Quote Originally Posted by PaulX608 View Post
Man, if I had a nickel for every cigarette butt that's hit me, sheesh. I had seen this posted somewhere before , but it's always great to read it again. I just took my bike out of hibernation this week. Changed the oil, added some clutch fluid, and aired up the tires. With Spring springing everywhere now, keep an eye out for us. We're out there.

To share a quick relatable, I was riding on 236 in Fairfax VA a few years back, on my way to work. A woman in a minivan, talking on her phone, came over into my lane. The guy in front of me was slowing down for the red light ahead and the one behind me was closer than I like(normal for this area), and I had a curb to my left I couldn't get over safely. I was truly trapped. I laid on my horn and tried to brake without becoming a hood ornament, but she never even looked over. When I was almost out of room, I took my right boot and kicked her van square in the side. While I wouldn't recommend the move, it worked. I think that's the closest encounter I've ever had with a car, thank the Lord. Be careful out there and keep the rubber side down!
My sponsor (and friend) Jim, who saw me through some bad times, kept a little starter pistol loaded with a blank in a little holster on his handlebars. I never saw him use it, (rode with him a few times) but he said it had saved his life on more than one occasion when the horn failed and the cagers kept drifting.

I dunno if I'd want to take my hands off the bars personally in a bad situation.