What gives with tailgating a motorcyclist? Last night, I had two friggin cars that wouldn't back off. I'm not a newbie or a nanny either. Just driving the speed limit and being careful due the wildlife. Man, I've been riding for 20 years, this has to be the worst year yet. People don't have a clue.......thanks for letting me vent!!

 

I recently bought a motorcycle and have to admit driving it makes almost all other motorists look like morons to me. I have learned that one of the motorcyles best defenses is its ability to out accelerate cars and trucks. I think the best option for a relentless tailgater is to accelerate away from them or to simply pull over and let the jerk go on their merry, dangerous, moronic, gonna get them killed, way.

 

Where I live most motorists have more regard for speed bumps then they do motorcycles. If they hit you it was your fault because you were on a motorcycle and you should have known the risk. I actually had someone tell me that. I've been involved in two hit and runs, I was the one that got hit and the jerk in the car ran. I figured 3 strikes and your out, so I sold the street bike because I didn't want to be around for the 3rd strike. Now I have a dirt bike and believe me, dirt is much softer the asphalt. And I don’t have to worry about morons in cars, just morons on bikes.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 13-Aug-02 AT 10:01 PM (EST)]I just did 975 miles from Friday night to Sunday afternoon on my motorcycle. And yes, there are utter idiots out there (in cars, trucks,etc) when it comes to us motorcyclist. The best defense we have is our brains and our acceleration. I understand your comment about riding safely out of concern for wildlife, etc. I do the same. However, whenever possible, I will drop two gears and gas it. On one occasion this saved me from t-boning some old lady who pulled RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF ME. Motorcycles are a lot of fun, but require a lot of attention as a rider.
Be careful and be safe,
Brian A

 

Here in the midwest we lose a lot of riders to deer/cycle accidents. Probably usually at dusk and dawn, when deer are on the move. Watch yourself out there. We've probably had 10 deaths in just this area alone in the last couple years. It's really bad.




Keep 'er between the ditches.

 

I, for one, have a lot of respect for motorcycle's around me on the roads. I absolutely hate to see someone tailgating a motorcycle on the freeway or on any road for that matter. If I leave a lot of space between me and a motorcycle, some idiot just gets in front of me and rides the motorcycle's tail. My uncle has hit a couple deer on his scooter, and I'd hate to think what would have happened if someone had been tailgating him at the time. I wish you could bottle common sense and sell it, but then the people buying it would have to have some to start with

 

I do not ride anymore, being the wrong shape for most motorbikes - I no longer fit.. But, having been a rider, makes me more aware of the way drivers now treat riders. I see near misses daily, with cars not even seeing a motorbike. I occasionally see an idiot on a bike, but not often - they usually do not last long in Memphis traffic, like the guy who did a few wheelies, one rainy day, on the 40, and hit a bridge. there was not much left of the bike and even less of him. But generally, the riders locally are considerably better drivers than the complete morons with 4 or more wheels.

Wm
'96 F450 White with Grey interior Crew Cab. Banks Turbo, Intercooler and Exhaust,
Power pack Chip, shift kit, Auxiliary transmission, electronic enhanced transmission control,
16 forward and 4 reverse ratios. 340hp 660ft lb 4 wheel drive, 4.10 gears, 12,ooo# winch

 

It seems as if "common courtesy" on the road is a thing of the past. That and common sense have taken a back seat to an ever growing population of morons who have little regard for themselves or others when they get behind the wheel of a car. It used to be basically just kids who seemed to suffer from this idiocy because of a lack of experience and an overabundance of hormones. Now, at least in the area in which I live , the problems seemed to be caused more by myopic narsassistic self- absorbed bone-headed nincompoops in their 30's who haven't a clue as to how to operate a vehicle safely. I'm not talking about people who like to drive faster than the speed limits, or those who tend to push their vehicles a little closer to the edge than the average person. I mean those people who haven't got a clue as to how to safely operate a motor vehicle. The consequences of "tailgating", or running red lights or not paying attention to driving just totally escapes them until "something" happens. Then they call a lawyer to try to shift the blame on someone else. I have held a motorcycle license for 40 years. I quit riding several years ago because I have a yen to watch my grandchildren grow. When some idiot with his brain glued to a cell-phone sails through a stoplight that I'm at I'm not going to crunch my nuts on a gas tank. I'm going to hit'em with several thousand pounds of metal and go home and play with the grand kids. Grow eyes in the back of your head and be as defensive a driver as you can possibly be on your bike When you're free and clear "let it out" and smile the smile you can only get on a bike. Stay safe, best wishes.....mike

 

Ok just a little reverse look on motorcycle tailgating.

