The Ol' Block & Tackle Maneuver

[James Burleigh]

You're on a two-lane twisty road. There's a cage in front of you going just fast enough that you can't get past safely, but nevertheless holding you up; it won't pull over even when multiple opportunities arise.

You decide to execute the block & tackle: The bike in front passes the cage (safely, legally), then slows in front of the cage without getting run over, slowing the cage down. The following bikes then zip on by (safely, legally).

I've never done this myself, but I heard about it once from a guy who knew a guy who saw it happen once....

 

[madmike2]

You're on a two-lane twisty road. There's a cage in front of you going just fast enough that you can't get past safely, but nevertheless holding you up; it won't pull over even when multiple opportunities arise.
You decide to execute the block & tackle: The bike in front passes the cage (safely, legally), then slows in front of the cage without getting run over, slowing the cage down. The following bikes then zip on by (safely, legally).

I've never done this myself, but I heard about it once from a guy who knew a guy who saw it happen once....

Let me understand this maneuver. You come upon an impolite person (perhaps driving the speed limit?) who is "blocking" your progress. To show them how to properly act like an adult, you pass them and then impede THEIR progress so that others, who also lack patience and self control, can pass (because the other riders don't possess the skill set required to pass another vehicle in a safe and legal manner?).

Wouldn't purposely slowing another vehicle by blocking their path and violating their "right of way" be illegal?

IMO, it would be best to pass them, one at a time, and motor on your way, as frustrating as that seems. On a hot day. When you want to get down the road to your next rest stop or set of curves.

 

[Barabus]

pull over and take a cigerette break, then go forward.

 

[uctofeej]

I see the block part, but where's the tackle?

 

[Toecutter]

You're doing this on your Sportster? Never had much of a problem passing cars on the FJR, except for LEO cars. I don't pass those guys.

 

[twowheelnut]

Armand uses that tactic to great effect... Especially in National Parks.

 

[James Burleigh]

You're doing this on your Sportster? Never had much of a problem passing cars on the FJR, except for LEO cars. I don't pass those guys.

Emphasis on the "group of bikes." An FJR (as we all know) can pass most cars in most situations in the blink of an eye (Mickey Motorcyclists Safety Tip: before passing, always check your mirrors and shoulders and ahead for reasons the cage may suddenly want to turn left across your passing path).

Um, remember, this isn't me but a friend of a guy I ran into in a mall or somewhere (really, Mike ).

My friend told me that the guy told him (phew, this is getting tiring), that the blocker reported back to the rest of the bikes at the next stop that the cage driver's face in the blocker bike's mirror looked astonished when suddenly two other bikes went flying by in a roar of throttle, Zing! Zing! Dude never knew what happened! So I'm told.....

 

[Checkswrecks]

Sounds pretty immature of the guy and another way to build an anti-biking cager.

Pass when you can and wait for the others to pass when they can.

 

[odot]

Immaturity on this forum? Nawwwwwwwww..................say it ain't so.

 

[FJRBluesman]

I'd just assume not piss off the cage that is now BEHIND me. It's not worth it to me, to play games on the road....

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

Using your vehicle to direct traffic is usually a bad idea.

 

[k7lvo]

I guess it depends on how one reads the situation. If the cage appears to be deliberately blocking you, it would be unwise to antagonize him, but if he's just oblivious to the fact that someone else might be using his (!) road, he probably won't even notice that the lead bike has slowed a few miles per hour.

As far as delaying/impeding traffic, in every state that I'm aware of it's illegal to delay more than 5 vehicles. Umm,,, let's see,,, um,,, nope,,, in 40 years and well over half million miles (no, not all on a bike, darn it!) I can't remember EVER seeing anyone pulled over no matter how many vehicles were piled up behind him. (I do, however, know that it happens some times. It must have - I've read about it on the internet! )

 

[stellarsteve]

You're doing this on your Sportster? Never had much of a problem passing cars on the FJR, except for LEO cars. I don't pass those guys.

I did that once and it cost me about $120. Damn I hate those unmarked guys.

 

[madmike2]

I read, on the internet, that the CHP was using an SUV to catch motorcycles who were passing illegally. They were using a Suburban (North of San Francisco) to drive the speed limit, minus 3-5 mph, and would wait until a group of bikes would catch them and pass on the double yellow line. The bikes would then come around a bend in the road to find a road block. The suburban would arrive and play a video of the "transgression".

