| Author | Message | ||
     Midknyte |
It finally happened to "me". Run off the road (sorta - into the middle left/right turn lane) by a yakker on a cellphone. Luckily enough, she was just a drifter. I had time to watch in amazement as she just floated right into me with not a care in the world. Myself, I just eased left as well to avoid her, thumbing for my horn but hitting my starter instead (horn is on the left, horn is on the left, horn is on the left...). In retrospect, I think I'm very glad I did not find my horn - lest I have startled her and caused her to steer into me rather than away. Anyway, that is not what I want to talk about. Just the inspiration for a bike physics question. What would happen if: A motorcycle is traveling in a straight line and an external side force were applied above the horizontal centerline. i.e. - If I had made contact with this car on my right. Assume that the handlebar does not come in contact with the car - that in itself would have an effect that could generate a different outcome/discussion.  Would the bike continue in a straight line, albiet leaned? Or would the bike want to turn? I think that I'm just describing nothing more than a counter-steering situation. But one here that is initiated not by the rider, but by the car sideswiping it. I want to say that if leaned left (pushed from the right side) that it would want to turn left, and away from the car. Perhaps violently, but away. I would really hope that it would not want to turn right...! | ||
| Mikej |
Midnight, Get out your bicycle, find a willing friend or two to participate, go find a vacant grass/turf field that you can ride bicycles on, and play bumper bikes. This is part of bicycle road rider's basic training for many teams in the early season, and is supposed to teach one what happens when body contact is made while in a corner or on a straight or in a sprint to a finish line. All the physics and explanations in the world may or may not explain what happens to you, but an afternoon on a bicycle in the grass can. Wear a helmet and maybe some padding. This isn't wrestling so don't go bonzo/banzai on each other, just some friendly shoulder bumping and trying to ride out the impacts. What happens at the point of impact is greatly offset by how you react to the impact. http://www.planetultra.com/training/rbr/group.html http://members.aol.com/JrCycAthl/training/tactical1.html | ||
| M1combat |
The handle bars would hit first off... Other than that, if the frame hit first by some miracle I think that it would set up a standard countersteering entry into a left hand turn (assuming you were hit on the right). The initial contact push would steer the handlebars to the right for just a moment, then the self correcting properties of the bike would take over once contact is lost. Of course, I could be wrong, and my example assumes you don't have you hands on the bars. | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
To find out, press your knee against the tank without turning the bars while keeping your opposite knee outstretched from the bike. Don, I can think of times where a car can bump you and not hit the bars. Think a honda at the hoodline, up close to the bumper as oppossed to the main body of the car for example. One thing to think about though in your quest Midnyte, how is your body itself going to react to the bumping? Your body weight shift from the bump will have an effect as well. | ||
| Outrider |
MidKnyte...Physics aside, read up on proper lane position in relation to traffic. I know it isn't always possible to follow, but it will help minimize your exposure to scenarios like you described. | ||
| Rek |
I got forced out of my lane one time in SLC, where 215 splits off I-15 (or is it 10?). The road goes from 6 lanes down to four and then divides. I'm headed east on the 215 split, look over and see a lady changing lanes right into me. Left side concrete divider, right side oblivious car driver. I honked. She din't hear. Finally I gave it all I had (1984 Honda V-45) and bolted out in front of her. Peed her right off; she apparently thought I was passing her!! A very scary situation all around. | ||
| Rick_a |
I've had several occurrences of nearly getting snuffed out on the highway (mainly SUV's for some reason). The last time this lady in a merging lane kept accelerating with me. This deranged chick would not let up, and while I could've easily outpaced her I was curious to see when she'd let up and hold back. Apparently she had a "my vehicle is bigger than yours" complex and I had to squirt out from between two vehicles. My wife was on back and flicked her off...and I stared her down with a dirty look...she acted unaware of our presence and keep looking dead straight ahead. | ||
| Mikej |
That's the "me first" mentality, they must be first and in front or they apparently loose self respect and self control. Been in a few on-ramp drag races myself.  | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
Spending time delivering pizza in Waikiki teaches you how to look at all the vehicles around you and little tricks to observe to warn of the lane changes. Never look at the driver, they won't tell you anything. Keep an eye on the front wheel as you will see it start the lane change before you will see the whole car drifting towards you. The boot to the door is louder then your horn...unless you swap for a classic Chevy horn. Cagers always believe they have the right to be where you are, and its your responsibility to get out of their way. Just because they are in the left turn lane doesn't mean they won't turn down the wrong section of roadway. The Japanese drive on the left side of the road. Mopeds bunny hop curbs exceptionally well. Loud pipes, don't mean a damn thing. Taxi Cabs will ALWAYS dive across the lanes to get to the person waving them down. Pedestrians pay no attention to traffic. Other pizza drivers will cut your bungee cords as they pass. | ||
| Midknyte |
MidKnyte...Physics aside, read up on proper lane position in relation to traffic. I know it isn't always possible to follow, but it will help minimize your exposure to scenarios like you described. Yep, I am mindful of this (and as such I had plenty of room and time to react). I was not in her blindspot. She was just straight up oblivious. She continued on ahead of me to later cross the left lane bounds as well. I let her pass - as a rule, I try to let/make any bad drivers pass and get in front of me. I'll turn off, stop and re-enter traffic if necessary. They are best had in front of you where you can watch and avoid them. | ||
| M1combat |
That's VERY sound advice Mikel - Watch the front tires. You would be amazed how early you can see something happening by doing that. Of course, the better idea is to just not drive beside cars at all. Also - Make sure you are in a position that can be seen. If you are following a car towards an intersection, close up behind them and get to the center. This will allow the guy turning left to see you and not try to cut right behind the car you are following. A lot of times I try to put myself in a place where if they DO hit me, they would have hit the car I was near as well. On two lanes, try not to ride in the right lane just behind the guy in the left lane. People will try to turn left in front of him quickly but slam on the brakes just as they clear him... this leaves the left turner directly in front of you and you are fairly boxed in by the car to your left. Ride just in front of him to the center. This way if someone pulls out in front of you, you can dive to the left lane. IMO though, the best place to be is either by yourself or about 8-10' behind a car to the left of whatever lane you are in. If you see a car coming towards you and trying to make a left, move closer to the car in front of you. Always ride with your brights on. | ||
| Midknyte |
A lot of times I try to put myself in a place where if they DO hit me, they would have hit the car I was near as well. Same here, I often use cars to run interference for me too. Especially at night. I do not like to follow too closely to a car in front of me (for lack of stopping distance), but I'll snug up a bit if I see a line of cars coming the other direction towards me/us such that one of them is not likely to break from the pack and pass in our lane (because he'll see the car, and probably not me if I were a lone object.). | ||
| Outrider |
After 30 years of lane splitting in the LA/Orange County area, I guess I am a little more attuned to what the vehicles and their operators around me are doing. CA riders that practice "White Line Fever" learn to watch everything from traffic flow to pavement conditions to head and tire movements to kids and dogs, etc. It's either that or die. Still, IMO it is better and safer to lane split wisely than get run over in stop'n'go traffic. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
As a truck driver I am constantly amazed by the number of dumbasses who try to do the same thing against 40 odd tons & 400+ horses, but I find that the front wheel nuts make a lovely pattern on the side of the car,  | ||
| Careyj |
An everyday thing here in Phoenix metro area!!! | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
Really Carey? I hadn't noticed Phoenix isn't as bad as a lot of places I have ridden, Waikiki being the worst due to japanese tourists and Cab drivers. Detoit coming in second because more often then not the drivers just simply don't look. I literally watched one car pull into the car next to it, they had been side by side for almost a full mile. |
