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"On ramp" close call

Undertaker

Undertaker

Moped
I am going north on I-81 between Staunton and Harrisonburg VA. today on "Black Betty" my 2014 Connie. Running with the flow of traffic, (which was very heavy) at 75mph in the right lane, I see a SUV Ford Escape coming down the "on ramp."

I can't give any room, as I have a car right beside me on my left, one on my 6 (too close) so I can't slow any to let the SUV have room. Well this moron keeps coming and crowds me over towards the car on my left. Mr. Moron is about a foot away from my right mirror when he finally wakes up and realizes that I am in arms length of his driver side window.

I have left plenty of room between me and the car ahead of me, a safe following-distance, so I grab a hand full of throttle and shoot ahead and out of the danger zone of this blind idiot.

I am running high beams, have a red and white mesh motorcycle jacket, and a full face helmet that is also bright red and white, but I don't believe this driver even saw me until he was in my lane and nearly crowded me in the car beside me!

At times, extra horsepower can be a life saver!
 
Hi,
        Well...You were aware,watching, and not trusting! :great:

  That's about all you can do! ;D

  The only thing else I try to do in traffic, is try to stay out of someones,"blind spot"! :motonoises:
 

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Glad you escaped unscathed; those situations will definitely spike your heart rate.  As he was crowding, did you hit your horn?  Cycle horns aren't great, but they work in close proximity.  Might have woken him up a tad sooner.
 
Great reason to avoid running in the far right lane whenever possible.

Keeps you away from the on-ramps and issues like you just experienced as well exit ramps, especially those drivers who want to shoot into them at the last minute from your left, sometimes a lane or more away, with you potentially in the middle.
 
I agree, the right lane is a bad place to be in a merge like that.  Keeping yourself a way out is
probably the single most important practice a motorcyclist can take.  When I ride, my entire
riding style hinges on just that.  Glad you're doing the same Undertaker...  :beerchug:
 
Don't be afraid to hit the horn in situations like this. I have used mine many times to get the attention of lane encroachers and it is very effective. It helps to have horns with authority also.

Dan
 
A lesson I learned, to avoid the lane adjacent to the ramps at cloverleaf interchanges, which is usually the right lane. I've seen way too many "crazy ivan" two-lane exits and people coming on who do not get the concept that the on-ramps are supposed to yield when necessary!

Sounds like you almost got pinched off, glad you found the out.  :great:
 
This is why my street bikes all have Stebel horns. They work well for deer too
The safer lane statistically is always the far left lane for just that reason , less on / off ramps.
 
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