Motorcycles

04-30-2010, 12:37 PM

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!!!

04-30-2010, 12:37 PM	#11
Cigary Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Motorcycles 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!!!