It must be true....as I said...I read it on the internet. BARF? Pashnit? One of the "sportier" websites from NorCal.

I'm guessing that a "blocking move" wouldn't be considered acceptable to the officers involved.

 

[k7lvo]

I read, on the internet, that the CHP was using an SUV to catch motorcycles who were passing illegally. They were using a Suburban (North of San Francisco) to drive the speed limit, minus 3-5 mph, and would wait until a group of bikes would catch them and pass on the double yellow line. The bikes would then come around a bend in the road to find a road block. The suburban would arrive and play a video of the "transgression".
It must be true....as I said...I read it on the internet. BARF? Pashnit? One of the "sportier" websites from NorCal.

I'm guessing that a "blocking move" wouldn't be considered acceptable to the officers involved.

Disclaimer: I'm not particularly advising doing this, it's more for the sake of discussion. Beyond that, it's never a good idea to attract the attention of "the man," especially in a manner that annoyes him. However, that said:

Perhaps. But - assuming that none of the bikes, including the "blocker," made illegal passes, cut the slow vehicle off, slowed suddenly and/or dramatically in front of the slow vehicle, etc - what is illegal about the move? Is it illegal to drive (ride) 10 mph - or even 15 ("But, Officer, there were some roses back there that I wanted to smell!" ) under the speed limit? is it illegal to pass said vehicle? Is it illegal to pass 2 vehicles at a time?

Careless driving, maybe, especially if the cop was annoyed? But, would a judge agree?

 

[DailyCommuter]

The only time I've seen this done is in a big rally where the lead bikes would stop at intersections and hold traffic while the group rode threw. Then the new leaders would do it at the next intersection. If you're the cager that day it is pretty aggrevating though. If its only 2 or 3 bikes I am with I don't think its too smart. The other thing I've seen done is on the highway the crotch rocketers will take both lanes and slow traffic so that they have huge space in front of them, and then they all go flying off using up the room that they created at triple digits! I hate that one. I always figure if I stayed behind them long enough I would see a Leo stopping them or a big crash scene

Btw its more of a pick and roll, than a block and tackle...

 

[k7lvo]

The only time I've seen this done is in a big rally where the lead bikes would stop at intersections and hold traffic while the group rode threw. Then the new leaders would do it at the next intersection. If you're the cager that day it is pretty aggrevating though. If its only 2 or 3 bikes I am with I don't think its too smart. The other thing I've seen done is on the highway the crotch rocketers will take both lanes and slow traffic so that they have huge space in front of them, and then they all go flying off using up the room that they created at triple digits! I hate that one. I always figure if I stayed behind them long enough I would see a Leo stopping them or a big crash scene
Btw its more of a pick and roll, than a block and tackle...

These are completely different "manuevers" from the one that started this thread. They are illegal, (either of them involve enough infractions to keep an officer writing for a l-o-n-g time - and then he'll go to the next bike) and, more importantly, dangerous. I've ridden in toy runs and the like where intersection blockers were used; once I discover that they're doing this, I drop out at the earliest opportunity. I don't understand how they figure they "deserve" do do this; you don't see classic car clubs, sports car clubs, or hot rod clubs doing this...

As for the latter manuever, I think you've pegged it exactly right. If they're lucky, they'll ONLY get a ticket.

 

[Panman]

My brother in-law was headed for work a while back in his truck about the time the Fauntleroy (West Seattle) / Southworth Ferry was un loading. He was a bit a head of the Ferry but the bikes unload first and soon caught him quick.

The first guy by did what your talking about pulled in front and slowed down to five ten MPH the second guy busted his mirror and housing on his new truck.

You know I can appreciate wanting to get around someone who's maybe obeying or just doing five over the limit, I know I have cussed more than a few people who were picking their noses but those two clown's are lucky it was my brother in-law driving that truck. I told him he should have drove over the first clown even thou he was just helping the other thirty or so bikes get by but the guy that broke the mirror, dead meat baby.

As a group of riders we are getting a ton of bad publicity as it is and that kind of crap is BS!

 

[madmike2]

As a group of riders we are getting a ton of bad publicity as it is and that kind of crap is BS!

Ding-ding-ding!!!!

We have a winner.

Remember the above post when the local Police begin a maximum enforcement sweep agains ALL motorcyclists, or certain legislators introduce laws suggested by the very constituency you, as a motorcyclist, have frightened or flat P.O.'d.