Z's and motorcycles do not mix...

1513 Views 16 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Skeptik, Jun 18, 2004

smoothz

Discussion Starter · Jun 14, 2004

2

So I'm off work and going home tonight, merging onto a 3 lane highway (with blinker on), look in my mirrors and over my left shoulder, don't see anything but a Somalian taxi cab driver doing something stupid next to me and then in front of me, when I hear the honk.

I still don't see anything until I get into the middle lane and see the cycle in my rear view mirror.

At first I feel bad, but then I got to thinking that the guy was in my blind spot, I did all that I could do short of sticking my head out the window, AND I had my blinker on a significant amount of time...enough to let all know what my intentions were. The guy on the cycle would have been toast for ignoring my blinker and following that cab too closely.

Sorry, but I had to vent. That was too close for me. I give motorcycles a LOT of room because I know most motorists treat them like second-class citizens, plus I have relatives who own 1 or 2. So this nut thinks I'm a bad driver now...

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Richard 350z

· #2 · Jun 14, 2004

those motorcycle drivers who zip in between lanes in rush hour traffic on the freeway, going much faster than the cars -- THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR LIVES ARE WORTH

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jinxxycat

· #3 · Jun 14, 2004

Smooth it IS hard to see bikers on the road sometimes. I am especially aware of them b/c my mom's cousin got killed on a street bike, and my uncle got decapitated by an 18 wheeler running a red light when he was riding his goldwing. My brother has been tagged from behind and sent skidding and bouncing along the highway for about 100 yards (thank god for his racing leathers). But still, I have had similar experiences where I have looked and looked and still missed seeing a biker or two. I share the road w/ bikers, but sometimes the bikers need to share the road with us and realize that they have a lot more to lose riding a bike than we do in a car...Don't feel bad, and who cares about what the person thinks, he probably doesn't even realize what could have happened.

And just have to say that PA got rid of the helmet law just last fall, I still can't believe that. My father in law and my brother in law both have Harley's and they leave the houses w/ helmets on and as soon as they are out of sight of the wives, off come the helmets. Looks like Doug and I might end up raising EJ's kids and taking care of his mom when they get hurt. I hate to say it, I come from a family of motorcycle riders and wearing a helmet is just something you do. To not wear one is just silly in my opinion. Some may say if they wreck they want to die, not lay up in a hospital for years w/ disablilties. Doesn't seem right to me. Anyhow...

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DiRN

· #4 · Jun 14, 2004

I've seen enough nasty pictures to know that if I ever did get a bike, there's no way in **** I'd ride it without a helmet. Although I think the last batch I saw has pretty much scared me out of ever getting one. Haha

smoothz

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 15, 2004

Good point about them needing to know that they share the roads with cars and are taking a risk by getting onto one. Thanks for making me feel better.

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gOOters

· #6 · Jun 17, 2004

Originally posted by DiRN@Jun 14 2004, 10:32 AM
I've seen enough nasty pictures to know that if I ever did get a bike, there's no way in **** I'd ride it without a helmet. Although I think the last batch I saw has pretty much scared me out of ever getting one. Haha

Same EXACT thing for me. I haev always wanted one though...

Oh and the IDIOTS that go flying in-between cars on the freeway (on the dashed line) make me SOOOOO MAD!

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DiRN

· #7 · Jun 17, 2004

Originally posted by gOOters@Jun 17 2004, 01:34 PM
Oh and the IDIOTS that go flying in-between cars on the freeway (on the dashed line) make me SOOOOO MAD!

<span style="color:darkblue">That's when you just suddenly happen to notice that your alignment is off

</span>

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jinxxycat

· #8 · Jun 17, 2004

That happens more often than not in Los Angeles! Esp in stand still traffic these guys just go about their business sailing along the median or inbetween lanes. More than once I wanted to just OOPS open my door as one of them was approaching my car....pissed me off b/c I HAD to sit there in traffic and they were just lalalala on their way....

DiRN

· #9 · Jun 17, 2004

<span style="color:darkblue">[kidding]Is it wrong of me to sometimes ride a little too close behind bikes just for my own personal amusement?

[/kidding]</span>

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jmagilto

· #10 · Jun 18, 2004

Wow. Glad noone got hurt. Motorcycles aside, I feel the need to point out that on the freeway, traffic behind you has the right of way. Be careful out there changing lanes and merging! You might get nailed and wind up with a chargeable accident!

Skeptik

· #11 · Jun 18, 2004

Originally posted by DiRN@Jun 17 2004, 01:59 PM
<span style="color:darkblue">Is it wrong of me to sometimes ride a little too close behind bikes just for my own personal amusement?

</span>

Yes, and you are a fucking ******* if you do that!!

Do you think your amusement is worth risking someone else's life?

Grow up people, bikers have just as much of a right to be on the road, and they have a lot more at stake in the event of a collision. It is hard to see them especially at night.

SmoothZ, that was an honest mistake, and I have that happen to me pretty much every day that I get on my bike... we're used to it. Looking twice can save a life.

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Skeptik

· #12 · Jun 18, 2004

Originally posted by jinxxycat@Jun 17 2004, 12:46 PM
That happens more often than not in Los Angeles! Esp in stand still traffic these guys just go about their business sailing along the median or inbetween lanes. More than once I wanted to just OOPS open my door as one of them was approaching my car....pissed me off b/c I HAD to sit there in traffic and they were just lalalala on their way....

FYI, lane sharing is perfectly legal in the state of California. Bikes can get places much faster than cars can on public streets, plain and simple. I hate it when people try to block you from passing like they're in some sort of race. Just because a bike gets there faster doesn't mean it's gonna take you longer to get there. Also, not all bikers are idiots... those are just the ones you tend to notice more. I prolly hate those guys worse than any of you because they tend to make cagers and cops hate bikers just because of the vehicle we are on.

gOOters

· #13 · Jun 18, 2004

Skeptik I am with you 100%. I have ALWAYS given bikers a wide berth, and the same respect on the road that I would show a big bubba pickup truck.

Tailgating a motocycle for the **** of it isn't cool at all. Seriously.

****, I really want a bike someday myself!

I dont even have a problem with a biker sharing lanes in a traffic jam, because like you said, Im not going anywhere anyway!

Still, the guys who zip in-between cars at freeway speed really do piss me off something fierce. I would never wish death on anyone (especially because I have done some dumb **** in my life too), but every time one of them scares me like that, I kinda wish that I could watch them have to drop their bike and take a slide in their leathers w/o having to goto the hospital.

DiRN

· #14 · Jun 18, 2004

Okay, for those of you who took me seriously, I've editted my previous post.

I show a lot more respect to motorcycles than I do to anyone else when it comes to room between us. If someone is camped in the passing line and driving too slow, I will gladly ride on their @ss until they get the hint or I get a chance to go around them. If it's a bike, however, I won't get so close, because I know that if I accidentally tapped the back of a bike it would be a lot worse than if I accidentally tapped the back of a car or truck

gOOters

· #15 · Jun 18, 2004

Like the avatar DirN!

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DiRN

· #16 · Jun 18, 2004

2

<span style="color:darkblue">Haha. Thanks.

:goodtimes: </span>

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Skeptik

· #17 · Jun 18, 2004

Ok, DiRN you are not an *******

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