I don't ride a motorcycle, but I've got to say that in regards to tailgaters, I always try to deal with them the same way. I either move aside (where it is safe) or try to make it easy for them to pass when possible.

Unfortunately, my (rarely met) expectation is that other drivers give me the same courtesy. There is nothing that pisses me off more than to get behind a car on a rural road and have them speed up at every passing zone and slow down in the no-passing zones. Don't get pissed at me for tailgating if you don't take the opportunity to do something about it.

I do tailgate, but usually if I end up not being able to pass because of road conditions or lack or courtesy on the part of the other driver, I will back off and maintain a safe distance. It isn't worth the risk to either car to continue tailing, and it just pisses everyone off.

Mark

 

 

Seems like I constantly have someone right off my fender. I can understand more if it is bumper to bumper traffic but when I am in the lead driving 75 mph and the only person behind me is some putz hanging right on my bumper with a cell phone glued to his ear it gets me. My dad told me about back in the day he use to carry a sack of glass marbles with him and when someone was tailgating him he would give them a hand full over his shoulder. I don't really agree with this as it sounds like a good way to start a pile up but sometimes I have to admit it sounds like a good plan. lol. Where are the police anyway? I have met numerous cops on the roads with a tailgater on me and never once have had one pulled over.


Brad Godkin
1986 F350 XLT
CC/SRW 6.9 auto

 

BB's work well and don't make as big a mess. Not that I ever did this.

 

why does it seem that people stereotype sport bike riders as a bunch of idiots that go buzzing all over with total disregard to everyones safety? Am I suppose to assume that all Harley riders are 75lbs overweight drink a case of beer a day and smell like dirty feet? No. I Personally ride a Sport bike but also own a sport tourer. Myself and the people I ride with don't make a habit out of breaking the speed limit and ride just as safe as anyone. If we want to race and tear there is a track day every so often and do so there. Yes there are some folks out there that drive like idiots but guess what there are people riding touring bikes, Harleys, scooters and driving cars and pick ups that drive stupid as well. I don't feel it is right to classify people by what they ride. When it comes right down too it It doesn't matter to me what you ride I am just happy to see You ride. As forpeople doing stupid things what gets me the most is the idiot doing 90 down the road on a bike wearing shorts,sandals,a tank top, and a hat on backwards. yeah pal that cotton hat is really gonna help you out. lol. I had some moron ask me the other day if I thought I was a racer or something because I was dressed in leathers with boots, gloves and a helmet getting off my bike. told him I wanted to live through a crash. Sorry to vent, just get a little irritated with being stereotyped time to time. Take it easy and have fun.


Brad Godkin
1986 F350 XLT
CC/SRW 6.9 auto

 

I just have to comment on that, especially as an individual who rides both types of scoot. I don't like stereotypes either, but I think its a natural function of age. More older guys ride the Harleys and more of the younger kids ride the rockets. Can old guys on Harleys ride like idiots and young guys on Ninjas ride like grannies? Sure. But the fact is, young males drive/ride way more recklessly than their older counterparts in GENERAL. This is why insurance premiums are so much higher for them. Besides which, I drove and rode like an animal when I was twenty...did stuff I would never do now. All my buddies were the same, its amazing more of us didn't die. But those of us who didn't got a little wiser and mellowed slightly. Its just a fact of life. Just this week I was waiting at a light on my Softail and these two guys on crotchrockets pulled up. They came to a stop doing a full brakestand, their bikes standing almost vertically in air. On green they did wheelstands that they pulled the wheelie through for at least a block. Do I think all guys with the racers drive like this? No, I sure don't. But then, if I had my racer when I was 20 I guarante that I would have done wheel/brake stands too. The bottem line is that stereotypes are wrong, but usually happen for a reason. Its more common to find younger guys on the rice burners and more common to find younger guys driving wild. Just like I will be judged when I'm on Hog, so to will I be judged on a ricer. Or for my long hair. Or....well, you get the picture. I guess there just isn't any point complaining about stereotypes because they are part of life and often come about from some truth.

 

true enough really. I know when I was a kid I drove stupid too. Laid a 1987 Honda VF1000 interceptor down doing a little over 100 when I was 18. I learned my lesson from that. Now all my crazy stuff is done on a track where I have nice soft hay bales and medics on hand. Too many variables on the road. It is a shame that the meatheads in the world have to set the precadense that all sport riders seem to be judged by. I have flat refused to have riders ride with us in the states because they didn't have the maturity to keep the antics down. Cops tend to pay attention to sport bikes plenty close anyway. Doesn't help when You have someone running a gear lower than they need to be through a residental neighborhood at 8:00 in the morning. lol. Take care and keep the shiny side up, more fun that way.


