Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival thread

Here's the bill that passed. It's not in the COMAR book as yet.

http://mlis.state.md.us/google_docs$/20 ... hb0221.pdf

It makes no exclusion for cops or their laptops.

If I'm ever pulled over for it I will insist the cop ticket himself under the same code or get me a cop that will ticket him.

 

On the way to work this morning, the inbound superslab suddenly went "all stop." A trooper was at the side of the road with a DAV, and all the traffic was "checking up." About a dozen cars up, some twenty-something on the phone in her Honda drove right into the back of the pickup truck ahead of her, creating a whole new debris field for me to pick my way through.

She pulled over to the side, still on the phone. I'm pretty sure the trooper saw the whole thing.

 

I'm telling you fitz, I've seen people drive right off the road while trying to finish that text on that damned phone....people are sure strange...they will risk their car or life in a crash rather then NOT finish that text message!!! These are normal, rational people but they've come to attach so much importance to their phones/other communucation devices that the device becomes more important than anthing else....it is almost as if the cellphone radio waves interfere with rational thought.

They think they are hiding it but it's so easy to tell.....the quick glances into their laps. What are they looking at? All you have to do if you're in a car is to watch their eyes in the mirror.....maybe we should all watch, then when they look down, lean on the horn..and scare the crap out of 'em

jeff

 

Here in WA our handsfree law makes specific exemptions for anyone that needs to contact dispatch as part of their driving job. Frankly I'm fine with that.
I trust the UPS guy or that 18wheeler to be able to fry up a damn steak n eggs in the passenger seat while safely operating their many multi-ton rig better than I trust some soccermom to be able to stay in her own damn lane and resist the temptation to apply make up for the 15 minutes it takes to get to the mall.

Cops? well I'm no fan so I'll keep my biased opinion to myself.

Ultimately I don't think mandating hands free only is enough as MANY studies have shown it's having one's attention elsewhere that raises likelihood of an accident. Even brainscans of people while driving alone vs while chatting in depth with a passenger show less attention is going to the task of operating that ton n a half of machinery.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

I am a new rider (two months) and one thing I can say is now that I am older I definitely think about being safe first. This has been a great read.
I agree with previous advice to ride within your comfort zone. Right now, I am exploring parts of southern Ontario and today I saw a few cruisers coming up and down off this bit of road ahead of me. So although not a main, I figured it was bike friendly and maybe a good find. I took the right, (passing a Harley waiting at his driveway) and started up this ditch on both sides, single lane road. About a mile in, it turned into a twisty and up and downy kind of road but with all this black tar? stuff that made the road really smooth and feel way too slippery for me. It seemed to go as far as I could see on the few straights and I wasn't having fun - way out of my comfort zone. The "old me" would have said "go on, you can do it, but the "new me" said you don't know this road and how far this stuff goes on, turn around find something else, this aint fun. Luckily I find a good spot to turn around. Okay I admit, waiting for the same guy in the Harley to pass me so I could turn around to go back wasn't that cool but I would rather that, then going down. The pain of an ass burn lasts longer than the sting of his grin.

I ride to live and be free not to be stressed or dead. Much thanks BigFitz for this thread! To sum it all up: Practice, practice practice, wear good gear, stay alert, ride smart and you'll be a "longlife" biker.

Btw: What is that black tar? stuff? and why do they put it on these kinds of roads? And with more experience, if bikes do ride on it then I will to?

 

It sounds like you ran across a stretch of new "Tarmac" that had been freshly tarred.

Are you talking about the type of road surface that's formed by spreading a type of gravel, and then "tarring" over with a heavy tar layer that depends on traffic to then knit it all together?

If so, that's how it's constructed; it's an inexpensive alternative to more permanent paving solutions.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

I have seen that but no it's not new tarmac and it's not the stuff on gravel roads. It is not like the stuff they use to fill the cracks either - its more like someone spilled a black, oily? substance on the rough asphalt road, often along the middle of the road that spreads out to the sides. A lot of times it's in both tracks too. It makes the road really smooth and to me feel slippery. Often seen on single lane country roads around Ontario. Sorry hard to describe better than that.

 

Bump

 

Another seemingly harmless thing to watch out for: cagers pitching their cigs out the window. I got hit in the faceshield with one yesterday and I have to say, I'm not terribly eager to repeat that experience.

