Nose in Parking and Copy Cats

Took a riders course back many years ago, does not defend against idiots with ipods jammed in ears, maps on the steering wheels, I can go on but that is my point.

Shake and Bakes, rookies or whatever one calls the fresh meat of today's meat missile pilots think they know everything, many trailers no matter of they are backed in do not have trailer parts over the curb and stick out no matter what. So you have a trailer or tractor hood sticking out in front, well that is a invitation for some fool to take it off as they attempt to aim a rig in a hole while backing.

I have seen it and experienced it, having a hood out in the wind is a invitation for the removal of the hood. I mind my own business, keep away from others and do not block anyone up. Kind of like the old saying, mind your own business and you wont be minding mine.

 

While I have a major problem with personal attacks--of any kind--and especially ones where someone can hide behind a key board--I gotta throw my $.02 in here.....
I read Hammers post very early this AM--and just wasn't up to getting involved at the time..But now that I'm awake--LOL
First off--IMHO--minding your own business is part of the problem--BUT--it is how you mind your own business--not sticking your nose in where it does not belong--is the proper thing to do--standing there and watching someone(newby or not)struggle to back into a tight spot and watching them hit another truck is WRONG--Seeing some clown open their door and throw a bag of trash out and not acting is wrong--And how you act will speak volumes for the type of individual you are!
I'm sure in my younger days--I may well have picked a fight---today being older and hopefully a little wiser--I tend to enjoy embarassing--so I tend to walk over in plain view of the offender--pick up said trash--and deposit it properly--with or without a few choice words--depending on my mood--I could go on--But I think y'all get the point--
NOW as I said I read the loud pipes responsive earlier--and chuckled--and was gonna make a couple of tongue in cheek wise cracks to Hammer--I'm glad I waited--so here goes
I AM AN EXPERT--25 chief MSF instructor--I can upgrade your permit to a full license in 3 different states--3x graduate of superbike school and 30 AMA pro roadracing license holder.....
And truth be known the REAL reason I am posting all this--is that IMHO--the real reason for this forum--is to create an place for an HONEST exchange of useful information--beside the possible social networking opportunities....
And while it is my firm belief that Blanche starts most of these posts just to stir up the pot and create a little humor--probably out of the boredom so many of us experience in this job--it does open up the possibilities for some honest discourse......
Now while hammer is stating the AMA handbooks answer to loud pipes--in their effort for political correctness and further acceptance of motorcycles and their riders into NORMAL SOCIETY--
My views and opinions are totally different--I do not give a #### what your bike sounds like--BUT--if you think for a second that a louder motorcycle is safer--YOU are seriously fooling yourself--don't believe me--ask any one of the thousands of very well trained well equipped MOTOR OFFICERS--who have been scrubbed off by motorists--who never saw or heard their 120db plus pursuit sirens--oh yeah and flashing lights etc...
Hammers is mostly right in his contention about braking--although optimum braking is achieved JUST BEFORE--full lock up of both wheels(sorry Hammer LOL)--and one only has to look to the actual tittle of the basic MSF course to see where this comes from--
It is officially The Motorcycle Safety Foundation--STREET SURVIVAL SKILLS--AND may I strongly recommend it to all drivers--the skills taught and learned carry over to any type of driving--Frankly I wish the truck driving schools would incorporate many of these lessons in their training....
Oh and as for loud pipes--(and the life long motor head in me can't help this)for the most part--YOUR motor hates them--what they really do is kill back pressure--cause excessive head temps--and burn valves--But anyway....
So sorry to everyone else for the long post and rant--But sometimes my soapbox has a mind of it's own--Be safe everyone--
just my $.02

 

Difficult to read without paragraphs but that is on me and lack of reading skills.

Well, having rode motorcycles since 1976 myself I have been hit three times and every time even if I were capable of evasive maneuvers it would have not helped since the drivers were coming so fast no one could have avoided them so the investigators said. Not my words, the investigators.

Your assumption that the motor hates loud pipes? Please.... A Harley can still be baffled and loud at the same time with a dyno tune it runs like a monkey on steroids, unlike rice beaters.

Like I said, loud pipes saves lives.

 

Ok Ill give you that--since there is no question that proper pipes can be loud--and work--I know I have three--and it is my assumption--(because it is usually true)the crowd with the loud pipe nonsence are typically running 1 3/4" or 2" straights that are absurd--so Ill gladly take that one in your case--

Now as for--the three wrecks--no question--there are totally unavoidable wrecks on a scooter--at least unavoidable on the riders part--and herein lies my reason for my soapbox and why I constantly preach training etc.....

At the risk of being long winded again--but what the hell--no one has to read it--LOL--The real purpose of training is to mitigate the RISK--and lessen the severity of injury....

I have started ever basic class the same way for years--After the intros and other BS--I ask the class members--If they feel a motorcycle can be ridden safely? With a show of hands--a majority if not all the participants feel that yes it can--I then ask if anyone can define SAFELY--sometime people try--but anyway--in short order I inform them--that according to Miriam Webster--the definition of safely is WITHOUT RISK-- So I again pose the question? Do you believe you can ride a motorcycle without risk? Ahh cat of a different color--I then inform them--we are here to learn how to reduce that risk...

And now you better all feel a little bad for this old man--cause it's about 22deg--out--but the roads are mostly dry--and I really feel like goin ridin--LOL

So how'd I do with the paragraph thing? Any better--LOL
Oh and by the way as an aside--I have little or no use for dynos--since most all the so called techs using them today do everything in an RPM range you rarely ride at--just sayin

 

I read every word since others on here can be very informative and my Albert Einstein home course was not the best education.

My feelings are this, anything involving a motorized means of transport is a risk which leads to what you stated and agree with. Cliffs notes, it is not if but when gravity and velocity meet in a collision course and we can only minimize the part we play at best.

We as drivers and motor operators can only do the best we can, some more than others.

Eat healthy, stay fit and do the best we can to stay alive for as long as possible. But no one will get out of this world alive.

75 degrees here in Tampa

 

Personally we like the sound of loud pipes, love trucks, and that is part of it. And fact is, straight pipes are much better for the exhaust. The more bends in a pipe the harder it is for the exhaust to escape. Yes, I have had to close my windows and turn on the APU on nice nights because of the noise, but I don't complain because a trucker got his dream truck.....I can't wait for mine!

 

Careful what you say about "Rice Beaters". Some parts and many acceceries for them Harley's come from many different parts of Asia. Heck, the suspension on Harley's are made by a Japanese based company. The suspension company is Showa.

Other than that, I've been watching this thread like a Hawk and hadn't decided to swoop in the give my 2 cents yet. But it's pretty amazing reading these comments. I never realized how many people can get so worked up about the way drivers park. It doesn't matter to me how my nieghbor wants to park, just as long nobody hits me!

 

No Sonny, I usually park in the back row, so if I do decide to go in, I have to walk a ways and get some exercise.
As to your comment earlier, about learning to back, how many trailers are we talking? Doubles, triples, more? What configuration? A-trains, B-trains, C-trains, Rocky Mountain doubles, Turnpike doubles, Aussie Road Trains? Maybe 40 foot straight trucks with little U-Haul type box trailers? Pick your poison, rookie.