That biking 6th sense

[Alpinestarhero]

Today I had a close one, properly thought I was gonna be on my way to the hospital, after a bloke in a merc pulled out on me when i was doing about 40 mph (on a 40 mph road) - he didnt even stop at the junction (I think his windows were fogged up aswell). Anyway, It was odd - the moment it happened, I went for the brakes (like you do) but without even really registering, I released them then reapplied. A moment later it then dawned on me I did that because the front wheel had locked or at least was making the kinds of shapes a bike shouldnt.

So I was wondering how many other people have had this experiance, of doing something by instinct and only noticing after the event has occured. I don;t know how I did that, I'm not professing to being some kind of riding god or whatever, but I'm bloody glad that instinct, where ever I learnt it, kicked in.

As for that guy, he turned into the next junction (about 5 meters from the one he pulled out of) and I stopped a bit further on to catch my breath and let the burst of adrenaline get out of my body.

Looking back, I perhaps should have slowed down anyway to anticipate him pulling out. It was a two lane road, I can't recall if I had any room to flick into the right hand lane, but I do know I managed to move to the right of my lane (which may very well be why i didnt hit the merc).

This is the closest I've been to a crash and not actually crashing, a first time for me so I'm a little shaken and in slight disbelief I got away with it.

And angry with the driver for not being observant and never knowing I was so close

Thoughts please

Matt

[Berlin]

I get it spookily often. I lost count during the summer when I backed off from a good old scratch for no apparent reason only to find a pile of horse poop/tractor/mud/pheasant/pedestrian/horse round the corner.

Each time it surprised me. It was as if I wasn't doing it, someone else was. The hazzard didn't surprise me, the fact that I'd backed off for the unknown hazzard did.

I clearly remember thinking "Why on earth did I slow down" ... "Oh, that's why"!

I didn't know there was anything there each time, and didn't even consider there was a problem other than general carefulness. But this was something else.

Maybe my guardian Angel?
On a regular 60 mile blast I managed to slow down for the only corner with a hazzard on it.. Every time! pegs down on every other corner. Without even thinging about it.

Wierd!

C

[the_lone_wolf]

I get it in the car as a passenger with a work colleague who shall remain nameless, I usually get enough time to say "watch the silver BMW it's about to do something stupid" and the driver has just enough time to turn to me saying "Huh?" before the BMW does a stupid and he's not looking

Lately I've taken to closing my eyes and praying...

[gfewster]

I guess it is just good anticipation sense and road skills.

Know exactly what you mean about being in the car with some other drivers, lone wolf. I get this all the time with my wife, and probably with a few other people too. You pick up little clues from other road users (fogged up windows, lack of indicator use, wandering across lanes, kids in the back, all sorts of stuff) and it allows you to make predictions about their likely behaviour and how it might affect you. But there is a whole group of drivers (probably a majority actually) who have no skills at all in this area, and just proceed down the road how they were taught when they learnt to drive. Everything 'unusual' which happens to them on the road is totally unexpected as far as they were concerned.

I've found my '6th sense' has improved massively since riding a bike, but I like to think it was still pretty good as a car-only road user. After all, crashes in cars may not have such severe consequences as those on bikes but they are still generally unpleasant and worth using all your brainpower to avoid!

[rictus01]

Lately I've taken to closing my eyes and praying...

let the force guide you young wolf boy*


*Caution this is ment as a joke and the poster in no way endorses the use of "the force" as an adequate riding tool over good observation and judgment.


Cheers Mark.

[Berlin]

I encouraged both our youngsters to have mopeds before cars for exactly that reason. Biking gives you a hightened sence of what folks in cars are going to do... and how to avoid them. It also makes you trigger sharp for the rozzers too. You'll spot them as a biker in a car far quicker than a car driver in a car. :)

[Neeja]

*Caution this is ment as a joke and the poster in no way endorses the use of "the force" as an adequate riding tool over good observation and judgment.


I find your lack of faith disturbing.

[glang]

I get it in the car as a passenger with a work colleague who shall remain nameless, I usually get enough time to say "watch the silver BMW it's about to do something stupid" and the driver has just enough time to turn to me saying "Huh?" before the BMW does a stupid and he's not looking

Lately I've taken to closing my eyes and praying...

I know drivers like that and Ive found that putting my hands on the dashboard and bowing my head into the crash position is more effective than saying anything when confronted by a dangerous situation! :thumbsup:

[El Saxo]

I get it in the car as a passenger with a work colleague who shall remain nameless, I usually get enough time to say "watch the silver BMW it's about to do something stupid" and the driver has just enough time to turn to me saying "Huh?" before the BMW does a stupid and he's not looking

Lately I've taken to closing my eyes and praying...

Next time put your lid on before getting in the car, see if they get the hint!

[Bluepete]

If you have that certain something, then you are blessed. I have it, Mrs BP thinks I have a crystal ball (maybe becaue I chime as I walk) when I drive.

It is just like having the force with you. Premonition is a wonderfull thing, I just wish it extended to numbers between one a fifty on a Saturday!

It cannot be taught or learned, you either have it, or you don't.

Pete ;)

[Bri w]

Next time put your lid on before getting in the car, see if they get the hint!

