Close calls.


Emma

New Member
For the most part I had a really great day of riding and I did my very first mod on my bike.

Left the house to take care of some errands and after one stop at the first bank I had to go to, I was at the driveway of the place behind this dully truck. I positioned myself so I was directly behind the driver so I could be seen in two of his mirrors.

Next thing I know, his reverse lights are on and he's moving toward me. I push my bike backward and honk my horn. When he heard my horn he hit those breaks pretty quick.

Then I was on one of the major roads in my area approaching a red light a little faster than I normally do, but I had plenty of time to stop. That is if an asshat hadn't pulled into my lane without signaling.

I gripped onto my front breaks a little harder than I intended to stop a lot faster ans ended up doing my very first stoppie. I'm thanking god right now for my Pilates class, because I had a death grip on my bike with my legs and I had my arms locked. The bike did a perfect stoppie, to my surprise.

A couple of kids in a car next to me loved the show and were trying to get me to do another one when we pulled up to the next light. I wanted to give them a middle finger salute, I settled for a glare.

I learned that I do not wish to perform another stoppie, ever!

I got home safely and installed a 12 volt outlet on my bike so I can use my electric pump that I now keep under my seat for fixing flat tires, as well as charging any of my electronics while I'm out if I need to.
 

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Rumpig

Member
Every time I go for a ride I make the assumption someone is going to try and kill me - ride accordingly.
Be grateful you don't have nuts, that glare would of been a grimace.
 

Emma

New Member
Rumpig; if I had those, I don't think they would be in any pain. I stood up and leaned back for counter balance at the same time. I did everything on instinct from many many years of riding bicycles and doing the same stuff deliberately. Very handy skills when you have something in your way that you need to go over the top of on a bicycle.

Mistah T; believe me when I say I am very vigilant. Especially after my accident last year on my bicycle.

I had a cager clip me with his passenger rear view mirror and use my hip to take it off of his truck. If the surprise pain hadn't taken my eyes off the road in front of me for those precious few seconds. I wouldn't have run over that mirror and eaten pavement and gravel at about 15 to 20 on the side of the road and looked at all the cars around me trying to go around me at the same time.

I was riding that bike after the police returned it to me a few days later and I replaced the seat post. Complete with my arm in a sling.

With how hard I went down, I'm surprised that all I had was a bum shoulder and a few bruises. I still have some minor problems with that shoulder now and again.

And the worst thing was, I wasn't even on the road proper with my bicycle.

On the bright side, all the firemen that showed up were really hot and very easy on the eyes. But that's something most of you guys wouldn't care much about.
 

beau901

New Member
I live in Memphis and Memphis drivers are a lot like Jackson drivers. I'm not sure I would ever ride on I-55 from Madison to South Jackson, especially in afternoon traffic. Memphis drivers are the absolute worst. Yellow lights mean gun it and run it and red lights are a suggestion to slow down. Blinkers, there a a few of us who actually use blinkers. I'm jealous that you have the Natchez Trace, I've always wanted to ride on the Trace from Natchez to Nashville. I'll do it one day but there's just no easy way to get to the Trace from Memphis.
 

Emma

New Member
Yeah Beau901, don't get me started on what people think about speed limits around here.

As for the Trace, I'm thinking about planning a trip down it next year while the Dogwoods are in full bloom from Nashville to Natchez.

However, I do have to go through Jackson or Ridgeland to get to the Trace from where I live. That part of Ridgeland isn't any better than driving through Jackson. As a matter of fact, I think it's worse. LOL, and the bike shop I bought my bike from is off of hwy 51 up there in Ridgeland.

On Saturday I will be taking a trip to Vicksburg for my Birthday ride. I'm going to go there and ride through the Civil War Battlefield Park. I haven't been there in quite a few years. I plan to take Hwy 80 to the other side of Jackson and there I plan to hop onto I-20 west. That way I don't have to deal with all the interchanges along the way. The stacks (I-55/I-20 interchange, at the north/east end of the interchange, for those that don't know) are the absolute worst because you also have traffic from Hwy 49 right there.

For the most part, I'm having the time of my life.
 
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beau901

New Member
Emma - Vicksburg would be a fun ride. My wife is from Natchez and I have a brother-in-law who lives in Brandon so we are down there a lot. Go to Natchez and stop off at Fat Mama's to get a margarita and gringo pie. If I ever take my bike down there I'll give you heads up.
 

Emma

New Member
I'll keep that in mind for my next out of town ride. I have wanted to take a trip down to Natchez some time, part of my bucket list.

Now I have a bigger incentive to cross that one off my list.

Just got back from my trip to Vicksburg and I loved it. Nothing like a swarm of bugs going splat on your face plate at 75 mph. At first I thought it was some mud kicked up by a passing car.

Not only did I ride through the National Military Park, but I payed a visit to the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum, which is where Coca-Cola was first bottled anywhere in the world; and I went through the old Courthouse museum downtown.

On the way out there, I had to stop out on the interstate because a stupid cager rolled his truck and made quite the mess on the median.

I had a nice safe ride all the way there and back.

However, I was under the assumption that bikers were observant out on the road. I was wrong.

On the way back, when I was in South Jackson. I got passed by a group of about 8 guys on street bikes. Not one of them took notice of the hot chick on the FZ6R in the right hand lane. Not that it would have mattered much to me. Especially since not one of them had on anything protective other than their helmets. T-shirts, jeans and regular tennis shoes.

Those guys were more interested in trying to out ride each other more than anything.

It was fun watching them ride though. I learned a lot of things NOT to do out on the road from them.
 


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