You get a sense for it- watch their eyes, watch their wheels. Cover your brake and be aware of an exit if need be…you are off to a good start being spooked and aware of it, rather than having to try to pay attention.
Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t get complacent- riding is the most relaxing thing you can do while still being 100% vigilant lol.
Thanks bro, yeah it definitely is while being nerve wrecking at the same time. I'll be shopping at Wegmans seeing 70+ year olds and think "you'll pull out in front of me, she'd probably rear end me" lmao
An old lady pulled out in front of me once. She was so obvious about it, and of course came to a dead stop once she realized what was happening. It was a slow street so I locked up the rear and slid to where I stopped right at her door, maintaining eye contact the whole time. A cherished memory lol
SMIDSY weave.
If you're approaching an intersection with a green light alone (no cars around you) with someone waiting to turn left on the other side, hit them with a quick back and forth weave. You become a lot easier to see, helps them see you and probably helps them judge your distance better than they'd be able to with a single static light.
Always pay attention to the front wheels, it'll tell you everything about intention. Don't assume that just because someone's looking directly at you that they actually see you and will act accordingly.
Excellent comment. I have been riding for 51 years this year. I always add bright auxiliary light, wear a reflective set of suspenders over my jacket, and I always replace the horn for a bigger one. I now have an F-150 truck horn hidden in my Versys 1000. Let me tell you that they slam on the break fast when they hear it thinking that I'm bigger than them.
And don't forget to weave in front of them, they have much better chance at seeing you. Never had a close call (yet).
You could have giant Klieg spotlights, and somebody in an SUV will still turn left infront of you.
Just assume everybody else on the road is there to kill you, because eventually they all try to.
I might get some hate for saying this, but I recently installed a super bright LED headlight. If it is daylight outside, I ride with my bright beam and standard beam on. I also upgraded all my other signal lights to the kind with bright running lights.
I want to be seen. I want to be the most conspicuous thing moving. It is bad enough we have to compete for the attention of other drivers with phones and in car touchscreens.
something similar for me. I installed denali d4 lights to my 300s fork. i can either switch off, or set it so it's at 50% when standard lights are on. It goes to 100% when I flash high beam.
At 100% it is 9000 lumens (per light). So very bright
i was saying with the new LED bulbs installed are they too big to put the dust caps back on? I know most of the LEDs have fans attached that are larger than the oem halogen bulbs
oh I see
so I fitted the leds to the fork rather than the original headlight housing. So they are in addition to the normal halogen bulbs but lower down on the bike near the tyre.
this way they don't have to fit inside :)
whenever I'm approaching an intersection and there are cars in position to turn into my path, I move side to side within my lane. the human eye will recognize that much easier than it will a vehicle coming straight on
I feel you. Back in 2014 I had a car come out of an intersection and sent me into a 30 surgery 5 year recovery to save my leg. Got back on 2 years ago and I just have a heightened sense. You can't correct dumbass people. Kinda sucks because you become more worried about others around you than the actual ride itself. Safe travels friend.
“OR Slow down to Speed Limit or below”
Frankly, you should be riding at the speed limit if you’re going through intersections. Speeding gives you less time to react, and less time for the other driver to even see that you exist.
If you were to crash and, god forbid, die, the police investigators would put a considerable amount of effort into determining your speed. If you were speeding or traveling at “excessive speed,” then the accident will likely be ruled your fault. If you were traveling at the speed limit or below, the other driver would be charged with vehicular manslaughter. My friend was killed about 10 days ago on a 636 in a similar accident, and the police are sending the ECU in to be analyzed to determine if the evidence suggests vehicular manslaughter on the side of the driver or if it suggests excessive speed and reckless driving in behalf of my friend.
Obviously this won’t make you feel safer, but you should know that it’s NOT safe to speed through intersections.
My advice to feel safer is to practice maneuvers at speed (in a parking lot, diving to one side or the other) so that IF someone turns across you and IF you’re going slow enough to be able to react, your body will use muscle memory to help you dive one way or the other. In my opinion, left is more likely to be safer than right, but every situation is different.