 

Catch it, catch up, throw it in their window ... or maybe keep something to throw on their windshield and see how they like it ... Oh, if only ... Hmmm ... quick dry enamel paint balls ... see how their windshield and paint job like that ... of course, you have to "run" like hell afterwards ... <evil grin> Or maybe you just accidently drop 3 or 4 steel ball bearings in front of them to drive into ... hmmm ... new radiator? I know, I'm bad, sometimes I'd just like to even the score with those twits.

 

BUMP


It's springtime so the talk of safety comes up again

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

I've spent the last few weeks reading these forums... There is just a lot of great knowledge and experience on here for new and seasoned riders. Mechanically and otherwise.
So THANK YOU!

Speaking of how experience teaches us some hard lessons...

Last weekend I did the 5 hour run from Victoria BC (on Vancouver Island in Canada) up to Tofino (Long Beach). The last section from Port Alberni west must be the most gnarly section of roaD I've ridden anywhere.
-pot holes, hairpins at the tops of hills with cliff on one side and rock face on the other.

And memorials all along it for the folks who didn't respect it and drive too fast, cut corners etc.

Naturally it is these gnarly curves that make it especially fun and tempting on a bike.

I saw my life flash before me. I'd say I'm pretty decent with my cornering and generally safe riding. But there was one particular corner (actually a lot of them) where it said max 30km/h when they *should* have said 20km/h. So this right turn corner was at the top of a hill, with rock face on the right, and cliff on the left, I came in just under 30km/h and find light gravel (from the cliff above), and dampness (again from dripping cliff above). I was in one of those deadly between a rock and a hard place situations. Banking in may skid me out on gravel/damp, and uprighting and braking hard will still put me in the apposing traffic's lane (which I couldn't even see because of the hard turn). In that split second, I chose to brake rather than skid. Which made me cross that yellow line.

IF there had been a vehicle going any speed in that lane, I would have been toast either by impact, or sailing over the cliff.

It is a peculiar feeling when you cross the line on your internal judgement gyroscope. Everything looks different now.

I am thankful for that "experience". It replays in my mind all the time. "What would I have done differently?" I keep asking. Well, respect for what I knew was a brutal road, respect for my bike, respect for speed going into a blind corner/situation, respect for the 'unknown'.

Be safe!

~david

 

I have been corresponding with a fellow motorcycle rider, he sent me this - I thought it rather appropriate for this subject:

 

Keep track of your group. I posted a few days ago that I was at a crash scene the other day. Turns out the guy that died in the accident was riding with 5 other bikes and it took them 3 hours to return to where he had his crash to look for him, they just caught the last of the accident cleanup. While they couldn't have saved the guy this time if the crash had been less severe they may have.

 

Shameless bumperoonie; lots of new riders on board all of a sudden.

NEW GUYS: Go back and start at page 1 and read the whole thread. LOTS of good stuff from a whole lot of very experienced riders.

Stay alert out there people; stay alert. Go into "Fighter Pilot" mode; full situational awareness.

 

Bumpidty Spring Bump

 

Thanks for all the good advice. Got my first bike in October, rode it once around town. Going to sign up for one of the training courses at the beginning of June.

I appreciate this site more and more.

 

if your kickstand safty is removed dont drive off with your kick stand down it doesnt end well *rubs knee* not well at all

 

Thinking of re-installing our safety switch are we?

 

Not sure if this was mentioned yet-but one of my riding rules is never ride if you are tired or fatigued-its just a bad as driving after drinking-when your tired your reaction time is slower and you dont think as clearly as you should-i never ride when tired its just not good-i also dont drive after even one drink-also i always slow down at intersections and drive as though the cagers are out to get me all the time-also anyone can drive fast but not everyone can drive safe-stay safe everyone and we will all get to ride longer.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

So I just read all 18 pages so far and I saw no mention of one other major thing that is a hazard to us on our rides. Let's talk metal grate or "singing" bridges. I know some places they are a lot more prevalent than others but a quick story.

