Cherohala Roadblock

[pacurverider]

On the Cherohala around 5:15 PM, Friday, 9/24, with ALFJR and Shakin. Came up on 3 cruisers doing no more than 35mph. Watch the lead rider block ALFJR. *******! I'll give you 3 guesses as to what he was riding and the first two don't count. (Sorry for the bugs!)

 

[SkooterG]

Well, I hate ******* ****** cruiser roadblocks as much as the next guy............BUT.

Passing other bikes in their lane if they haven't waved you past is NOT COOL. It has pissed me off the few times it has happened to me. Unsafe, and RUDE.

So I guess I could understand sort of the lead guy blocking. (Of course if I know someone who is faster than me wants to get past, I wave them by)

IMHO, best is to cross the centerline and pass, like was eventually done.

 

[chivvalry]

Two things... that dude was quite the "hole"... and I need to get me a mount for my video camera. Or maybe a helmet cam... hmmmm....

 

[Ignacio]

Passing other bikes in their lane if they haven't waved you past is NOT COOL. It has pissed me off the few times it has happened to me. Unsafe, and RUDE.

....

IMHO, best is to cross the centerline and pass, like was eventually done.

I gotta agree. Somebody passes me in the same lane and I'm not in California....I'd be torqued. The lead guy didn't seem to to be a blocking ahole....he seemed to ride the same line the whole way through. He just seems inconsiderate for not moving over or waving you by to begin with....or just oblivious. And unless all three in a group moved over to the right side of the lane....it would be up to me to cross the centerline to get around....like was eventually done.

 

[wheatonFJR]

He just seems inconsiderate for not moving over or waving you by to begin with....or just oblivious. And unless all three in a group moved over to the right side of the lane....it would be up to me to cross the centerline to get around....like was eventually done.

1)The back two riders definitely moved over...so they WERE allowing the FJRs to move by...so neither the back two riders or the FJR riders weren't being aholes.

2)...and the FJR riders WERE following the HDs for awhile...so the leader should have noticed.

3)If the leader was oblivious...he wasn't watching his flock too well.

4)I vote AHole for the leader...he blocks FJRs so now you have a clusterfook of HDs and FJRs..not a good situation for his brother riders...all because of his ego...or he REALLY was a dufus, and didn't ever watch his six.

5)The FJR riders waited for sight distance...instead of passing on the right like they should have... :lol:

All in all a good save, in spite of the Brother leader ******** of the Harley tribe.

 

[jwilly]

Sorry but I thought I was going to see the front guy cross the line and block you. I agree with others, passing someone in their own lane is not cool and isn't a road block. On the Cherohala in particular their is no reason to pass in the same lane as there is good sight lines on most of the road.

Don't get me wrong, I think that most Harley guys are asshats too.

JW

 

[pacurverider]

Appreciate the responses and just two additional notes. First, the only reason we passed in the lane was because the back two riders moved over and left room after we followed for quite a while. Second, the lead rider did NOT hold the line and moved out and threw his arm in the air (you can't see it in the video) as our leader started past the two rear riders. He was arogant, plain and simple. I agree there are plenty of places to pass on the Cherohala, but sometimes, following someone this slow for too long, feels like an eternity. Keep in mind, I am very, very hesitant to pass anyone across a double yellow. Don't beat us up too bad!

 

[yamafitter]

I feel your pain.

On Friday I got to follow the Harley parade through the last part of the Dragon. I was getting to the point of considering some Bristol Bump & Run but thought the better of it.

Why do these cruisers show up on these roads? It can't be fun scrapping off all that chrome.

 

[HaulinAshe]

Next time, pass all three with more "vigor". You can pretty much count on at least one of any size cruiser group having an ego much larger than his engine displacement. Many times they are more dangerous than a 16-year old cager on the cell phone.

As an FJR rider, you possess the horsepower and (probable) skill to blow that group of three away before they have any time to react. Giving the leader time to react was IMO the only mistake.

My only other suggestion/observation... I wouldn't post this on a public forum and claim any identity. Bad things can become of it.

 

[Fred W]

On the way down to NAFO on Thursday, I came up behind a big gaggle of Old Wings on Rt 219 in West Virginia. There was maybe 12 or 15 of them, mostly 1-up riders, running in a continuous staggered group. I was 2-up with my wife and we had just been moving along at a nice pace, so came up behind them pretty quickly.

I sat behind them for a little while and watched them ride, and it was quite entertaining. Every straight away they would goose it and pick up the pace some, but then as soon as a yellow corner speed marker showed up we'd see a flurry of brake lights (many with some cool wig-wagging, flashy flashy, thing happening). Most of them were barely able to get around the corner at the marked truck speed. Looking closer at their rigs I could see the main reason for all the braking was the huge *** highway pegs most of these interstate cruisers were equipped with, wouldn't allow much lean angle without regrooving the pavement.

