A not-so "close" call...

This evening, I took a short ride. 

Now I have taken a riding course through the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation), and although I have been riding for many years prior, I kept an open mind.  I did learn some new skills and practical applications.  Yet there were some things that was counter-intuitive to street survival. 

I was waiting at a red light, in the left-hand turn lane.  I observed that there were three vehicles that were going to go straight coming from the opposite direction.  So when the light turned green, I did not immediately advance forward.  I am sure this irked the car behind me, as I heard that little "tap" of the horn.  Yet, I held my position.  When I saw that it was now time to start forward to make my turn, I looked right, ahead, left, then back to the right.  I saw a car moving, coming from my right, so I actually kept my attention on it as I started forward to make my turn...  you see, the MSF teaches one to "look through the turn."  Had I done that, I wouldn't have followed the movement of this car...

I realized that it was not slowing down, coming up on it's red light.  So I stopped, darn near smack dab in the center of the intersection.  Well this more than irked the car behind me, as that previous little "tap" turned into a full blown "laying on of the horn!"

A second later, the sound of the horn was drowned out by the sound of tires squealing, as the cross-traffic car realized the light was red and attempted to come to a stop.  Which it finally did, almost 2/3 of the way through the intersection.  Had I continued, there was a very good possibility that I would have been hit.

So as the squealing stopped, the smoke cleared, and obviously the horn behind me had as well...

I held in my clutch - turned my upper body to the right - and gave the international sign of "peace and love" to the impatient, totally unaware, operator of the car behind me... then continued on my way.  I know I saved my life.  I probably saved the person behind me some pain as well!  I could have just scooted through the turn, accelerated and been clear... yet then the car behind me, would have been the recipient of the collision...

Another reason why I think everyone should be required to operate a motorcycle for at least one year, prior to being allowed to drive a car/truck!