My Rookie Mistake: Wide Right, Target Fixation, Failure to Look Ahead

BrownBrady said:
I just wanted to share a video of my rookie mistake during my ride in to work this morning. I've been riding for 4 weeks now and this mistake could have led to a bigger one. Had I been riding a larger bike, it could have been worse.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4R_Ylt8UWc&list=UU_LsUvMpCG1d8kYQbE5N10A

It started with me trying to rush a right turn, looking left while turning right lead to a wide right, which lead to target fixation on the median, and finally failure to look ahead. I think I should have aborted the right turn because it was too late for my skill level.
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Yep, quite a few things there.. PLUS I know Sheppard and Victoria park is not a safe intersection.. the road there is pretty bumpy to add to matters..

Lucky that blue car didnt pull out further too.
 
When you don't slow down at a red, it's hard to tell if there's a pedestrian crossing into you because of the car to your left, not to mention jaywalkers going the other way who might step out all of a sudden.

Either way that was a reallllly wide right turn especially at the speed you were taking it. More turning practise. Excuse the pun but don't cut corners when it comes to riding street, there are so many unknowns that can happen don't assume anything if you can't see it all.
 
BrownBrady said:
I just wanted to share a video of my rookie mistake during my ride in to work this morning. I've been riding for 4 weeks now and this mistake could have led to a bigger one. Had I been riding a larger bike, it could have been worse.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4R_Ylt8UWc&list=UU_LsUvMpCG1d8kYQbE5N10A

It started with me trying to rush a right turn, looking left while turning right lead to a wide right, which lead to target fixation on the median, and finally failure to look ahead. I think I should have aborted the right turn because it was too late for my skill level.
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Quite a bit of mistakes. Did you take a MSC course? You might wanna consider doing so, to learn the proper riding skills and general driving/riding etiquette.

I know people will harsh on me about this, follow the rules of the road. They are not there for ***** and giggles. There is enough idiots in cars, interpreting the rules to suit their needs. On a motorcycle, you don't want to do this kind of thing, it will get you killed.

I know what it's like to want to make that right turn before that traffic starts moving.

I'm glad you are ok.
 
Don't stress about it too much. You made a mistake, but you know what you did wrong and you'll learn a lot from it.

You did a second (and unnecessary) shoulder check while already turning, which is why you went wide. When you turn like that your body will naturally start to stand the bike up, so you have to keep the counter-steering pressure.

Just keep practicing, and don't rush yourself out there.
 
I have a piece of very good advice for you...Since you are a new rider, stop with the motovlogs and concentrate on learning to ride. Too many new guys see the big name motovloggers on Youtube and think they can do it. You can't you need to learn good confident skills first, if you ask me you are begging for an accident to happen, and please don't take that as me being a prick, I am just trying to give you some good advice.
 
And one more thing...I thought you said you were going to keep the bike and learn some more on it? I was checking out your Youtube channel and I see you posted a for sale vid...
Interesting channel by the way.
 
@kiwi: It is a busy intersection and full of pot holes, but in the last 2.5 years, I've only seen one accident there and I pass by it twice a day. :)

@bboySushi: True, it's a very wide right and I need to practice it more.

@Shane.Nicholson: Yes, I took the MSC course but I had a brain fart and did not follow the rules of the road in this footage.

@koma: Thank you for the positive criticism. I will keep practicing.

@Jay72: You're correct sir, and good advice on getting confident on the bike first before vblogging. As I said in one of my videos, I couldn't not ride properly and talk at the same time, so I have stopped doing that, but I still record my trips. And yes, I got an interested Kijiji buyer that is why I put up the video.

Thank you for everyone's advice. Of the over 900 km of defensive and courteous riding, I wanted to highlight the 5 meters of poor judgement and wanted to learn from it. I don't ride like this at every corner. :)
 
Just stop at reds, learn from your mistakes (which it seems like you have), practice more, and you're golden.

There seems to be a few noob riders that just started here talking as if they haven't made mistakes themselves (or don't realize that they're making them).

Ride on and keep the shiny side up! ;)
 
BRain farts. Ahh, many of those myself. In the cage.:)

As long as you learn, it's what matters. I did a wide right turn once, thankfully it was on a side street and missed the car that was in that lane. I learned that lesson fast.
 
Concentrate on your riding and leave the camera at home, for now. By not stopping fully you gave any cop a reason to "educate" you via an infraction, (well you actually might get a few if they wanted to be a prick, (fail to stop, unsafe lane change, when you went wide, and last but not least fail to wear certified helmet). The helmet is because you have the camera attached to it, (which according to a few court cases and therefore precedence has been set), attaching anything which protrudes more than 5 mm from the shell of the helmet is illegal. which means if they are being a prick your walking home to get a "proper" helmet. If you feel you need the camera then mount it on the bike.

BTW nothing wrong with a 125. Hell i ride a 1700 cruiser but yesterday i was at my dealer in Lindsay they had two "school bikes" both CBR 125's one with 259 and one with 262 KM on them. I was seriously considering getting one of them just for fun and running around Oshawa. They were asking $2299 and $2399 for them..lol
 
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I've already told you on another thread of yours to PM me. Live in Brooklin, 5 mins from Whitby and Oshawa and can teach/help you a sh*t load. I'm in a few local riding groups, there a lot of us out here that can help you.
 
Matthew.Tremayne said:
I've already told you on another thread of yours to PM me. Live in Brooklin, 5 mins from Whitby and Oshawa and can teach/help you a sh*t load. I'm in a few local riding groups, there a lot of us out here that can help you.
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Not trying to diss you here, but how much can you really teach him after riding for a bit more than a year yourself?
 
@PLau: Thanks, I admit to my mistakes, and I do learn from them. I hope new riders can learn from this too.

@Shane.Nicholson: Good thing you missed that car. I thought I was going to hit the median or the TTC bus.

@hedo2002: Thanks for the warning about the helmet-mounted camera. I had no idea it was illegal. I will mount it on the bike instead. And I agree the 125 is a fun ride.

@Matthew.Tremayne: Thanks, I will message you when I'm ready for another group ride.
 
personally after seeing this video, it has helped me. sometimes, i have a thinking of being in a car when i make turns like that. and hence wide turns. i've done it once when turning into my neighbourhood. it was actually really scary.

nice thorough vid of pointing out what mistakes you made.

safe riding.
 
#1. Red light fail to stop 144(18). 260 set fine. Total payable 325
#2. Improper right turn 141(2). 85 set fine, total payable 110

But. Clearing that. Learn from your mistakes. Good that ur able to point it out to yourself. Only way you'll learn.
By doing your wide turn you were able to clear the suv. I would a used that as the excuse. Ha ha ha. :-)
 
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