I also would suggest riding in the right lane through intersections whenever possible.
Yeah I typically cruise 10 mph above especially on the expressway trying to not get caught in any blind spots but yeah I practice controlled swerving while on the road, see a pothole swerve, or warming tires up but I’ll have to go in the parking lot and drill a bit more than. Thanks for the response
I don’t want to piss anyone off. Not on the road, on this post lmao then again after my accident I’m VERY careful on when I get after it. Not like it use to be
I slow down for intersections, full stop.
I might accelerate back up to 10 or even 15 above the limit if it’s 100% safe to do so but inside the intersection I am UNDER the limit.
This does mean I’m not getting ideal gas mileage and there’s an erratic-ness to my riding but I’ve had far too many close calls in intersections to change my habits.
When possible if approaching an intersection I will shadow a car if that’s an option, that way the blind ass old lady that should be using Lyft can smash her Cadillac into an explorer rather than my Z
I think he means use a car as a blocker or match pace as a car going the same direction in traffic as you. Even if you aren’t seen the turning car should have enough sense to not turn with a car in the way.
Even blind-ass old ladies tend to see cars and especially SUVs.
If there is an option (and I live in an urban environment so 9 times out of 10 there’s an option I’ll typically match speed with a car going my same direction, usually in the left-most portion of the lane as I approach the intersection (to maximize my visibility to the blind driver).
I calibrate my approach so that I’m decelerating into the intersection, closing the gap to the car in front so that the blind driver would basically really have to TRY in order to hit me, and as I do this I’ll shift to the rightmost side of my lane again to maximize the shielding I get from the car.
I guess it kind of looks like a soft swerve to the right but it’s immediately followed by an equally soft swerve to the left because by the time I’m essentially at the apex the blind driver would be taking I want to be heading back out to the left to maximize my distance from the occasional driver coming from the right who will be making a right turn on red and who is just as blind as our friend who might have turned left ahead of me.
So yeah every time I go through an intersection when there’s a car coming towards me I end up doing this little ballet… WHILE ALSO CUTTING SPEED.
Has it saved my life? I dunno, I mean I’m still here so it’s not hurting…
Plus honestly if the actual technique itself isn’t doing anything valuable (which is possible… I’m sure someone here is already typing furiously how I’m opening myself up to Z) just the fact of slowing down and respecting the intersection and the mortal danger it poses … prolly helps
Do whatever possible to make yourself more visible at areas like intersections. When riding alone i tend to do the lane weave around areas like this. Stuff like side road pullouts and intersections where someone may not see you
You had a traumatic experience. Learn from it. Keep yourself positioned for safety. Don't assume anyone knows you're there or will follow the rules. Always have an escape plan - yes that could go as far as dumping the bike to save yourself.
I think the accident your explaining is a smidsy? Either was there are techniques to make yourself more visible. When you see someone you think could turn and not see you you preform a smidsy maneuver. Which is riding an S pattern weaving from left to right in your lane like your going around cones. It makes you stick out against the background and makes your headlight move left right and up and down. It catches people's attention better than just riding in a straight line.
Always pretend you are invisible. Cover that front brake lever and be ready to AVOID.
Depending on the situ and where I am in the lane sometimes I just LAY on the horn as I go by them. I am still alive.
You get a sense for it- watch their eyes, watch their wheels. Cover your brake and be aware of an exit if need be…you are off to a good start being spooked and aware of it, rather than having to try to pay attention. Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t get complacent- riding is the most relaxing thing you can do while still being 100% vigilant lol.
Thanks bro, yeah it definitely is while being nerve wrecking at the same time. I'll be shopping at Wegmans seeing 70+ year olds and think "you'll pull out in front of me, she'd probably rear end me" lmao
An old lady pulled out in front of me once. She was so obvious about it, and of course came to a dead stop once she realized what was happening. It was a slow street so I locked up the rear and slid to where I stopped right at her door, maintaining eye contact the whole time. A cherished memory lol
SMIDSY weave. If you're approaching an intersection with a green light alone (no cars around you) with someone waiting to turn left on the other side, hit them with a quick back and forth weave. You become a lot easier to see, helps them see you and probably helps them judge your distance better than they'd be able to with a single static light. Always pay attention to the front wheels, it'll tell you everything about intention. Don't assume that just because someone's looking directly at you that they actually see you and will act accordingly.