When I bought my XJ last year I had ridden before on the dirt and because I saw the street as a big jump I took the MSF Course. Which even though it can be expensive I would tell anyone getting a bike that it is worth every penny... anyway, The day I passed the MSF I drove over to my local DMV and got my licence. The VERY NEXT day I wanted to ride to work. On my ride in one of the roads that I take everyday was closed for a bridge that needed work. This took me on a detour that took me onto 1) roads I did not know. and 2) roads that possessed major hazards to a bike.

One of those roads was just tarred and graveled, a popular road treatment here in upstate NY where they put down tar on the road and then put down about 4 inches of loose gravel over it and wait a few weeks for the cars to mix the two before clearing the loose stuff off. So I was travelling down a road that was covered with about 4 inches of the loose stuff. Then on the same road was a lovely metal grate bridge going over our Erie canal. This was was a single lane bridge about 1000ft long that was metal grate. This led to 2 problems.

1) getting a bike over metal grate. This is a challenge and should be avoided if possible. If not though. Remember to slow down. The stuff will throw you faster than a major league fastball and even at slow speed can make you really nervous.

2) Single Lane Bridges... I was about 3/4 of the way over when I noticed that oncoming traffic had not noticed I was on the bridge and was coming straight for me. Needless to say the only thing to do at that point was try and get to one side to let them pass. I was certainly not in a position on that kind of a bridge to stop and force them to back up off the bridge.

Moral of the story, know your roads. If you use your bike to commute, have several other routes planned out in case your local government decides that road work is necessary and closes your primary route. As well as that know how your roads are maintained. If there is a time of the year that the roads are under constant maintenance you may want to question taking your ride that relies on you maintaining balance.

Also I cannot stress enough the gear. Many have said it, I will too. I have been riding on the street for all of 6 months and alot of that was winter when I was not riding. Absolutely NOTHING when put up next to the likes of fitz who has doing this as long as my parents have been on the planet but I have seen too many people who have not worn their gear. Just remember that statistics don't lie. Most of us will have some sort of accident in our first year. How bad that accident is depends on what you are wearing.

Personally I am a civil war re-enactor. After the 150th manassas re-enactment where it was 127 degrees in the shade and we were in an open field with 4 layers of wool on and 50+ pounds of gear, motorcycle gear is nothing. Man up and wear it. Companies would not produce it if it did not offer protection, It is not that fashionable.

Ok rant over.

-Stephen

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

There was one of those right by my house.

They exploded it and built a new concrete one in it's place. Concrete has grooves in it. Better, but still annoying...

 

I was on a charity ride with 3000 others on the weekend. Sadly 3 riders never came home. The lady that died at Wyndham was tail end charley of a small group on their way to the rally. The group didn't miss her until they arrived some 50 kms later. The police found her body the next morning. A timely reminder if you are second last keep an eye on your buddy behind you...as for the other incident, i passed the scene shortly after the poor devil had run off the road to avoid foxes....a sobering reminder to be alert at all times.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-04/t ... ts/5067128

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Such good points made. Especially with the seasons and autumn leaves all over the road. It's definitely smart to ride with some gear. It'll go a long way in preventing roadrash. Very interesting part about the civil war reenactor.

Also, whn its chilly, don't ride at full throttle yet, your tires can get cold and slip out. Also, ride defensively. I had my friend let me drive his Ferrari a while ago. He said that I drove it like a scarity cat afraid that everyone was gonna hit me. That's the truth, ride like that.
If you need a cheap cool jacket, check this one out http://www.motorcyclehouse.ca/vikingcyc ... or-men.htm

 

Hey I didn't have my first accident until my second year, and then it wasn't my bike and boy was I in trouble.

In regard to metal grate bridges: they still worry me and I've been over a whole lot of them over the years; including being forced to use the metal-deck side of the Mackinac bridge, in the rain, two up on a fully packed bike with a good 25mph gale blowing through the straits. Not an experience I'd care to repeat.

The only thing more fun is perpetually wet, dirty, greasy metal auto ferry (boat) ramps. Sometimes they're diamond plate. Can I get a "woo-hoo?"

Since we're talking metal grate bridges; save me reading back through 18 pages of my own thread-- have we talked about railroad tracks? Especially multiple tracks, with poorly maintained roadway between them crossing the road at an oblique angle? In the wet?

