This afternoon, I decided to get out and go for a leisure ride on my motorcycle. Typically, I’m not the type to ride slow and be cautious — I’ll be the first to admit that. Heck! It stems from being an Osmond. (If you’re not pushing the out limits, you’re not part of the family.)
Well, contrary to my nature, I was being extremely cautious and just enjoying the wind and the quasi-open road. I was driving the speed limit (in the right hand lane, of course!); making complete stops; and just being aware of what’s around me.
Despite my best efforts to be cautious, I was almost hit TWICE!
As a plea for my motorcycle comrades, can everyone try a little harder to start seeing motorcycles?
No lie… I stopped at a 4-way; to my left, a red Bug. I swear, the driver looked directly at me and rolled right through the stop sign. She wasn’t more than 2 feet away from me before she slammed on her brakes.
The other guy… he was just showing off to his girlfriend — driving a Dodge Viper, nonetheless.
That’s my soapbox for the evening.
That is why I am becoming a MSF instructor to teach safe riding skills.
Comment by matt — April 7, 2009 @ 8:44 pm
All I can say is amen brother. Drive your motorcycle like no one sees you, because they probably don’t. It’s been fun to have the bike out these last few days.
Comment by Jeremy — April 7, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
OH DON
Now if You & Jeremy really do feel like "no one sees me", doesn't that MAJORILY SCARE YOU to be out on the motorcycle?!? I know you must love the "free feeling" of riding the bike; but have you considered the "lack of free feeling" you are going to be feeling when one of these IDIOTS out on the road HITS you & really HURTS you!! Seriously — I know you can't live SCARED in life; but you can live SMART!! I was watching one of those "Reality ER" shows the other night & they showed Motorcycle Victim after Motorcycle Victim (like 20 in a row!) with and without helments with such serious injuries & I thought of YOU (& my own brother who just recently wised up & quite riding & sold his Harley) —
I mean ……If you have THIS many "close calls" in ONE DAY when YOU are doing all the right things………OMG — Please be CAREFUL !! We want you around !
Lyndy
P.S. And, Mr. Jeremy Hall has small children too — OMG, you GUYS are killing me !!!
Comment by LYNDY — April 7, 2009 @ 11:48 pm
I’ve had that happen to me while I was in my car (I always say, “Guess I left my invisible shield up again!”).
I don’t think it has so much to do with what mode of transportation you’re driving on, but more to do with the fact that there are careless drivers EVERYWHERE, who only see what they want to see.
Comment by Mama C. — April 8, 2009 @ 6:11 am
Thank goodness you WEREN’T hit! My hubby used to have one and I would ride with him. He would always tell me that I could not make any movements, because it throws off the weight and balance. Yeah, try sitting still when someone almost side swipes you going 70 miles an hour. HE was a great driver and very safe, but everyone else on the road scared me to death! I enjoyed riding with him, but there were times, I would get off and want to kiss the ground. I remember one time, in about an hour drive, we were almost hit four times! I want you to enjoy your bike….but please be careful, even though I know your Osmond genes will be fighting you every step of the way.
Comment by Terri — April 8, 2009 @ 6:56 am
Yes, Matt… definitely looking forward to that.
Comment by Don — April 8, 2009 @ 7:18 am
Hi Don,
You are right.I don’t like motorcycles but friends of mine do.Some have had close and others have been killed through no fault of their own.So as the bumper sticker says Be careful Motorcycles are everywhere
Comment by mfk1022 — April 8, 2009 @ 9:21 am
Glad you are OK. My brother is a cyclist(bicycle) and he says the same thing. I agree with Mama C – it is the people, they just do not pay attention and are distracted by cell phones. My hubby had a motorcycle long before we met and a guy pulled out in front of him and he went over the car and had to be airlifted to a hospital. He survived, because God knew in many years after that, Gill would meet a gal who needed him!!! Anyway – be careful, others certainly are not as careful as they should be.
Comment by Tracey — April 8, 2009 @ 11:18 am
It is frustrating and dangerous to be on any roadway. More and more every day I find that other drivers drive with out a thought or care for others.
Don – I think you need to get on your soapbox and yell a whole lot louder on this subject.
Maybe someone – somewhere will listen.
Well, at least someone who is not busy talking on their cell phone, applying mascara, shaving, sending a text, gobbling a burger, sipping a cocktail, or having a smoke while they are driving ….
People! Pay attention! YOU are not the only one trying to get from point A to point B. Respect others, and drive with your brain turned “on” and your eyes open.
Thanks Don for hopping on your soapbox. Be as safe as you can out there, and enjoy the open road.
Happy Wednesday!
Comment by Robin L Greenslade — April 8, 2009 @ 11:35 am
Shortly after I got married we were going through the blue ridge mountions, you know all the twisty turn roads cant see around curves and so on anyway my husband insisted on being with in 1 car length or closer to the motor cycle in frount of us. I asked him if he thought he was a little close. He said no. I said then I hope he doesn’t lose it because if he does your going to run over him. He backed off and at least when I’m with him he doesn’t do it.
Comment by pugmom — April 8, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
I’m glad you’re ok Don. Sometimes accidents just happen. You can’t blame just those in cars, there are plenty of idiot bikers who sit right in a car’s blind spot (not directly behind the care where you’d have a chance of seeing it) and of course there are those who roar up and in front of you from nowhere. It’s simple physics – car vs motorbike, bike loses. I just wish my in-laws would have helped their eldest son get a little car instead of forcing him drive a motorbike, he has been dead for more years than he was alive and I have to live with my husband still grieving for his big brother. Sure you can still get killed in a car but you still have more protection.Being an Osmond doesn’t give you a licence to be reckless either. Pushing the limits is one thing but it’s unfair to your family and friends who love you, no one wants to see you hurt.
Comment by Mary B — April 8, 2009 @ 10:36 pm
Oh Don !!! Didn’t I say that it doesnt matter how careful YOU are, it’s the other idiots on the road that usually cause the damage??!! That’s why I did not allow my sons to have a bike…..and they respected my decision. As Mary said, you are a long time dead hun. I saw way too many young bikers dead or paralysed when I was a senior nurse in a London accident and emergency dept, and those memories will never go away. If you want to feel freedom and the wind rushing along on your face…go ride the toboggan run at Park City! LOL!!
Comment by Jilly — April 10, 2009 @ 12:21 am
I’m glad you were not hit! I’ve personally witnessed 2 gruesome motorcycle vs car accidents and one motorcycle vs his own drunk ass accident.
In none of the three cases were they wearing helmets and all three left me with nighmares.
As a non-motorcyclist it is frustrating for me to see motorcycle riders not wearing helmets, speeding, flying between lanes and being just plain idiots in traffic while I sit in my car strapped into my required-by-law seat belt reading preachy bumper stickers telling me to start seeing motorcycles.
Look, we all deal with idiots in traffic. The idiots are out there and there’s nothing we can do about that. If you want to take the risk of riding a motorcycle around them, you can’t whine about it.
Sorry, but that’s my opinion.
Comment by Randy — May 12, 2009 @ 10:19 am