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Patience Has A Limit

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PEKAY

Member
In the 57 years that I've been on this planet I've never had a traffic ticket, I've never been arrested for anything, and I've had to work very hard for the few possessions I own. Most people would say that I'm a "stand up" kind of guy with more patience than most folks have when dealing with weird and stupid behavior. But even I have a limit, and here's my rant.

I currently own a 2009 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob. I'm a long time rider and although I'm a devout Harley-Davidson man, I have owned many makes and models over the years (my first bike was a Norton Commando which I rode while I customized Harleys for people back in the early 70's) figure that one out. Yes, Harleys were expensive back then too, and I was just a teenager without a fat wallet. So my point is that I'm no stranger to two wheeled travel.

While riding over the last year I have had 3 life threatening encounters with Sport Bikes, Crotch Rockets, Rice Burners, (call them whatever you like) ridden by mindless and dangerously stupid, young, inexperienced riders.

I'VE HAD ENOUGH!!!!!

Each one of these encounters was exactly the same. I'm riding along (usually in the center of my lane) doing the speed limit, (which in 2 of the instances was 70mph the other one 55mph), when I'm passed at 80mph or faster by a guy on a metric IN MY LANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Last night I almost lost my cool and contemplated going after the rider. The only thing that stopped me was that he had a young girl on the back with him and I didn't think what I wanted to do to him would have been fair for her to be involved in. Are you hearing me here? HE DID THIS WITH A PASSENGER ON THE BACK!!!!!

Now personally, I really don't care what people do as long as their action doesn't hurt others or put others at risk of bodily harm. If you want to get drunk or high....go for it. JUST DON'T COME AROUND ME OR GET ON THE ROAD I'M ON. If you want to ride your bike 100 miles an hour or more and kill yourself because you're feeling indestructable or because you have a death wish....go for it. But do it away from the rest of us who appreciate our lives and respect other people's lives.

I'm getting old now, but I remember a time when motorcyclists had RESPECT for each other. It didn't matter what make you rode, anyone on 2 wheels was a brother. We waved to each other... metric or Harley because we shared a love and a passion for motorcycles that non-riders didn't understand.

I miss those days, and I know they're never coming back.

Sad ain't it?
 
Most the riders I meet still do have the respect. It only takes a few Idiots to mess it up for the rest of us tho. If you think about it, How many times you say 3? Well how many people you see on bikes when your out. Thats not too bad odds. I know what you mean some just think they are indestructable. Its just crazy
 
Went on a ride yesterday and came up on a deputy sheriff standing beside his Road King with lights flashing. There was a flat bed wrecker and about six sport bikes. The riders were lined up in front of the deputy and his jaw was moving kind of fast. Hopefully they will listed to what he was saying.

When I see a faster bike coming up behind me, I move to the right and wave them on through. Sometimes the sport bikes are in my lane but I just let it go. Life is too short.
 
Happens almost everyday over here man.

In a weird way, you get used to it.

I ride in the left part of the lane, dominate it, sometimes it'll slow them down,
cause they don't really have enough room.
When I see them, I move over, but they check up first.... sometimes :)


Thank goodness most of them are not stupid enough to try the right;
I guarantee they take a first class trip into the ditch, passenger or no.
 
Very well stated and diplomatic post.

The way I look at it, those folks are not motorcyclists, they are idiots who just happen to be riding a motorcycle.
 
To concur with another post, it's not all sportbike riders, just a few idiots. I have had similar experiences with sportbike riders passing me in ungodly situations. The other day, the bride and I were traveling on one of our SoJersey back roads when halfway through the apex of what is probably an 80 degree turn this guy on a sportbike blasts past me in the other lane! In a heartbeat he is followed by three other sportbikes. The leader had to have passed me at 85 to 90 going blind into the turn! If there was anyone comning the other way, I can't think of what the consequences would have been......As luck would have it, someone was coming the other way, a NJ State Park Policeman. As the biker blasted past him at about 90 i think the ranger couldn't beleive his eyes! He did a quick U turn and hit the lights. To my surprise, the biker pulled over....Hopefully, the outcome of that traffic stop will be a biker who thinks before doing something stupid....IMO, part of the problem with these sport bikes is simply horsepower to weight...When a Hayabusa can pull low 9 quarter miles out of the crate, that is one powerful motorcycle. Truth be told, only a handful of riders are capable of handling that........
 
The behaviour of that pilot is obviously stupid: no excuse for him.
But I take the opportunity to point out the differences I notice between US riders and Italian ones.
In US they use the motorcycles as if they were... cars!
I mean, staying in the lanes, queueing up behind other cars, etc.
Excuse me, but for me it is ... weird! :s

What's the purpose of riding a bike??
Freedom!

I can't imagine riding a bike and queueing after cars: I MUST pass them.
Slowly, carefully (someone could always get out of the queue suddendly, you never know...) but pass them.
Also, when traffic is intense, splitting lanes is normal, always if done with good sense, of course.

When at a crossing yielding to other cars, bikes ALWAYS go ahead of the queue of cars: this eases the traffic and makes it more fluid.

I disapprove stupid behaviours that risk pilot's life and also somebody's else one, but riding like little robots all lined up like tin soldiers... sorry, it's not for me!!
:p

I read on these pages of fellow US bikers (this is mostly an US site...) who are horrified by behaviours that in some FEW cases, in my opinion, are accettable.

I'm not criticizing the way US bikers are used to ride: it's their Country and it's their choice.
I'd drive in that way if I should ride a bike in the US: respect first of all.

But I think here we have an "optimized" way of riding, due also to the fact that our roads are not so large as those in the US.

Eventually, regarding speed limits, I bought an Harley also because it is easier for me to respect them :s, but sometimes they are so absurd with the only purpose to raise fresh cash for the always empty safes of the Cities spread all over Italy.

I say again: I wouldn't "stroke" another bike passing by at 150 kmh at few centimeters of distance... but, if no speed detectors around, I'd do it in the other lane! :p:D

(Hey, only once in a while, not regularly! :s)

Ciao
Ugo
 
My patience is right about where your's is, pretty low. We were finishing a long ride on Saturday and got caught in the last 30 miles in a flat down pour just before dark. I'm in the center lane of three at about 20 MPH with fairly heavy traffic in a congested area (Tysons Corner, VA) trying to keep everything in perspective, the cagers, the wet road, my rain dropped glasses, etc. Every one was racing home from shopping. When I hear this little beep beep and here comes one idiot on a rice rocket swerving between the cars from one lane to another and some idiot on a biycle riding the center line between the cars and then cutting in front of one to make his right turn.

I see it as a way to clean out the gene pool
 
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