What I'm getting at is that you need to try to cross rails at as close to 90 degrees as possible. Often that means swinging to one side of your lane (or the whole road) so that you can cut back to the other side and "square up" your crossing of the rails as much as possible. The worse condition the crossing is in the more important it is.

Oh, and I'm an "all the gear, all the time" kinda guy too. It keeps me from commuting sometimes; when it's 98 degrees out, I take the VW. Stop and go traffic in an armored jacket and helmet when it's pushing 100 in the shade can be more than just uncomfortable. But that's a whole other discussion and it falls under "know your limits." Ever puke inside a full-face helmet?

 

Was that the "skipping down the road on your butt" incident off the Trumpet? 8O

And I'm sure it's been mentioned but just in case, the first rain on the roads after a long dry spell always makes things extra perilous. Partly because of the buildup of rubber/traffic gunk/diesel that gets lifted by the water & partly because you've just had a long time to forget how slippery wet roads are at the best of times.

 

Being that the riding season is among us again, I thought I'd bump this thread for new riders/members and throw a few reminders out there:

Watch for buildup of stones/cinders on roads,especially in corners.
Cagers are less likely to notice motorcycles this time of year because they aren't "looking" for them.
Make yourself as visible as possible. I ride with my high beam on during the day and I wear a Hi-Viz yellow helmet.
Cooler road temperatures mean less grip from the tires, especially before getting them warmed up.
And most importantly...ATGATT!!

Here's wishing everyone a safe riding season!!!

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Looking back on the last 18 pages, It looks like everyone got pretty much 99% of the bases covered.

However, here's something that appeals to people in my age group:

I started riding at 18, and am currently 22. My first road bike was/is my 1200 Sportster. Big mistake. Even though I've ridden mopeds, dirtbikes, minibikes, etc. for a majority of my life, I still started out on a bike that was just too big for me (of which I can ride safely now, but starting out was a hassle & outwardly dangerous).

A friend of mine who shall remain nameless got a Yamaha R6 upon getting his motorcycle license (daddy was rich & bought it for him). He dumped the bike the first day on the road, totaled the bike, & even worse, got hurt pretty badly. He had to have a fast bike though just to be cool, just like I had to have my Harley which was WAY too heavy & torquey for a beginner in the first place.

So, to all guys/gals that are about my age, don't feel like you have to get the biggest or baddest bike as your first. Nobody thinks it's uncool to start off on a smaller, less powerful bike. Anyone that thinks it's dumb to start off on a small bike is merely an asswipe who gets off on seeing people get hurt.

Same with wearing headgear. Wear the damn helmet. Nobody will think you're cool when you crack your noggin open and are lying in a hospital bed as a vegetable. Or, if you're lucky, you'll just die on scene if it's bad enough. Wear your helmet because shit happens, no matter how good you are.



Drive defensively EVERYWHERE. I can't tell you how many near-misses I've found myself in the middle of because some tw@t can't put down the cup of coffee & cell phone for 30 consecutive seconds. Keep your head on a friggin' SWIVEL!


Stunts on public roads aren't cool either, wheelies & shit don't impress me. When I see every prick on a sportbike or enduro pulling wheelies left & right, I envision a massive accident happening, especially in the middle of traffic. I think someone who can ride safely is a hell of a lot cooler than the jackoff that plays dumb games & wins even dumber prizes. Nothing saying that you can't yank the throttle wide open once in awhile for a good time, but do it SAFELY.


So again, I've been riding on the road about 4yrs. now. These are all things I've had to learn the hard way. I'm in no way, shape, or form an expert rider, but again, learn from my mistakes if not anyone else's if you're about my age & looking into getting a bike.

First & last concerns are safety, bar none. Not just for yourself, but for everyone around you too.

 

Bump.

Had a close call Sunday morning.
I wear a 'construction' hi-viz vest over my leather jacket and my black helmet has a 7" wide red triangle on the front and a 3" diameter yellow sticker on the back. Plenty of contrasting colors to get attention.

Someone started to pull in front of me from a side street. I locked up the brakes and he must have heard the squeal. Fortunately he did stop - if not I would have most likely contacted him - all be it at a relatively slow speed.

Point being even though he was the inattentive one; in retrospect I could have done more to have lessened the pucker factor of that event.

