Almost taken out by convertible "SOFT TOP" - Yamaha FZ6 Forums - International FZ6 Motorcycle Community Forum

mattcosta7 · 06-30-2008, 09:49 PM

Maybe not killed, but I almost got taken out while riding to school this evening.

Normally I avoid driving to school, it's a 35 mile ride, nothing significant, but at 6pm, driving from the suburbs to the upper east side of manhattan can be a real trip.

Normally, I ride my pedal bike to the train station (a mile), and hop the train in (public trans ftw!).

Today, I missed my train, and waiting for the next one would have put me an hour late to class, so I decided to take the FZ6 for a nice 70 mile roundtrip, through some decent sideroads, a small highway stint, and then city driving. It was definitely a great day for a ride.

I'm cruising on the highway, behind an older mercedes soft top convertible. The idiot driving it (at over 65 mph in a 45, i was doing 55 and he was pulling away fast) decides to CLOSE it while the car is moving. Top begins making the vertical climb, and the next thing I see, is it break loose, and fly toward me! Thankfully I was far enough behind, with no one directly beside me, and swerved out of the way, but it was a close one.

Moral: Be careful behind convertibles!

After that, the ride was smooth as could be!

**CHEMIKER** · 06-30-2008, 09:57 PM

What a jacka$$!!! It only cost him a convertible top but it could have cost you a lot more. Glad it turned out OK and thanks for the tip!

**wrightme43** · 06-30-2008, 09:59 PM

Maybe he was trying to use it as a airbrake?

**jsteinb95** · 07-01-2008, 01:24 AM

wow...glad you avoided that. That could've been ugly!

07-01-2008, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrightme43

Maybe he was trying to use it as a airbrake?

Rock on, this was exactly what I was thinking as the guy passed the trooper. What an awesome speed brake.

Chemiker, do you have any idea what a soft top for a Mercedes runs these days?

One thing is for certain, had I seen the top even remotely coming up I would have backed way off and way quick because I would know what the outcome of this endeavor would have been.

**Botch** · 07-01-2008, 05:29 PM

Rare that someone who endangers a bike actually gets to pay for it.

A replacement top for a Saab runs about $3,000, OEM. I'm sure the Mercedes would be more.

pooty · 07-03-2008, 08:43 PM

he was putting his "flaps" down--or up

stevesnj · 07-04-2008, 09:32 AM

Did he stop did you stop and talk about him almost killing you? Or did you just keep goin?

**fast blue one** · 07-04-2008, 11:02 AM

Sounds like he deserved to lose it. Did you do a rain dance afterwards?

ajeets · 07-04-2008, 11:20 AM

Thanks Mattcosta for sharing! These kinda lessons are learnt the hard way.

I wanted to share what I experienced last week.
Was driving up a small hill in North Georgia. All of a sudden the road comes to a dead end and there is a steel gate at the end. I slow down to make a U-turn near the gate. It so happens the gate is on an up-slope. Almost lost control of the vehicle at such low speed and I was bound to go down. I came to complete stop and got off the bike and slowly turned around.

Word of advice: Never make turns at low speeds on an up-slope.

Cheers,
AJ

06-30-2008, 09:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
mattcosta7 Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dobbs Ferry NY USA Bike: 08 Raven FZ6 Posts: 195 Rep Power: 5 Member #2827	Almost taken out by convertible "SOFT TOP" Maybe not killed, but I almost got taken out while riding to school this evening. Normally I avoid driving to school, it's a 35 mile ride, nothing significant, but at 6pm, driving from the suburbs to the upper east side of manhattan can be a real trip. Normally, I ride my pedal bike to the train station (a mile), and hop the train in (public trans ftw!). Today, I missed my train, and waiting for the next one would have put me an hour late to class, so I decided to take the FZ6 for a nice 70 mile roundtrip, through some decent sideroads, a small highway stint, and then city driving. It was definitely a great day for a ride. I'm cruising on the highway, behind an older mercedes soft top convertible. The idiot driving it (at over 65 mph in a 45, i was doing 55 and he was pulling away fast) decides to CLOSE it while the car is moving. Top begins making the vertical climb, and the next thing I see, is it break loose, and fly toward me! Thankfully I was far enough behind, with no one directly beside me, and swerved out of the way, but it was a close one. Moral: Be careful behind convertibles! After that, the ride was smooth as could be!

