First Real Crash - Ygnacio Valley @ 6:30am

[dowlinginchico]

I was going down Ygnacio Valley Rd this morning @ 6:45am on my yellow DRZ400SM, on my way to work, with traffic stopping and going up to 25-35 mph. I had just past Ayers Rd going down to Walnut Creek following a car in the left lane, not splitting but hugging the lane divider of the two lane road. The left lane was going a little faster than the right. I had just passed a car in the right lane with a large gap in front of it, so a I gave it a little gas, got into the right lane and started to pass the Acura when WHAM! The Acura MDX I was behind decided to get in my lane, no blinker, no warning and very fast. Please keep in mind I gave it very little gas. I was going about 3-5 mph faster than the Acura MDX. I was going about 30 or 35 mph. This is the situation we all dread as motorcycle riders. All I saw was her right side passenger door jut into my lane as she made contact with me right behind her side view mirror, passenger door. The driver: A inexperienced girl on her parents insurance, in her parents nice car. Sooo... I go sliding, my bike goes sliding spraying sparks everywhere, helmet smashed the ground, my leathers and boots have been "sanded" by the asphalt, But other than a very very small amount of road rash, a very very small bruse, and a sore wrist, neck and knee, I am perfectaly fine. ATGATT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am now looking on how to prevent this from happening again, not only to myself, but others aswell. I am here to let others learn from my mistake, but just trying to figure out what that mistake was. Be Careful out there!

 

[Darwin]

What was behind you in the right hand lane (your new lane) after you moved into the open spot?

Think about driver's perspective. Large SUV with huge blind spots. In left hand lane, looks in rear view mirror and sees you behind her. Looks in lane to the right, see a big opening. You move to that opening but are in blind spot coming up behind her. She changes lanes to get the open spot before it closes.

Had a friend have this very same thing happen. He swore up and down that the driver looked in the rear view mirror and made eye contact yet still came over. I pointed out (happened to be a few cars back in traffic and got to see the whole thing) that the space he moved right into was a gap and there was a large (18 wheeler) coming up in the lane that would soon close that space. So the driver in the left lane had to move quickly to get the gap before it got closed. When the car driver looked in the rear view mirror, the motorcycle may have been visible, but the BIG truck was what got the driver's priority when processing in the few milliseconds before deciding they had to move quickly if they wanted to get 2 feet further ahead.

Glad to hear gear helped reduce injuries.

 

[dowlinginchico]

What was behind you in the right hand lane (your new lane) after you moved into the open spot?

Think about driver's perspective. Large SUV with huge blind spots. In left hand lane, looks in rear view mirror and sees you behind her. Looks in lane to the right, see a big opening.

Glad to hear gear helped reduce injuries.

There was a car appx. 2-3 car lengths behind me in the right lane.

I may not have been visible in her rear view as I was pretty close to her hugging the center lane divide, but I was definitely in her side view mirror, that is until I moved over into the right lane. The time between when I was definitely in her side view till contact was maybe 2-3 sec. If she would have checked her blind spot, I would have been seen by her. Who knows what mirrors she checked or what she was doing at the time. I am just wondering what I could do to prevent this next time. It is a fact that she didnt see me for what ever reason.

My gear saved my ass this morning! No doubt!

 

[dowlinginchico]

If a gap, I jump to the far side of the lane.

I was on my way to the far side of the lane, but she cut hard into that lane. It seemed like that anyway. Maybe that is what I need to do, cut hard into gaps, or maybe already be on the far side before over taking the cars. I may have been a little lazy about putting distance between me and the Acura on my side. It all happend so FAST!

 

[RRrider]

FWIW, my approach when passing a car / splitting is to assume the car is going to do the worst thing it can. What if he tries to hit me as I pass...where can I go? If the answer is I can't go anywhere, I try not to do the thing I'm considering. I have found this little game, has saved me from numerous crashes in traffic as when the car decides to do the worst thing it can do (like move into me)...I'm watching it and have already planned my course of action.

What worries me is when I catch my mind wandering. It's like meditation...you want to keep focused, but sometimes you catch your mind off on a thought. That's when I force myself back into the "don't let them kill me" game.

 

[dowlinginchico]

What worries me is when I catch my mind wandering. It's like meditation...you want to keep focused, but sometimes you catch your mind off on a thought. That's when I force myself back into the "don't let them kill me" game.