Situational awareness and swivel head is huge! I also (believe it was from here) have gotten into the habit of watching the front tires/ rims of automobiles to get a 'jump' on their intent, as was the case this past Sunday - trying to make eye contact with the tinted windows these days is pert near impossible.

And no - I don't tell my wife when these things happen . . . 8O

 

I ride like every car wants to run me over dead...even the parked ones.

I don't think to myself "Is that @55hole going to pull out in front of me?"
Instead I think "That @55hole IS going to pull out in front of me."

Don't ride to close to the back of a semi (Lorry to you Brits) either.
1) The driver doesn't know you're there.
2) The driver going the other way is in a hurry and wants to pass the car in front of him at your earliest inconvenience. Had it happen twice so far, even though I'm always at least 150' behind rigs.

Took the gravel shoulder both times...thank God for all those years of riding extremely fast on dirt/sand/clay.

 

fantastic advice..
I ride like every vehicle is targeting me and is unpredictable
I am always looking for an out.. even if it is the ditch
riding has made me a far better car driver..
it is amazing what some people just don't see when
they are not looking for it
I think starting off a year on a midsize scooter and then
moving up to an Xj650 was a great decision
I eventually want a bigger bike
but am plagued with the fact that I just love the crap
out of my bike

 

Great thread. Just want to mention watch the rocket launcher, the gap between a big rigs rear tires. You do not want to be behind one when whatever is lodged in there gets shot out. On the subject of protective gear, I never ride without my helmet, armored jacket & gloves. I also wear my armored jeans or leather riding pants. My Dad used to race dirt track in the early 50's. He would never let us ride our dirt bikes without all of the available safety gear. A neighbor of mine in the early 80's used to tease me about wearing full leathers on the street. Until a dog ran out in front of him causing him to go down wearing a helmet, tank top, shorts and sandals. When I saw him after he got out of the hospital, wrapped up like a mummy, ha asked " How much did those leathers cost?" My answer, " Cheaper than skin!"
Wear your gear!!

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

I believe I first read about this 'trick' in this thread.
Just want to reaffirm the effectiveness.

When an approaching vehicle is in the left turn lane I will do a little swerve/ shimmy. I have actually saw the drivers of vehicles 'perk up' as they recognize my presence.

 

Swerve/shimmy? WHat 's that? I think I'm not bilingual enough to get that one...would you please explain?

 

He means "wobble" the handlebar to get the attention of the oncoming driver. Headlight modulators work well for that.

 

All right, thanks Fitz!

 

Yes, wobble.
Sorry about the kerfuffle; didn't mean to act like a hoser. :wink:

 

My very first day out, ever, I had a canadian goose fly straight across a field....across the road....and straight into the clutch perch. I had saw her coming, and slowed down to a crawl, gotten off to the side of the road, into the dirt/gravel, and was almost stopped so she could go in front of me, but nooooooooo.......had to turn right into me. I didn't go down or drop the bike.. Finger hurt a bit, but she went to the ground, scrabbled around a bit then got her bearings and took off back across the field. I got my wits about me and headed up to the stop sign. I turned north to head back home a few miles away, and wouldn't you know...here comes that stupid bird across the rest of the field........I stopped this time, blew the horn and waved my other arm. She swerved that time.

I had a deer just miss me.....she ran out, but pulled up short, then ran behind me.

Worst one was an idiot driver who stopped in the middle of a 55mph road, to do a U-turn. I stopped with less than a finger's width between my front tire and the rear bumper.......pucker.........the tractor/trailer behind me stopped with about two feet between me and his bumper......more pucker. She did her u-turn....I shouted a few things (don't know if she heard through the helmet), and the trucker shouted a lot of things out his window and also showed her a number of different fingers that he has.

Keep the swivel/bobble head thing going, keep alert at ALL times......you'll be ok.

Two years ago we had a fellow go down on a ride-for-kids. He locked up his rear brake on some gravel. Ended up just scratched up and hurt pride.
BUT.....this year, while no one got hurt---- the clown behind me was an accident waiting to happen....... We ride in staggered formation on close stuff, then when it gets more open, people will spread apart more. THIS guy, would be waaay behind me, then suddenly pull up into my blind spot and hang there.....suddenly drop the throttle and end up way back, then roar up to the blind spot....pull up next to me, almost pass, but not quite....then take off in front, almost pass the next bike up, then drop way behind me....etc....... the whole ride long!!!!! AARGH.

