So if BARACK OBAMA is our 44th president…
November 18th, 2010
Why have there only been 43 presidents?
Well, interestingly enough, President Grover Cleveland was elected for two non-consecutive terms and is counted twice, as our 22nd and 24th president.
So… Enough about politics… Let me ask a more important question…
What would you do?
It’s a question I sometimes ask myself when I have heard or read about something that has happened in the world. I asked myself that same question when I read about the following:
San Diego, CA(NNWS) – A Dodge Avenger struck a group of 12 motorcycles Saturday on a highway in El Centro, Imperial County, just east of San Diego, after swerving to avoid a gold Honda Civic that had just passed the bikers. Four people on the bikes and a passenger in the Dodge Avenger died on the scene, California Highway Patrol spokeswoman Deeann Goudie said. Six other motorcyclists were seriously injured.
“The gold Honda Civic left the scene without stopping and police want to talk with that driver,” Goudie said. “We’re looking for a 1995-2000 model year Gold Honda Civic.”
Police suspect the Honda driver may have fled across the nearby border into Mexico, prompting them to take a look at the border camera video, according to another California Highway Patrol spokesman, Pablo Torrez. A drunk driving charge that was initially made against the Dodge Avenger driver was dropped Monday after blood test results came back negative, Torrez said.
The bikers are part of the Saddle Tramps Motorcycle group in Lakeside, California. They were taking a casual ride on their Harley Davidsons to celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary.
I am saddened by the events that transpired on that day in Imperial County. My heart goes out to the families that must now suffer from a senseless act of vehicular manslaughter. I don’t pretent to understand the reasons why, but I will grieve quietly for all of those folks killed or injured.
Yet it begs me to ask that question. What would I have done?
I picture myself in that scenario. Would someone running caboose for my riding group jump on the radio and warn all the riders of impending vehicular stupidity? As a group would we have listened and made the appropriate safety adjustments? Would slowing and pulling to the right have been effective enough to alleviate the carnage that ensued here? Would my pride and irritation have been too strong and would I have pressed the issue of not allowing a cage in between our riders? Would my leader have seen the out of control vehicle approaching my group and warned everyone behind him of impending disaster and moved abruptly to the right hand road edge? Would I have been aware enough, and capable enough, to stave off impending disaster in the sceanrio we just read about?
The other day on a ride home from work on my motorcycle, I encountered a “what if…” issue (it’s a pre-emptive derivative to the “what would I have done” scenario). There are two lanes both going westbound. The far left lane allows for going forward and making a left hand turn against oncoming traffic. The far right lane only allows for going forward across the intersection. I am stopped at the light, first in line in the left lane. I need to continue west bound which means I will be going forward. A red Ford Focus pulls up on my right hand side. I glance at the driver. She’s an elderly lady with eyes glassed over and not moving a muscle as she waits for the light to turn.
Something in my mind said, “This is an accident waiting to happen… What if???”.
The light changed green. Normally I am on the throttle and pulling away from the stop. But that inner mind thing told me to sit for a few seconds. And it’s a good thing I did. The red Ford Focus turned left right in front of me; the driver oblivious that she was making an illegal left hand turn. Had there been oncoming traffic, I am sure she would have turned right into someone going the opposite way across the intersection. Thankfully, no one was there and thankfully my inner voice told me to be cautious.
What would you have done? Suppose your inner-self told you nothing was wrong with this particular picture and you pulled away only to find yourself being tossed over the left front fender of Grandma’s red Ford Focus? Close your eyes and visualize this scenario. What would you have done? Now, revisualize this scenario and this time think of yourself in your car… What would you have done?
On a recent ride in the twisties of the Bay Area, west coast of California, I found myself on dry twisty roads and having a beautiful day on which I could run a route. The posted road signs may say “Caution 25 mph” for an upcoming turn, but the bike screams 40+ and a push to make the turn with the throttle cracked open. As I am working outside to inside to outside, just as I get to “inside” a small white pick-up, half way into my lane, comes barreling around the corner at an excessive speed. What would you have done? Close your eyes and picture yourself in that same scenario. What would you have done?
You and your five buddies are riding for the day. It’s warm, sunny and a beautiful day. All five motorcycles are pulled up at the stop light awaiting your turn to go across the intersection. Two cars are in front of you and a string of cars making a left are next to you. You sit patiently and glance down at the rear view mirror and see a 10 ton gravel truck about 50 feet behind you.. And it’s in mid-broadside with tires smoking. The driver, who just moments prior, was buzy texting his wife, is trying frantically to get his rig stopped. What would you do? Close your eyes and picture yourself in that same scenario. What would you do? Put yourself in your car and rerun the very same scenario. What would you do then?
Okay… I know… get to the point. The point is this; we are pressed into these life and death situations almost daily. We hope that those around us are watching out for thier safety as much as you are watching out for yours. How we keep out of these dangerous “no-win” scenario’s is dependant on how we “sense” what goes on around us and the decisions we make way before anything bad can happen. For those of us on motorcycles, we have to have a sixth, seventh and eighth sense when it comes to traveling on America’s roadways. When I ask myself the “what would I have done…” question, I almost always come to the conclusion that any one of the above scenarios could have resulted in death. My death.
And it scares the hell out of me. And that’s the point. These things that we read about, hear about or have been involved in should scare the hell out of us. If you have had a circumstance happen where the adrenaline was pumping because of an “Oh SHEEIT” moment, then you have been scared by something that just happened.
The one thing that this motorcycle fascination has taught me is that I have to be more careful in my daily life, whether I am on the motorcycle or not. I am so much more aware of my driving habits now then I would be had I never taken up the sport again. I find myself in the car, doing the same thing I do on the bike. What if this guy..? What if that lady..? I should be here because if something happens I have a way out… Now, if I check the rear view mirror before I move, I get the full picture, not just a furtive glance and allowing my mind to get buzy filling in the blanks because that’s what I should see.
I cannot tell you what I would have done in situation in Imperial Valley on that sunny day in November. But the one thing I cannot do is accept that there was nothing that could have been done to keep me and my riding friends safe. Somewhere… somehow… in that whole situation, something could have been done differently. Now the question is, would I have known what that was? Would I have been able to make the right decision to keep me, and those I am riding with, out of harms way?
I also realize that one of the reasons that people often make bad decisions, is because they put themselves into these “no-win” scenarios. Am I doing that when I swing a leg over my motorcycle and prepare to do battle on the roads of America? Everytime I crank the starter, am I putting myself into a no-win situation?
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