On my way home from work.

[AF_Bill]

Here is what happened to me on my way home from work Tues. Let me bring everyone up to speed first so ya'll can understand fully. I'm active duty Air Force in MD so I have to follow DOD requirements while riding on base (DOT helmet, gloves, jacket, over the ankle boots, and reflective vest). I ride wearing a jacket made by Power Trip called the ALPHA jacket that has reflective material built into the jacket. I've included pics to show the jacket. Very comfortable even in 90 degree heat.


So, as I'm leaving the base, I still have the reflective back panel out. I come up to the stop light just outside the base and get into the turn lane. A woman that left just after I did pulls up behind me and left plenty of room behind me, which I was very happy with. So once the lights changes, I wait about 1 sec before going just in case. As I make the turn, I glanced in my mirrors and what to I see? I'm reading her F**kin tag!!! Once I straighten up, I turn around and sure enough, she's about 3 feet away from the rear of my bike. Since I'm in my full face helmet she can't see my expression or read my lips. I give her the "what the F**k" arm movement and all she does is SMILE. Oh god that made me hot. So I crack the throttle and speed away.

I slowed does about a mile later and was waiting to see if she would catch up. I was gonna CALMLY ask her what she would have done if for some reason I had to hit my brakes and do an OH SH!T stop. But she never did. It just goes to show ya that you can wear the brightest colors, paint your bike a bright color, or make your bike as loud as you can and STILL no one pays attention.

Here's the back panel that she was looking at.

On a side not, I removed all the ARMY patches and embroidery and replaced them with Air Force patches.

[Calvin Blackmore]

Superior acceleration and braking are all that saves us sometimes....

Its amazing that no test can be given for a persons ability to percieve and process information needed to drive a car.

[AF_Bill]

Superior acceleration and braking are all that saves us sometimes....

Its amazing that no test can be given for a persons ability to percieve and process information needed to drive a car.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Larry D]

I'm having my first full riding season in......well, let's just say a long time.

I can't believe how close some people will follow behind me at times. I either move over or speed up to get away from them.

I'm happy to hear there was no incident involved. Way to many of them this year.

[Buffalo Bill]

“Women drivers!”

When ever I get a tailgater, more times than not it's a pushy woman. You're just slowing her down, get out of her way!
Bill

[Raven457]

My first day riding to work, one day after getting the bike 100% legal and road ready, I got hit in the ass by a frigging SUV - at the stop sigh at the end of my own housing development.

I guess I'm off to a great start as a rider.

There are a hell of a lot of idiots out there, be careful guys!

[Metroid]

***i like that jacket***

[sscott]

My wife and I are ridding the other day, her on her bike me on mine out on a country road and a very nice early evening. We come up on about 6-8 people on bicycles and a semi in the other lane coming towards us. We slow down so not to hit the people on the bicycles and to give time for the semi to pass going the opposite direction. When the semi passes us we use our turn signales and slowly start to go around us. There was NOTHING behind us and then suddenly out of no where some guy in a lexus speeds up behind us so we slow down and move back behind the group of ridders we were trying to get around. He waves at us smiles and speeds past us as if to say thanks for staying out of his way. We came up to a stop light and we stayed behind him in stead of coming up beside him figured we were safer behind him than in front or beside him. Turn signales nor using arms for turn signals worked with him. He saw us and just didn't care but was very thankful we didn't slow him down.

[almarconi]

When I took the MSF course, one of the instructors was telling us that he got hit by a student while teaching the course. He was dressed in a bright fluorescent jacket at the time he got hit. Apparently, the student became fixated on the jacket, wasn't paying attention and hit the instructor. The instructor said he never wears bright colors anymore when he instructs student drivers.

Perhaps this is what happened in your case.

[DanTheMan]

When I took the MSF course, one of the instructors was telling us that he got hit by a student while teaching the course. He was dressed in a bright fluorescent jacket at the time he got hit. Apparently, the student became fixated on the jacket, wasn't paying attention and hit the instructor. The instructor said he never wears bright colors anymore when he instructs student drivers.

Perhaps this is what happened in your case.

That rider coach may find himself out of a job if he gets noticed by the rider coach trainers or if one of the MSF people happens by.
It's stated very clearly in the manual that ANSI yellow day-glo clothing must be worn while on the range coaching novice or experienced riders. I've known several "old school" RSS trained coaches that have vehemently resisted putting on the bright colors because they feel it makes them a target, and yes, I almost got run over on the range once the same way. I just know it could happen, so I move fast, usually scanning 360 deg. every couple of minutes to make sure I don't get run over.