Would advanced training have saved this acident?

[Jaythro]

Link Texas Biker lucky escape! (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/VIDEO-US-Biker-Has-Lucky-Escape-After-Almost-Being-Crushed-Between-Two-Cars-On-Texas-Highway/Article/201104415980107?lpos=World_News_First_Home_Article _Teaser_Region_1&lid=ARTICLE_15980107_VIDEO%3A_US_Biker_Has_Lucky_E scape_After_Almost_Being_Crushed_Between_Two_Cars_ On_Texas_Highway)

[vintagemxr]

My first thought is that he should have gone left or right after his initial brake application. However, his lane position was wrong, he was dead center in the lane meaning he was in the dirty part of the lane where traction was reduced and also would require the largest move to get to a clear space left or right. A bike's small size and ability to dive into gaps is one of it's greatest advantages in traffic over a car.

It does appear that he was following a little close although it's difficult to keep good spacing when traffic is heavy. The smoke from the back tire would indicate an uneven application of the brakes which makes me wonder of he got all that he could out of the front brake (there's that advanced training thing, I suppose).

I've lived that situation myself, as many of you likely have, and have actually come to a stop once with my front wheel next to the car in front of me and the car the was behind me next to my rear wheel. Ride long enough and those things are bound to happen so pre-thinking and even practicing as many possible situations as you can is helpful.

So I guess that's a long way of saying yes, some advanced training could have help that rider get away with a scare instead of serious injuries.

the other Doug

[Donson]

I have studied that clip over and over. I would been further from the car in front of me, and, having been rear ended once, in heavy traffic, I am obsessive about what is happening behind.
I would have been further to the left or right for better braking. Hopefully, I would have seen the car bearing down and taken evasive action, but that was a tough, one chance only type scenario. Truthfully, I would have been ridng on the access road, most likely. I REALLY hate that type of crowded commuting. Roger, You commute like this , what say Ye?

[NoRRmad]

I definitely would have been further behind the car in front -- and falling back as car after car passes on my right and pulls in tight in front of me. Eventually, I probably wouldn't have been in the left-hand lane at all.

Sometimes you just can't win, and the penalty for losing is too high.

[panthercity]

One ERC I took, the instructor had slides of different crash scenarios. He'd show a series of slides then ask us what could have been done to avoid the situation.

After one series, he told all us guessers that the only way to have avoided it was to have just not been there at all.

[SV Andy]

One ERC I took, the instructor had slides of different crash scenarios. He'd show a series of slides then ask us what could have been done to avoid the situation.

After one series, he told all us guessers that the only way to have avoided it was to have just not been there at all.

The above sums it up for me, making the plonker in the car take another test might help, i spend a lot of time on the road and the standard of drivihg just seems to getting worse i believe people feel to safe in vehicles these days air bags ,abs, traction control, so they switch off add to that mobile phones, eating,the amount of times i've watched driver looking at passenger having a cosy chat completely forgeting the road ahead uuuuurrrrrgggg.

[Sir Limpsalot]

It looks to me like the rider had fallen into the same trap as the drivers around him, he'd stopped paying attention and was just drifting along. Next thing he knows, the traffic's stopping and no one - including him - seems to have anticipated that possibility..
In many ways he was the author of his own downfall. He should have kept alert, should have positioned himself differently and - most of all - should have had an "escape route" planned.

[Rode Daze]

I can't load the video (dial-up for right now), but I'm guessing from commentary here that the rider got bunched up in congested traffic and didn't allow sufficient space to stop or avoid.

Team Oregon training (Oregon state motorcycle safety program / classes / hands-on instruction.) stresses that riders constantly pay attention to their position in traffic relative to other vehicles. They stress being readily aware of "escape/avoid" options in traffic, maintaining safe following distances, and being aware of vehicles behind and to either side of your position.

If you're being followed too closely by another vehicle, your best move is to slow down and allow more space between you and the vehicle ahead of you. Additional options are to change lanes, and otherwise allow the tailgate vehicle to pass you.

-- And make double-damn certain you have an escape route when the column you're riding in comes to an abrupt halt and consequently begins to "compress" (as in "We're going to fold you tightly between my front end and the rear of the vehicle immediately ahead of you.")

If you cannot maintain safe distances and open escape options between yourself and traffic, your best option is to pull off the highway and stop being exposed to drivers who seem intent upon dangerously boxing you in. If you can't keep track of all this, it's time to take a break, stop riding and re-group.

[JCsman]

I hate riding in traffic like that. But when I do, my internal dialog is always something like "I can accelerate and move right, I can brake and move left..... there's a gap ahead that puts me in a "better" lane....".

Then you can still get boxed in and tumped.....

[Jaythro]

Yeah a friend of mine was "filtering" thru pretty static traffic and a gap opened just as he approached it and Yup Mr white van man made a dive straight into Maurice

Broken bike and some serious damage to the leg but he's mostly okay Just extremely bad at sitting still while he is getting better

My Rule is NEVER to filter thru where there is a gap between cars by that I mean two cars running side by side in queues of traffic with nowhere they can pull into is fine to pass thru between them

But if there is a gap ahead where either can "dive" into then my manoeuvre is off till the above happens

[Nail24]

Guys, training is absolutely effective in riding a motorcycle. But, there is absolutely no way you can train away a mistake. Humans make mistakes and that's all that you can say about most single bike accidents. I'm not talking about acts of insanity like getting a knee down on evry turn whe road running. You had to be there.

[Jaythro]

Training becomes second nature and when it has become second nature

You tend to be very aware and to Shy away from situations that get you hurt

Of course you can still go too fast!

But Hey Ho ya can't have it all!

[kocook]

Guys, training is absolutely effective in riding a motorcycle. But, there is absolutely no way you can train away a mistake. Humans make mistakes and that's all that you can say about most single bike accidents. I'm not talking about acts of insanity like getting a knee down on evry turn whe road running. You had to be there.Bubba, your statement is misleading. People often make mistakes because they are ignorant of the possible outcomes of their action (following too close is a great example). Training certainly can help people avoid those mistakes. But it will not eliminate all mistakes, just those that would be made by the uninformed.

[Sir Limpsalot]

Kent, nicely put.