Brad Godkin
1986 F350 XLT
CC/SRW 6.9 auto

 

I wish I could find the article, but just recently a man was in court for running over a motorcyclist on the local interstate. His defense was that the motorcycle failed to yield right of way because he was returning to the right hand lane after passing the car in front of him and the motorcycle blocked him from being able to get back the lane before he needed to exit. The result? A 1 year suspension of his license and a charge of vehicular manslaughter reduced to reckless driving for pleading guilty. The moral of the story? If you want someone dead, don't buy a gun...run over them in traffic!

 

While MOST bike riders probably ride courteously, I have to agree with trinogt and christop43. I live in a northern suburb of Detroit, and we have 2 types of lousy motorcyclists in abundance. The Harley crowd seems to feel they have to remove the mufflers in the Harley parking lot when they buy the bike, making them very annoying. It would be different if they sounded good, but they don't. Just too loud. Then they coast for ever before stopping at a red light, and take off very slow. They seem to get off on being in the way. The other type is the sport bike riders. They do weave in and out a lot, but what gets me the most is they don't ride with respect to the other vehicles. If you ride a bike and want the same respect as a car, ride like a car drives. These guys ride the white line between rows of traffic and also cut to the front of the line at stoplights, frequently riding the white line or the shoulder to get past all the cars that are stopped waiting for the light to change.

Like bgodkin asked earlier:

WHERE ARE THE POLICE? Start ticketing bikes too.
I don't drive aggressively toward bikes, but I am still trying to come up with a way to get at them when they ride like this. Maybe eggs, or a super-soaker filled with milk???

Maybe I will open my door the next time they try to squeeze by!

 

boy, had alot of reading to do since I was gone a week. I'm totally agree with all who say ALOT of motorcyclists need to learn some manners. I took the advance MSF course on base. It opened my eyes Big time! Over the years, my riding style has changed dramatically. I just want to enjoy my bike and ride safe. Thanks for all the input.

 

My wife and I were out for a Sunday drive yesterday (8/18/02) and saw a Cadillac following a Silver Wing close enough that it looked like the bike was towing the car. If everyone learned to drive a motorcycle they would have a better understanding of defensive driving. I don't have a motorcycle (or lisence for that matter) but I know how steamed I get when somebody is tailgating me in my car. So I leave everyone with enough space (in between) to breathe. If I have someone following too close I slow down (with lots of oncoming traffic) and speed up again when the way is clear for the bonehead to pass. I guess this is kind of annoying as most people have developed the habit of tailgating and don't realize what they are doing!!!!!

Fordy

 

>Like bgodkin asked earlier:
>
>WHERE ARE THE POLICE? Start ticketing bikes too.

Actually, Bgodkin did not say "start ticketing bikes too". That seems to be something you expanded on. Personally, I find it a bit ridiculous. Believe me, bikers get PLENTY of tickets. Bikers are more heavily profiled, pulled over, and ticketed on a statistical comparison to automobiles. On another "note", loud pipes DO save lives. Sure they are a pain in the neck, and straight pipes are a bit too loud. But my Softail from the dealer was downright quiet. Remember that the #1 problem us motorcyclists have is that we are invisible to everybody else. Thats why you see guys who put in the strobing headlights and tailights: So they are noticed and not ran over by the guy in the SUV with the cell phone growing out of his head. All of the twinkly headlights in the world doesn't help you on the freeway when the person next to you decides to lane change into you because they didn't notice you. The moral? I put on drag pipes and I haven't had ONE person try to lane change into me. In fact, judging by the distance everybody seems to place around me and my bike I've become immensly more noticeable. I don't like listening to the guy next to me with his thumping rap music, and I'm sure folks don't like hearing my loud pipes. But hey, saftey first.

 

"I don't drive aggressively toward bikes, but I am still trying to come up with a way to get at them when they ride like this. Maybe eggs, or a super-soaker filled with milk???

Maybe I will open my door the next time they try to squeeze by!"

You know I don't mind if people get mad at bikers riding dumb however if I happen to be passing someone legally on a bike and they throw the door to their car open or launch an egg at me or something of the like that person better hope it kills me because there will be one HUGE lawsuit if not. Just because a bike passes you in a traffic jam or has the ability to manuver through traffic better is not a very good reason to get violent at them. If they are riding like an idiot it is still no reason to do anything to them. If someone rides like a fool the road will eventually get them anyway. The only reason I even got irritated over this comment is the whole throw my door out in front of them line. I had some fool do this about 2 months back as I was going to work. Traffic was stopped in both directions and my turn off was 200 feet ahead. Just as I was passing the last car before my turn this jerk throws open his door to try and get me. He was pretty surprised when I simply stopped, got off the bike, closed his door and continued on past. Even more surprised I venture when the cops picked him up for vehicular assault 2 hours later and they called and asked if I wanted to press charges or not. The other flaw in this plan is this. If you throw your door open on a bike doing 65 mph where do you think the bike is more than likely going to go? If You said in your lap then you are probably right. I get mad myself when a bike cuts off a whole line of cars at a light though. seems wrong to me as well. That would be why I don't do it. sorry to rant but this just get's me.

Brad Godkin
1986 F350 XLT
CC/SRW 6.9 auto