Ruttly wrote on 09/29/17 at 05:51:40:That's right Dave you should treat every vehicle as if it is out to KILL you !
No exceptions , that one time you loose concentration is when it happens and anything in the roadway can get you too. Animals , shredded truck tire , debri of all kinds , scan the road well ahead of the bike , stay alert & sober and stay alive , Ride Safe !!
Exactly! Mindset is so important. I had a close call a couple of days ago on the way home from work. I live in an area with small suburbs set among coastal nature reserves. There are often various critters about 1-2 feet in height that mull around on the side of the road - wallabies, wombats, and flightless birds. I usually slow right down to pass them.
I hadn't ridden much during winter and spring is arriving here so it was a nice evening to take the long way home. I also had a bit of stress recently. So, I thought I'd go via a road where I could open the bike up a bit to 100km/hr. I was in the mindset of 'blowing out the cobwebs'. I saw a couple of flightless birds up ahead on the side of the road. I actually forgot about the importance of slowing down. But I did keep an eye on them.
Sure enough, one of them darted (they kid of jog) across the road. I was ready with the brakes, but began to try to evade him first. I realised quickly we were going to meet at the shoulder of the road. So I was on the brakes hard and managed to pull up enough to watch him dart in front of my front wheel.
He was big enough that I would have lost traction if I'd hit him. I was relieved but also surprised at myself for forgetting what I knew was a necessary tactic when approaching these guys.