06-30-2008, 09:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
CHEMIKER Nerd Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: San Jose, CA Bike: Unimaginably fast red 2007 FZ6 Posts: 648 Rep Power: 21 Member #1596	Re: Almost taken out by convertible "SOFT TOP" What a jacka$$!!! It only cost him a convertible top but it could have cost you a lot more. Glad it turned out OK and thanks for the tip! __________________ Motovation Sliders \| Pazzo Shorty Levers \| BD43 Headlight Mod \| FAZR6's Fender Eliminator

06-30-2008, 09:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
wrightme43 Super Sock Puppet Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bowling Green KY Bike: 07 FZ6 in Blue. Posts: 5,174 Rep Power: 10 Member #42	Re: Almost taken out by convertible "SOFT TOP" Maybe he was trying to use it as a airbrake? __________________ Texas to update slogan from 'Don't Mess with Texas' to 'We Warned You' as homeowners gun down would-be burglars at record rate.

07-01-2008, 01:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
jsteinb95 Forum Queen Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Redlands CA Bike: 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: 4,299 Rep Power: 10 Member #715	Re: Almost taken out by convertible "SOFT TOP" wow...glad you avoided that. That could've been ugly!

07-01-2008, 05:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
Botch I.Y.A.A.Y.A.S!! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ogden UT Bike: FZ-6, 2007 Blue Posts: 1,442 Rep Power: 21 Member #227	Re: Almost taken out by convertible "SOFT TOP" Rare that someone who endangers a bike actually gets to pay for it. A replacement top for a Saab runs about $3,000, OEM. I'm sure the Mercedes would be more. __________________ "In the evolution of our species we've gone from knuckle-dragging to knee-dragging." - Keith Code

07-03-2008, 08:43 PM	#7 (permalink)
pooty Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: texas Bike: 2006 fz6 Posts: 148 Rep Power: 4 Member #2894	Re: Almost taken out by convertible "SOFT TOP" he was putting his "flaps" down--or up

07-04-2008, 09:32 AM	#8 (permalink)
stevesnj Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bellmawr, NJ Bike: '07 FZ6 blue Posts: 276 Rep Power: 0 Member #2087	Re: Almost taken out by convertible "SOFT TOP" Did he stop did you stop and talk about him almost killing you? Or did you just keep goin?

07-04-2008, 11:02 AM	#9 (permalink)
fast blue one The number of the beast Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Stevenage near London UK Bike: FZ6 s2 07 Posts: 653 Rep Power: 12 Member #666	Re: Almost taken out by convertible "SOFT TOP" Sounds like he deserved to lose it. Did you do a rain dance afterwards? __________________ Remember; A Good emergency stop is one that you can walk away from, A Great emergency stop is one where the bike can be used again.

07-04-2008, 11:20 AM	#10 (permalink)
ajeets Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Atlanta, USA Bike: Yamaha FZ-6 Posts: 6 Rep Power: 0 Member #2768	Re: Almost taken out by convertible "SOFT TOP" Thanks Mattcosta for sharing! These kinda lessons are learnt the hard way. I wanted to share what I experienced last week. Was driving up a small hill in North Georgia. All of a sudden the road comes to a dead end and there is a steel gate at the end. I slow down to make a U-turn near the gate. It so happens the gate is on an up-slope. Almost lost control of the vehicle at such low speed and I was bound to go down. I came to complete stop and got off the bike and slowly turned around. Word of advice: Never make turns at low speeds on an up-slope. Cheers, AJ

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Review: Yamaha's tall "Touring" windshield	Botch	Product Reviews	18	12-18-2008 03:59 PM
"Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, .... I can assure you it is much, much more important than that." Bill Shankly.	Nelly	The Bar	16	05-28-2008 04:50 PM
Headlight switch from left to right "hand drive"	Cloggy	UK	2	10-17-2007 04:14 PM
Keith Code "The Cult of Force" Great Read	wrightme43	Essential Reading & Viewing	0	09-11-2007 09:05 PM

Advertisement