• A motorcyclist narrowly avoids a serious crash while speeding at 104 mph and lane splitting between two cars.
  • The rider’s near-miss occurred when a BMW changed lanes, causing a minor impact with the motorcycle.
  • This incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers of motorcycle riding and reckless speeds.

Riding a motorcycle is inherently dangerous, and the consequences of crashing are usually much more severe than driving a car. For the rider of this Aprilia, a small twist of fate was the difference between a harrowing near-miss and a potentially fatal outcome—due, at least in part, to his own lack of judgment.

This frightening clip was recently shared on Reddit and shows the rider speeding down the highway at 104 mph (167 km/h). Despite riding at such reckless speeds, the biker decides it’s a good idea to lane split between a BMW and a Honda

However, just as he approaches the Beemer, its driver switches on the turn signal (shocking, we know)and changes lanes in front of the Honda. In the process, the car’s rear quarter panel touches the front wheel of the sports bike.

Watch: Arkansas State Troopers Will Even PIT A Motorcyclist

While it was only a small impact, it was enough to throw the bike off balance, and for a split second, the rider was inches away from slamming into the pavement. Remarkably, the bike manages to right itself a moment later, and somehow, the rider maintains his composure and stays upright.

Video Reddit

Had he gone down, police may have needed to make a very unpleasant visit to his loved ones. Not only could he have been run over by the silver Honda but he also could have slid into the rear of a huge semi-truck that was just ahead of them.

The video doesn’t make it clear whether the BMW driver even noticed they hit the rider, or if they were among those who pulled over to check on him. A couple of other drivers did stop, though—at least a few good Samaritans on the road that day—with one man even going so far as to hug the shaken motorcyclist.

While some on Reddit have credited the rider for the save, perhaps by keeping his arms loose, it’s hard to tell if skill played a role or if he just got incredibly lucky. Looking at the slow-motion footage of the near-miss, it appears that after the BMW knocked the Aprilia’s front wheel, the rear bumper of the sedan may have clipped the bike for a second time, this time pushing it upright.  

Either way, he walked away with his life—and, one hopes, a hard lesson learned.