The downside of the motorcycle commute is that car drivers, who generally don’t see you, frequently pull incredibly dangerous maneuvers which it is up to you to avoid. Today’s incident happened a block after I pulled off the freeway coming home. A car in the left lane abruptly cut across my lane, aiming for the gas station to my right. The streets were slick, so I couldn’t just grab the brake – I pulled the throttle instead and aimed for the gutter. I almost made it, but the car’s right front fender hit my muffler as I went by. It made a real bang, but I stayed upright, and it so happens that my muffler was already scraped there from the crash I had a year ago.

It only just occurred to me that I was probably supposed to stop and talk to the driver – it was a collision, after all! But I simply didn’t think of it; I was too focused on surviving, and then it just didn’t seem to matter. Huh.

Well, anyway. This sort of thing happens at least once a month, though usually there’s no actual contact between vehicles. It’s just part of the life. At least the bike gives you the speed and maneuverability you need to make up for its lack of visibility.