Proof that their marketing is working... Gals at the office were wowing over that the other day. I asked what was wrong with the mirrors and a head check and the reply came back, "Well, yeah, but what if you're on the phone and can't look in the mirrors?" :blink: I left the discussion.
That is very scary. People are finding more and more ways to be less accountable and to do more in their vehicle besides driving.
There is an upside to this. With any luck the cars will soon be driving themselves, and we won't have to worry about all the stupid, cell-phone-talking, make-up-wearing, coffee-drinking, E-Mail-sending (Yes I have seen it), Newspaper-reading, dumb Puck cagers!
I think that is still pretty far off for the big populace, even considering the technology we do have.
[slight highjack story]
Anyway, it scares the crap out of me. Ride as if you are invisible, because you are, people don't care.
The other day I almost got swiped by an elderly couple as they "wandered" into my lane.
If I didn't ride totally defensive, it would have been me in the hospital.
I was slowly creeping up on them two car lengths back on their left. I always ride in someones mirrors or behind or infront of them. They started to drive a lot slower than the limit so, since I ASSumed they had already noticed me (and my lights) in their left mirror for a good 5 minutes, I would be okay to just go by at the limit and get ahead on their left in my lane. As I throttled a bit in my lane to go by them, he wandered into my lane from his right lane for no reason. I gunned it (because my eyes are always scanning and noticed this) and swerved to my left (I also knew there was no oncoming). I watched in my mirror as he crossed into my lane and then back into his and then turned right two blocks later.
I was furious. I turned right (in a smaller town) and back tracked and found him. I followed him at a safe distance for a while. We left town and went into the country. I followed him for 10 minutes at 5 car lengths and observed him wandering in his lane and sometimes into the shoulder. I started to think he was drunk. I followed him for another 5 minutes with a vehicle between us. He wandered a bit more.
He pulled into a road in the country into a dead end street with a few houses. I followed and came behind him and followed him into his driveway. He parked, I parked behind him, got off, took off helmet and walked up to his door. They stayed inside the vehicle when they saw me come up behind in their driveway. I walked up (knowing they were both over 60) to his window. He rolled it down.
The following was the very calm conversation we had;
"Did you know what you did back in town?", I said
"You were the bike that swerved into me?", He said
'We didn't swerve into you", Lady said
"Be quiet Gertrude, let me handle this", He said (don't remember her real name)
"Sir, you swerved into my lane and almost hit me", I said
"No I didn't", He said.
"Sir I have been following you for about 20 minutes and watched you meander in your own lane.
I saw you several times cross the line in the middle of the road and put your tires on the right shoulder", I said.
I also said, "I am okay, I am not hurt, but what you did is very dangerous. If you cannot operate your vehicle properly you should not be driving. You should think about that before you hurt yourself, your wife or someone else. Think about that. I have your license plate and will be watching you. If I see you again driving like that I will talk to the police. Have a nice day". Then I left.
A true story, but don't quabble about it, it is over, I posted it here just as an eye opener.
You are invisible !!!
[end of hijack]
