What could I have done better?

Just back from an evening at the Austin Hospital - not my preferred
Saturday night. At 5:40pm today was driving north along Chandler Hwy in
Alphington (Melbourne) and heard a vehicle siren - stopped at the
Heidelberg Rd lights as I saw an ambulance with the whole flashing
lights/siren catastrophe approaching the intersection. Next thing I
recall is a blooody great bang and me lying on the road - vehicle behind
me hadn't seen/heard the ambulance and shot through the green light -
arse-ending me on route. Bounced off its bonnet/windscreen and was
ricocheted a further 10m down the road - fortunately the ambulance
stopped and attended to me (must have called another for wherever it was
heading I guess) and shuttled me to the hospital. Six hours and
countless x-rays later am now home again - very sore and sorry but
fortunately without any major injuries (I hope!). Although bike & helmet
are stuffed!

But from a defensive riding perspective - what could I have done better
here? I'd glanced at my mirrors before braking and there was space
behind me and nothing in front - but I'm not a particularly experienced
rider and am willing to admit that possibly I could have handled the
situation better. Any suggestions as to how?

RL

 

Well mate you werent in the wrong at all.
Maybe you could have pulled over to the side of the road at the intersection
and the collision may not have happened.
Did the ambos report to the police exactly what happened?

Cheers

Chris

 

Yep I'd probably pull over to the side of the lane of possible as well.
That's a hard one to call.
Glad you came off lightly in the end.
As for the other bloke I'd say they would have to pay for your bike and
helmet.

 

Ahem - that should have been RIDING north - not driving!!

 

Saw your bike parked up on the corner of lwr Heidelberg road while on my way
to fill up at the BP down the road. On my return leg saw a cop car and a tow
truck getting ready to pickup your bike. From a distance, the front looked
ok, but the rear and possibly one of the sides would've taken a hammering.
Red VT or something like that..couldn't quite make it out.

Every time you *have* to emergency brake , always glance into your mirrors
and possibly tweak your head around using your peripherals to gauge a fast
moving vehicle. Take all but milliseconds but the action could save your
skin.
Ditto, if for instance you had just lane split into a trucks' lane and had
to emergency brake, consider moving into another lane or climb the footpath
if you have to.

Manouvering rather than hard braking is sometimes your best, and only tactic
staying alive. It;'s the indecisiveness factor...which is the real killer.

vifer


If you frequent the area and see either a blue VFR750 or red oldie Ducati,
riden by a black-clad rider ..say hello. Alphington / Fairfield's got more
than enough traffic lights to have a yarn.

 

Not much you _can_ do ... if you're stopped in the middle of a road
the SMIDSYs will come swarming after you.

"SORRY MATE I DIDN'T SEE YOU!"

You could stop on the very edge of your lane hoping that at least
someone noticing you at the last minute will go around you rather
than through you, but then being on the side of the lane may make
them less likely to notice you -- and it sounds like your SMIDSY
didn't even hit the brakes.

You could keep an eye in your mirrors for incoming bogeys, but
if you're stopped, odds are they'll hit you anyway by the time
you react.

Glad to hear you weren't seriously injured ... bet you feel like
shit this morning though!

-----sharks

 

Had something similar happen to me a year or two back. It happened a week
after doing an advanced riding course where they talked about safety
procedures!
The minimum you should do it hold a brake on so you have a brake light
showing at the back and I (nowadays) often push the brake on and off to
flash the brake light.

 

I like your down to earth advice.

Its very refreshing and very helpful.

 

Why, thank'ee Maam.

-----sharks

 

Hmm - thanks guys for suggestions - and condolences. You're right
Sharkey - feel like shit today - the bruising/soreness to back/chest
was expected, but it's what the neurosurgeon tells me is stretched
nerves in my arms & wrists that's most painful. Should subside in a few
days I'm told.

Greg & Smee's suggestions about pulling over make sense - 'cept in this
instance I'd stopped with the other adjacent traffic and I guess
expected the following traffic to do likewise. Bad assumption! Maybe
Vifers comments re: maneuvering rather than stopping are the key to this
- had stopped on the white line inside the intersection - as if at a red
light - my brake light on - but don't think the driver even braked! And
BTW - live in Alphington Vifer, so will keep an eye open - /I/ might be
on a different bike though! (in fact - kinda hope mine gets written off
- am a bit wary of concealed frame damage. But if not - anyone suggest
any good bike repairers in the Alphington/Fairfield area?)

At least I've reliable witnesses!

RL

 

But if not - anyone suggest

If it's a honda take it to the guys at Redwing on Bell st, Heidelberg. Down
to earth lads and genuine in their dealings. I take the VFR there for its
majors and so far have never had any issues. If it'd not a Honda , ring them
up on take it there anyway, they'll give it a quick squiz and will recommend
a competent panel beater / repairer in the local area.

good luck.

