Nearly bought it this evening.....

[thedonal]

Ever have one of those rides where you get half way round a route and think "Perhaps I shouldn't have got on the bike"?

Doing my current weekend circular jaunt- Surbiton-Dorking-Ranmore-A246-A25-Boxhill (cafe shut-damn!)-home.

On the A246, half a brick appeared from under the car in front that I didn't spot due to traffic- right in my path- big clunk on the front shock as I went over it. With no immediate change in feel, I rode on and stopped at Newlands to find no apparent damage to the tyre (plenty of rubber on it is the only thing I think saved things). Pressure check tomorrow will tell for sure!

So- off again, towards Dorking- open up on the wide section of road, just past the turning for Chilworth, doing about 80 and a car is waiting to turn right at a road up ahead-no, they're not waiting, they're pulling out!!!! Brake hard, locking the back wheel and manage to get round the back of it, beeping away. Scared the crapola out of me. Yes, I was going 20mph over the limit, but there was LOADS of time and space (at least 250m worth) to see a YELLOW MOTORCYCLE WITH IT'S HEADLIGHTS ON!!!

I really felt like I got right up against the edge of my life.

Still- rode on, enjoyed most of the ride and got the chicken strips down a little. I'd say that I'll enjoy every pint that little bit more now, but as I'm off the booze at the mo (5 weeks tomorrow since my last pint) it'll have to be the meals instead. But you get the gist!!

[Tara]

Glad your OK matey sounds like you were very lucky

[Samnooshka]

Glad you're ok. I get it so often people pulling out on me, bt what i hate is when they pull out on you then go really slow getting up to speed and stick close to the curb as if to say they saw you but thought you can just go round them as we're smaller than cars and if they stick to the curb and let us pass that is alright!!! this happens a lot on my route to work :(

[falc]

Does sound like you had one of those days, glad your still in one piece

[thedonal]

Cheers folks- as predicted, me dinner was all the more tasty.

Or perhaps that was the upgrade from normal chilli's to birds-eyes in the pasta sauce. I was properly buzzing after that!

I know what you mean Samnooshka- people get out of side roads in such a hurry, so they can get a place in the traffic and then, drive slowly- like they've completely forgotten how to get from 1st to second!!

[sarah]

eeek, scary.

i get v nervous when i see people in side roads

[thedonal]

Yeah- I did very much think about yours and E.Twin's crash. Nearly mentioned it on the first post.

My first car crash was due to an (uninsured) @rsehole pulling out of a side road- I was also very nervous about this for a while afterwards.

I also get people looking like they're about to pull out on the next road down from me- it seems like a fashion there. So my radar is fairly sharp for that kind of behaviour.

However, I still get those "Are they gonna? Nooooo- they are as well!!!!!!" spectator moments when you're more focussed on what they're gonna do, rather than what I'm gonna do about it!

Keeps one sharpened, I spose!

[_Stretchie_]

Bloody hell mate, glad you came out of it ok. This rang a bell with me because no tlong after I got my bike a similar thing happened, it was dark and raining and I didn't even see the brick, all I know is I was riding then all of a sudden I was fighting to keep control of the bike fishtailing ad wobbling everywhere, I still have the big dents in the rims of my wheels...

Not fun is it. Glad you came through it also

[Law]

Glad you're ok. Near misses aren't fun.

Oh, I clicked on this thread thinking it was going to be about spending money.

[thedonal]

Well- I guess I nearly spent all of my money in one go!!!

Cheers again. I guess near misses are nature's way of keeping one sharp and it's not as if I walked into a bike license without knowing the risks.