon I give the center line a little more room for the errors of others. I rarely ride so aggressively that I NEED the whole lane. I try to put my bike exactly where I want it to be and any deviance from this is considered to be an error on my part.

 

[rainman]

Back in the day we carried ball bearings or rocks, good for cracking the cagers windshield.

Or jelly beans

 

[Sparky59]

Oh....Little Girl....Want some Candy?......

 

[Vector]

Or jelly beans

You Southern Gentleman are too nice....LOL

 

[Journeyman]

I probably can't keep this up- just too many occurrences. This is from yesterday- two of three such incidents from one ride....

 

[Journeyman]

More, for your enjoyment. Can't make this $hit up....

 

[Journeyman]

Low speed parking lot fun with "smart phone" at the helm....

 

[Vector]

MORON ALERTS!

 

[Journeyman]

Right hand twisties are more dangerous than lefties and they deserve MORE caution, especially when on the hoon.

I've been thinking about this one a lot lately- not sure everyone does and maybe if you live where it's mostly straight or have wide sweepers it's not so much of an issue.

But here in twisty land it's an important distinction. So, why are right hand turns more dangerous? I can think of four reasons...

1) The same turn is inherently sharper for you than it is for oncoming traffic, as you're on the inside.

2) Your site distance is more limited because it is sharper. This is especially true in tight twisties with vegetation and/or a mountainside blocking your view through the turn.

3) Oncoming traffic uses left turns to "cut the corner." I followed two cars today that routinely straddled the center line whenever they were coming into a left turn. Only when they saw oncoming traffic did they get over, and not always all the way!

4) There's a fourth reason and it escapes me. I'll come back to it. Someone else fill it in....

I guess it may have been that, as @1olbull said, by swinging wide for a better view and angle into the turn it puts you closer to the centerline which, apparently, is not universally accepted as a division between opposing traffic.