Why Do Some Drivers Have A Problem With Bikers?

Well put overdrive, and it isn't only Calif, it's that because they can thing, the only thing that most of 'em care about is if a cop sees them, other wise they could care less who's life gets put at risk, including thier own.

 

A little off topic but I have noticed more crotch rockets on the roads lately. Of course they get my attention by using the highway as their own personal slalom course or running together side by side and slowing traffic down for a couple of miles and then taking off at top speed after creating a mile gap or so. I assume this is an impromptu race?

The other thing I have noticed is some real "show offs" on these bikes. Doing wheelies on the interstate at highway speeds or on surface streets.
Is this what they are learning in drivers ed now a days?

 

you can still slpit lanes in california cant ya

 

Remember: Evolution In Action!

A number of years ago, I was stopped at a stop light (good place to stop, yeah). Road was flat ahead and behind me, and to my left. To the right was a shallow curve and an overpass about 300 feet up the road (road went up man-made hill to pass over traffic below).

When the light changed to green for the cross traffic, guy on a crotch-rocket on my left lit it up and took off like the revenuers were after him.

He hit the top of the bridge and lost control - grabbed a lot of air. Bike hit the curb and bounced back into the roadway. Driver hit the guardrail and bounced back onto the roadway.

I was on my way to work, so I was in uniform (Sheriff Dispatcher, at the time). I made the right turn while calling in to the city PD (their jurisdiction). Blocked traffic from my side of the bridge until PD arrived (was in my POV)

THEN I got a good look at the scene. What I'd thought was gasoline all over the road was.. more viscous. The helmet that had popped off when he hit the guard rail was.. um.. still occupied.

Generally speaking, that was a messy, messy scene.

No drugs, no alcohol, no priors on his MVR. Wearing boots, leathers, gloves, etc. Driving bikes for 10 years.

Man, was I late for work that night.

To this day, I've never seen a crotch rocket driven in a sensible manner.

 

well, here's my 2 cents worth.

i drive and ride, so i always give bikers as much room as i can. when i'm riding i am ultra aware of how small i am and always assume that i'm invisible to everybody else on the road.

in a backed up traffic situation, the apehangers on my road king make lane splitting dangerous, (car and pickup mirrors hurt when you smack into them with your fingers) so i don't do that very often. riding on the shoulder is usually dangerous and always illegal, so, don't do that either.

if it looks like it may be more than a few minutes, just put your kickstand down and turn off your ignition. smoke if you got 'em. nobody else is going anywhere.

having a c.b. gives you an edge, you can talk to the truckers and may even get information about what's going on ahead.

 

to give motorcycles extra consideration on the interstate, especially when passing one (I am always fearful of throwing a rock from a trailer tire). The way I figure it, both trucks and bikes are outnumbered by inattentive 4-wheelers. Instead of fighting , we should be working together .

 

Personally, I'd think the point of a bike would be to enjoy your ride, not to take the shortest interstate route to the next destination. When I get mine going, it'll be seeing more country and I'll be seeing roads around home that I've never been on before.

 

Skooter, I'm an automobile driver. Just wanted to thank you for explaining something that had been a point of serious irritation for me too. I won't get quite as annoyed the next time I see a Harley doing that, and I'll understand that it's just an unavoidable consequence of air cooling.

 

There's one for the Skooter fan club! I do not have a problem with bikers at all. As a matter of fact, whenever I see one sneaking up behind the bucket, I go out of my way to let them pass me as soon as possible. I hate when they get stuck behind me, because I spend alot of time off road and I'm just sure that there is something sinister that is going to fly off of the trailer or the tires and get them. But, when it comes to them or anyone passing on the shoulder, that is just downright stupid. Nobody has any buisness being in that lane unless it is a....say it with me....EMERGENCY!! If your bike is overheating from sitting in traffic, shut it off. Push it forward if the car in front of you pulls up a few feet. If they roll up further start it, ride up to the car again, and shut it down. Seems simple enough to me.

 

Come to think of it, I haven't seen a crotch-rocket ridden responsibly either. I have seen crotch-rocketeers doing "stoppies" (wheelies on the front wheel, braking) on the Interstate. With traffic around. Unhelmeted.