If you're gonna ride in a formation, STAY IN ONE SPOT and KEEP STEADY SPEED. If you're unpredicatable, YOU can be the cause of an accident.

Moral--while it's a good thing to be constantly alert for stuff that's out to get you, always be alert about your own riding so that you aren't the cause of someone else's accident.


Dave F

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

I saw this on pintrest. thought it very appropriate.

https://sites.google.com/site/looserock ... edirects=0

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

My advice... Make sure everything on your bike is properly attached. And... Story time.

I had to do a motor swap earlier this season. After getting the engine running ('twas siezed) I took it for a test drive. I was accelerating rapidly as I curved onto the highway when my rear wheel started to slip out. I corrected and chalked it up to a little oil from one of the many changes. I proceeded to race with great enthusiasm. As I pulled off the exit and came to a stop my engine died. Looking underneath me I saw a pool of oil. Turns out I had failed to bolt my oil pressure sensor on and it blew out leaving a three mile trail of oil.

 

Surviving a Saturday when everyone seems to want you dead: or how I got home last weekend.

I had to take a trip to a college town in order to diagonse a problem with a bike that I recently got back on the road. The trip there went well. The trip back, however, was a living demonstration of the two most common ways that motorcyclists die (aside from single vehicle accidents).

The setting: Rural Kansas. Long, fairly straight roads, through rolling hills. It is easy to see thinks well in advance for the vast majority of the ride. There are maybe four blind turns. Towns are spaced well apart, with very few homes in-between. This is about the safest place to ride in terms of being able to see what's coming.


The Gear: A bright-orange Seca 750 (came to me that way, and I've come to like it). Full fall riding gear; insulated riding jacket and pants with CE approved armor, cold weather gloves (it was 40ºF when I set out that morning), above-the-ankle riding boots with ankle armor, and my helmet which has been covered with yellow, retro-refelective, DOT marker tape. During the day I ride with my highbeams AND the fog light on. I am sparkly in the sun. I am a riding Disco Ball. I can be SEEN (but I never forget that I am still invisible). I also weave in my lane when approaching intersections to hopefully catch the cager's eyes.

The Ride: I head out from the formentioned small college town, headed toward home (a 1 1/2 hour ride). I have had lunch, and rested myself before starting back. My head is clear, and all I'm thinking about is what is within my field of vision. I am the bunny.

Within ten miles I encounter my first brush with danger: The intersection without a town. These are DANGEROUS. I have a clear sightline from a mile away (no exaggeration) and am on the downhill side of a gentle hill. AS I approach the intersection there are four vehicles lined up to pull onto the highway. The highway traffic does not have a stop sign; the intersecting road does. There is no oncoming traffic on the highway at this time. One truck pulls out. The second truck pulls out. I am now around 200 feet from the intersection and there is a late-model sedan waiting for it's turn. I cover the brakes and clutch.

The sedan pulls out just as I get to the 100ft mark. I brake hard, and give a huge WTF wave to the older gentleman as he rolls on, oblivious to the accident that he nearly caused. At this point I figure that I've encountered my usual weekly quota of asshattery. I am wrong.

The next 45 minutes are uneventful. Traffic is very light, and I'm having a relaxing ride throught the countryside. Even turning onto the usually busy US 50 goes smoothly. Very smoothly. Too smoothly. There is oncoming traffic, mostly heavy trucks, and I don't see people using the passing lanes. This concerns me. Nobody likes to be behind a semi.

Around ten minutes later the asshattery resumes. This section of highway has a few more curves, and no passing lanes. I am on the lookout for oncoming traffic in my lane, and am about to get my fill of it.

The first passing vehicle did everything right. Got up to passing speed well ebhind the truck, signaled, passed on a straight stretch, got back over quickly. The next three did not. Over the next 25 miles oncoming drivers passed in turns, attempted to pass several (widely spaced) vehicles without getting back into their lane, and (my favorite, the one that nearly made me go splat)...

...The Jeep that gave no f***s.

This individual not only passed in a no-passing zone, he passed in a no-passing zone on a curve. He passed in a no-passing zone on a curve and did not complete that pass until he was even with my rear tire. This begs the question: why did I not die?

