Road rant

[old dad]

Returned to my home today from spending 2 at my mom's. My God, I must have had 2 signs on me, front and back. Front one must have read "PULL OUT IN FRONT OF ME", and the back on must have read " CLOSER, YOU'RE NOT CLOSE ENOUGH"

Constantly had either a car or pickup hammering up my rear. Now this wasn't just one, but several in this 150 mile trip. More than I can remember pulled out in front of me, and I had eye contact with the drivers, or at least could see them facing my direction and Still pulling out.

I twice to avoid issues pulled over on the side to allow the idiot tailgaters (they were out to get me) to go around me. Several of the dummies ignored the areas designated for passing,,just riding right up my rear.

Between the tailgaters and the asshats pulling out in front of me, I really felt invisible. Keep in mind 90% of this trip is on two lane state highways and not a lot of opportunities to pass, so I'm pulling over to allow em around. I'm not poking along, I'm going at least 5 to 7 miles over the posted speed limit.

I am thinking damn, how can I be invisible in broad daylight. I slapped the dashboard,,,,,yes folks, I was in my truck. So keep in mind, that some folks just have poor driving skills and manners,,,and it doesn't matter if you're on your bike or in the truck/car...dumb drivers are still dumb drivers, and RIDING or driving defensively is needed to get home unscathed.

[C.W.]

Something about the Holidays makes it a little crazy out on the roads. A theory,......... people have to get everything done before the end of the world on the Dec 21st, Winter solstice 2012. Too bad to, 4 days before Christmas.

[KPJ]

Well said, Old Dad! You're more exposed on a bike and more aware, so it seems like the other drivers are out to get you. I can tell you that in Massachusetts the other drivers don't care about ANYONE else around them, regardless of what they're driving. Seen people totally oblivious to everything: cutting off cops, taking an exit from the far left lane, trying to pull around a car stopped for a pedestrian by going to the right (right at the pedestrian!). It's poor driving in general, not necessarily a contempt for motorcycles.

[kacealraid]

I hate to hear it. Traffic here is getting rough as well, and I don't care for it much. But, what can you do? *shrug*

[John Hopkins]

I find the best cure for that sort of thing is speed..someone tailgates me I slow down gradually until they are caught with no room to overtake at about 15mph..

Those that cut me up to save a few minutes I overtake then slow down forcing them to a very slow speed...They soon get the idea and either drop back or take a rest break.

John.

[MikeAstringer]

For the past year I’ve been driving weekly between my office in suburban Philadelphia to my office in suburban Boston – approximately 275 miles each way. For comparison of roads purposes I drive 195 in NJ (4 to 6 lane road) to the NJ Turnpike (4 to 6 lane road), over the George Washington Bridge, through Manhattan to RT. 15 and the various Parkways through NY and CT (generally 4 lane roads), to I91 (6 lane road), I84 (6 lane road) to the Mass Pike (6 lane road). I generally leave for Boston midafternoon and leave for home late afternoon – meaning I hit rush hour traffic somewhere both ways.

As much as I see speeders and tailgaters along the road both ways (I’m generally in the 10 to 15 over the speed limit group) the opposite extreme is those who are doing exactly the speed limit in the left or center lane. After doing about 15k miles in the past year along these routes I see that there are two causes for traffic jams. Road merges (which obviously cannot be avoided) and those who will not “keep right – pass left”. Almost without fail when I’m in slow traffic along my route there is one car ahead of the pack who is not passing and refuses to move to the right.

Then there are also those times when I am doing 10 to 15 over the limit in the left lane passing cars on the right, and have some idiot so far up my a$$ that I can’t see their headlights.

So while this doesn’t lend exactly to Old Dad’s situation since he was on a 2 lane road doing 5 to 7 over the speed limit bad drivers come in all shapes and forms. There are those idiots who will ride someone’s a$$ because they want to go faster and those idiots who will not move over to let faster traffic pass. As I make my weekly trips both drive me CRAZY! I get to my destinations completely stressed out every week from my fellow drivers.

The final category that stresses me out is 18 wheelers who are not passing but for some reason feel the need to be in the left lane. This is particularly and issue approaching, going over and after the George Washington Bridge through New York and the opposite way coming over the bridge to the first toll plaza on the NJ Turnpike. I’ve often times wanted to buy a hand held CB just so I can ask these drivers why they are in the left lane holding up traffic!

I wish I could figure out the solution to bad driving. I see a lot of PA, NJ and NY license plates on my weekly trips so I assume there are a lot of commuters to the Boston area like myself. I sometimes completely understand road rage – and can’t say I haven’t rolled down my window and yelled or given a hand gesture. I seem to have less and less patience for bad driving.

[Amos Iron Wolf]

Originally Posted by old dad

I slapped the dashboard,,,,,yes folks, I was in my truck.

While I've had some jerkwads both running up my rear and pulling out in front of me on the bike, it seems that it's been much worse when I was in a cage. Around SA they run like their trying to draft in a NASCAR race and will jump into any slot they think might fit in while running in traffic.

I can't count the times I've seen someone rush up in front of semi then flip over into the semi's lane just off the front bumper. The worse is when they do that then slow down. These idiots are totally oblivious to the large blind spot right in front of the bumper of a conventional cab semi. Mostly so many drivers are simply oblivious to all around them.

[Landlrd2]

I think that sign is becoming universal now...it has no bearing on whether you're in tight traffic in a construction zone or on an open Interstate. The fear that I'm going to reach my destination 1 second before you seems to be the driving force.

[old dad]

110 miles on the bike today and the only idiot I came across was me, when I hit a rural traffic circle that I didn't see the sign ahead of time, went in a little hot, rode up one sloped curb on the right, and scraped the opposite one with my crash bar,,no damage, but just another example of needing to be aware of your surroundings.

the main intent of my original post was that we think we're targeted while riding by others in their cars/trucks and it just ain't so.. You're targeted no matter what you drive. We just feel it more on the bike.

[C.W.]

Originally Posted by old dad

the main intent of my original post was that we think we're targeted while riding by others in their cars/trucks and it just ain't so.. You're targeted no matter what you drive. We just feel it more on the bike.

Yep, I can totally relate!

It just takes a few close calls, and then the feeling of being targeted is amplified. Been there.

For me, it took awhile to settle down, get rid of the fear and paranoia, and gain some confidence back. There was actually a time when I considered cutting down my riding or selling the bike because of it, but that feeling passes.

Ride like YOU ARE invisible is good advice, even though we feel we really are sometimes.

Laters