Motorcycles

[Volt]

rant/on

Ok, I realize that motorcyclist may look like a really great target but I for one would hope you cagers out there would give us our 9' of space on the road.

Wed morning I was rear ended on the left side.
Thurs I almost had to kick in a door of a tailgater.
Today I was rear ended in the center rear fender.

I pay my taxes, so that means I get fair use of the road the same as anyone else.

rant/off

[newcigarz]

Originally Posted by Volt

rant/on

Ok, I realize that motorcyclist may look like a really great target but I for one would hope you cagers out there would give us our 9' of space on the road.

Wed morning I was rear ended on the left side.
Thurs I almost had to kick in a door of a tailgater.
Today I was rear ended in the center rear fender.

I pay my taxes, so that means I get fair use of the road the same as anyone else.

rant/off

that sucks.
I just got back from a ride, it's dangerous out there.

[Tripp]

I hate tailgaters in general, but when I see someone tailgating a biker, it really pisses me off. Sorry to hear, Mike

[JohnnyKay5]

time to install go go gadget machine guns and oil spray

[Steve]

Have you checked you back for a big bullseye???

Seriously, that bites big ones! Be careful out there!

sorry man...

motorcycle riders do not get the respect they deserve.

Stay safe bro

A buddy of mine was riding his bike from work when we were on Active Duty and this lady in a brand new MB was on her cell phone tried to merge into him because she was not paying attention. He swerved and got her attention and she flipped him off.

So he got up next to her and punched her brand new mirror off the car.

Originally Posted by Darrell

A buddy of mine was riding his bike from work when we were on Active Duty and this lady in a brand new MB was on her cell phone tried to merge into him because she was not paying attention. He swerved and got her attention and she flipped him off.

So he got up next to her and punched her brand new mirror off the car.

Nice!

[Volt]

I can neither confirm or deny that I would ever kick in a car door..... I have heard though that they normally back off when you do though.

Originally Posted by Darrell

A buddy of mine was riding his bike from work when we were on Active Duty and this lady in a brand new MB was on her cell phone tried to merge into him because she was not paying attention. He swerved and got her attention and she flipped him off.

So he got up next to her and punched her brand new mirror off the car.

[LasciviousXXX]

The lugnuts are a really good idea btw. Not that I'm endorsing that

My best friend (a Motor Cop) and best man at my wedding once said, ride like every car you see is actively trying to kill you.

[markem]

As a former motorcycle safety instructor with Team Oregon (rated top program in the country by NHTSA almost every year), I will point out that car drivers are trained by experience to look for large objects the size of cars. Since motorcycles and scooters and even bicycles are so infrequently used in our car culture, that's just operant conditioning. Not making excuses, just saying it like it is. While you have the right to your space, be proactive and make sure that you aren't "dead right".

My username used to be "vstromMark" and those who know about Suzuki dual sport bikes will recognize the Vstrom part. My fave bike is the DL650.

Sorry that all of this happened to you and as a motorcycle rider for 40 plus years I've pretty much seen it all. The post below here is something that every motorcyclist needs to heed because you cannot trust the drivers around you to be aware of your presence. Fundamentally drivers are not looking for motorcycles...they do not equate the space that a motorcycle takes up because of depth of field so they don't know or can't tell how fast a motorcycle is coming up so they end up turning right in front of you even though they look directly at you...friggin amazing. As you are traveling on the hiway in your lane they still do not look and switch lanes while they are talking on their f'n cell phones or texting.

I ride with the expectation that somebody is going to do something stupid...I drive defensively all the time and always have a secondary area to go to "just in case" something happens. I drive in the far right lane and let them pass me...easier to deal with watching only one lane rather than 2 lanes where they weave back and forth. I have a Cobra Exhaust so they can hear me...a full light bar so that they can see me.

Have some motorists tried to throw things at me...open their doors to try and be an a$$hole...veered their cars towards me so as to feign hitting me? Yes they have and they paid dearly for that. I do not drive offensively but there are motorists out there who for one reason or another do not like motorcyclists. I carry a mini crow bar in my saddlebag that is easily accessible just in case and I have used it a few times in total defense for those who tried to do me bodily harm...they are now missing headlights, side windows and mirrors and windshields. I'm not proud of it by any means but it took some extraordinary means to stop them from trying to run me off the road or hitting me.

QUOTE=markem;845533]As a former motorcycle safety instructor with Team Oregon (rated top program in the country by NHTSA almost every year), I will point out that car drivers are trained by experience to look for large objects the size of cars. Since motorcycles and scooters and even bicycles are so infrequently used in our car culture, that's just operant conditioning. Not making excuses, just saying it like it is. While you have the right to your space, be proactive and make sure that you aren't "dead right".

QUOTE]

Well said!!!

[nomadicwookie]

That's ridiculous man. I've been riding a few years now & my first week on the bike 3 different people almost ran me off of the road. I try to stay as far away from people as possible. They just don't care. When I'm stopped if I see a car in the rearview I tap my brakes to get there attention. If they could only ride a mile in our shoes. In the cage when I see road debris or something fly out the back of a truck I hope it doesn't mess up my car. On the bike I hope it doesn't kill me.

[kenstogie]

Originally Posted by LasciviousXXX

The lugnuts are a really good idea btw. Not that I'm endorsing that

My best friend (a Motor Cop) and best man at my wedding once said, ride like every car you see is actively trying to kill you.

Ditto on the lugnuts. Not that I am endorsing that.

I try (DO) where obnoxiously bright colors and have my thumb on the horn and ride very defensively. Even when they look right at you they don't see you somtimes.

[Volt]

Well, the first accident the cop called for 1 back up. This morning the trooper called for 2 extra cars. Had to because the city wasn't even called by me. Just gotta love profiling.

I'm out of lugnuts, time to swing by the tire place and get some. Backs the tailgaters up real quick. I have no qualms dropping them, I don't have 3,500 lbs of cage wrapped around me with air bags and I intend to get home alive.

I ride a 49cc scooter to work everyday. I live on post and only about 3 miles from work. The top speed on post is 30 and I can do that on the scooter but I have still been almost ran off the road a few times. It is crazy cuz there is so many MPs on this post and people still drive like they are brain dead.

When we got the scooter my wife wanted to ride it but then she actually got on the road with other cars and was so afraid she parked it and walked home.

[CheapHumidors]

I actually just bought a bike this past Saturday. I've never ridden before though so I'm working on getting a feel for it late at night with empty roads before I brave the crazy a$$ drivers we have down here. They scare me in my car, much more so I imagine on a bike.

[newcigarz]

Originally Posted by CheapHumidors

I actually just bought a bike this past Saturday. I've never ridden before though so I'm working on getting a feel for it late at night with empty roads before I brave the crazy a$$ drivers we have down here. They scare me in my car, much more so I imagine on a bike.

Have you done the MSF?

[CheapHumidors]

Originally Posted by newcigarz

Have you done the MSF?

On my to-do list. This week I've been just riding up and down the road in my neighborhood and turning around. Still haven't gotten around to finding a place and registering for the MSF course. Any recommendations on where?

I have about 40K miles logged in on the street and tracks. My best advice would be to go 20MPH faster than traffic. If they start to merge into your lane you will be past them before they get far enough over to hit you.

I ride pretty conservative on the streets and light it up on the track. The extra speed on the road really helps you avoid sitting in someones blind spot and gives you more control.

It was already said but imagine everyone is going to do something crazy and you will avoid them the 25% of the time it actually happens.