Keep it in gear

[Daks]

Wow, quite a wankfest we've got going here. I don't know who is "right" because
I didn't read all that shit but I believe Internet rules state that the first person who corrects grammar, quotes a dictionary definition, or slings otherwise unneeded and inapplicable insults looses. If the winner still replies, they are just stupid.

With that being said, this is crash analysis and I think we should all take the various anecdotes and suggestions, not fight about who is the idiot. Avoidance by simply not being there is not good advice. By that logic, he would have never gotten in the accident if he rode a motorcycle. Or left the house that day.

Putting yourself in a zone of possible danger happens everywhere. You should generally try to keep to the sides of cars so that if anyone comes from behind, whether not seeing you or lurching at a turn arrow, they move past you, not into you. There is a chance for them to do that. It is a risk to be beside cars in those lanes. But there is only so much risk negation someone can do before they might as well not ride. Getting all up on someone's dick over how they situate themselves at a stop light isn't helping anyone. It just makes you both look like douches.

 

[LectricBill]

Since there's so much better sites for a real wankfest, I'm just gonna stick to my experience of sitting at a light in neutral.

So I'm the only vehicle at a LONG left turn lane light and have the bike in gear. A pickup truck pulls in behind me as I'm watching the mirrors and planning an exit. He stops. I get tired of holding the clutch and not only put it in neutral, but take my hands off the bars and rest them on my thighs. Relaxed. All of sudden, my legs fly up in the air as I roll backwards, slowmo, and off my bike which is now traveling forwards for about 4 feet before it tips over on its $300 side. Turns out Mr. PickUp daydreamed and eased his foot off the brake in an automatic. Car creeped forward, slow speed, lots of mass to nudge me off the bike.

Now, I'm always splitting at intersections if I can and if I can't, I never stop scanning. (And I really hate looking like a douche!)

 

[the donald]

to the lane position discussion, i read it as...

i pull up to the light 1st of a 1 lane intersection with a left turn lane.
cage pulls up behin me.
left turn light turns green, cage behind me goes.

there is no lane position to safely avoid this. if you go to far right you can(will) get clipped by a right turner. if you go far left you can(will) get clipped by a left turner.

i understand wanting to eliminate chance here, but some things you just can't, it is very fluid and occasionally unavoidable.

It isn't part of the MSF curriculum. My guess is that a Ridercoach casually mentioned it in class.

through mine the instruction came during the brake and downshift. he mentioned you want to be in 1st o you can take off right away, never said stay in 1st at inersections. i learned this by driving a stick as my 1st car.

Turns out Mr. PickUp daydreamed and eased his foot off the brake in an automatic. Car creeped forward, slow speed, lots of mass to nudge me off the bike.

Now, I'm always splitting at intersections if I can and if I can't, I never stop scanning. (And I really hate looking like a douche!)

this is such a difficult situation. even if you were scanning you may have missed it and got hit. i occasionally put it in neutral every now and then the hand needs a break. when i do my left foot is up and still scanning while flexing my hand.

 

[nbean16]

to the lane position discussion, i read it as...

i pull up to the light 1st of a 1 lane intersection with a left turn lane.
cage pulls up behin me.
left turn light turns green, cage behind me goes.

there is no lane position to safely avoid this. if you go to far right you can(will) get clipped by a right turner. if you go far left you can(will) get clipped by a left turner.

How often does someone in the left turn lane swing out wide to the right before they make the left turn?

 

[the donald]

How often does someone in the left turn lane swing out wide to the right before they make the left turn?

While making u turns or trying to make the light, fairly often they will run down the line or just over it.