Poll: Bikers - Page 2

Bavarian · #11 06-03-2005, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4.6is Ryder

B, that's what bikers do. Is it smart... Hell No, but it's the thrill of the ride. I myself have buzzed cars at speeds above 140-150...it's the nature of the beast. It's all a calculated risk. The fact remains that automobile drivers shouldn't increase the risk by opening doors or playing chicken with a bike. As the president of a bike club, I've seen my share of foolish sh**.....Trust Me..............Phil

But even if going at 140 gives you an adrenaline rush, how can you possibly forgive yourself by doing it?! I mean, if something goes wrong, it's you versus the concrete road.

A car at least provides you with a cage in case of a crash. Needless to say, at 140, you'd be just as dead in an X5, too. But in a motorcycle, you're out there; no safety elements of any kind, even to protect you from getting hurt due to others, let alone yourself.

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4.6is Ryder · #12 06-03-2005, 12:16 AM

Skydivers don't jump everyday...bikers don't ride fast or cut between cars everyday. X drivers don't speed everyday. Admittedly the risk are there. We know this going into the ride. If you don't ride, you don't understand. Compare that statement to this site,...if you don't drive an X, you don't understand..............Phil

Curious Joel · #13 06-03-2005, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4.6is Ryder

X drivers don't speed everyday.

Umm... :p

B-Line · #14 06-03-2005, 05:57 AM

I ride, albeit a 1987 Suzuki Savage, single cylinder, 4spd, 650cc thumper.

And even though it's a glorified Vespa, I still drive as though I am sitting on 200 lbs. of century old dynamite..
But I guess my balls only like fast driving on the track..

But I can't complain to you crazy guys.. It seems the only people that get hurt in these types of high speed events is the driver and/or his passenger who has made the choice to get on the bike. So besides of the occassional traffic the carnage causes, it doesn't effect me... do as you please..

But please, try to be safe. We don't want to lose a board member.

B

motordavid · #15 06-03-2005, 08:09 AM

Lane Splitting is the process of riding your motorcycle in the same lane with cars or other motorcycles. Normally it is done at low speeds with cars stopped or nearly so. California is a state that does allow it mainly because the California Highway Patrol motorcycle cops, CHP, do it. California regulations say: "Lane splitting by motorcycles is permissible but must be done in a safe and prudent manner."

Reading through the responses, I'm glad I'm not splitting lanes near some of you,

. I suppose it's the human driver thing of not wanting Anyone to "get ahead" of someone else...

Legally, only a couple/states permit it, from memory. I've done it a few times on the LeftCoast, (legally), and a few times in other situs where it's not permitted. I found it effective if moving at a slightly higher pace than the stop 'n'go traffic, and certainly allowed for forward progress.

Air cooled m'cycles and even some coolant-cooled sleds have a diff. time in long periods of stop and go, (our prob. not the car drivers' prob.); thus, the ability to carefully slip through at a reasonable pace, is appreciated and often done regardless of law.

The Squids and kamakazies out there doing a buck and a half through traffic...well, there are bad/agressive drivers in all kinds of vehicles.

This arm wrestle could one sided, by what I've read thus far, but the basic tenet of Everyone whom has ridden motorcycles safely for a few years, or longer, is that your basic car driver does not see us, does not care and pays little attention to "regular traffic", let alone the scoots on the road.

Not an Us against Them deal, but after more than 4 decades of riding on the street, the "average" cage driver, (or even above avg. one), is Not my "friend", via their actions and lack of attention while on the road

.

Lane splitting: not legal in nearly all states; sometimes done when conditions warrant the risk. Not for the faint of heart and requires max concentration. But, should not be an action that brings about car drivers trying to injure or kill the m'cycle rider whom jes' split your lane, imo.

My fiftyScent is up. Keep an eye out for sleds, please.

BR,md

4.6is Ryder · #16 06-03-2005, 09:01 AM

Well said Dave. B, I see your view on this post and understand. My major bike clowning days are over. Once you have broken the 185 mph mark and rode wheelies on every freeway in town...the thrill is gone. I'll be moving on to the custom bike arena soon. I'm waiting for Jessie James to get real about those prices. B, keep this in mind...most sportbike Ryders "Live a Quarter Mile at a Time" that's my clubs motto. (X) Ryde or Die........Phil

gojira-san · #17 06-03-2005, 09:23 AM

Very nicely put Dave. I have avoided replying to this thread because of some of the immature and dangerous stunts the "cagers" here would do to try to kill a motorcyclist. Was raising my blood pressure a lot last night.

I have been riding for 37 years, 31 of those on the road. I don't lane split and I tend to drive slower on the moto on the average than I do in the car. I don't buzz around people or drive like an @sshole. If I want to go really fast I save it for the track.

Over the years I have been hit with a beer bottle (the Londonderry NH police refused to take a report, said I "must have done something to tick them off" :p ), cut off, and have had more close calls with oblivious car drivers than I can count any more. My favorite was having some yahoos throw a coolers-worth of ice at me on I-89 in Vermont (I got them arrested by the VSP.) I wasn't doing a darn thing except being a lone motorcyclist on the road. Sometimes I think that is why it happens -- people get mad at another motorcyclist or group of cycles and then revenge on another on when they see it. My 0.02.

SuperGreg · #18 06-03-2005, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motordavid

Lane Splitting is the process of riding your motorcycle in the same lane with cars or other motorcycles. Normally it is done at low speeds with cars stopped or nearly so. California is a state that does allow it mainly because the California Highway Patrol motorcycle cops, CHP, do it. California regulations say: "Lane splitting by motorcycles is permissible but must be done in a safe and prudent manner."

Having just moved from CA, it's no big deal. It just takes some getting used to. The first few times it scares the crap out of you.

JV · #19 06-03-2005, 09:49 AM

When I said I felt like clotheslining the guy on the Buell and adding it as an option on the poll, I hope you 2 wheelers know it was a figure of speech. There are drivers in cars that I'd like to clothesline every day for the stupid shizzle they try to pull.

I don't care if some donkey on a bike gets in front of me, but riding in between the lanes doing 30 in stopped or slow moving traffic on a city street with jaywalkers all around is a big ass no-no in my opinion. That's part of the reason some folks who drive cars and have never ridden before don't like those on 2 wheels. It's giving bikers a bad name. When I see someone doing it, I can't help but think-where's the friggin police when you need them?

Like I said, I don't ride anymore, it's not my thing these days, but my brother has a garage full of fast 2 wheelers (2 Ducatis, a racing Kawasaki that he actually races), he's been riding for about 25 years, and I always think of him when I'm behind the wheel and keep a sharp eye out for the bikes.

I don't give a shizzle if a biker is moving along in stopped traffic on a highway or interstate, I can't blame them for that, and most of the time I'm envious. I just don't think it's a good idea to 'lane split' on a busy city street. Same goes for people in cars who switch lanes constantly to try to keep moving. Car or bike- you run over some errant jay walker some day, you'll wish you kept your ass in line.

JV

Echoi17 · #20 06-04-2005, 06:02 AM

I think it's dumb as all hell. There have been so many times when bikers split lanes right next to me while going too fast and scares the shit out of me b/c there have been times when I have almost changed lanes and rammed them. But not only that, I am always afraid that they will make a mistake and take my mirrors off...

View Poll Results: Should motorcyclists ever ride between the lanes in heavy traffic?
Never	7	50.00%
Anytime	3	21.43%
Only in an amergency	2	14.29%
They should be clotheslined	3	21.43%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 14. You may not vote on this poll

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