 

<snip>

Glad you're ok.

I've developed the habit of flashing the brake light whenever the
intersection is flat enough to allow it and there's a moving vehicle behind.
It might not help, but then again it might, and at least I feel like I've
done what I can to avoid becoming a bonnet-mascot.

I think it's most unfair that you were whisked straight into the ambulance
before you could give the bastard the helmet-facial-implant he so richly
deserved

 

Richard Lindner wrote:
I hope someone got details , speak to a solicitor as I suggest you
have a case as the fellow that hit you was not paying attention , just
because a light is green does mean your mandated to move .

 

Why would you care if he had comprehensive insurance?

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

If you have time to look in your mirrors, it's probably not an emergency. If
it is an emergency, and you see an other emergency about to occur in your
mirror, what good is that going to do you?

Avoiding an emergency vehicle approaching an intersection with lights/sirens
flashing is not an emergency. Any emergency vehicle going through a red light
has to give way to all other traffic regardless how bright their flashing
lights are or how loud their siren is.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

Glad you're okay but by the looks of things I do believe you did all you
could have done. With the Ambos crossing your path there is no reason you
need to move aside while you wait. All I can say is stay in gear and check
those mirrors.

You did your best and you're still with us. That's all you could have done.

JustAL

 

I don't think there's much you could do. Rear end accidents happen. People
are driving along and don't notice other traffic stopping and traffic lights
and traffic conditions changing. It happens all the time. If you're in front
of them when it happens - especially in the example you've given above - it's
more a case of bad luck, than bad planning on your part. You could do what
others suggest, and move over to the side, but if the driver behind you
doesn't see you stopping ahead of him, how do you know that moving over to the
side is going to create enough room. How far over are you going to go? A
driver is far more likely to see your brake light if it's in his face, in the
middle of the lane than if it is over to one side.
I could think of far worse places to be stuck than at Austin Hospital. My one
experience with them back in '93 was quite good, especially the bit when the
orderly came to sort a set of crutches out for me. "Motorbike accident was
it?". My ('why don't you sell the bike and buy a decent car') father says
"yeah, perhaps if you tell him to give up bikes he'll listen". Orderly
ignores my father, lifts the leg of his orderly trousers past the ankle to
reveal the motorcycle boots underneath... "I got my bimmer parked outside.
What were you riding..."

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

situation better. Any suggestions as to how?

yer........look for emergency veagle, if not real close, keep going

 

Not true. An emergency doesn't always constitute "press your brakes all for
high leather" and try to stop in your tracks. There's nearly
always ample time to have done something especially on a bike, wether the
emergency is in front,back, side or whatever.
If the car behind wasn't following to close and you had to emergency brake,
look into your mirrors while braking or at least flick your head over your
shoulder
and watch out for incomings.

I was turning left onto a major intersection once using the LH slip lane.
Now the common procedure there on a give way lh turn slip lane, is turn head
to right, watch for mainstream vehicles, *enter* the major road then
accelerate. Don't even bother looking wether the vehicle in front had
stalled or stopped for little poodle crossing the street.
I was pushed into oncoming traffic by an ederly day when I had to stop in
that exact situation. Spent the next threee weeks in hospital when car
swiped my front end. I can name a dozen of other sitatuations that my
mirrors have saved me in an emergency sitation. Wether the emregency was
mine or someone elses.

Subsequently I have avoided numerous others by glancing into my mirrors OR
look over my shoulder when I had to perform an unpredictable action that
wasn't the normal thing to do given the traffic conditions. I would rather
pull-over to one side than sit like a duck relying on the idiot behind my
having noticed by rear light to stop.

We're taught to use our mirrors long enough to make out the colour of the
drivers teeth behind us, but what we SHOULD be taught the correct way to use
our mirrors given all sets of circumstances. How long and the tell tales for
overtaking, normal driving, emergencies etc.

Try riding without your left mirror for a day in todays metropolitan
traffic. I did for a whole week waiting for my bar-ends on the duke.
Scariest thing of my 16 years of bike riding.

Yes but do they?.We know EV's tend to penetrate the intersection then decide
"where to from here." I can't recall the last time I *stopped* to let an
emergency vehicle through. Far too dangerous. I always try to manouvre
myself out of their path. Which could mean riding on the opposite side of
the road, over kerbs, median strips etc..

vifer

 

Good suggestion! It /is/ a Honda, and I sorta know the guys at Redwing
(well at the spares counter anyway) - might even wander up there today -
would be good to get outa these 4 walls

RL