I failed to die for three reasons:

1. I did not particlarly want to die that day. This is the great motivator. Do not underestimate its power.

2. I stayed aware of my surroundings as they changed. I did not become complacient and drift off into thoughts of vacations abroad, or loose women. I'm thinking about is what is within my field of vision. I am the bunny.

3. I slowed quickly, but not aggressively, and utilized the paved shoulder. When traveling in multiple dimensions do not hesitate to use all of the availble directions of travel, and be not afraid of a tire puncture. You can ride down a flat; an oncoming vehicle will ride you flat.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

The Dude Survives!

In all seriousness, it is good that you share this and I am glad they didn't kill you. Even in the most unassuming areas, danger lurks.

After reading your adventure.
Question that gets raised:
What do you do to stop your inner rage that wants to boil over from asshatteristic behavior of others?

The reason I asked is that my rage spewed out the other day. . . As deserved as it was, it was unsafe of me to allow it to take control while I was riding.

Generally when I find myself surrounded by murderers I take a purposefull deep breath, exhale and consciously lower my shoulders reminding myself that everyone has their own unique skill set.

 

I have the same struggle, Stumplifter. I give the "WTF" hand (left hand, and no not just one finger, I don't do that) to people who cut me off, and maybe a beep on the horn. Tonight, riding down to have dinner with some family (about an hour away), I was cut off not one, not two, not three times, but FIVE TIMES. All by cars who ignored or rolled through stop signs. I was wearing my colder weather gear, which unlike my summer jacket (grey) is light colored. My high beams were on. It was 3pm and the sun was bright and shining. I was revving at about 4k RPM on winding hill roads. It is so frustrating that even with all that, I am invisible still!

My reaction, especially on these winding hill roads that I love so much, is generally to pull off safely or into a driveway for a moment, lift my visor, crack my knuckles, and take a few breaths. This helps me relax from the "oh crap" moment I just had, and also puts some space between me and someone who is obviously not paying attention to their surroundings and may try to kill me again.

Side note, I had a driver who cut me off last week in a similar fashion actually stop and get out of his car when he saw me pull over in his rear view mirror. Came up, apologized that he hadn't looked closely enough, and wanted to make sure I wasn't hurt. If only they were all that nice.

 

Found this thread due to the advice of K-moe. Glad I did. I am a risk adverse individual. I recently, as in yesterday, purchased my first bike and will soon be purchasing riding gear. I will not be taking the bike out of the neighbourhood until I have a riding jacket with armour, boots, and pants (I am currently using my military boots). I really appreciate the advice on this site. Although I have worked on a '74 Caprice, an '80's something Volkswagen, and a '76 Plymouth Valarie, these bikes are quite different. The maintenance is unique compared to cars. Thanks to all of you who offer advice and assistance.

 

I wear skid resistant gear. But a /small/ addition I made to my gear caught everyone's attention: I strung a recurve bow across my back. I had the whole 4 lane highway to myself...

 

Thought I'd throw this out there with the changing season upon us. The sun for me is now in a position that it is extremely blinding on my commute in. Take some extra time to consider this when predicting what that cager in front of you is going to do. I was in a position this AM where I couldn't see a school bus, let alone a bike.

 

I see a headlight modulator in all of your future's..................

 

Bump for wintertime review.

 

+1.

Gary H.

 

I have to say I f***ing hate headlight modulators - also I hate neon-suits!

I'm all for being seen but it's a third tier consideration if you want to stay alive behind riding within your own level of comfort and experience and road positioning (mean putting yourself in drivers mirrors and never having only one path of travel). There is also a tipping-point where screaming about your presence can become a distraction that can been just as dangerous. As a car driver I can say from experience that having some asshole behind me constantly flashing their lights at me is enough for me to slam the breaks on and get out and ask them quite politely how I may be of service.

I've also taught motorcycle safety for many years and seen way too many people covered in reflective neon crap that served only to make them very self-righteous, over confident and dangerous to other riders around them. I'll tell y'all what I've been saying to students for years. Every single motorcycle that has ever been made comes with a cloaking device that is on as soon as you put it in gear. You are invisible and that is how you should always ride - strangely the cops seem to have so kind of anti-cloaking sensors.