Share The Road

[swingman3]

<snip> Griff and I had a nice ride through Central Indiana down to the Ohio River, a route similar to the DooDah we rode a year or two ago. We stopped and had lunch at a place called The Overlook in Leavenworth, IN. It's a nice place, a good destination on a bluff overlooking the Ohio River. The ride down was great with little more than the normal usual incidents... having to watch those who are not watching us. It was nice that a couple cages actually pulled over and let us by.

</snip>

Excellent post, and the Overlook is excellent, too. I've never posted pics here before. Hope these work.

 

[Wee Willy]

This is the kind of situation where I feel the headlight modulator pays off. Flip it on and make sure the bike in front of you sees it, then cruise on past him.

Just like at Le Mans...problem is, the folks you're overtaking here pro'lly don't understand the signal. It's just not practiced here in the states. Europeans know what that means though and almost always oblige.

W2

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I just saw this thread, and it brings to mind my breaking in my 650cc thumper lump. Until 500 miles hit today, I pulled over often to let people go by. Just courtesy as I can't keep revs up for a long time (during breakin) and top speed even then was 55mph on the single. Amazing how many bikes I could pass easily on a 650 single limited to 4000 rpm during breakin though. I don't know how they can stand going so slow.

 

[stealth1]

If you go out for a ride with the expectation that other motorists are going to give you a break or get out of your way,

you are going to have an unpleasant, frustrating, and aggravating day.

That's is definitely not what I am looking for.

I just assume everyone else on the road is either oblivious or an a** hole and depend on my own skills and accelerative powers to get me where I want to go.

I also try to know when exercising patience is good for my mental and/or physical health. That's one of the tougher skills.

That's my riding philosophy and I come back from most rides happy and relaxed and sometimes tired.

If someone does go out of their way to show you some extra courtesy that's just one more blessing on top of many others.

 

[Toecutter]

I just assume everyone else on the road is either oblivious or an a** hole and depend on my own skills and accelerative powers to get me where I want to go.

Good plan....

 

[palerider]

If you go out for a ride with the expectation that other motorists are going to give you a break or get out of your way,you are going to have an unpleasant, frustrating, and aggravating day.

That's is definitely not what I am looking for.

I just assume everyone else on the road is either oblivious or an a** hole and depend on my own skills and accelerative powers to get me where I want to go.

I also try to know when exercising patience is good for my mental and/or physical health. That's one of the tougher skills.

That's my riding philosophy and I come back from most rides happy and relaxed and sometimes tired.

If someone does go out of their way to show you some extra courtesy that's just one more blessing on top of many others.

+1

Most people are simply off in their own worlds, thinking about their own concerns. I do have to say, though, that on crowded Los Angeles-area freeways, there are a lot of people who will go out of their way to move over if/when they see me coming up behind. It's almost always unnecessary, but in a way that just makes it nicer.

 

[Spook]

Wish this guy woulda let us "play through". We felt the sign pretty much summed up the driver of this truck on the Dragon last Monday.....

Think about what you're saying..................How's he gonna let you "play through"?

He's got no where to go but forward. Once he's started on that road he's committed.

You should have done a U-turn and gone the other way for a while them turn around and come back.

Or at the least pull off on one of those new paved shoulders and wait for some distance.

Why would you follow a semi through the Dragon?

C'mon Sensei Brody. I know you'd be able to get around that semi on the dragon or anywhere else for that matter.

It's all in the wrist...

Maybe I'm not understanding/interpreting the concept of "play through" as you are, but it's my assumption that slower traffic/drivers should allow faster traffic to pass when possible. Being the owner/operator of a diesel pusher motorhome I am acutely aware of alot of the trials and tribulations truck driver face; at least more aware than your average driver. Fact-o-the-matter is Brody he was doin' a good job of not derailing riders coming the other direction by stopping on both inside and outside curves, and I'll give him credit for that. However, he ignored several opps to just stop in corners w/sufficient sight line for us and let us by.....so why shouldn't I be irritated w/him? Was he not aware we were behind him? Was he playing big, bad trucker? Dunno, but he made no effort whatsoever to let us pass. I would have thought he would have welcomed someone in front to pass along the word he was coming.

BTW, we eventually found enough of a straightaway (remember this is the Dragon) to blast by him as Fred suggests, and then went forward warning oncoming riders to slow down for the moving hazard. But it should not have been as much of a challenge as the truck driver made it for us is all I'm saying.

There's a small subset of drivers that thinks that it's their job to control traffic in the absence of the police. You'll see them doing the speed limit in the fast lane and not moving over. I knew a guy like this. When I asked him why he didn't pull over to let people by (cars too), he said, "I'm doing the speed limit. I'm not obligated to move over for people who are breaking the law." I said, "The law also says, 'Slower traffic keep right.'" He said, "That only applies up to the speed limit."

How do you argue with that kind of thinkng (other than with a bullet)?

Base ball bat or tire iron.

