Suzuki V-Strom (VStrom) Owners Club DL250, DL650, DL1000 & DL1050

Other Stuff => The Blue Oyster bar => Topic started by: sv650tim on May 18, 2018, 10:56:42

Title: SMIDSY......
Post by: sv650tim on May 18, 2018, 10:56:42
Hello all,

Sorry Mate I Didn't See You....

Beautiful weekend ahead - perfect for getting out on two wheels. Before you set out - just take a moment and think about this 'adventure' I had yesterday afternoon.

I'm quite happy to admit that I'm a steady rider - getting over 70mpg from my AL5 Wee so ride for economy not speed ! Had 25 bikes since passing my test in 1996 - last guess ridden about 75000 miles in all. Wear a yellow fluorescent bib and fluorescent orange helmet on every ride. Lights on of course too all the time.

Set off home from work yesterday - same road I always take - local country road. Dry road, sun, no traffic. Got up to the limit (40 mph) and noticed a black Ford Focus turning into my path out of a farm shop in the distance. Watched the car all the way - then about 30 metres before I reached the car, it started to pull out. No time to think, pulled the brakes as hard as I could (I remember shouting no, no, no in my helmet !). Managed to swerve round the front of the car as it stopped. If anything had been coming the other way, I would probably be in the hospital now.

I pulled in and I was shaking. That was close !

She turned, pulled in behind me and got out. Middle-aged lady with teenage son in the passenger seat. She couldn't stop saying how sorry she was and how she hadn't seen me....

Trying to put a positive spin on it - I suppose we can all get a little lazy with our riding after many years and lots of miles. This has given me a shock and made me think about my riding. Another 10 mph and I might have been past her - or over her bonnet ! It makes you wonder though, what more do we need to do to be seen by other road users. Think I am going to fit some additional lights - maybe that will help.

So be safe everyone - this can happen at any time, whatever the conditions, whatever your experience.

Not going to stop me riding bikes of course - they are brilliant and they have provided some of the best experiences of my life ! Enjoy the weekend - might have some more room on the roads if everyone else is watching the wedding !!!!  :sunny:

Regards

Tim
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: Joe Rocket on May 18, 2018, 11:41:35
It's a 'practice' not reserved for bikes only, they do pull out in front of other vehicles too!

It's surprising how many reminders we get on two wheels and the French are just as good  bad at it too.

Glad to hear you avoided contact.  :thumb:
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: kwackboy on May 18, 2018, 11:45:12
Indeed , how much more can we do to be seen ? Somehow I think no matter what you wear, how many lights you have or how safe you ride there will always be one that's completely blind or stupid

Glad you managed to stay upright  ..  :thumb:
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: wurzel on May 18, 2018, 11:49:43
Great heads up, if she didn't see you in that gear, she did not look properly, plenty of them about, some half blind,some just negligent,some just don't care,blind spots in modern cars are an issue too.
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: Hugo Magnus on May 18, 2018, 14:25:24
I wear black clothes and black helmet. I assume I'm invisible to other motorists, it works for me.
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: Freddyfruitbat on May 18, 2018, 17:09:16
Well I wear Hello high-viz helmet and vest, and also assume I'm invisible to other motorists.  :smirk:

I had a near-SMIDSY the other day while riding round an urban roundabout at a very sensible pace; a car was approaching it at about 10 mph, on the turn-off before my exit.  She's 10 yards away, looking directly at me, and apparently making eye contact.  You'd think she'd have then come to a stop and waited for me, and it looked like that's what she was going to do.  But then - she suddenly accelerates on to the roundabout, heading directly for me, just as I'm peeling off to my exit.  Unbelievable.  So weird, it was like it was deliberate.  I do my best to take avoiding action and at the last split second she realises what's about to happen and does likewise; we avoid making contact by about a foot.   