Thanks bro, trying that when I get off my shift in the a.m
Excellent comment. I have been riding for 51 years this year. I always add bright auxiliary light, wear a reflective set of suspenders over my jacket, and I always replace the horn for a bigger one. I now have an F-150 truck horn hidden in my Versys 1000. Let me tell you that they slam on the break fast when they hear it thinking that I'm bigger than them. And don't forget to weave in front of them, they have much better chance at seeing you. Never had a close call (yet).
i utilize the weave alot, its saved my ass a couple times (and it's fun)
You could have giant Klieg spotlights, and somebody in an SUV will still turn left infront of you. Just assume everybody else on the road is there to kill you, because eventually they all try to.
Yep been there done that smh
SMIDSY manoeuver.
I might get some hate for saying this, but I recently installed a super bright LED headlight. If it is daylight outside, I ride with my bright beam and standard beam on. I also upgraded all my other signal lights to the kind with bright running lights. I want to be seen. I want to be the most conspicuous thing moving. It is bad enough we have to compete for the attention of other drivers with phones and in car touchscreens.
I do this too. I always have my brights on during the day.
Can you post the link for the lights you installed!!!!
something similar for me. I installed denali d4 lights to my 300s fork. i can either switch off, or set it so it's at 50% when standard lights are on. It goes to 100% when I flash high beam. At 100% it is 9000 lumens (per light). So very bright
Are they small enough to be able to screw the headlight housing dust caps back on?
not sure what dust caps are for the housing, but they're pretty chunky lights lol. I posted a picture earlier this week actually
You remove them to get to the led bulbs themselves. Keep water and whatnot out the headlight housing
ah yes, the dust caps can be removed and you can also get yellow ones to change the warmth of the light.
i was saying with the new LED bulbs installed are they too big to put the dust caps back on? I know most of the LEDs have fans attached that are larger than the oem halogen bulbs
oh I see so I fitted the leds to the fork rather than the original headlight housing. So they are in addition to the normal halogen bulbs but lower down on the bike near the tyre. this way they don't have to fit inside :)
What brand did you get? This sounds like something I’d want to do
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Ahhh that makes perfect sense. I just saw a video on this just now.
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I believe so!
whenever I'm approaching an intersection and there are cars in position to turn into my path, I move side to side within my lane. the human eye will recognize that much easier than it will a vehicle coming straight on
I’m going to try that, I worry about people trying to “beat me”. Thats what happened in my 2nd accident
Even driving my car I watch the wheels. It makes sense in my brain, but that’s the “first” thing that will move in a car that I notice
I feel you. Back in 2014 I had a car come out of an intersection and sent me into a 30 surgery 5 year recovery to save my leg. Got back on 2 years ago and I just have a heightened sense. You can't correct dumbass people. Kinda sucks because you become more worried about others around you than the actual ride itself. Safe travels friend.
Yeah robs me of some of the joy and thanks bro you too!!!
“OR Slow down to Speed Limit or below” Frankly, you should be riding at the speed limit if you’re going through intersections. Speeding gives you less time to react, and less time for the other driver to even see that you exist. If you were to crash and, god forbid, die, the police investigators would put a considerable amount of effort into determining your speed. If you were speeding or traveling at “excessive speed,” then the accident will likely be ruled your fault. If you were traveling at the speed limit or below, the other driver would be charged with vehicular manslaughter. My friend was killed about 10 days ago on a 636 in a similar accident, and the police are sending the ECU in to be analyzed to determine if the evidence suggests vehicular manslaughter on the side of the driver or if it suggests excessive speed and reckless driving in behalf of my friend. Obviously this won’t make you feel safer, but you should know that it’s NOT safe to speed through intersections. My advice to feel safer is to practice maneuvers at speed (in a parking lot, diving to one side or the other) so that IF someone turns across you and IF you’re going slow enough to be able to react, your body will use muscle memory to help you dive one way or the other. In my opinion, left is more likely to be safer than right, but every situation is different. I also would suggest riding in the right lane through intersections whenever possible.