Once I had a decent straight-away I passed about half of the group (left of the center line). Because they were riding in parade formation, there wasn't a whole lot of room, but the guys in the middle made room for me to tuck into the middle of their group for the next upcoming corner. Then next straight I passed the remainder. Most of the left side riders, including the leader moved to the right to let us by. I gave them a hearty "Thank You" wave and I think I made some points for FJR riders in the process.

I probably could have just wicked it up and passed all of them in one fell swoop, but in my experience this is viewed as a rude thing, kind of a squidly slap in the face, by the more sedate riders. Sometimes it is better to just be patient and get by them courteously. And don't forget the thank-you wave.

 

[pacurverider]

[My only other suggestion/observation... I wouldn't post this on a public forum and claim any identity. Bad things can become of it.

Good point! I'm a rookie!

 

[rfulcher]

That video just made me nervous. Passing anybody in their own lane does not seem prudent (kind of sounds like the church lady ). I don't get that close, within 2-3 foot, to anybody I don't know and trust, let alone strangers in a curve. The guy in front was an ahole but he had no obligation to pull over for you. Even if his buddies pulled over for you does that does not mean it is safe to use their lane to pass. Use those horses and pass those guys in the other lane before they have time to block...then wave to be friendly. If you don't have room to pass in the other lane do you really want to be between one of those pirates and a car in the other lane?

All that said, I will pass on a double yellow, maybe even in a curve, when I have a good sight line. Is this a double standard, yea maybe?

Why yes, I do like commas.

 

[Bounce]

I just saw some guys riding staggered that eventually got over when they really didn't need to.

Not say I never pass in the same lane if the other rider and conditions allow. I simply don't see this as an intentional "roadblock" as much as some people cruising in formation. I used to be part of such formations when riding with my GWRRA chapter and most of those I wouldn't be comfortable sharing a lane with given my knowledge of their abilities.

 

[trimmantom]

I've been on Cherohala many times and behind cruisers quite often.

It can be very irritating at times but passing those hogs in THEIR lane was a big mistake.

I've seen some of those ********s not only try to block you as you go by but one time try to kick someone as they went by.

Would that have been a disaster if that *** in the front tried that?

You should take this experience as a lesson. If you can't be patient enough to wait for a good passing point at least use the power of your bike and always get in the other lane when passing.

 

[sergeantnic]

Agree with all the "don't pass in same lane" comments. That should never even be a consideration.

But it chaps my *** to see a bunch of slow harley riders not have the common courtesy to move over. I'm not the fastest guy on two wheels and never have an issue waving by a faster group. Happens quite often and I would rather have the faster group ahead of me for two reasons.

1. If there any cops they will get the ticket.

2. I don't want to be pressured to ride quicker to stay ahead of the faster riders.

 

[Auburn]

I probably could have just wicked it up and passed all of them in one fell swoop, but in my experience this is viewed as a rude thing, kind of a squidly slap in the face, by the more sedate riders. Sometimes it is better to just be patient and get by them courteously. And don't forget the thank-you wave.

I do the same thing most of the time. Usually depends on how much of an ****** the group being over taken is/are. Depending on how much of an ****** they are will depend on how many fingers I use in the wave.

It is very enertaining when my wife waves and only uses one finger when we pass a particularly big ******.

 

[fljab]

I missed NAFO - don't ask - but when I was up there a couple of weeks ago for the MTF run, I did a loop of NC29, US129 (Deal Gap and beyond), TN72, US441, TN360, TN165/NC143 (Cherahala) through Robbinsville to Stecoah and Ironhorse Lodge.

During that ride I was passed 3 times (!) by a pair of sport riders on a Speed Triple and an unknown model Honda Repsol replica. I'm old and slow, encumbered further by a Gen 2 but was keeping a decent pace; these guys would get ahead of me then stop somewhere (I would see them at places) and down the road, here they come again.

I'd just move over and motion 'em by. They were smooth and had good lines IMO, and I think, especially later on, they recognized me and knew I would let them by when it was safe - which was as soon as possible. I kinda wish I had stopped one of the times I saw them and introduced myself.

But, I came several times on much slower bikes of, ahem, a certain manufacturer, and while I don't like to stereotype anyone, it sure seems they not only liked taking up the whole road, being loud about it, but the heck with anyone else that wanted by, even an old slow guy on an FJR...........

 

[BikerGeek99]

Hell, I think every Harley rider except for 1 that we came up behind on the Cherohala moved over and waved us by. For the guy that didn't - he was riding 2-up and was not a very skilled rider if ya ask me - I gave him a double-toot on my air horns to alert him and then passed him and gave him a wave anyway. No biggie.

But for the ones that waved us by, at the closest I was on the line if not in the other lane. I gave 'em all a thank-you toot of the horn and a thank-you wave as we went by.

Other than that, all Harley riders are f'n a-holes anyway.

 

[Fubar]

I er,a, interact with them all the time on the skyway. It's actually for me part of the fun. I agree with Ashe... Just drop to 2nd gear and be by them before they know it... They can't watch their mirrors and ride at the same time... LOL. Now if there is a whole line of pirates.. 10 or more, you usually have to pick off a few at a time.. That's where they think they can keep you behind them... Doesn't happen for long.