| Author | Message | ||
     Thumper74 |
I got lightly tapped with a folding mirror tonight. I was at a stop light at a familiar intersection and pulled up to a stop in the middle because if I ride in the left tire track people will routinely pass me in my own lane to make the right hand turn. Some teenage girl inches past me in her parent's car and was so close that she hit my elbow with her mirror. I shut the bike off and dismounted, she took off. The last thing I saw was a police officer chance her down. Man, I love the police. I hope he got her. I'm so not having really good luck with bikes the last few weeks. I may drive the cage for a bit... | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
Well, its not only here in Ohio but, my brother in Florida got "brushed" last week too. The driver of the 3/4 ton Dodge described it as a "brush" as he knocked him and the bike down BACKING out of a left turn lane.  | ||
| Tramp |
Thump- next time, get the tag of the vehicle...that's a 'hit and run', and , being as a body part of your was directly impacted by the collision (yes, it is, legally, a 'collision'), you'd have one helluva case against this imbecile. ....you think she texted "OMG" immediately afterward, to her schoolmate on the other end of the conversation? | ||
| Rotzaruck |
"I'm so not having really good luck with bikes the last few weeks. I may drive the cage for a bit..." Thumper if you start figuring the odds, it seems like the bad things that can happen should run out pretty soon. I'm not at all convinced it works that way though. But if it does, I'm not sure that one qualifies as "bad". She wasn't paying attention and still managed to almost miss you entirely. that may qualify as a "good" thing and not even count. I'm also not sure if "bad" things care if you are riding or driving. | ||
| Miamiuly |
Sometimes I just leave room for someone to get by on the right if I am in the right lane. If I see a turn signal behind me especially because that is unusual in miami- to use a blinker. It does piss me off when people pass in my lane, mostly because they don't know it is wrong. I don't intend to encourage them, it just makes me less angry if I allow them by. But I split lanes too so..... I guess it is technically a hit and run if I brush my mirror on another car mirror (never happened, no, not me.) May be the same legally but come on, if you brush a biker with a car it is obviously worse than scuffing a car mirror. | ||
| Tramp |
Mirror-Mirror isn't so forensically defensible, as "hit and run" in any states that I know of. Mirror-body part impact, however, is. an officer could certainly write mirror-mirror as he/she sees fit, but accessory contact is a different ballgame, at "showtime" is a different ballgame, as the cost of the accessories rarely exceeds half that of a deductible...a human limb, on the other hand, can incur insurance costs into the hundred$ of thousand$. The insurance industry, ultimately, drives much of V&T conviction rates. | ||
| Thumper74 |
The Officer lit her up, I'm hoping she got a ticket. It really wasn't a big deal. She was just creeping past me and I had a good jacket on. It didn't hurt, I was just appalled at her complete lack of awareness. I've never hit anything with the mirrors on my car... | ||
| Tramp |
If she had a nice rack, he may have let her go- you should inquire as to the status of the stop, based upon your bursitis.... | ||
| Paint_shaker |
ANY contact between vehicles/persons is considered a crash, collision or accident. Different states have different rules and requirements for reporting. For example; Florida law states; "FSS 316.065 Accidents; reports; The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any persons or damage to any vehicle or other property in an apparent amount of at least $500 shall immediately by the quickest means of communication give notice of the accident to the local police department, if such accident occurs with a municipality; otherwise, to the office of county sheriff or the nearest office or station of the Florida Highway Patrol." ANYTIME a vehicle strikes a person, it would be reasonable to assume there is a great possibility of injury. The driver of the vehicle who struck the person has has a duty to stop to render aid for any injuries. Further, if it can be proven the person driving the vehicle intentionally sturck another person (ie; "I don't like motorcycles, I'll scare him by brushing him or running him off the road...") aggravated assault or battery charges MAY apply. Mirror to mirror contact, in some cases, can exceed $500. Again, the driver must stop to determine what if any damage/ injury has occured. Another event that is considered a traffic crash (at least in Florida) is when one vehicle runs another off the road and causes it to crash, even though there was no vehicle to vehicle contact. | ||
| Tramp |
Note that I did NOT state that mirror-mirror is not considered a crash, only that it's forensically difficult to convict upon. The exceptionally rare cases wherein Mirror-to-mirror contact exceeds $500- likely involve the mirror of a given vehicle folding back and damaging a window, etc., ...in those rare cases. IF the driver of a vehicle in a mirror-to-mirro continues on, it's difficult, in court, to prove it a "hit & run", being as the driver can claim to have been unaware of mirror contact, esp. at slow, traffic-congested speeds. You make a great point, which runs concurrent to my own, that a driver who has struck a person has a duty to stop and render aid, hence my point that the motorcyclist, in the OP, should check in w/the police to request insurance info of the involved automobile operator. If the officer states the auto-arm collision as his/her reason for stopping the motorist, then he/she should be armed with an amazing explanation as to why no summonses were issued, and BOTH parties' inc. info was not denoted,if, in fact, that's the case. As a motorcyclist, i would feel a tad cheated knowing that another motorcyclist allowed this contact to 'slide'. | ||
