Motorcycle Riding - less safe today?

[Snade]

I like the design as much as the performance of this 2002 Yamaha.

But on weekend rides, I see more cars drifting across the lane lines as the driver talks on their cell phone.

Do you think cell phones are making motorcycle riding less safe these days?

The biggest risk to a motorcycle rider is a driver in a car that does not see the motorcycle or is distracted.

I think cell phones are increasing this risk. Yes, I am more careful. I assume that car pulling out of that McDonald's in front of me does not see me.

Ride safe. Snade

 

[shimniok]

I don't ride, but could easily see how this would be a problem. Heck, *driving a car* is less safe. I almost had some dope come into my lane on the hwy just today. And he wasn't talking on a phone. But you're right, there are a LOT of distracted drivers on the road these days.

 

[Andyman]

Yes. Perhaps that's why some states have outlawed cell phone usage by drivers and others are looking to.

I sold my bike years ago, but I've logged tens of thousands of miles on motorcycles and always assumed no one ever saw you. The awareness I developed as a cyclist still serves me well today though :yes:

 

[similost]

I think assholes are making it less safe....

I had a really close one yesterday... WAY too close..

in lane 1, and a car next to me in 2... This ASSHOLE in a truck pulled out into my lane and I ended up locking up the rear, and damn near the same on the front.. It got squirley for a second...

I managed to jump into the other lane as soon as the car next to me moved ahead just enough.. I was iald on the horn the whole time.. from the second I saw him moving out of the drive into my lane, until I moved over and got beside him.. .

His window was open and I yelled at him to watch where he's driving before he kills someone.. .

The DICK had the nerve to yell **** you and flipped me off...

All I could do is just shake my head and rolled on the gas and got as far away from him as quick as possible..

 

[twitch54]

All I could do is just shake my head and rolled on the gas and got as far away from him as quick as possible..

I too know the feeling, while I continue to love my two wheeled escape (been riding over forty years now) it is hands down more dangerous than ever. Now with that being said I've got a much more competent ride under my butt than I did forty years ago....braking, handling, and acceleration.

Personally it wouldn't bother me if they plain OUTLAWED cell phones !

 

[ccheath]

Personally it wouldn't bother me if they plain OUTLAWED cell phones !

I'd like to buy and USE the cellphone scrambler, but NO it's plain outlawed.

 

[Mark B]

I think assholes are making it less safe....

I had a really close one yesterday... WAY too close..

in lane 1, and a car next to me in 2... This ASSHOLE in a truck pulled out into my lane and I ended up locking up the rear, and damn near the same on the front.. It got squirley for a second...

I managed to jump into the other lane as soon as the car next to me moved ahead just enough.. I was iald on the horn the whole time.. from the second I saw him moving out of the drive into my lane, until I moved over and got beside him.. .

His window was open and I yelled at him to watch where he's driving before he kills someone.. .

The DICK had the nerve to yell **** you and flipped me off...
All I could do is just shake my head and rolled on the gas and got as far away from him as quick as possible..

You didn't really expect that idiot to be polite and apologetic did you? In my experience, most people that pull inconsiderate stupid shit like that are a-holes to the bone.

 

[fau5tu5]

YES.. It's one of the reasons I dont ride anymore.

The second and more imposing reason is living in WA where fair weather is rare, and drivers arent used to watching for motorcyclists.

It's ironic. I lived in S.F. for many years and even with crazy traffic, everyone was well aware and watching out for cyclists... They were used to them.. Lots of em in S.F.. Pretty safe for 2 wheelers.. Here where there is less traffic,. I even find myself suprised to see a motorcycle in the mirror,.. and have that quickening heartbeat that says,.. WOW, I didnt notice him till just now..... And I'm Cycle observant... It's just that on any given hour of driving, I likely only see 1-2 motorcycles... Just not enough to keep them in mind.

 

[Sandy G]

I dunno guys...Something about the mountains here & the attendant curvy roads seems to bring out the Evel Kneivel in scoot riders...If a safe speed going around a hairpin is 25, 30 MPH, seems like motorcycle riders think its their Constitutional right-and duty, apparently- to make a liar outta the sign, & go around said curve at no less than 50 or so... And yes, we have more than our fair share of idiots on fones, usually it'll be Mommy in her Minivan, full of squallin' young'uns, yakkin' away oblivious to the fact she's a foot or 2 acrost the center line...

