ThomWill
Learned Hand
Reged: 10/01/07
Posts: 1626
Loc: Georgia
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Everything mentioned here plus... Keep one eye on the car in front, too easy to get focused on a single hazard. Then assuming you get past the car waitng to turn left, DO NOT RELAX... So many times, especially for those of us in congested areas, more than one left turn comes out of the queue. As a commuter in high traffic areas, serial dangers are as common as concurrent ones.
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Thom
I might be wrong, I sometimes am.
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Dwight
Fe Butt
Reged: 02/03/05
Posts: 17828
Loc: Sedona, Arizona
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Yep Thom, I was just about to mention that it's often "the second bullet" that gets ya!
In other words, it's often that SECOND cager(behind the first one who's just made that left turn with adequate distance ahead of your approach) who you especially should prepare for(lay off the gas and maybe slightly tap that front brake lever with those two fingers o' yours and SLOW DOWN a bit) until you're absolutely sure that the second cager doesn't just assume that because the guy in front of him thought it was okay to proceed across your path that it was clear for him to do the same.
And, this is ESPECIALLY true if that first cager is drivin' a high-profile vehicle such as a SUV or truck, which often presents an additional factor that BOTH the second cager can not see through that high-profile vehicle to make sure his coast is ALSO clear before he too proceeds across your path, but ALSO YOU the rider, because YOUR sight is ALSO often blocked by that high-profile vehicle to see IF that next guy is lurking there and about to make you and your motorcycle his new "hood ornament" and/or "right-side door handle".
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Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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foglefar
Learned Hand
Reged: 03/09/05
Posts: 1975
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
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Another technique when approaching left turners (or right turners here in Oz) is to ride in the lee of another vehicle across the intersection - but in the next lane to the vehicle you are shadowing. Obviously you want to be sure the vehicle you ride beside isn't in a turning lane themselves.
If I'm approaching an intersection I will often accellerate to close the distance between me and a vehicle ahead (who is in a parallel lane) so I don't get those buggers who are just waiting for the guy ahead of me to pass before turning across my front.
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Cheers, Richard
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09 America, Staintune Pipes, K&N, Breathe, Hagon Nitros, AI & O2 removed, tune 20184 (modified), MTX-L a/f gauge
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bigbill
Worn Saddle
Reged: 01/11/05
Posts: 6139
Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada
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Good strategy there Richard, one that I use as well.
One point is to be sure not to hang in the "shield" vehicles blind spot.
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"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves and wiser people so full of doubts." ~ Bertrand Russell
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locopony
Loquacious
Reged: 09/01/10
Posts: 4304
Loc: Texas, Houston
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Those are all great ideas and fun games to play. I just try to ride and enjoy life. On a long enough time line the life expectancy of every one becomes 0. Please try not to sap all the fun out of riding, while being careful or soon youll find you dont ride much anymore. You do know that dieing is not the worst thing that can happen. If that was the case life just becomes a tragic prelude to disaster.
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Bopin in the bad shine, with a bota bag of fried wine.
http://locoponys.com/
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Dwight
Fe Butt
Reged: 02/03/05
Posts: 17828
Loc: Sedona, Arizona
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Hmmmmm...so Loco, I take it you must've been elsewhere the day your Scout Master was teachin' your troop the Scout motto of "Be Prepared", huh?! 
Come on, you can tell us where y'all were at! My guess is that you were behind the barn smokin' that there first cigarette o' yours, right?! 
(oh and btw, to put your mind to rest here, you "Devil-May-Care Fun-Lover" you...the ideas of "bein' prepared" and "enjoyin' a nice ride", are not, AND don't have to be, mutually exclusive ideas, ya know!)
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Yep! Just like a good Single Malt Scotch, you might call me "an acquired taste" TOO.(among the many OTHER things you may care to call me, of course)
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Two_Wheel_n
Learned Hand
Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1092
Loc: South Coast, MA
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Quote:
... I just try to ride and enjoy life. ...
Me too!!! But knowing and realizing there's potential danger ahead, riding thru it and getting to do again is the ride of life... ENJOY THE RIDE!! Don't look down a barrel of a loaded gun with your finger on the trigger!! THAT'S ALL!!!
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'04' Black America
Some new pics:
http://s889.photobucket.com/home/spcont/recentuploads?view=slideshow
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Keith
Stickman Yogi
Reged: 03/21/09
Posts: 11611
Loc: BC, Canada
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Well Chad, I get a lot of enjoyment from this here thing called life. I've been known to say, "if ya ain't having fun ya must be doing something wrong." But I likes being smart too so I make that part of my daily means and ways. And I gotta tell you, being caution about cagers turning left, or any other 'heads-up' has never caused me to ride less.
Huh... I guess I WAS there for the day the Scout Master talked about "being prepared." I must have been however, out behind the outhouse the day he discussed substance abuse!! 
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Live to love, love to live.
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foglefar
Learned Hand
Reged: 03/09/05
Posts: 1975
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
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I agree you gotta keep the joy in riding - but I see this stuff as added skills which I enjoy mastering and I still ride quite agressively which sorta contradicts these defensive skills but the way I see it I need these skills cos I am gonna keep riding aggressively - and enjoying the stimulous.
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Cheers, Richard
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09 America, Staintune Pipes, K&N, Breathe, Hagon Nitros, AI & O2 removed, tune 20184 (modified), MTX-L a/f gauge
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stevieB
Learned Hand
Reged: 08/19/10
Posts: 1738
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I gotta tell you I learned that lesson the hard way very early in my riding career. Remember in Australia its right turn cagers cause we ride on the correct side of the road. 
It was back around 1980 and I was riding one of those Kwaka z900s downhill.  At the base of the hill there was a street off to the right. The cager in front of me was pulling over to the left hand side of the road with no indication of course but slowing to a stop.  As I came down behind him I began to pass him when he decides to swing hard right for a U-turn.  Needless to say those kwakas dont pull up very well so I tried to gun it and swerve around him unsuccessfully and got taken out and slid down the road into the opposite street gutter.  I must have been knocked senseless for a bit cause the next thing I knew the older gentleman that was apparently the driver of that cage was standing over me yelling obsceneties at me. The bike was a total right off and I was very lucky to escape with gravel rash and bruising and oh yeh I copped a neglegent driving ticket from the police as well because I overtook him at an intersection.  It did not help that I was a young thug on a motorcycle and the older gentleman was well respected in the community. 
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