 

[ian]

Coming S on PCH a little N of San Francisco today, a friend and I were stopped by a group shooting a car commercial. CHP at head of line with lights on so I didn't head to the front of the line. After 5-10 minutes we started moving. I saw two bikes at the front with about 15 cars back to us. The line moved extremely slowly. When we finally passed the CHP at the other end of the roadblock, no increase in speed. I started passing-pretty tough, very short straights, mostly first gear. When I finally got to the front of the line, there was one HD multi apexing through the corners at about 20 mph. WTF, why not pull over and let the cars (and a couple of 6 wheel straight trucks) pass? When I got to the next town, I pulled over to wait for my bud, he's not comfortable with aggressive passes. Here comes the HD rider, gives me a nice wave and after stopping at the red light, paddles through the right hand corner. I don't get it. Before that I passed a group of cruisers, in formation, going N on PCH with a line of 10 or so vehicles stuck behind them. Last year on Arkansas 7 between Harrison and Jasper there was a cruiser group that was holding up a semi! Ian, Iowa

 

[palerider]

Coming S on PCH a little N of San Francisco today, a friend and I were stopped by a group shooting a car commercial. CHP at head of line with lights on so I didn't head to the front of the line. After 5-10 minutes we started moving. I saw two bikes at the front with about 15 cars back to us. The line moved extremely slowly. When we finally passed the CHP at the other end of the roadblock, no increase in speed. I started passing-pretty tough, very short straights, mostly first gear. When I finally got to the front of the line, there was one HD multi apexing through the corners at about 20 mph. WTF, why not pull over and let the cars (and a couple of 6 wheel straight trucks) pass? When I got to the next town, I pulled over to wait for my bud, he's not comfortable with aggressive passes. Here comes the HD rider, gives me a nice wave and after stopping at the red light, paddles through the right hand corner. I don't get it. Before that I passed a group of cruisers, in formation, going N on PCH with a line of 10 or so vehicles stuck behind them. Last year on Arkansas 7 between Harrison and Jasper there was a cruiser group that was holding up a semi! Ian, Iowa

This is the down side of selling more bikes. Many of the people who buy them are not motorcyclists. They're cage drivers who happen to be on bikes. And they're idiots.

 

[stealth1]

Coming S on PCH a little N of San Francisco today, a friend and I were stopped by a group shooting a car commercial. CHP at head of line with lights on so I didn't head to the front of the line. After 5-10 minutes we started moving. I saw two bikes at the front with about 15 cars back to us. The line moved extremely slowly. When we finally passed the CHP at the other end of the roadblock, no increase in speed. I started passing-pretty tough, very short straights, mostly first gear. When I finally got to the front of the line, there was one HD multi apexing through the corners at about 20 mph. WTF, why not pull over and let the cars (and a couple of 6 wheel straight trucks) pass? When I got to the next town, I pulled over to wait for my bud, he's not comfortable with aggressive passes. Here comes the HD rider, gives me a nice wave and after stopping at the red light, paddles through the right hand corner. I don't get it. Before that I passed a group of cruisers, in formation, going N on PCH with a line of 10 or so vehicles stuck behind them. Last year on Arkansas 7 between Harrison and Jasper there was a cruiser group that was holding up a semi! Ian, Iowa

This is the down side of selling more bikes. Many of the people who buy them are not motorcyclists. They're cage drivers who happen to be on bikes. And they're idiots.

They are simply riding within their limits.

 

[Brody]

.............................

They are simply riding within their limits.

Not exactly.............If they are riding in a pack.........they are riding within the limits of the pack.

Individually, things would be different (not necessarily better).

 

[palerider]

.............................

They are simply riding within their limits.

Not exactly.............If they are riding in a pack.........they are riding within the limits of the pack.

Individually, things would be different (not necessarily better).

I mis-spoke. I should have said, "If they're mindless idiots when they're driving their cages, they're still mindless idiots when they're on they're shiny, new bikes."

They don't suddenly become sentient just because they put a motorcycle between their legs.

 

[Brody]

...................................................
I mis-spoke. I should have said, "If they're mindless idiots when they're driving their cages, they're still mindless idiots when they're on they're shiny, new bikes."

They don't suddenly become sentient just because they put a motorcycle between their legs.

Very true. But at least when they are on bikes the process of natural selection becomes more critical.

B)

 

[madmike2]

Most people are simply off in their own worlds, thinking about their own concerns. I do have to say, though, that on crowded Los Angeles-area freeways, there are a lot of people who will go out of their way to move over if/when they see me coming up behind. It's almost always unnecessary, but in a way that just makes it nicer.

I find a lot of people in the Sacramento area do the same. I always wave, to say thanks, as I pass.

Of course, there are also the percentage of mind-numbed citizens but that's why I bought a bike with the ability to "pass with authority".

 

[palerider]

...................................................
I mis-spoke. I should have said, "If they're mindless idiots when they're driving their cages, they're still mindless idiots when they're on they're shiny, new bikes."

They don't suddenly become sentient just because they put a motorcycle between their legs.

Very true. But at least when they are on bikes the process of natural selection becomes more critical.

B)

Amen, Bro(dy). This is why we love Darwin.

 

[palerider]

Most people are simply off in their own worlds, thinking about their own concerns. I do have to say, though, that on crowded Los Angeles-area freeways, there are a lot of people who will go out of their way to move over if/when they see me coming up behind. It's almost always unnecessary, but in a way that just makes it nicer.

I find a lot of people in the Sacramento area do the same. I always wave, to say thanks, as I pass.

Of course, there are also the percentage of mind-numbed citizens but that's why I bought a bike with the ability to "pass with authority".

I was in Sacto on the FJR three weeks ago--work trip, no time for socializing. I try to make the ride from LA twice a year. I have to know there's a prolonged period of good weather in the immediate future. As it happened it was in the low 100s, and I forgot my sunscreen. I got burned.

 

[Fred W]

Spy photo of palerider while in Sacto:

Forgot the sunscreen, huh? So, I guess you're not such a pale rider anymore then?

I hope your organ is OK... :blink:

 

[palerider]

Spy photo of palerider while in Sacto:

Forgot the sunscreen, huh? So, I guess you're not such a pale rider anymore then?

I hope your organ is OK... :blink:

Good picture of me. It was a delightful surprise to find out you could play the piano.

:yahoo: