What's with motorcyclists....

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by mrvette

ALL of the above are very true, and so I chose not to buy a Harley years ago....shame really, looking back, for other reasons...but the danger on the roads is what stopped me.....

yeh, I could control the bike ok, no sweat, but it's that blind driver not seeing me because they don't put proper R/V mirrors on vehicles as standard equipment so the driving populace can get USED to them...FORCED to....

is what stopped me....

Bubble mirrors, and LEARN...LOOK.....

Coleen, love you kid, but watch your ass there, hubby also......bikes are FUN and my empathy with your love there, hope it don't turn into sympathy....same thing I told my kids your age group...later 20's?

..

One of the things most emphasized in any MSF course (and in the test to get the endorsement on the DL) is that it is the bike rider's responsibility to place themselves in a position where they can be seen. Defensive driving and looking out for your own safety are the best practices, IMO.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by ...Whitepower...

Yup..

OK got it.

you've had too many drinks to drive...wife drives but can't see...

you are cool with this particular set of circumstances?

[...Whitepower...]

Funny thing about all this and everyone getting on me is that i used to ride. I think i still even have my permit or license from back in NY floating around somewhere..

I choose to not pursue the hobbie for the exact reasons mevette mentioned. If anything becasue i used to ride i am siginficantly more concious of motorcylists than the average every day driver, giving them plenty of room to maneuver in traffic, etc...

[JRD77VET]

Originally Posted by ...Whitepower...

Funny thing about all this and everyone getting on me is that i used to ride. I think i still even have my permit or license from back in NY floating around somewhere..

I choose to not pursue the hobbie for the exact reasons mevette mentioned. If anything becasue i used to ride i am siginficantly more concious of motorcylists than the average every day driver, giving them plenty of room to maneuver in traffic, etc...

Thank you for watching out for the motorcyclists. But it's a shared responsibility while WE ( all drivers) are on the road. We look out for you and you look out for us.

Everybody wants to go home to their families

[...Whitepower...]

Originally Posted by LarsAtTheBeach

OK got it.

you've had too many drinks to drive...wife drives but can't see...

you are cool with this particular set of circumstances?

Its not ideal but i beleive i choose the best option at the time.

I'll take having some idiot on his bike being road kill becasue he couldn't stay in his lane over me being locked up and not being able to provide for my family becasue i drove drunk and killed someone any day of the week.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by ...Whitepower...

Funny thing about all this and everyone getting on me is that i used to ride. I think i still even have my permit or license from back in NY floating around somewhere..

I choose to not pursue the hobbie for the exact reasons mevette mentioned. If anything becasue i used to ride i am siginficantly more concious of motorcylists than the average every day driver, giving them plenty of room to maneuver in traffic, etc...

[LATB]

Originally Posted by ...Whitepower...

Its not ideal but i beleive i choose the best option at the time.

I'll take having some idiot on his bike being road kill becasue he couldn't stay in his lane over me being locked up and not being able to provide for my family becasue i drove drunk and killed someone any day of the week.

good point

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by ...Whitepower...

Funny thing about all this and everyone getting on me is that i used to ride. I think i still even have my permit or license from back in NY floating around somewhere..

I choose to not pursue the hobbie for the exact reasons mevette mentioned. If anything becasue i used to ride i am siginficantly more concious of motorcylists than the average every day driver, giving them plenty of room to maneuver in traffic, etc...

When I ride, I get on the bike with the mindset that my safety is primarily up to me. It's on me to look out for me since most people are too busy doing other things like texting. If I go out of my way to be cautious and keep myself safe, then I have a better chance of parking the bike in my garage with no damage to it or me. Plus, it makes the ride more enjoyable. What it all boils down to is common sense. I don't ride with groups of friends who like to drive like they are in MotoGP and think they are invincible. This is inviting danger and I hate paper work (filling out statements). Plus, I'd hate to watch my friends get injured.

Granted, I don't drive like Gandma or Grandpa, but I do go out of my way to be cautious and put myself in positions to be easily seen.

[BADRACR1]

Originally Posted by ...Whitepower...

If a rider is that concerned about being noticed he/she shouldn't be riding..

Besides do they realize that by running their high beam all the time they are creating an even more dangerous situation by impairing/blinding on coming traffic? Theeir actions can and are having the opposite affect of what they intended..

Stupid IMO.

I bought a new Honda in June '82. I had it three weeks when a douche ran a stop sign and pulled out in front of me. I laid the bike down, and fortunately I wasn't hurt. His first words: "Sorry man. I didn't see you." I replied, 'You ran the stop sign." Again he said, "Yeah, but I didn't see you."
This was a June evening, about 6:30 pm, broad daylight, open road, four way intersection, and I had my headlight on and an extra light I had added below it.
Not only did he not notice my TWO lights on, he ran the sign and then acted like it was my fault because I almost hit him.
IMO, anyone who wants a driver's license ought to have to ride a motorcycle one summer. It will make you a better driver because you have to be to stay alive. The other idiots who don't notice you will kill you.

