Stupid Trucks!!!

[cywelchjr]

I'm still shaking a bit, but had to talk about his.

On the way to work this morning, came up to my usual light where I make my stop to pick up my morning beverage and breakfast (AM/PM/Arco) and the light in the turn lane had just turned red. I was behind a big rig, and as usual I left a good 6 feet between me and him. Apparently when the light changed, he couldn't stop behind the stop line, so rather than be smart and continue through the light, the idiot decides to back up! Now, there are 4 or 5 vehicles behind him, with me being the first. Apparently he had no backup alarm on his truck, as it started moving back toward us with nothing to warn us first. We are all honking our horns, as he obviously can't see us (of course I was backpedaling as fast as I could, and the SUV behind me was backing up too) and just keeps coming. The fool backed up about 20 feet, and he got real close to my front tire (I was going as fast as I could , but he was moving faster (BTW, it was a downhill slope to the light as well), it was a VERY GOOD thing that I had left lots of room). I'm not sure the fool ever saw or heard any of us behind him.

He didn't even have one of those "call us" stickers on the back of the trailer (if he had, I would have followed till I could get it memorized and I WOULD have called it in.)

I have no tolerance for a fool driving a vehicle that he KNOWS he can't see anything behind him, and overrun a red light, and then back up, KNOWING HE CAN'T SEE ANYBODY BEHIND HIM!!!!!! Guys like that should lose their CDL on the first offense. I guess the search for REALLY REALLY LOUD air horns is on.

It also made me wish for a reverse gear like a wing.

Ahh, man, I'm still shaking. That was probably the scariest situation I have been in for at least the last 35 years. If that bumper thing on the back of the trailer had touched my front tire, I would have been trapped, and there would have been nothing I could have done to get off or out of the way.

Sorry to rant on like this. I try to stay as far away from rigs like this as I can, but sometimes there is practically nothing you can do about it. Your totally at the mercy of the truck driver.

Thanks for listening, it helped (I think).

[XSive Okie]

Damn, Cy, glad you're okay and still typing! Got behind a cattle truck the other day at lunch, and got splashed with some pi$$ and **it as he took off, but wasn't in any danger of being sandwiched between him and a SUV. Ride safe and continue to stay alert!

[Erik the Red]

Yowza!! Glad to hear you're okay. As I was reading there, I was fantasizing about running up to the cab, climbing up, and berating him for a long time. I doubt I would actually do that, but dang, that dude deserved that at the least. Again, I'm glad you and your bike are both still in one piece.

[barberad]

Sorry to hear of your near miss. Good thing you and the bike came out unscathed and unhurt.
Dan

[gareth]

Scary stuff. Glad you made it out unscathed..
In a less dangerous, but similar vein..
I was picking up some hardware in a local store this morning, when someone came in and asked if I owned the motorcycle "outside".
When I get out, I see a big truck had backed up, pushed the bike back about two feet, bending the kickstand right over and digging into the asphalt before knocking the bike over. The driver was apologetic. Careless, but politeness counts in the Bronx. Anyway, I survey the damage. Not too bad. Bentover kickstand, broken signal stem and lens, bent clutch lever, scuffs on my new windshield. Crash bars save the tank, handlebars a bit bent. The drivers boss comes out. The driver explains what happened. The boss asks me "whaddya wanna do.?" I suggested $50. I was pissed off, but things had been genial and I can do my own repairs. The boss cops an "attitude" and starts haggling...Like I'm trying to rip him off.
So I call the cops to file a report ( which I have to do...) in order to file an insurance claim, while the boss jumps up and down eyes-bulging on the sidewalk. "Too late", I tell him. Politeness only works if it's maintained throughout sidewalk disputes.
Not sure what the insurance assessment will be.
Guessing it will be more than $50.

Idiot.

He couldn't just have followed his drivers lead and been a bit sensible? Had to go with the vinegar instead of the honey.

Some people..

But at least I wasn't sitting on it at the time and, for what it costs, that WOLO/BAD BOY/ NAUTILIS horn is worth it's weight in decibels sometimes.

Lucky escape, Cy.

[b.walker5]

Not good Cy, must have been pretty scary.

