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Originally posted by cooldadof4

On my commute to work this morning I almost witnessed a horrible wreck.

I was traveling on FM 529, which is a 6 lane road (3 each direction) with a suicide lane in the middle. There is also a bicycle lane to each side.

In the early morning, traffic becomes backed up at the stop lights. Often, there are cars turning from the suicide lane, attempting to cross over three lanes to reach a driveway to a place of business. Vehicles often will leave a gap at these driveway entrances that will allow them to make the turn while traffic is stopped.

This morning, as a car attempted to make this turn through stopped vehicles, just before reaching the driveway entrance a crotch rocket raced by on the BICYCLE lane.

Two seconds later and I dislike to think of what would have happened.

I don't know if this was someones mom or dad, or someones son or daughter. I just hope this incident put enough fear into this person that they will be more careful in the future.

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Originally posted by DataDan

quote:

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Originally posted by cooldadof4

On my commute to work this morning I almost witnessed a horrible wreck.

I was traveling on FM 529, which is a 6 lane road (3 each direction) with a suicide lane in the middle. There is also a bicycle lane to each side.

In the early morning, traffic becomes backed up at the stop lights. Often, there are cars turning from the suicide lane, attempting to cross over three lanes to reach a driveway to a place of business. Vehicles often will leave a gap at these driveway entrances that will allow them to make the turn while traffic is stopped.

This morning, as a car attempted to make this turn through stopped vehicles, just before reaching the driveway entrance a crotch rocket raced by on the BICYCLE lane.

Two seconds later and I dislike to think of what would have happened.

I don't know if this was someones mom or dad, or someones son or daughter. I just hope this incident put enough fear into this person that they will be more careful in the future.

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Crashes do happen in this situation--even without the stupidity of a motorcyclist riding in the bicycle lane. A motorcycle in a vacant legal lane beyond the stopped traffic can also go unseen by the driver of the crossing vehicle. A lane-splitting motorcycle can be a victim of this crash too.

I read a first-person account in another forum about a similar crash in a slightly different situation. A motorcyclist in the vacant far right lane times his approach to a fresh green light so he doesn't have to stop, while traffic in the stopped center and left lanes remains stopped until the light changes. At the same time, an oncoming left-turner attempts that trick where he gets a jump when the signal changes and turns on the green before crossing traffic enters the intersection. Except, of course, for the motorcycle in the far right lane, with whom he collides.

A good lesson to take from this is that when you're relying on other vehicles to block potential threats, you've got to be extremely careful when entering an area where that protection ends. When a driver is crossing a gap in stopped traffic, he may not be able to see a motorcycle on the other side of the stopped vehicles. And the greater the motorcycle's speed, the less likely it will be seen.

I'm not usually one to chant the "ride like you're invisible" mantra, but this is one situation where you likely are invisible and must ride that way.

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