Great point! I was just a half mile from my house and do believe I was a little lazy moving to the far side of the lane.

 

[DataDan]

You were impatient. You saw the gap approaching and moved into it quickly, putting yourself in a spot where the driver ahead couldn't see you, then accelerating into her 4-5 o'clock where you would be clobbered if she changed lanes.

Instead of trying to claim the space before she could, you should have waited to let the situation stabilize, giving her the first opportunity to take the space if she wanted it. She moves over and your pass becomes unnecessary. If she didn't, you could claim the space and complete the pass at a reasonable speed without putting yourself at risk.

 

[Gary856]

Please keep in mind I gave it very little gas. I was going about 3-5 mph faster than the Acura MDX. I was going about 30 or 35 mph. This is the situation we all dread as motorcycle riders. !

You should either stay back or pass with authority to get out of the blindspot. When you pass slowly you end up lingering in the blindspot too long.

 

[RRrider]

Great point! I was just a half mile from my house and do believe I was a little lazy moving to the far side of the lane.

The oft quoted Hurd report says that the majority of accidents occur within 5 miles of home. One explanation of this is pure statistics...you are close to your home more often than not (e.g. on every departure and arrival you are close to home), but the more compelling explanation is what you just said. Familiarity makes one feel comfortable, and we let down our defenses. Familiarity does not equal safety. But to relax close to home in familiar surroundings is natural. Safety requires vigilance.

 

[dowlinginchico]

You should either stay back or pass with authority to get out of the blindspot. When you pass slowly you end up lingering in the blindspot too long.

Either one of these and I am pretty sure I would have made it. I was just way to complacent and my head was definitely not in the game. I either need to relax, or if I am riding aggressive (sharing lanes), I need to do so and think accordingly. That day I feel I was right in the middle that day and got caught.

 

[nbean16]

I agree wth most of the others here. If you're gonna pass someone on the right, you've got to assume they're going to move right also (really passing on either side i'd expect it). If I come up on someone slower in the fast lane, I give them a few seconds to move over before attempting to pass. Pass quickly to get out of the blind spot and don't expect a turn signal. No one in the bay uses it.

 

[dowlinginchico]

You were impatient. You saw the gap approaching and moved into it quickly

Dan, I do not feel like I was impatient at all. That gap had been on the side of me for some time (5- secs.). What I think happened is traffic was slowing in #1 lane just as I moved over causing the SUV to react quickly. It was not a "normal" easy lane change on the SUV's part. The situation was stable for me to move over. I think the issue was that I was following the suv too close which put me very close to her side (appx 3'-4') when I decided to pass and accelerate slowly at the same time. I should have got in the other lane, then accelerate, or hammer it while diving to the far (right hand) side of #2 lane like I do on almost every other secenario. There was no reason for me to be that close on the side of that suv in her blind spot for that long. This was my mistake I believe. Please correct me if anyone thinks I am wrong about this. Pure and simple day dreaming. I have been riding this route for 5 years now.

If you're gonna pass someone on the right, you've got to assume they're going to move right also

I know this and practice this religiously. It has saved me in the past. Just not today. The funny thing is that I posted on a thread on how to avoid a collision like this because this same exact secinerio happened to me a week earlyier. It was a close call, but I still had room to spare. How ironic.

 

[sanjuro]

Dan, I do not feel like I was impatient at all. That gap had been on the side of me for some time (5- secs.). What I think happened is traffic was slowing in #1 lane just as I moved over causing the SUV to react quickly. It was not a "normal" easy lane change on the SUV's part. The situation was stable for me to move over. I think the issue was that I was following the suv too close which put me very close to her side (appx 3'-4') when I decided to pass and accelerate slowly at the same time. I should have got in the other lane, then accelerate, or hammer it while diving to the far (right hand) side of #2 lane like I do on almost every other secenario. There was no reason for me to be that close on the side of that suv in her blind spot for that long. This was my mistake I believe. Please correct me if anyone thinks I am wrong about this.

I think you hit it on the head. As soon as you entered the driver's blind spot, you either want accelerate hard as far from the SUV as possible, or not pass at all.

Mostly I try to make my decision to go or stay before the danger zone. Possibly you were indecisive when passing, which did not help you. I like to be calm in my decision making but I recognize when it is time to go, I go fast.