Do you ride like an asshole?

DonOR

DonOR

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Jul 24, 2009
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The weather here has been exceptionally great the past few weeks. light tradewinds with little rain, so I've been taking advantage and doing a bit of commuting, saving some real bucks compared to my '97 S10 pickup.

So here's the question.... do you ride like an asshole?

This morning I was 5 minutes out of town on a divided 4 lane, highway 11. Traffic was kinda heavy, moving along at a consistent 50 mph, when I see a bike in my mirror, jumping between lanes, trying desperately to get ahead of the rat race.

As junior suzuki passes me, he rapidly accelerates to within one bike length behind the toyota coupe that I've been following by 40 feet or so, he then proceeds to tailgate this tutu (grandma) on her left side, as if he's ready to half-lane her and the truck in the left lane... and then rides her ass like this, too chicken to make the half-lane run he's acting like he's gonna do.

Two minutes later, we're in town, sharing the same lane at a red light.
Is this guy the kinda asshole who gives so many of us bad cred or what?
 
I reckon anyone can ride any way they like, & take the consequences... Personally, I grit my teeth watching riders drag their feet when moving, like a 3 year old on a pedal bike.
I do the job commute riding in all weather through city [pronounced 'shitty'] traffic, I consider it a +ve safety aspect to ride fairly aggressively, overtaking/lane splitting/going to the head of the traffic at the stop light/holeshotting the cages away from the stop light.
If anyone wants to make something of it, well, there are ways & means - as it were...
 
I guess I do sometimes if what I do is seen by someone else... from my point of view, I have lots of room and I never take any chances. I have been riding for 48 years and never had an accident on a motorcycle (spun out three times on oil (1) or dirt (2) ) and one accident in a car at a very weird intersection where I could see the green from the cross street but not the red from my street) so I guess I could be doing something right after all. Where I live we do get the occasional snow and ice storms which adds to the difficulty in driving, never had a fender bender in winter, and I drive pretty fast on slippery stuff :twisted:

Jean
 
That guy was definitely riding like an idiot. Hopefully he only kills himself.
 
Riding/crashing is fairly unlikely to harm any other person [physically] other than the rider/passenger, I guess unskilled/tentative types get weeded out...
Has anyone seen the "Biker" episodes of South Park?
Or the Simpsons? The bit where Homer wins a 'hog' & starts a 'gang' - one suggested name- the "Christ Punchers" soooo.. funny.
 
ODE TO LOST FRIENDS.

Sigh, I remember being young and bulletproof - once upon a time.
We survived. Lots didn't....
 
Gent in expensive sports saloon recently came up the inside onto the approach to the on ramp for the motorway, FAST. Gave him all the room I could find (heavy vehicle), we both just fitted - he musta had wheels hanging off the side of the road ! Man in a hurry....

It ain't just bike riders.
 
J.A.W. said:
. . . . . I consider it a +ve safety aspect to ride fairly aggressively, overtaking/lane splitting/going to the head of the traffic at the stop light/holeshotting the cages away from the stop light....
Click to expand...

When a motorcycle runs at a speed LESS than that of the cages around it, the radius of danger is 360*

When a motorcycle runs at a speed GREATER than that of the cages around it, the radius of danger is 180*

This is why most motorcyclists intuitively speed; they just feel safer, they don't have to waste valuable attention on the threats to the side and behind.
 
Fairly good assessment xbacksideslider.

Scariest times for me are stopped at a traffic light. Totally at the mercy of who/what is coming up from behind and you have no forward motion to do anything.
 
Dances with Shrapnel said:
Fairly good assessment xbacksideslider.

Scariest times for me are stopped at a traffic light. Totally at the mercy of who/what is coming up from behind and you have no forward motion to do anything.
Click to expand...

Tell me about it...
 
xbacksideslider said:
J.A.W. said:
. . . . . I consider it a +ve safety aspect to ride fairly aggressively, overtaking/lane splitting/going to the head of the traffic at the stop light/holeshotting the cages away from the stop light....
Click to expand...

When a motorcycle runs at a speed LESS than that of the cages around it, the radius of danger is 360*

When a motorcycle runs at a speed GREATER than that of the cages around it, the radius of danger is 180*

This is why most motorcyclists intuitively speed; they just feel safer, they don't have to waste valuable attention on the threats to the side and behind.
Click to expand...

agreed, I tend to ride that way myself, ahead of traffic and visible whenever possible - key words here "whenever possible". however, in this situation (heavy traffic in both lanes) there's nothing one could do... except maybe harass a little old lady who is keeping up with everyone else.
 
Dang Don Ho, sorry Don-Or, [actually - ARE - you on the donor list should something nasty occur? - I`m happy to be a regular blood donor, but damned if I`d trust them 'organ harvester' ghouls - they are like " Its only a bike rider, they`re brain-dead to begin with, lets get the knives out, stat!"]
Anyhow, ...old lady...aint they looking forward to/in expectation of a bit of " rape & pillage" type conduct from bikers?
Being that we`re the modern day equivalent of Vikings on the rampage or whatever...
 
Amen.

J.A.W. wrote: . . . . . I consider it a +ve safety aspect to ride fairly aggressively, overtaking/lane splitting/going to the head of the traffic at the stop light/holeshotting the cages away from the stop light....

Xslider
When a motorcycle runs at a speed LESS than that of the cages around it, the radius of danger is 360*

When a motorcycle runs at a speed GREATER than that of the cages around it, the radius of danger is 180*

This is why most motorcyclists intuitively speed; they just feel safer, they don't have to waste valuable attention on the threats to the side and behind.
 
hobot said:
Amen.

J.A.W. wrote: . . . . . I consider it a +ve safety aspect to ride fairly aggressively, overtaking/lane splitting/going to the head of the traffic at the stop light/holeshotting the cages away from the stop light....

Xslider
When a motorcycle runs at a speed LESS than that of the cages around it, the radius of danger is 360*

When a motorcycle runs at a speed GREATER than that of the cages around it, the radius of danger is 180*

This is why most motorcyclists intuitively speed; they just feel safer, they don't have to waste valuable attention on the threats to the side and behind.
Click to expand...

Yeah, OK. On an Interstate, sure. But in a commercial zone or or any roadway with traffic entering from side streets or turning across oncoming lanes...not so much. Other motorists have a reasonable expectation that the object they barely notice anyway is not traveling well past the speed limit. While the above does not imply this, you have to admit it is hard to shut it off when you leave the freeway. Don't fool yourself, most accidents involving motorcycles and cars happen in intersections. Riding aggressively to stay ahead of the pack hardly protects you from somebody turning in front of you. Just my two-driving-defensively-cents.
 
Freeways are not usually needed to ride to get much attention its down in the city lanes one should get noticed by zooms and zings to stay in clear or pack up with everyone knowing you are there. This does not mean flying with abandon through intersections or past driveways, where i never trust- so slow up and expect panic stop with following traffic in mind too. Its stupidly silly ignorance revealing if any one can rationalize they ride safer than others, even if they do and save themselves often, there just no way to be in full control of life and limb once in a saddle. So hi*holey*proper good behavior advisors - please follow full extent of that logic and stay in bed at home if that scared of life as there's horrific fate lruking in cycle hobby - even if no fault of yours. I testify I about never get close calls when acting up a bit but quite safely not really speeding or risk taking, but when blending into general flow in city traffic I get close call zings routinely.
 
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