Did that with the wife today - ended up with bruises after we got out of the car!

[thedonal]

Did that with the wife today - ended up with bruises after we got out of the car!

Ace! That made me laugh!

I think the biker's/driver's (some do have it!) sixth sense is a learned thing- you subconsciously register all the things leading up to someone doing something dumb- like the prat who turned right across my path last night into a side road- enough space to brake hard, but way too close!

So you tie behaviours in to potential issues. In two lanes, I can often see if someone is going to switch lane and probably without indicating too (though I do get pleasantly surprised on that note). I used to car share heading to work and my friend and I would play the guessing game for this on the journey...

[Kirkybhoy]

I thik a lot of the time these actions come down to bikers ability to read situations better than car drivers - My driving has improved since getting on a bike.

[Bri w]

I thik a lot of the time these actions come down to bikers ability to read situations better than car drivers - My driving has improved since getting on a bike.

Its not just the ability to read a situation, its also about putting yourself in a position that the situation has minimum impact on your own progress. If you asked the guys who've been riding for several years for their top 5 tips no doubt there'd be a lot of duplication but there would be some real gems that some people never think about.


The 5 things that aid my 6th sense.
Overtaking; when moving from right of centre of the left hand lane to the right edge I want to see the driver's eyes in his wing mirror.
Overtaking; I never do it when approaching a T junction where the minor road is on the right - most drivers only look right, and those that do look left, the majority only give a glance.
Pick the gaps in the white road markings, especially when pulling out from a minor road - wheel spin will mean your on the wrong side of the road a bit longer.
Is the driver waving his hands about like he's on a hands free kit? If yes, give him plenty of room.
If the guy in the left hand lane wants to be first away at the lights, it may be because he wants to get across to take the next right - let him go, you can always 'do him' 50yds further on if he isn't.

[no_akira]

Golden Rules...

#1 All Cagers are out to kill you so either give them space or get past them. Develope an 'eye' for ar*eholes ( there normally quite easy to spot, there 2ft of your bumper at 80 mph with lights flashing ) and let them get past you. Its always better to watch an ar*ehole from behind !

#2 Choose the *safer routes if you can , it doesn't matter that its a few more miles, fuel & time aren't as big a concern for us (50+ mpg, were always 5-10 minutes quicker than a car anyway).

*Safer routes are roads that are well lit, avoid dark T junctions like the plague, higher speed dual carriagways, play to a bikes strength's.

#3 Avoid impulsive overtaking, near junctions

#4 Use the bikes full power in moderation, or at least until you are at one with the bike and the route.


Finally every Rider should have their own Golden Rules............:plod:

[carternd]

Golden Rules...

#4 Use the bikes full power in moderation, or at least until you are at one with the bike and the route.


At one with the route. Several years ago, with the full benefit of 6 hrs CBT training, I ragged a C90 6-7 miles to and fro work each day along a nice rural B-road. I got quicker and quicker, knew exactly how to take each corner. One day, even though I wasn't going particularly fast, I took a sharp corner a bit wide and slammed the chicken-chaser into the tarmac. Even now I STILL haven't learned the lesson and most of my pant-soilers are on well-known roads (watch out for the shiny drain cover...) Hopefully I'll learn not to ride the last ride before the final crash.

[Bear]

It cannot be taught or learned, you either have it, or you don't.

Pete ;)

I disagree with this one myself: the 6th sense is a conglomeration of stuff your other 5 are telling you applied to a series of events you become increasingly familiar with as you experience them more often.

As an example: I noticed one of my "6th sense" triggers is looking for reflections of oncoming traffic headlights in the wings of parked cars and in cars I'm about to overtake, and another is the subconcious avoidance of wet manhole covers.

These are both things I've learned through experience. The more time you spend on a bike the better your 6th sense gets. That's why as time goes on we get both faster and safer (in general: bad luck periods ommitted!)

[PsychoCannon]

Heh yeah it's amazing what your Subconcious can pickup and do for you.
On the other end of the specturm though it's also scary when I've gone into a little day dream world of my own as I leave work and 38 miles of London and motorway later I snap out of it and wonder how the hell I got home :-s, I guess my subconcious is a better rider than me and doesn't need my conciounsness around getting in the way =p/

[ophic]

I disagree with this one myself: the 6th sense is a conglomeration of stuff your other 5 are telling you applied to a series of events you become increasingly familiar with as you experience them more often.
I agree with this - it's all experience coupled with the ability to learn from it. However, some people lack the observational ability, or the learning ability. Some people manage to always draw the wrong conclusion, ie learning ability is flawed. So you either have the ability to develop the "6th sense" or you don't. imho, of course.

[Owenski]

The 5 things that aid my 6th sense.
Overtaking; I do this.
Overtaking; I do this
Pick the gaps in the white road markings, I DO THIS
Is the driver waving his hands about like he's on a hands free kit? I DO THIS, Your scaring me now!
If the guy in the left hand lane wants to be first away at the lights, I dont go in front of the lead car unless another bike is filtering behind me and in which case I'll manouver around the front car basically blocking it off in order to leave space for the 2nd bike. Normally though, I'll sit just off his rear quater, so that the 2nd car has me directly in thier eye line. What ever they want to do, they can do it behind me.


Good to know Bri!