Close one today!

[VirginiaJim]

+1

[SteveJ.]

What I do when pulling up to a red light, or stopping for pretty much any reason is get into the far left(usually) of my lane, leaving the person behind me an escape route (usually to the preferred side, their right), and me an escape route between any cars stopped in front of me. If the car in front of me is in the left part of the lane, I will usually crowd right. Kinda like you're gonna split lanes(filter), only that's not legal here , but you have that option to avoid being rear ended.

[B.D.F.]

Good job. If possible, it is always best to take the knowledge and ignore the insult, or at least parry back with humor.

That said, a lot of the advice around here is good advice but I have to say that the delivery could be a little more graceful. If some of the posters here were doctors I can just imagine how bad news would be delivered.... "You are going to die. Soon. And it will be a horrible, painful death. You may have your parking ticket validate on your way out."

 

Brian

you know, I was about to get all pissed off and fire off a snooty reply, but after heading into the Plant and doing some re-piping on my boiler, I realized he is exactly correct. I am right at that stage (2-3 years of riding) where there is a peak in accidents due to complacency--nothing has happened yet, so nothing will, right?
This is my wake up call. I have that book and I need to read it again. It's time, after all it's not just me on the bike most times....

[Shadowofshoe]

     As for the yellow light and police: the legal definition is if the light is yellow your permission to enter the intersection is about to end-note "about".
   Someone will come along with the correct language I'm sure ,but thats the deal.
     
     Mike

[dgshaffer]

Good for you for taking the high road and tempering your reply. The unfortunate reality of riding a motorcycle is that it's inherently dangerous. Anything you can learn from others that have been there and done that is valuable.

You've heard the term "Situational Awareness" being floated along and that is something you will need to practice, only through constant practice will it become the life saver that it is.

Practicing the constant use of peripheral vision and always try to see things you're not looking at
Scanning in short 10 degree increments constantly
180 degrees of the road ahead, left mirror, right mirror, gauges, the road, rinse and repeat
Are the wheels on the car at the intersection beginning to turn? If they are, the driver it thinking about jumping
I'm approaching an intersection and there's someone out there that's on their cell phone!

"Some guys install air horns, I rely on my throttle, reflexes, and a lifetime of training"

[VirginiaJim]

Good job. If possible, it is always best to take the knowledge and ignore the insult, or at least parry back with humor.

That said, a lot of the advice around here is good advice but I have to say that the delivery could be a little more graceful. If some of the posters here were doctors I can just imagine how bad news would be delivered.... "You are going to die. Soon. And it will be a horrible, painful death. You may have your parking ticket validate on your way out."

 

Brian

Tough love?

[B.D.F.]

I don't think so Jim, just a harsh delivery. Now it does not bother me but it does seen to make other cranky and I can understand that. A little civility would go a long way in some of these conversations. One can tell the truth but couch it in such as way that it is not harsh to the listener. Besides that, direct, even rude responses almost never get the desired results- that the person in question change and adapt to better ways. What they do get is the next blow in an argument which is almost always non- productive.

Wasn't it Twain who said that there should be a shortage of offense in the world because so much more was taken than given? If a poster takes just a moment and is just a bit kinder in responses, I think the offense excess just might drop a little bit. 

Brian

Tough love?

[lt1]

Poor Brian.  Still have your panties in a wad?  Snuggie have a hole in it?  Fob broken?

FWIW, the OP has now internalized a lesson that you didn't seem to care enough to offer to teach him in your trademarked humorous and civil manner.

We all screw up.  Stupid hurts, as Honda says.  Either we learn from it or we suffer.  Just today I had a lady in a pickup with a windowless shell on the back try to run over me by switching lanes in a hurry as I was moving through traffic.  I should have been aware of her larger blind spot, and stayed a bit farther away.  As it turned out, no harm, no foul.  But another reminder that we have to be on our A game all the time.

[VirginiaJim]

Brian, I don't think it was overly harsh....blunt and to the point, yes.  Harsh, no. 

Clyde, we probably could have done without your first line and the last parts of the second line....

Other than that, spot on, at least to me. 

This is a good discussion.  We need these every once in awhile to keep us all on our game.  I don't want to find out why someone isn't posting anymore and then to find out it's due to a major accident or worse.

[Conrad]

you know, I was about to get all pissed off and fire off a snooty reply, but after heading into the Plant and doing some re-piping on my boiler, I realized he is exactly correct. I am right at that stage (2-3 years of riding) where there is a peak in accidents due to complacency--nothing has happened yet, so nothing will, right?
This is my wake up call. I have that book and I need to read it again. It's time, after all it's not just me on the bike most times....

That's the spirit Ron! Most of us here want to help out if and when we can.

[B.D.F.]

Nah Clyde, I rarely get cranky and if at all possible, never with keyboards between myself and the others who might make me so.

I will agree with you about teaching a lesson though- it is not my job, and I would question whether or not I even have the right to do so. I merely offer a thought or two and let the others use it as they will if they use it at all. Just a conversation, not a brow- beating session.

Now as far as delivery: sometimes I think some are a bit harsh and overly direct in their speech (typing?). You would be in the vanguard position here.  That said, I do not think it is wrong, you often have useful observations and comments, and occasionally you spit something out that I really do believe a lot of us are thinking but will not say. Overall, I have no problem but there is the matter of politeness and gentleness and I think on occasion some comments could be delivered a little bit more softly and say the same thing.

Again, just my opinion. I have no conflict with you and if this is as bad as we clash on occasion then I think we are doing fine.

as always Best Regards Clyde,
Brian

Poor Brian.  Still have your panties in a wad?  Snuggie have a hole in it?  Fob broken?

FWIW, the OP has now internalized a lesson that you didn't seem to care enough to offer to teach him in your trademarked humorous and civil manner.

We all screw up.  Stupid hurts, as Honda says.  Either we learn from it or we suffer.  Just today I had a lady in a pickup with a windowless shell on the back try to run over me by switching lanes in a hurry as I was moving through traffic.  I should have been aware of her larger blind spot, and stayed a bit farther away.  As it turned out, no harm, no foul.  But another reminder that we have to be on our A game all the time.

[roadie]

Nah Clyde, I rarely get cranky and if at all possible, never with keyboards between myself and the others who might make me so.

I will agree with you about teaching a lesson though- it is not my job, and I would question whether or not I even have the right to do so. I merely offer a thought or two and let the others use it as they will if they use it at all. Just a conversation, not a brow- beating session.

Now as far as delivery: sometimes I think some are a bit harsh and overly direct in their speech (typing?). You would be in the vanguard position here.  That said, I do not think it is wrong, you often have useful observations and comments, and occasionally you spit something out that I really do believe a lot of us are thinking but will not say. Overall, I have no problem but there is the matter of politeness and gentleness and I think on occasion some comments could be delivered a little bit more softly and say the same thing.

Again, just my opinion. I have no conflict with you and if this is as bad as we clash on occasion then I think we are doing fine.

as always Best Regards Clyde,
Brian

Brian,

For what it is worth, I appreciate your delivery everytime.  You make a point without making someone feel like a dumb ass.  I know I do JV moves on a regular basis...and those that do, know they did.  Brow beating the idiocracy of a JV move doesn't make me learn more.

[Awaz]

I am with Brian on this one. It goes a long way if you see the error on someone's action and point it out in a nice manner. Lt1 spoke the truth, but I felt it was harsh. I do commend the OP for taking it in so well.

[roadkoan]

Wasn't it Twain who said that there should be a shortage of offense in the world because so much more was taken than given?

Yes it was. Did you see it was his 175th last week?
He also said:
 "I, like all other human beings, expose to the world only my trimmed and perfumed and carefully barbered public opinions and conceal carefully, cautiously, wisely, my private ones"

[VirginiaJim]

Yes it was. Did you see it was his 175th last week?
He also said:
 "I, like all other human beings, expose to the world only my trimmed and perfumed and carefully barbered public opinions and conceal carefully, cautiously, wisely, my private ones"

Yep, good advice, but they didn't have the Internet back then.  Anything that's stated here will sometimes have two opposing viewpoints usually for and against.  Well actually, three, if you count the humor factor.  It's just the way it is.  You just have to roll with the punches, otherwise just don't post it.  It's happened to me and it will continue to happen.  I'm still here as are others it's happened to.  We aren't a touchy feely type of forum.  There are some out there I imagine but it's not here.  So we roll with the punches and keep on going.

[roadkoan]

Yea, and sometimes my opinions have to rush out the door without curling their mustache(es).