Not just there...they're everywhere!!! I can guarantee you the tree didn't jump in front of the car!!!
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You can actually compensate for a lot of distracted drivers by assuming drivers are distracted, always having an out, and having a couple of tricks up your sleeve like brake light modulators and responsible use of the SIAM maneuver (for example) ..which ..works great! Better than headlight modulation - much better ..also works to get people to quit riding your ass and back off too (which is a thing :0).
The bigger concern where I am are all the animals.. Deer, Elk, Wild Pigs, ...buzzards, frikkin’ wolves ..came close enough to high-five a raccoon in a 65mph corner one-time.. that was something - damn near scraping the boards on my Vic’ and that little asshole scurried out in my line.. An Elk killed a friend of the Wife’s while she was out riding.. squirrels.. I don’t even swerve for those little psychos anymore. Other than that. Great riding in these parts, which is why I got the Tiger. We have 500 miles of steep-mountain forest fire-trails and control roads to explore.. for the Vic’ all the highways around here are mountain twisties - just beautiful country to ride a bike.
But, Yeah.. Riding does come with risks. You can mitigate most all. But not all.
Then... Now, I’m ATGATT it’s more comfortable for hours at a time (for me) ..but, there are limitations to what good protective gear can do for you. Having said that, a good Buddy of mine, he used to laugh his ass off at me - especially when wearing High-Viz (when it’s grim out Hi-Viz works good in that). My Buddy, that guy didn’t even wear a helmet! An older gent’ ridden all his life.. No gear. He got killed driving in his car to the store. Drunk driver..
Life is risk. Some - and understandably - cannot take on additional levels of risks due to elevated responsibilities. For the rest of us mad bastards, there is always blue-chip levels of life and disability insurance. :0)
Gonna die one day. Want to die with no regrets. My bucket list is near empty these days. Each to his own and all that, but no-matter how a person chooses to live it. Enjoy life. Really live it. :0)
Apache Trail.
