Modern Vespa

I'd like to hear from some of y'all on your worst "surprises" on the road. Might even stick in the back of our minds in case it happens to us...
Mine was this weekend - finally got my SO to go on a scooter ride through the backroads. Had one idiot try to kill us by pulling out in front. I got the 500 stopped within a foot of his side mirror - the Stebel let him know my opinion. But - that wasn't the surprise - I came up on a blind hill and slowed down. I mean all I could see was blue sky and tree tops. I'm glad as hell I slowed down as the road made a hard left - but the worst part was the road was sloped at a steep angle *against* the direction of curve. I leaned that 500 for all she was worth. Scared the crap out of me. I have no idea why some idiots building a road would slope the road the wrong way and on a hard turn at that. Felt really weird like gravity had gone wrong somehow - I literally felt like I was riding on the side of the hill. Anyway - I must have handled it ok as my SO didn't even know anything was wrong and loved it enough where we're riding again today.

Wow...now that's skill....

I hope this one is as bad as it ever gets for me....

Mine is, on the first time I rode I found myself looking down at my 450 lb scoot laying on it's side and wondering how I was going to get it up.
I did, of course, since I had watched that video, "How To Pick Up A Motorcycle." But being a short, 58 year old woman alone at 6:00 AM, in the dark at the gas station with my bike slumbering on the ground, is not a feeling I ever want again....But if it does happen, I can handle it. 8)

Cheers....jacq

My route to work has a hill (without the twist) on route. Most days I stop at the top because it is an awesome view of the area. Everyday I backway off when I hit the top because the drop is fairly steep and I had a young boy on a bike in the middle of the road one day when I was going too fast, scared the hell out of me (almost scared the crap out of me too)...
So good rule of thumb when you can't see the other side or you will be seeing the "other side" sooner than you wanted.
I have been extremely lucky so far (knocking on wood as I type this)...
nothing major so far but I know what you mean about trying to keep the bike from drifting out of the lane or off the road on a hard curve. I have been all the way down to scrapping the kickstand a couple of times, that's scary for me......

So far, the biggest 'surprise' I've had was while I was out riding with some Vespas and a few Stellas. We were zipping round town and then went up through some neighborhoods outside Chattanooga to where the twisties start. Well, it was my first weekend with my 500 and I was used to giving full throttle with my 250 to get up hills. We rounded a curve that was going uphill and I had just throttled up. Not only did the 500 nearly rocket me up the hill, a vintage Stella was doing about 20mph around the curb, struggling to make it up the incline! I nearly used the back of the Stella and the rider as a launch pad...I veered right into a person's yard where I nearly T-boned a BRICK MAILBOX! I ended up being able to stay in control, hit the brakes, and swerve back onto the road(thank you 3rd wheel!). When we got to a stop, the guy riding to my left told me I scared the hell out of him and he thought for sure I was gonna run over the Stella or slam into the mailbox. I told him that I was surprised at the power of the 500 and even more surprised at the handling it had to avoid those two end results....Since then, when I ride with scooters I either lead or stay in the far back(unless or course its other 500s ). I've started riding with Harleys/motorcycles in charity runs and this seems to be more my speed for my bike, though I think the scooter crowd is a tad bit more friendly.

My scariest moment was on an ATV, came out of a train tunnel on an old abandon railroad grade. There is a great view to the right when you come out of the tunnel, turned my head back to the trail and there was a HUGH bear right in the middle of the trail. I hit my brakes and they squealed real loud because I did not have any anti-squeal compound last time I put new brakes on, well that saved my life because the squeal scared the bear and he took off the other direction. If I had turned my head 5 sec later, I would have hit the bear and he would have torn my ass up.

Second scariest was on an ATV too, out in the middle of nowhere by myself with the ATV sitting upside down on top of me in a gully. And this wasn't a light sport quad, it was a 500lb Utility Quad.

Wayne B

mine was a cross wind..60 to 70 miles per hour..It blew me across 2 lanes..

It's great when we have others to tell us tales that stay with us and - that little voice to remind you of what has happened to others. Just this weekend I was coming up on an overpass that was clear sky - I was riding down a tree-lined road. First thing that popped into my mind was the several comments on bridges and wind. So I was mentally prepared when sure enough I was hit by a side wind. Thanks to the mental note I was able to immediately react and stay in my own lane. Like Shawn's post on coming around the corner and having to leave the road rather than eat a Vespa for lunch (hilarious by the way Shawn!) - lesson to take away is be cautious of what's on the other side of a blind curve. I had one of those yesterday with someone waiting to turn left.

My biggest scare has been on two different occasions on back roads. Going around a curv e with limited visibility meeting a cage coming the other way taking up most of my side of the road.

For me it's a toss up between the deer that I thought was going to run out in front of me (they never look both ways before crossing the street) or the fairly fresh possuum kill I encountered. Avoided the possuum thanks to learning about countersteering out here!

I have a few close calls. (though a million with cagers not paying attention, but that's another story in it's self)

1st; I was cruising over The Ironworkers Memorial Bridge from North Vancouver back into Vancouver, the traffic was heavy, but moving along at about 80kph, the little cager in front of me all of a sudden swerved to the left to miss a 2x4 lying across the road. I tried to swerve but still went over it at about 60 kph with both front wheels, managed to stay in control, but I needed a new Depends.

2nd, Coming off The Lions Gate Bridge into North Vancouver, there's a nice sharp turn where the Bridge lanes merge with Marine Drive. I love to really lean into that cure, but just as I was starting to straighten the bike out, low and behold, there was a skunk toddling across the road, I swerved to go behind him, but that little bugger turned to go back where he was coming from and ran right in front of me, Thump thump... And OMG what a smell. Thank God it rained for the next week so most of the smell was washed away. (can still smell it after a long hard ride) Not more than 3 minutes later, I got me a squirrel too. *shakes head*

3rd, cruising out the #1 freeway (or our poor excuse of a freeway) following a pickup truck with its tailgate down and he had a bunch of crap in there, bouncing around. I though I better pass him before he started losing his load, just as I started to move into the next lane to pass, a big old gas BBQ fell out of the back of his truck and broke into a hundred pieces, Thank Christ I had the sense to get the hell out from behind him.

jeez siko did someone put a curse on you or somethin?

I'm still here, ain't I?
And oh, I hit another squirrel this afternoon. Stupid buggers.

Mine was coming to a stop at the end of my ride with my wife riding pilion, and I was getting off without pushing the front wheel lock system..I caught her just in time but I wasn't paying attention somehow.

...I caught her just in time....Phew! How 'bout your wife? Did you have time to catch her too? I know which one I would grab first lol

Luthor...You're one step ahead of me...LOL

it's the curse man i'm telling you

If that happens to me, I might have to stop and park the bike aside cos' the legs will be too weak to ride on!

and take the opportunity to change pants, i presume?