Ed,

I see signs and posters all over the place, something to the effect "Start seeing motorcycles". They have a point. You got the point when you just barely missed. I am glad that both you and the rider came out only with a bit of ruffled feathers. I could have been worse.

I am so glad that our somewhat new car has a split outside rear-view mirror. I adds a lot to what can be seen during a quick look.

Thank goodness everyone was safe!

Bicyclists face much similar problems ... though usually not through riding in the middle of the lane, as motorcyclists do, due to comparative speeds.

I find it hard to learn to look behind before I open my car door when parking, to see whether a cyclist may be approaching.

ole joyful

Thank goodness that there was no crash and just the ruffled feathers that Jim mentioned!

Ed, I'm terrified of motorcycles. I've driven SUVs the last 30 years and I can't see the darned things! I do watch for them, but can be surprised by those that don't drive them legally....at least I don't think it's legal to drive between two lanes of cars just because one has two tires not four and has room ;0)

I'm not one who has really ever seen the attraction, and my grandfather sold Indians. There were always motorcycles somewhere in the family, just not under me. My sis's husband just got back from a two week trip with a friend, I think I held my breath the whole time they were gone. He's a Harley guy - at 74 with a bad back and no longer able to even right one if he should happen to lay it down. He's home again and I don't think he's left their hot tub since returning.

"I don't think it's legal to drive between two lanes of cars just because one has two tires not four and has room"

It's legal in California to "lane split" but I'm one who wishes no one would do it. I do admit to not at all liking driving behind a motorcycle, but it's unnerving to have a motorcycle come speeding along while lane splitting.

Even though it's legal in California, I hate lane splitting, especially when they do it at high rates of speed when all the rest of the traffic has slowed to a crawl and is jockeying for position by changing lanes back and forth.

I was once making a right hand turn into my driveway, when a motorcycle came out of nowhere and passed me on my right side as I was making my turn. He's lucky he didn't end up splattered all over my car.

I agree. I don't mind the lane splitting when traffic is stopped at a light. But when it is done at 55mph and up, especially when they have just moved from behind a car to split and I have not seen them coming yet, they are sometimes lucky I don't drift a foot to that side.

As a once motorcycle loving/traveling passenger, to me lane splitting is dangerous and should never be done.

joyfulguy, your experience is one of the reasons that we no longer have a cycle. We were always aware that being seen is a problem in some instances and that in a mishap, the cyclist always loses the most. We wax nostalgic seeing two up traveling the highways, but it has become to dangerous these days with all the preoccupied drivers out there.

Our laws dictate that we have to leave 3 feet from a cyclist's handlebars when passing. Not easy to do on busy streets/roads. Especially when they don't move over to allow us to pass.

There are bike lanes on many of the streets but most prefer to ride on the sidewalks (illegal, but never enforced).

I'm learning to check my blind spot before turning right, to watch for cyclists coming up beside my car.

The newly-instated law of leaving a meter space bugs me, because I'll pass safely, crossing the line to do so, yet at the next light same rider will come up right beside me next to my mirror, instead of waiting behind a car as they're supposed to do. Why don't they get fined for not leaving appropriate space?

So sorry for that frightening experience, Ed. I know how easy it is for motorcyclists to be hidden behind a larger vehicle.

My neighbor, an avid Harley rider, has greatly curtailed his motorcycle riding now that he is the sole caregiver of his two grands. He knows that as careful as he is, being on the road can be dangerous. He still goes out in small groups of his Harley club upon occasion and has a grand time.

Yeah and be careful in parking lots too. Here's how I found my car as I walked across the parking lot.

Some woman in a big a$$ Suv who clearly doesn't know how big her car is, sideswiped my car pulling into the spot. Fortunately I was there just moments after it happened and she couldn't flee the scene on me. She said she's also hit garbage cans with the thing. She needs to get those safety features that tell her she's too close!

Ouch, Annie!!!! The front corner of our car got hit, but thankfully the woman stayed around to tell us. She blamed the back up beep not working, to tell her she was too close. I guess she didn't think of looking in her mirrors! Grrrrr

I'd be willing to bet the guy on the bike was going too fast for the situation and caught the O.P. by surprise primarily for that reason, then blamed the outcome on them. I see this same basic scenario and behavior (whether it is bikes or cars being driven) in traffic here all the time.

In fact yesterday I had a duffer flying through a parking lot in a black car honk loudly at me from behind as I walked parallel to and near a row of parked cars, toward the same store he was headed for. And not across the lot at an angle or otherwise out in the middle of the lane.

Not that I would have thought it appropriate for him to drive fast through the lot, honking at any other people encountered under any circumstances.

There are a lot of people out there who are basically antisocial, do things like this.

OJ, I am glad no one was injured. I have taken to looking over my shoulders every single time I start to change lanes in my car, no matter if I have just looked a few seconds ago. Sometimes a car has appeared out of nowhere and I was glad I double checked. In that instant, they were in a blind spot and I would have probably collided with them.

DH has had a motorcycle almost ever since he was 15, except when he was overseas with the Army. He is a calm, safe driver of a Gold Wing but I have been on the back when people just plain aren't paying attention. We always ride with bright, reflective clothing, seldom at night, lights on (he has added lights to the stock system as have most riders we know), and he rides according to the safety rules about which lane is safest for visibility, etc. And it still happens due to driver inattention.

Annie, I am sorry you were sideswiped. Glad you showed up when you did. I have 2 dimples in my front bumper. No idea where the came from, but I suspect at work and that someone pulled in too close or backed in and tapped my bumper. And of course didn't think they had done any damage. You really have to look hard to see it, but they are there.

The start SEEING motorcycles bumper stickers annoy me. I think motorcyclists need to quit challenging a 1-2 ton vehicle thinking right-of-way acts like the shields on the starship Enterprise. Yes, car/truck drivers need to watch for bikes but it's usually a 2-way street. Watch for cars too.

A friend of mine is in the hospital. He decided to go to the cemetery and visit his wife's grave. Decided to ride his bike and traffic was heavy. To shorten a long story how can anyone claim they didn't know they hit someone when the person flies up over the hood (bike included), down the side of the SUV or crossover, whatever it was, yelling and pounding on the side as they're being dragged down the road and get trapped them under the vehicle? Seriously? You didn't know you hit them when they're pounding on the vehicle to stop and witnesses are yelling at her to stop? "Splain that one to me, Lucy!" I suppose she didn't want to stop because she "didn't want to get "involved" or was afraid someone might pull a gun! Sheesh (And for those wondering, he has at least 4 broken ribs, broken collarbone, a couple other broken bones and some internal injuries. He called me after he got out of ICU. Seemed strange that he didn't return my call offering firewood. Now I know why.)

But then there's another friend who was driving his Chev Impala and was at a stop sign when 40+ foot motorhome made a left turn and the driver claimed she didn't know she was driving over the car. Said it was the first time she ever drove the motorhome. Hopefully, it's her last time

I maintain motorhomes and any 4wd should require a special driving test. I also maintain there should be an intelligence test to drive.

I don't think the cyclist was speeding - the lane behind the white SUV was clear ( ... apparently).

ole joyful