I often see it the other way the bike tailgating the car.
And them start seeing stickers. I have been seeing them, I see the bike behind me then in front of me in seconds. Almost always them suicide bikes. It seems to me that the bikes I feel comftorble driving around are the none sports bike owners. I have no intention of getting any bike. Cause I seem to get thrown from my sled quite a bit so how would I stay on a bike.

 

Its a sorry state of affairs, but it often deals with the bike that you are on. When I'm on my crotch rocket, I get folks who mess with me. When I am on my Harley, everybody seems very respectfull. I think its the different image that both bikes carry. I'm a big guy, and I always pack my .45 when riding, but the only difference is my ride. People need to realize that in this day and age you shouldn't mess with anybody. There have been many times I've been tempted to pull my HK out and point it at some idiot...but I never have (only draw if you plan to use it). BUT, many of the guys in the Harley crowd I've ridden with wouldn't think twice about throwing some lead in the DMF who's messing with them. The point is, be respectfull unless you are willing to reap the consequences. Just thought I'd add my expereinces to this thread.

 

If everyone would try to ride for a week, I think they would have a new respect for bikes and their riders. I would put on about 10,000 miles a year on my bike, so I have seen my share of crap. I loved having loud drag pipes on my bike, just so people could at least hear me coming if they couldn't see all the sun glinting from the chrome!
I haven't seen too many idiots on Harleys or 'like-bikes', but far too many on the sport bikes. I rarely see a sport bike following speed laws or road laws around my city. It is quitye sick. It doesn't bother me too much, though, because in the end, it will be they who get hurt when they overshoot a corner or hit the back of a tractor trailer. It REALLY bothers me to see a jerk riding like mad when there is a little innocent girl on the back, hanging on for dear life. Grow up, buddy!!!

Sorry all, but I am not just a cager!
Mark


https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaythumbnail.php?&photoid=5362&.jpg
Ford started it; Ford will finish it!

 

It is stupid to tailgate a motorcyclist, just as it is stupid to tailgate anybody! I haven't rode a street bike but have put a lot of miles on a dirt bike though. It bugs me when people follow a bike to close and they don't realize it takes them a lot longer to stop than it does the bike. We just got done with the Sturgis Motorcyle Rally around here and a biker was killed on the interstate when he got ran into from behind. But there are also stupid bikers out there too. I had several pass me with oncoming traffic only a couple hundred yards away at the most. Sure, they made it ok but it wouldn't have hurt them to wait another minute or two. I agree with you guys when you say everybody should drive a bike for a day so they'd learn to respect them. I think the same should go for 18 wheelers too. It's amazing the stupid things people do around a truck, such as when you get a run at a hill and the car in front of you decides to slow up going up the hill so you can pass :-X11 Ok, I'm done ranting for now. Later

 

I always give motorcycles a wide berth because I am afraid they will fall in front of me or get blown off the road if I pass too close. It does not matter if it is a rice rocket or Harley.

What I hate is when I give someone a lot of room for breathing (my truck sits high, has 1/4 steel bumper, and runs kind of noisy) and turn my headlamps off so I don't blind them and some moron pulls right between us and practically plants their bumper on their rear tire or rear fender.

 

To continue the tailgating conversation, I'd just like to say, as the "Crown Prince of Road Rage", and an avid and malicious tailgater myself, I'd like to say that I would never tailgate a motorcycle, when manuvering in their vicinity I do it with caution and predictability, respecting their safety handicap.

As for motorcycle racers on the street, I see it all the time on I-20 on the East side of Atlanta, instead of braking when I see the pack (30 or so bikes on a ralley cross rampage) coming, I just stay my course, and let them fly by. Oh well, drive at your own risk! TK

'77 F100, 302 (the aftermarket Prodigy), C4
Cadet Second Lieutenant John F. Daly III
South Carolina Corps of Cadets, The Citadel
The TorqueKing

 

I am not a motorcycle rider. I must say that the majority of motorcycle riders drive like everyone else is in their way. Most riders drive well above the speed limit and weave in and out of traffic. I know there are riders that use their heads, but the majority do not. If I accelerated as fast as most riders in my truck I would get a ticket. I give respect to motorcycle riders as long as they show the same to me, cause I will not be on the losing end in a wreck.