Really hard to see what I could possibly have done any differently to stay safe. Times like that make me wonder why I even ride a bike
(it soon wears off though!)
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: mrp192 on May 18, 2018, 20:21:22
I thoroughly recommend BikeVis Bullets when used in conjunction with their modulator that makes the led lamps ‘twinkle’ a bit like those Christmas lights some people have on their houses.
Sounds rubbish but very good at attracting attention of drivers at junctions.
Not strictly complying with Lighting Regs but I’ve wired them with enough slack that I can take the modulator out of the system if I attract the attention of an over zealous Police Officer.
Good to see you weren’t hurt.
https://www.bikevis.com/product/bikevis-bullets-v2-motorcycle-running-lights/
https://www.bikevis.com/product/bikevis-podmod-motorcycle-light-modulator/
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: Dark-Strom on May 18, 2018, 22:01:17
Well first up, really glad you are OK.
I attended a biker-down evening run by the fire service a few years back, where they had a guest speaker talking exactly about Hello-vis / perception etc...
His comments were that yellow in the country-side may not be so visable dependant on season and that a larger single colour could be a better thing.
But as ever if like the couple of knocks I have had, you could have been a christmas tree and still got the "oh I didn't see you"...twats. :dl_soapbox:
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: Freddyfruitbat on May 19, 2018, 00:50:21
Did the that course too - it was pointed out that these days that every man and his dog now wears yellow high-viz in the street so it has far less impact than it used to. The bloke reckoned fluorescent pink was probably the best bet nowadays; however I'm afraid that's where I draw the line!  :grin:
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: TLPower on May 19, 2018, 05:30:25
I'm glad you survived.

Interesting statements about the yellow becoming the norm and we are now becoming "blind" to it. I was at a heavy freight rail container depot yesterday for an hour or so, the rail operatives all wear orange, the blokes collecting the containers wear yellow. The booking office was approx 500 metres away, the people wearing orange certainly stood out better at that distance.

We are all capable of looking but not seeing, I always assume that people haven't seen me.
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: tallpaul on May 19, 2018, 07:48:08
I always ride like I'm invisible as most drivers tend to be "blind". I like having DRLs as I think they grab the attention better than high viz but this only works if they are looking in your direction to start with. Reading this has started to make me think I should put the Arrow end can back on my bike. Anything that can help make me conspicuous has to be beneficial.
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: TLPower on May 19, 2018, 08:57:27
Hence the thunderpipe fitted to the Nail. :thumb:
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: kwackboy on May 19, 2018, 11:26:10
I never travel with any Florescent / luminous clothing however both my bikes have louder pipes than standard.
As far as I'm concerned anyone who can't see a pair of bright headlights, a red tail light or hear a loud exhaust is completely Def and blind.
As TLP has said , treat everyone as if they don't see you .
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: kwarr on May 19, 2018, 21:25:23
I've'e done a few a Met Police Bike safe days,  several of the instructors over the years have suggested in the scenario you describe, to 'move about' the road. This is obviously NOT weaving about, but slight movement that 'may' increase your profile to the 'non-seeing, but looking' motorists!

Of course we all know that no amount of his-vis, extra lights, or loud pipes, will save you. Its the stuff between your ears. My tuppence worth..... ALWAYS ride defensively ....Oh and some extra training will help
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: chris1200 on May 19, 2018, 22:22:02
Kwarr, you are quite right. Test's have proven that it's not the Hello vis, bright lights, or size of bike that counts most but the movement of the bike. If I am approaching any situation where I need to be seen I tend to use the width of the road with the bike. As you said, not swerve all over the place like an idiot, but just create movement off the normal and expected path. I think it goes back to when we were hunters and we needed to see movement that was at odds with our surroundings. Cars, bikes flowing in a line = nothing to see here. Movement slightly off the expected= best take notice.
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: Freddyfruitbat on May 20, 2018, 00:29:20
Ah yes, the  SMIDSY weave (https://youtu.be/tnIisFbd06o?t=14s)...

I love the fact that the above-linked video is by an American, but when he explains what "SMIDSY" stands for, he lapses into a cod-Cockney accent - the word "mate" being definitely a British/Aussie thing. (Don't they have a US version of SMIDSY?!)
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: chris1200 on May 20, 2018, 03:46:01
Damn it, now every time I come to a junction and move in or out in the road I will hear that voice. Sigh.  :groan:
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: Mr Nick on May 20, 2018, 19:26:14
I experienced the most 'useful' type of SMIDSY today, if there is such a thing: I had an ambulance pull out onto the roundabout in front of me, there was room had they kept going as I wasn't in any great hurry, but they stopped fully across my lane and apologised for not seeing me. At least treatment for the ensuing crash would have been on hand had I not anticipated the move.
Title: Re: SMIDSY......
Post by: MartinW on May 21, 2018, 10:41:39
I was expecting to read another tale of broken mirrors and indicators and where you can get a panel from. So, good to see you avoided it.

I always assume everyone is blind and I have been about 95% wrong so far, but beware the 5%.