Our State funded Accident Insurance Scheme (ACC) recently spent megabucks on a saftey awareness campaign for motorcyclists, and one of the things they done was to paint huge signs on the rear ends of some curtain sider trailer units that say "Watch Out For Bikes", with appropriate graphics. Trouble is I dont think they told the drivers what it means. I couldnt even begin to count the number of times I've been cut off by trucks sporting one of those signs. It seems that some, not all, but some truck drivers believe that if they have the biggest vehicle on the road then everyone else will move.

What they should be doing is a safety awareness program for trucks...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2367...s-fatal-plunge

[DenyP]

I am glad you are OK! I have had some bad scares my self with trucks. Intersections seem to be the worst as we are hard to see.

Deny

[mro]

I'm not sure the fool ever saw or heard any of us behind him.

You may not have noticed that even 10 or 15 feet behind a big rig the driver can't see you if your in the middle of the lane.

I always move close to the left side of the lane where I can see a truckers mirror (same with cages too ) so If $HIT happens you have somewhere to go rather than wind up under something.

Situational awareness may save your life
as there be some drivers out there that one would think it’s open season for motorcyclists


mro

[cywelchjr]

You may not have noticed that even 10 or 15 feet behind a big rig the driver can't see you if your in the middle of the lane.

I always move close to the left side of the lane where I can see a truckers mirror (same with cages too ) so If $HIT happens you have somewhere to go rather than wind up under something.

Situational awareness may save your life
as there be some drivers out there that one would think it’s open season for motorcyclists


mro

In this area, unless your in the other lane, they can't see you anyways because the lane isn't wide enough to be where you can see his mirrors without hanging into the other lane.

I hate being around trucks around here. The only way to be where they can see you is to be in front of them, and the way they seem to pay attention makes that one of the worst places to be.

[Rstyduck]

Ok, Sorry for hurting your feelings. That wasnt my intent. You could have told me as a man that i was making you feel bad. Im sorry. You can call off your hounds.

[cywelchjr]

Ok, Sorry for hurting your feelings. That wasnt my intent. You could have told me as a man that i was making you feel bad. Im sorry. You can call off your hounds.

Eh? I'm not aware of any hounds. I'm not feeling bad, I know I was in the most visible position I could get into based on the location of the truck and other vehicles. I survived just fine, but it changes not the fact that they are not supposed to back up at a light like that. What if it had been someone who just froze instead of backing up? Or if it had been someone who (like many riders I see) was right on the back of the truck? When I drove truck in the Army, we were taught to never back up a vehicle without either getting out and insuring things were clear ourselves, or without a ground guide. Next time there is a truck in front of me at this intersection (I've been going through this intersection at least 5 days a week for almost 2 years), I'll just take the lane that is not behind the truck, and go around the block if necessary.

[Rstyduck]

Eh? I'm not aware of any hounds. I'm not feeling bad, I know I was in the most visible position I could get into based on the location of the truck and other vehicles. I survived just fine, but it changes not the fact that they are not supposed to back up at a light like that. What if it had been someone who just froze instead of backing up? Or if it had been someone who (like many riders I see) was right on the back of the truck? When I drove truck in the Army, we were taught to never back up a vehicle without either getting out and insuring things were clear ourselves, or without a ground guide. Next time there is a truck in front of me at this intersection (I've been going through this intersection at least 5 days a week for almost 2 years), I'll just take the lane that is not behind the truck, and go around the block if necessary.

Well somebody got butthurt. Heres my warning.


When Cy posted an on-topic response to the post about "stupid trucks", you commented, not on the tppic, but on Cy's observation:

Now where have i seen this before?
Oh ya. On the other sight. :lol
Right click, copy, paste. Lmao.


Cy came back with an explanation:

Actually in this case I didn't cut and paste. Two separate responses on two sites, that say about the same thing. The original post, yes that was a cut and past job, and you have seen 2 of the 3 that I posted.


To which you taunted, apparently trying to evoke yet another response from Cy:

Ya ya ya. Lol. Still funny.
Two of three? Ya feel better yet?

This is flame baiting, and it will not be tolerated.
__________________
Ken Talbot


Thought it was you crying. Geuss not.
But i'll leave you alone so i dont get Yelled at by Dad.
Heres my Warning.

[Rstyduck]

Were good. You n me. (chest thump) (peace sign)