Member Contributer Bent Posted February 27, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2016 Having been AWOL from biking for approximately 6 years and coming back on an 8th gen. (from a 5th gen., 6th gen. and BMW K bike) I've noticed something that everyone ought to think about a moment. Drivers today are significantly more aggressive towards motorcycles compared to just a short time ago, even less respectful, and they are driving closer and faster around me. It's noticeable to me because I've been away from it and many of you haven't so this syndrome has creeped up on you if you've been riding that long. I always rode like every cage's purpose was to kill me but the battle seems to be require even more vigilance on my part. I don't ride near other cars as much as I can but that's getting harder to do without riding with a heavier hand or just letting them go. Think about it. We don't need any more memorial rides. TMAC is fun but remember the purpose. Cages are driven by killers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 How about a Skunkifier? A pressurized vessel containing skunk spray. Here is the supplier but note it is back-ordered: http://www.cabelas.com/product/Tinks-Skunk-Scent/745931.uts I'm recalling a cager 4 feet from my bumper. In this case, press the "release" button, and pure, unadulterated, delicious skunk juice atomizes right into the grill of the car. No doubt it will make it's way over to the intake vents and give the interior of the car as well as the driver a glorious coat. They will not be able to clean the car. They will not be able to sell the car. They will be humiliated everywhere they go for an entire week. And for the first time in their miserable lives they will actually think before playing dodgem with other vehicles. The risk is the draft the bike creates from moving which can draw the liquid back to you. I am still working on the proper spray pattern and shielding... I have become Red Green I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Bent Posted February 28, 2016 Author Member Contributer Share Posted February 28, 2016 The cage driver would never figure out why.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 The cage driver would never figure out why.... Then it must be done with a direct stream that can be obviously seen and heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allyance Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Ah, Red Green! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted February 28, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted February 28, 2016 Living here in CA where lane splitting is an option, I am used to riding elbow to side mirror, so I'm not as spooked by drivers getting close to me. However, what I have found is that road rage is often a common occurance here, as I'm sure it is elsewhere, but the rage usually stems from rude and/or disrespectful behavior toward each other, rather than driver jealousy (as in why do you get to ride to the front of the line?). What I find more common here in CA is inattentive drivers, I.e. Cell phone junkies or just plain aggressive driving as in "I'm late get out of my way!" I personally haven't seen any drivers purposely make aggressive action towards me but doesn't mean it won't happen. Whenever I see the above described behavior, I keep as far away from these drivers as possible. As much as it makes me angry that they are endangering the lives of themselves and others, not much I can about it one on one. If there was some way I could put a stop to it, I would. Unfortunately the saying, "There's never a cop around when you need one" seems to hold true on the freeways here in So Cal. Although I like the skunk spray idea, all I see coming from it is retribution, especially if the driver sees the spray coming from the rider's motorcycle. whenever I have someone following too close I usually speed up and get over a lane or pull over a little and wave them by. It's not worth my life to keep my place on the road just because I happen to be in front them. This applies to both on my bike or in my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted February 28, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted February 28, 2016 Where I live, the economic recovery since 2009 has brought a quite noticeable increase in traffic congestion in the urban area. Both freeways and arterials are all carrying much more traffic. The increase in frustration over slow traffic could be influencing behavior as well as tempting people to check their Waze app or similar and or call or text. My goal for rides is to exit the urban area asap and get out to wide open spaces. Either way, it's a more dangerous world out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer RobF Posted February 28, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted February 28, 2016 Both freeways and arterials are all carrying much more traffic. The increase in frustration over slow traffic could be influencing behavior as well as tempting people to check their Waze app or similar and or call or text. My goal for rides is to exit the urban area asap and get out to wide open spaces. Yes, exactly! I rode through Portland a couple weekends ago. As I approached the metro area and the density increased, there was a very noticeable uptick in aggressive driving -- especially blitzing forward through temporary gaps on the right and then assertively re-merging back into the center and left lanes. I saw a van reclaim "the lead" eighteen inches in front of an SUV that had previously executed this same move "on him" and then start applying the brakes as a big F.U. -- all of this on wet, congested, roads at 70 mph. Elsewhere in Oregon, where the density and associated frustration levels are lower, my experiences riding as motorcyclist amongst cars have been excellent. Most of my tense moments have been self-inflicted, generally due to what in hindsight might be considered overly aggressive passing on two-lane highways. The same speed that moves you rapidly past those slower cars moves you just as rapidly toward whatever is coming your way in the oncoming traffic lane -- even if you couldn't yet see it when you started your pass. Damn you, physics! Actually, the dumbest pass I did (this year) was coming back from the coast. There was a long (20+) packed line of cars and a wide open oncoming traffic lane. I activated all four valves on every cylinder and shot past ten or so cars before I spotted a vehicle coming my way in my (well, actually his) lane. It was at this point I realized that in order for there to be room for me back in my lane, a large segment of the herd I had just passed was going to need to jostle a bit in order to open up a space where none had existed. Mostly they tried to make this happen and we all made it work, but I was a bit abashed by the experience. I would have been buying the next round for everyone if that had been an option. Anyway, lesson learned: Make sure you can see the space (a space, any space) you are going to merge back into before you use the oncoming lane to pass a pack of cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Bent Posted March 19, 2016 Author Member Contributer Share Posted March 19, 2016 And there are those people that speed up when I come up behind them on the county roads. Sometimes instead of just passing anyway I stay behind them and let them enjoy driving over their limits with a motorcycle behind them while I don't have a moron behind me. Most of them end up slowing back down and letting me around at a normal speed. We could all post up similar moronic behavior of both cages AND bikes riders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted March 19, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted March 19, 2016 Both freeways and arterials are all carrying much more traffic. The increase in frustration over slow traffic could be influencing behavior as well as tempting people to check their Waze app or similar and or call or text. My goal for rides is to exit the urban area asap and get out to wide open spaces. Yes, exactly! I rode through Portland a couple weekends ago. As I approached the metro area and the density increased, there was a very noticeable uptick in aggressive driving -- especially blitzing forward through temporary gaps on the right and then assertively re-merging back into the center and left lanes. I saw a van reclaim "the lead" eighteen inches in front of an SUV that had previously executed this same move "on him" and then start applying the brakes as a big F.U. -- all of this on wet, congested, roads at 70 mph. Elsewhere in Oregon, where the density and associated frustration levels are lower, my experiences riding as motorcyclist amongst cars have been excellent. Most of my tense moments have been self-inflicted, generally due to what in hindsight might be considered overly aggressive passing on two-lane highways. The same speed that moves you rapidly past those slower cars moves you just as rapidly toward whatever is coming your way in the oncoming traffic lane -- even if you couldn't yet see it when you started your pass. Damn you, physics! Actually, the dumbest pass I did (this year) was coming back from the coast. There was a long (20+) packed line of cars and a wide open oncoming traffic lane. I activated all four valves on every cylinder and shot past ten or so cars before I spotted a vehicle coming my way in my (well, actually his) lane. It was at this point I realized that in order for there to be room for me back in my lane, a large segment of the herd I had just passed was going to need to jostle a bit in order to open up a space where none had existed. Mostly they tried to make this happen and we all made it work, but I was a bit abashed by the experience. I would have been buying the next round for everyone if that had been an option. Anyway, lesson learned: Make sure you can see the space (a space, any space) you are going to merge back into after you use the oncoming lane to pass a pack of cars. This a common occurrence on the DRAGON , multi car pass, i have seen it work and not work. Lost a friend last to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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