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by BADRACR1

I bought a new Honda in June '82. I had it three weeks when a douche ran a stop sign and pulled out in front of me. I laid the bike down, and fortunately I wasn't hurt. His first words: "Sorry man. I didn't see you." I replied, 'You ran the stop sign." Again he said, "Yeah, but I didn't see you."
This was a June evening, about 6:30 pm, broad daylight, open road, four way intersection, and I had my headlight on and an extra light I had added below it.
Not only did he not notice my TWO lights on, he ran the sign and then acted like it was my fault because I almost hit him.
IMO, anyone who wants a driver's license ought to have to ride a motorcycle one summer. It will make you a better driver because you have to be to stay alive. The other idiots who don't notice you will kill you.

I'm of the mindset that new drivers must go through a motorcycle awareness program to get their DL these days since the numbers of both on the roads are steadily climbing.

[BADRACR1]

Originally Posted by ...Whitepower...

My wifes vision sucks at night. She was one of the first people I know to have lasik. As a result of her surgery she sees halos at night when there are really bright lights..

Some jerk off coming around a corner way too fast almost became a hood ornament tonight because he had his high beam on.

Btw I almost always drive us around at night but I had a few drinks.

Was he in his lane? Originally you only said he had a bright light. Nothing mentioned about him crossing the line.
One drinker and one semi-blind person. Should either of you actually been driving?

I cannot believe that you are angry for him having a bright light, but she's half-blind and you were drinking. Sound like a lot of bad practices here. If he was driving like an asshat, that's one thing. If he crossed the line and hit you but you had been drinking, are you aware they would likely still rule it your fault?
I rode a bike for 15 years. I quit riding in '94 for pretty much the same reasons you stated. Too many careless idiots. You rode, and you know this. Just don't let yourself become one of those people.
I am currently teaching my 17 year old nephew to drive. The first two rules I taught him are: #1 Everyone else on the road is an idiot. Watch out for them. #2 Dead is dead. Right of way doesn't matter at this point.

[son93sl2]

I sometimes do, but not too often.

At night I am super stealth, my bike is all black, my suit is all black. If I put in a light cut off switch, i'd be a ninja.

[BADRACR1]

Originally Posted by DJ_Critterus

I'm of the mindset that new drivers must go through a motorcycle awareness program to get their DL these days since the numbers of both on the roads are steadily climbing.

I agree 100%. Unless you've ridden one for a while and had to deal with traffic the majority of people don't understand what it's like. Bikes don't stop as fast as a car. Even a small accident (I hate using that word. There are no accidents: it's always someone's fault) can be devastating or fatal to a biker.

[...Whitepower...]

Originally Posted by JRD77VET

Thank you for watching out for the motorcyclists. But it's a shared responsibility while WE ( all drivers) are on the road. We look out for you and you look out for us.

Everybody wants to go home to their families

Just in case anyone wants to call BS, i found my old permit. I had to turn my NY DL in when i got my GA DL.


Class M

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by ...Whitepower...

Just in case anyone wants to call BS, i found my old permit. I had to turn my NY DL in when i got my GA DL.

Oh, the irony of your forum name is even better after seeing that pic

[...Whitepower...]

Originally Posted by DJ_Critterus

Oh, the irony of your forum name is even better after seeing that pic

Dude that's old news.Where have you been..

[MEANZ06]

Originally Posted by DJ_Critterus

Oh, the irony of your forum name is even better after seeing that pic

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by ...Whitepower...

Dude that's old news.Where have you been..

I knew your forum name was a joke, but I'd never seen a pic of you since I don't ever ask for pics of dudes.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by DJ_Critterus

One of the things most emphasized in any MSF course (and in the test to get the endorsement on the DL) is that it is the bike rider's responsibility to place themselves in a position where they can be seen. Defensive driving and looking out for your own safety are the best practices, IMO.

Sorry man, impossible task, and now I say why......

you can NOT see toward the dark, only toward the light.....any question, stand in your house, look out the window.....then go outside without changing the lighting.....look IN.....see anything?? no....

same shit with a vehicle, let alone a truck....PLUS the trick that most drivers don't have their mirrors adjusted for CRAP, much less know how to use a bubble mirror....

SO, how in hell you know if you can be seen?? look into the R/V mirror of the car next to you?? you see HIM?? no, he see you?? who knows....

and it don't matter what you riding on/in.....same physics...with one huge exception....

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by mrvette

Sorry man, impossible task, and now I say why......

you can NOT see toward the dark, only toward the light.....any question, stand in your house, look out the window.....then go outside without changing the lighting.....look IN.....see anything?? no....

same shit with a vehicle, let alone a truck....PLUS the trick that most drivers don't have their mirrors adjusted for CRAP, much less know how to use a bubble mirror....

SO, how in hell you know if you can be seen?? look into the R/V mirror of the car next to you?? you see HIM?? no, he see you?? who knows....

and it don't matter what you riding on/in.....same physics...with one huge exception....

I still stand by my statement. I also go out of my way to keep a safe driving distance between myself and other vehicles. If I'm the first one at a stop light, I stay a few feet behind the line because most people like to cut the corner pretty close when executing their turn.

As far as the light goes that you mentioned, not every hazard can be prevented. One can only attempt to prevent the hazards as we all know shit happens. I just prefer to be a as cautious as possible when riding and so far it's worked.