Jump to content

You Guys Saved My Life


Recommended Posts

Hi, I'm from Sacramento, CA. I've been a long-time reader of this forum and Keith's articles, but never felt the need to post until now.

I started riding a 92 Katana 600 about a month ago, and last week I had a "near-life experience" in which the knowledge I gained reading these articles and forums saved my life.

 

I was riding home from work on the freeway going about 70mph in the far-right of three lanes. Behind me a semi-truck was passing another car while the freeway made about about a 20-degree left turn. Well, just as I was about to turn-in, the semi started moving right into my lane. I moved to the right part of the lane and honked at the truck with no response. Then I hit the barrier on the right side of the road. I was distracted by the semi and didn't make the left turn. I was now scraping my leg up against a concrete wall on my right, with a semi-truck three feet to my left. My body kind of went into auto pilot and I used counter-steering to pull away from the wall and out in front of the semi, and then got off at the next exit to thank God for my life.

 

My point: I have never taken any classes and have no previous motorcycle experience. The only way I could have possibly known to counter-steer away from the wall and not try to lean away from it was the articles I've read here. So thank you guys, I could be a statistic right now, but insted I just ripped the leg off a pair of jeans.

 

Oh, and I now hate semi-trucks.

 

--Soji

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Soji,

 

Wow, what a story, and glad about the result!! :)

 

I'll let the other guys know (and Keith too).

 

Maybe we'll see you at the school some time, like to shake your hand!

 

Best,

Cobie

Edited by Cobie Fair
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, I'm from Sacramento, CA. I've been a long-time reader of this forum and Keith's articles, but never felt the need to post until now.

I started riding a 92 Katana 600 about a month ago, and last week I had a "near-life experience" in which the knowledge I gained reading these articles and forums saved my life.

 

I was riding home from work on the freeway going about 70mph in the far-right of three lanes. Behind me a semi-truck was passing another car while the freeway made about about a 20-degree left turn. Well, just as I was about to turn-in, the semi started moving right into my lane. I moved to the right part of the lane and honked at the truck with no response. Then I hit the barrier on the right side of the road. I was distracted by the semi and didn't make the left turn. I was now scraping my leg up against a concrete wall on my right, with a semi-truck three feet to my left. My body kind of went into auto pilot and I used counter-steering to pull away from the wall and out in front of the semi, and then got off at the next exit to thank God for my life.

 

My point: I have never taken any classes and have no previous motorcycle experience. The only way I could have possibly known to counter-steer away from the wall and not try to lean away from it was the articles I've read here. So thank you guys, I could be a statistic right now, but insted I just ripped the leg off a pair of jeans.

 

Oh, and I now hate semi-trucks.

 

--Soji

 

Soji,

 

That was a powerful story. You are right, nothing but what you did would have made it go the way it did. There is no other solution and that is why I built the No BS bike to show how little effect anything but counter-steering helps in virtually any riding situation.

 

Very well done,

 

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
I have never taken any classes and have no previous motorcycle experience.

--Soji

 

 

soji

 

first of all, glad to hear you are OK. that sounded like a scary incident.

 

the articles, forum, and books are excellent i agree, but i can tell you in my humble opinion and from my experience taking lvls 1,2,3 (and recently repeating lvl 1 again!), attending the school itself is a just an amazing experience. it 'opens your eyes' so to speak. if you continue to stick with riding, i highly (highly, highly, highly... did i say highly?) recommend that you go to the school. by the way, i am in no way related to the school.... just an extremely satisfied customer.

 

if nothing else, things you learn there (hands on) will at minimum prevent you from going into 'panic mode' the next time you are presented with a bad situation...

 

 

take care

 

val

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...