| Djkaplan |
Would you be upset if another motorcyclist wanted to turn right in a situation like that? I've moved over lots of times when I see a car with a blinker on trying to make the right turn (I think it's a personal foible; I have others). Generally, I'm to the left of the grease streak anyway and it's not such a big deal to let someone by. No one has ever gotten anywhere near hitting me for showing them this small consideration, either. I don't always do it, but when I do, it's always appreciated with a wave or a thumbs up. The last couple of incidents I've had on the streets has actually involved idiot motorcyclists... | ||
| Miamiuly |
Like I said, I tend to leave room for them to get by and always do if there is a car with a blinker....but I'm in Miami and they would slide by if I left room and was in a car. | ||
| Midknyte |
Would you be upset if another motorcyclist wanted to turn right in a situation like that? If he did not make me aware of his presence and desire, yes. My traffic space is my traffic space damnit. | ||
| Tramp |
F**kin-A | ||
| Naustin |
YOu should file a police report. They probably won't prosecute her if you don't. | ||
| Jaimec |
Not sure about other States, but New York State Law gives you the right to the ENTIRE lane, not just a part of it. I forget the actual wording. Another MOTORCYCLIST may share the lane with you, but NOT a car, truck or van. | ||
| Tramp |
...and another motorcyclist, here in NY, does not have a right to half of your lane, but is simply permitted to share it should you consent . | ||
| Djkaplan |
"My traffic space is my traffic space damnit." This is actually the crux of the issue I've had with a few motorcyclists lately. I think there has been a influx of noobs (based on their paper tags) that think it's alright to pull right next to you in your lane at a red light. If you're turning right, that's one thing, if not, stay behind me. Those guys know that now, though. It's befuddling to me that any motorcyclist wouldn't know this, but I see lots or car drivers that still don't know it's OK to turn right on a red light. | ||
| Tramp |
"Those guys know that now, though."   | ||
| Djkaplan |
"Would you be upset if another motorcyclist wanted to turn right in a situation like that?" "If he did not make me aware of his presence and desire, yes." I always use my turnsignals and slow down in a safe manner. I assume that's all it would take for my presence and desire to be known to you if I were behind you at a stoplight. I've never encountered another rider (or car even) in the 30 years (this August) that I've been riding on the streets that took umbrage to me turning right when I was behind them in at a traffic light... ... but I've never had riders stop right next to me in my lane until just recently... so I guess I haven't seen everything in that 30 years. | ||
| Thumper74 |
A motorcycle coming from behind and turning right is completely different than a car muscling in and turning right. It's still the same law being broken, but a motorcycle doesn't take up the entire lane. It's illegal and in Ohio, I believe it's called permissive passing. It's not any wider since it's not a dedicated turn lane. I noticed that when I stopped in the left portion of the lane, people were dangerously close when trying to pass me on the right for the turn. I started stopping in the center (when there's no heavy grease strip) to keep people honest. It usually works | ||
| Tramp |
Typically, in my experience, if you're using the left-half of the lane, it's a signal that you are unlikely to mind a fellow motorcyclist aside you, i the right half. Again, the other motorcyclist has no implied right to that half, but often a decent fellow two-wheeler will pull up politely, with a nod. frankly, a fellow motorcyclist using her/his turn signals, behind me, while pulling into my lane, does not constitute one making me ware of her/his presence. I think that, for most of us, this is simply academic nit-picking, and that, in the street, things are more communicative. I'm certain that DJkaplan's mode of making his presence known would be more considerate than some of what I see, out there....and I'm certain I'd welcome his brand of courtesy. A good rule of thumb, sometimes lost on newer riders, is never to roll up on (alongside) anyone with an "mc" club patch. | ||
| Brumbear |
I never put on my f'in blinker 2 reasons I will never let the jackoff next to me or behind me know where I am going so he can speed up and cut me off or give me a scare for shits and giggles I ride in NY and NJ where 2 am its busier than most states rush hours in more than a few places. Second I just can not remember to turn the godammed thing off.  | ||
| Miamiuly |
There is that aspect of the signaling thing here, also if you don't tailgate, someone will cut in front of you. Others don't signal because they are the only ones on the road. | ||
| Tramp |
My Buell hasn't had signals installed in 11 years...I hate hand-signaling left turns at intersections (w/oncoming traffic), as it makes keeping the clutch lever depressed a pain... | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Guess I've been lucky. I've not had anyone come anywhere close to me. I try to be as "large" as possible. I signal. I hand signal. Sometimes I stand on the pegs to draw attention to myself. I don't avoid the grease strip unless the pavement is wet. I stop smack dab in the middle of my lane. | ||
| Mr_gto |
Carry a gun on your hip, people are a lot more polite then. | ||
| Tramp |
"I've not had anyone come anywhere close to me" I'm sorry to hear that,,, | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I usually stick to the center of my lane. Also, I make sure to keep my eyes on my rearview and hands on the controls until I have verified that the ape behind me has stopped. I've been rear-ended once already. The ironhead took it like a champ. I doubt that either Buell would take the impact as well though. |
