[Skinner222]

My usual morning ride has me on the road at 6am and I try to avoid any roads that are busy with commuters. There is one stretch of road that I have to take. It's a back country road that is usually busy in the morning but the majority of traffic is coming at me; very few cars pass me from behind. Today I was cruising along nicely at 31-32kph with a line of cars approaching me. I should note that I have a bright flashing headlight and tail light on every time I ride in the morning. Anyhow, the line of cars was approaching me and just before the first one got to me the car behind it pulled out to pass and was heading right at me. It was a green Pontiac Sunfire and the guys face is burned into my brain because we locked eyes. He was doing at least 90kph when he went by me, so close I could almost feel the car. This happened so fast that there was no way I could have made any evasive moves. By the time my brain said "You should hit the gravel shoulder NOW!" he was already gone by. At first I was shocked, then angry, and then it hit me how close I came. It shook me up. I've been right hooked, left hooked and passed very closely from behind but this move, in my mind, was the worst. I would have been like a bug on a windshield. Suffice it to say I will be VERY aware of approaching traffic from now on.

Cheers!
K

 

[c.rod]

of course it had to be a pontiac a s s fire.... i hate those cars!!

glad you came out ok,

 

[JasonB176]

Was it even legal for him to be passing?

 

[looigi]

Yep, stuff happens. I ride in the lane when there are no cars coming up behind me in the belief/hope that I'm more conspicuous to oncoming cars, cars pulling out of driveways, and even overtaking cars that are a distance behind for which I move over when they get closer. I also think when I'm way over on the shoulder, the unthinking motorists assumes I'm roadside clutter not relevant to their trajectory. Of course motorcycles riding fully in the lane and at traffic speed with bright lights are not immune to this either.

 

[Got Time]

Two days ago I was riding down a mountain where the lanes are separated by double yellow uninterrupted lines.
When I turned into a corner a car was coming uphill in my (downhill) lane.
There was no other car (that he might have been overtaking)... the guy was simply driving in the wrong lane....
Lots of fun getting out of his way at high speed cornering...

 

[Hooben]

You gotta be thankful that you are okay! Be careful not to let this ruin your rides. It's impossible to detect every single car, and worse to constantly be looking back in fear. There's really nothing you can do if a car is going to hit you from behind. We just have to enjoy our riding and hope that nothing happens to us! Glad you're okay...

 

[Skinner222]

Was it even legal for him to be passing?

Yes - 2 lane tar and gravel country road, 80kph speed limit. No paint lines and about 4' of gravel shoulder before you're at the bottom of a very deep ditch.

 

[Skinner222]

You gotta be thankful that you are okay! Be careful not to let this ruin your rides.

I'm grateful that nothing happened, and it won't stop me from riding the same route. Depending on the wind I may be on that same road tomorrow and I'll definitely keep an eye out for the green Sunfire!

Cheers!
K