<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><A name=Safety></A><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 14pt">“BIKES HIT BY<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>CARS TURNING LEFT”<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><FONT size=3>A <FONT size=2>GATHERING</FONT><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>OF THOUGHTS FROM </FONT><FONT size=2>MOTORCYCLISTS<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Collected by John Del Santo</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">We all know that one of our most common accidents takes place when a car is turning left, and violates a biker’s Right Of Way and turns into our path.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>These thoughts were gathered from different written messages on the Internet.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">BUGMAN :<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I don’t seem to know what to do in that situation.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Do you brake and turn into the space vacated by the vehicle ?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Do you brake and turn hard to the right and hope<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>you don’t collide ?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Depending on when the “cage” turns it seems like a ‘no win’ situation.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>What are your options ?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">BRUCE :<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I think the best advice here is to “ride like you are invisible.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Whenever I come into an intersection I try to think that.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I try to identify what the potential threats are, and devise a mental game plan for responding to them if need to be….And as you enter the intersection,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>as the guy who fell off a was heard to say while passing a third-floor window, “So far,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>so Good”…<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">NICK</SPAN><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Something else about intersections that drives me nuts. People that are getting ready to turn left and are stopped, but have their wheels turned in the direction of the turn while they are waiting. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>. People need to keep their wheels straight while waiting to turn.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The two threats here are these….If a car is waiting with their wheels turned left and they are hit in the rear,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>they will be coming head-on towards
you in an uncontrolled rush, as happened to Nick’s Sister.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And if a car is waiting to make a left turn with their wheels already cut,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>and they decide to <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“jump” into their left turn,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>they are ready to go, and you will get no warning other than the start of their movement).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></I></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">JOHN <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></I></B><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">“That guy ran the<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>light and almost killed me!<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My light was green….<U>I</U> had the Right of Way !!”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Waddya Mean…..No I didn’t” !<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>That driver was <SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">supposed</SPAN> <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>to yield the Right of Way,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>but if he doesn’t,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>then we don’t HAVE the
Right of Way</SPAN></I><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> !<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><B>….…. “</B><I>What doesn’t kill me…..Should make me a Smarter Rider”……</I></SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">ANON :<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">There are no guarantees that others see you. Never count on "eye contact" as a sign that a driver will yield. Too often, a driver looks right at a motorcyclist and still fails to "see" him. The only eyes that you can count on are your own. If a car can enter your path, assume that it will. Good riders are always "looking for trouble" — not to get into it, but to stay out of it. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Increase your chances of being seen at intersections. Ride with your headlight on in a lane position that provides the best view of oncoming traffic. Provide a space cushion around the motorcycle that permits you to take evasive action. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As
you approach the intersection, select a lane position to increase your visibility to the driver. Cover the clutch and both brakes to reduce reaction time.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Reduce your speed as you approach an intersection. After you have entered the intersection, move away from vehicles preparing to turn.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Do not radically change speed or position. The driver might think that you are preparing to turn.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">“<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Use a headlight or high-beam headlight during the daylight hours.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I will not flash my high/low<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>high/low headlight to warn them….They may come from the days when people flashed headlights to other vehicles to let them know it was time to “GO”.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></I></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Ron :<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">When you are approaching an intersection, if you are following another vehicle too closely in their right-track,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>you are just about totally invisible to vehicles coming from the opposite direction ….especially vehicles that are waiting to turn left….<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">They can’t see</I> <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">you</I>, and they think that you are just an empty space into which they can complete their left turn.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Be Ready !<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">SuperRookie </FONT></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN class=spnmessagetext><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">A few days ago, coming upon an intersection with no escort in sight I encountered the worst of all left turners. The 'nosignalohcrapwasIsupposedtoturnherescreeeeeeech' left turner. I'm always prepared to stop at intersections. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Cover your brakes……..Both of them.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></DIV>
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<DIV><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">O.K.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>NOW IT’S YOUR TURN……WHAT WOULD YOU ADD TO THIS ?</SPAN></I></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"></DIV></SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></B><BR><BR>
<DIV><FONT color=#00007f face="tahoma, new york, times, serif"></FONT> <FONT size=1 face=Tahoma><STRONG>John Del Santo</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1> ABATE of California</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=1> Safety Officer</FONT><FONT size=2><STRONG><EM><FONT size=2><FONT size=1><FONT color=#00407f> </FONT></FONT><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#00407f> </FONT></EM></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
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