Yeah I typically cruise 10 mph above especially on the expressway trying to not get caught in any blind spots but yeah I practice controlled swerving while on the road, see a pothole swerve, or warming tires up but I’ll have to go in the parking lot and drill a bit more than. Thanks for the response
10 over is way better than I expected, haha. Lots ZX-10 guys are 30-40 over most of the time
I don’t want to piss anyone off. Not on the road, on this post lmao then again after my accident I’m VERY careful on when I get after it. Not like it use to be
I try to be at five under going through an intersection but slowed down before I arrive so someone doesn’t misinterpret a speed change as stopping.
I slow down for intersections, full stop. I might accelerate back up to 10 or even 15 above the limit if it’s 100% safe to do so but inside the intersection I am UNDER the limit. This does mean I’m not getting ideal gas mileage and there’s an erratic-ness to my riding but I’ve had far too many close calls in intersections to change my habits. When possible if approaching an intersection I will shadow a car if that’s an option, that way the blind ass old lady that should be using Lyft can smash her Cadillac into an explorer rather than my Z
Shadow a car as in?
I think he means use a car as a blocker or match pace as a car going the same direction in traffic as you. Even if you aren’t seen the turning car should have enough sense to not turn with a car in the way.
^^^ THIS
Even blind-ass old ladies tend to see cars and especially SUVs. If there is an option (and I live in an urban environment so 9 times out of 10 there’s an option I’ll typically match speed with a car going my same direction, usually in the left-most portion of the lane as I approach the intersection (to maximize my visibility to the blind driver). I calibrate my approach so that I’m decelerating into the intersection, closing the gap to the car in front so that the blind driver would basically really have to TRY in order to hit me, and as I do this I’ll shift to the rightmost side of my lane again to maximize the shielding I get from the car. I guess it kind of looks like a soft swerve to the right but it’s immediately followed by an equally soft swerve to the left because by the time I’m essentially at the apex the blind driver would be taking I want to be heading back out to the left to maximize my distance from the occasional driver coming from the right who will be making a right turn on red and who is just as blind as our friend who might have turned left ahead of me. So yeah every time I go through an intersection when there’s a car coming towards me I end up doing this little ballet… WHILE ALSO CUTTING SPEED. Has it saved my life? I dunno, I mean I’m still here so it’s not hurting… Plus honestly if the actual technique itself isn’t doing anything valuable (which is possible… I’m sure someone here is already typing furiously how I’m opening myself up to Z) just the fact of slowing down and respecting the intersection and the mortal danger it poses … prolly helps
Back in the day, we called it a "screen play". (You gotta know American Football to understand)
I usually flash my highbeams. It averted one close call so far.
Do whatever possible to make yourself more visible at areas like intersections. When riding alone i tend to do the lane weave around areas like this. Stuff like side road pullouts and intersections where someone may not see you
4 words: Marco Tornado Air Horn
You had a traumatic experience. Learn from it. Keep yourself positioned for safety. Don't assume anyone knows you're there or will follow the rules. Always have an escape plan - yes that could go as far as dumping the bike to save yourself.
I think the accident your explaining is a smidsy? Either was there are techniques to make yourself more visible. When you see someone you think could turn and not see you you preform a smidsy maneuver. Which is riding an S pattern weaving from left to right in your lane like your going around cones. It makes you stick out against the background and makes your headlight move left right and up and down. It catches people's attention better than just riding in a straight line.
Always pretend you are invisible. Cover that front brake lever and be ready to AVOID. Depending on the situ and where I am in the lane sometimes I just LAY on the horn as I go by them. I am still alive.
I run with the highbeam on during the day. And do a little side to side weave when approaching an intersection.