Forums » Off Topic

Back To Topics

Ever notice?

  • Jimmyacorn
    • 1855 posts
    July 11, 2012 12:06 AM PDT
    On coming cages tend to drift in your direction?  They get fixated on the on coming motorcycle, not unlike bikers getting fixated on what they shouldn't be going into a curve.  Same results.  The cager drifts towards the center line and ya just wonder how far the guy is going to drift.  Ya immediately have to comtemplate an escape route.  A good reason to be experienced.

    How about approaching the crest of a hill on a 2-lane?  Do ya move to the right side of your lane or do you stay where you are?  I move to the right because many years ago I've come wheel to grill with a guy who was passing on the other side of the hill.  So I'm hoping that if that happens again I may have an escape route.  But hey!!!  What about 'blind driveways' waiting on the other side?  So now it's about experience and worst case scenario.

    This stuff happens everyday on the road.  Every freakin' day.  So, when I don't wave, just consider me to be 'busy' concentrating on what the hell I'm doin' and don't take it personal.  Although................................


    Peace
  • Seawolf
    • 80 posts
    July 11, 2012 12:37 AM PDT
    I agree with you. I don't notice a lot off the road because I am trying to scan my path along the road for hazards. Top priorities for recognition are women in minivans full of snot gobblers with a cellphone to her ear and kids without competent adult supervision with a boombox blasting and pedal to the medal. I my wave or not wave depending upon the traffic and road conditions
  • Bikermedic
    • 658 posts
    July 11, 2012 2:45 AM PDT
    Jimmy, Oh Yeah, they do the same thing whem I'm driving my ambulance to a call. It's like the red lights draw them acorss like a moth to a light bulb. Hell, forget the siren, the cell on their ear and radio blasting is all they care about. When I'm riding I watch out for them the same way. I figure if they don't see me in the truck they sure as hell ain't gonna see on my bike.
    Medic
  • Jetman
    July 11, 2012 3:29 AM PDT
    Here in London we deal with them swiftly and decisively.....No 2nd Chance.....No Compromise.....No Quarter.....No Mercy.....NO PRISONERS.....They tend to correct any mistakes before they happen.....but when one has already pulled out on you...they soon realise they made a BIG mistake.....
  • Deleted Member
    July 11, 2012 3:35 AM PDT
    if it ain't one thing Sir its another....................have a great one "T"
  • Deleted Member
    July 11, 2012 3:55 AM PDT
    On my way home from work, it's quite hilly. There's this one hill that starts out vering right but then sharply turns to the left once you've crested the top. Because I travel the other way as well, I know how people approach it. So, yes, I move to the center right hand side of my lane expecting the oncoming cars to be over the line....which they never fail me. Thankfully there are no driveways around this corner.
  • Jimmyacorn
    • 1855 posts
    July 11, 2012 8:11 AM PDT
    StreetBobGirl wrote...
    On my way home from work, it's quite hilly. There's this one hill that starts out vering right but then sharply turns to the left once you've crested the top. Because I travel the other way as well, I know how people approach it. So, yes, I move to the center right hand side of my lane expecting the oncoming cars to be over the line....which they never fail me. Thankfully there are no driveways around this corner.


    Very familiar.  I lost my wife in 2009 on a curve exactly like you described and a drunk on my side of the road at the crest.

