So what would you advanced drivers have done?
Discussion
The title isn't meant to be inflammatory, I have a genuine question.
Take a look at www.break.com; they have a helmet-cam view of a motorcycle accident.
From my take on the situation shown the rider isn't going too quick relative to the other traffic and her road positioning in fine. Was this incident just bad luck, or could she have done anything differently?
For those who can't view this, it shows a motorcycle in light traffic on a multi-lane road. A car on the rider's left skids and swerves, for no apparent reason, into the rider's path. She aims for a closing gap but unfortunately ends up going over the front of the car that swerved.
Edited to change the gender of the rider!
>> Edited by trevorh on Thursday 16th February 12:29
Take a look at www.break.com; they have a helmet-cam view of a motorcycle accident.
From my take on the situation shown the rider isn't going too quick relative to the other traffic and her road positioning in fine. Was this incident just bad luck, or could she have done anything differently?
For those who can't view this, it shows a motorcycle in light traffic on a multi-lane road. A car on the rider's left skids and swerves, for no apparent reason, into the rider's path. She aims for a closing gap but unfortunately ends up going over the front of the car that swerved.
Edited to change the gender of the rider!
>> Edited by trevorh on Thursday 16th February 12:29
From what I could see:
The traffic (including the biker and the car to the left) was approaching a stationary to slow moving queue. The car to the left left the braking a bit late and, perhaps, had a mechanical failure? Because there was certainly no other reason I could see why it would turn so sharply to the right and spin other than a brake fault.
Mechanical failures are the reason for a tiny minority of accidents - but when you do get mechanical failure there is often little to be done. Of course, if you maintain your vehicle correctly you minimise the chances.
The poor biker's bike was perfectly reliable, of course! Not his fault.
The thing he might have done differently is:
1) Slowing earlier for the stationary/slow moving traffic. This would have put him behind the vehicle to the left and, possibly, with a better chance of taking avoiding action. But his braking wasn't unreasonable anyway - but that may have helped.
2) On multi-lane roads its a good idea to try to create additional space around you. So, for example, I do my best not to drive alongside anything. If he'd been making sure he wasn't alongside the car to his left that may have helped. A bit.
My view though is that the rider was faced with a highly unusual situation. At that speed it wasn't reasonable to expect the car to his left to spin in that manner...it did..and he coped as well as most people - he aimed for the gap. Bad luck it was closed by the spinning car.
Poor bugger. But in my view he did the best he could.
The traffic (including the biker and the car to the left) was approaching a stationary to slow moving queue. The car to the left left the braking a bit late and, perhaps, had a mechanical failure? Because there was certainly no other reason I could see why it would turn so sharply to the right and spin other than a brake fault.
Mechanical failures are the reason for a tiny minority of accidents - but when you do get mechanical failure there is often little to be done. Of course, if you maintain your vehicle correctly you minimise the chances.
The poor biker's bike was perfectly reliable, of course! Not his fault.
The thing he might have done differently is:
1) Slowing earlier for the stationary/slow moving traffic. This would have put him behind the vehicle to the left and, possibly, with a better chance of taking avoiding action. But his braking wasn't unreasonable anyway - but that may have helped.
2) On multi-lane roads its a good idea to try to create additional space around you. So, for example, I do my best not to drive alongside anything. If he'd been making sure he wasn't alongside the car to his left that may have helped. A bit.
My view though is that the rider was faced with a highly unusual situation. At that speed it wasn't reasonable to expect the car to his left to spin in that manner...it did..and he coped as well as most people - he aimed for the gap. Bad luck it was closed by the spinning car.
Poor bugger. But in my view he did the best he could.
1. Assessed the situation, taking into account the traffic, lane markings, road conditions, etc.
2. Positioned myself to minimise risks from other road users.
3. Adjusted my speed to anticipate likely developments.
4. Made sure I was in the right gear.
5. Thought "Oh Sh!t!" and fallen off.
6. Reached for my lawyer.
2. Positioned myself to minimise risks from other road users.
3. Adjusted my speed to anticipate likely developments.
4. Made sure I was in the right gear.
5. Thought "Oh Sh!t!" and fallen off.
6. Reached for my lawyer.
I couldn't find the clip on your web site. However, I guess it's the same video clip that's already in discussion on PH's Biker Banter forum here:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.
I don't think any "advanced" driver or rider would ever claim to be invulnerable. We are all human, after all.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.
I don't think any "advanced" driver or rider would ever claim to be invulnerable. We are all human, after all.
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