    Peace
  • blurplebuzz
    • 3006 posts
    July 11, 2012 12:10 PM PDT
    My area is really hilly & with a lot of canyon riding involved. Its a given that cresting a hill is the most dangerous spot to be motorcycle or cage,and I can understand why most riders myself included stay in the rite half of the lane,when coming ovr a ridge or a hill.
    Today I noticed a number of drivers in cages doing exactly what you were describing,like they becam fixated on me & started drifting ovr,personally i think these drivers do it out of stupidity & meaness,too busy chking their cell or smartphone aarrrghhh !!! or the other idiots who want to pass you on the freeway & nearly clip your rear end seeing how close they can get w/out nailing ya !!! Another reason I believe I am alive is carefully choosing lane positions in all types of riding conditions, I have avoided at least 3 accidents by findin the safe pocket on the road,and keepin a sharp eye out on the folks behind me.
    Dont beat urself up over what happened,we all make minor mistakes that are compounded by others which turn a minor thing into a major one !!! My condolences on your loss.Lost a few riding buddys myself ovr the years,to stupidity & alcohol,yet every now & then I see them in the wind with me,smiling rite along ; ) I'll never forget the good times we shared,never !!
  • 99Savage
    • 1 posts
    July 11, 2012 12:54 PM PDT
    On 4 wheels or 2 usually "take my half out of the middle" - figuring can always move right & will have some space to do it in if needed. - If am already to the right will have not place to move to.
    When cresting a lonely hill usually stand on the pegs to get all the advance warning possible.

    p.s.: For the record my wife thinks that procedure rots
  • wolfpack
    July 11, 2012 2:24 PM PDT
    Jimmyacorn wrote...
    On coming cages tend to drift in your direction?  They get fixated on the on coming motorcycle, not unlike bikers getting fixated on what they shouldn't be going into a curve.  Same results.  The cager drifts towards the center line and ya just wonder how far the guy is going to drift.  Ya immediately have to comtemplate an escape route.  A good reason to be experienced.

    How about approaching the crest of a hill on a 2-lane?  Do ya move to the right side of your lane or do you stay where you are?  I move to the right because many years ago I've come wheel to grill with a guy who was passing on the other side of the hill.  So I'm hoping that if that happens again I may have an escape route.  But hey!!!  What about 'blind driveways' waiting on the other side?  So now it's about experience and worst case scenario.

    This stuff happens everyday on the road.  Every freakin' day.  So, when I don't wave, just consider me to be 'busy' concentrating on what the hell I'm doin' and don't take it personal.  Although................................


    Peace

    A relevant, and sad, story in this evening's news:

    http://www.wiscnews.com/portagedailyregister/news/article_8a99e592-cafb-11e1-8b93-0019bb2963f4.html style="font-size: small;">

    Unfortunately, there are many, many distractions these days if you're behind the wheel of a car, a truck, whatever.  Maybe somebody is on their cell phone and not paying attention to traffic.  Or maybe they're putting a CD in the player and not watching the road.  One of my oldest friends nearly killed himself when he swatted at a wasp in the cab of his truck and lost control of it.  And it is true that people tend to unconsciously drift towards whatever they're looking at on the road; you go where you're looking, just like they teach you in the basic and advanced rider's course.

  • Edgewalker54
    • 611 posts
    July 12, 2012 3:16 PM PDT
    Jimmy, my condolences for your loss... won't say 'I understand', cuz I don't...
    I will say "Yep, I always ride the right hand side at a blind hill."
  • LCStrat
    July 12, 2012 4:13 PM PDT
    Good advice and thanks. I first read something, and experience proves it true. We tend to drift toward whatever we fixate our attention upon. It is best to pick a line in a curve, learn counter steering, and avoid fixating upon what you want to avoid, but where you want it to go.
  • Tweek
    • 9 posts
    July 12, 2012 4:25 PM PDT
    And that's the truth of it. When I took the MSF course, 20+ years ago, it wasn't mandatory. But...
    you could by-pass the "on cycle skill test", if you took that course. And me, bein's the chicken-shit that I was, well, hell yeah, let's do this. So, I did. And what's the first thing the instructor says? "There's TWO kinds of riders in this world, folks. There's those that's been down, and those that're goin' down"... And as you can imagine, everyone in that class, laughed. Well...I'm not laughin' now. Cause, HE WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!!!
    It's an inevitability, thru no fault of your own (sometimes) that you WILL bite it, one way or the other.
    THE TRICK is...havin' the presense of mind, to make it something that will NEVER be YOUR fault.
    Ride Hard, Ride Safe, Ride FREE.

    Tweek