 

[ablethevoice]

I'd like to buy and USE the cellphone scrambler, but NO it's plain outlawed.

Is it more dangerous to ride a cycle these days? YES! Hell, it's dangerous to be a damn pedestrian within 100 feet of any thoroughfare. I used to ride, but after the start of the second hundred too-close-calls, I gave up and sold the bike for a 4-wheel machine.

As to cellphones in cars, here's my answer: All cars must be equipped with a microwave scrambler incorporated into the car's computer. This scrambler functions continuously so long as the car is in gear and in motion. The only way to shut it off is to place the car in PARK and engage the parking brake. Any attempts to disable the device will fry the car's computer after sending a signal to local DMV containing the vehicle's VIN, plate number and ID of the person to whom the VIN is registered to. The DMV would then immediately revoke the driver's license for... ohhh... I dunno... 5 years? How about for life?

 

[similost]

The below is direct from a person on a motorcycle forum I frequent. This guy is lucky as hell he walked away, and the guy he is talking about it lucky he didn't get caught... These are the kinds of people there are out on the road any more. Society has changed, and any more, it doesn't matter if you are on a bike, in a car, or walking down the street... SOMEONE just might have it in their mind to take you out... just because they can...

Anyway.. I can't imagine how scary this incident must have been... You should see the pictures of the bike. A complete twised mass of metal. AMAZING he walked away, much less lived...

In Short, I’m alive...

BUT my beauty is totaled...dissinagrated on impact and she no longer is ride able...

will be calling my insurance company today, and I’m sure they will total it.

Spent the night in the Huntsville hospital.
Forehead, right & left shoulders, arms, knees, and legs all road rash.
After EKG, many x-rays, Dr. said he couldn’t believe nothing is broken (except my pride).

Was on a two lane "on ramp" entering onto interstate, Blue Mustang on my right as we both approached the end of the on ramp where it turns into one lane, then goes onto interstate.
Driver of mustang started coming over into my lane forcing me onto interstate.
My eyes are locked on his and I yelled out "what are you doing" as we are looking at each other.

He just grins at me, puts his finger on his door window, and yells..F-U...and as he is staring at me, he just kept coming over at me. I could have reached out and touched driver’s door window easily.

Luckily, no cars were right there on interstate, so at about 60 mph now, I swerved over quickly over both interstate lanes way over to the far left lane to get away from him.
He just kept coming over at me grinning and is still giving me the bird..and he is now 3/4's into far left lane and again I could have touched his door window..
On purpose he forces me into the median or hit his car...nothing but bright orange rubber road cones in front of me, and they begin flying as I am hitting them. Medium is under repair and the ground was like sand in some places, one area of which my front tire goes into and immediately the front tire sinks about 2 feet down, the handle bars just ripped out of my hand and the front wheel quickly snapped to the far right. Next thing I know the rear of the bike is coming up and over me and the bike flips end to end about 3 times, and I’m going down face first onto the hard ground and I start bouncing up and down like a rag doll, flipping and flopping
Next thing I know I am in an ambulance with two IV's, one in each arm, oxygen mask, and beat all to hell, hurting everywhere.

Luckily my neighbor was right behind me on the on ramp and he knew it was me in front of him, because we previously waved at each other as we entered the on ramp.
He didn't go after the mustang (driver of Mustang never stopped), but my neighbor stopped to help me out and he stayed and picked up all the broken parts from my bike and things that were in the side and center trunks that were scattered all over the place.
When I got home from the hospital, we open the garage door and I see all these parts
front laying on the floor; front windshield, mirror, small piece of left lower cowling, 1/2 of the chrome piece that goes along forward/bottom of windshield, pieces of both side bags and center trunk, Garman GPS unit (dont know if is still works yet), my rain gear and riding pants, the shoes I "was" wearing, and my trusty DOT approved helmet.

If I would not have been wearing my helmet, I would not be here telling you this. The helmet is trashed... scrape marks and gouges all over it, and one of the front air=vents is ripped right out of it where my initial impact was to the ground...

 

[240sx4u]

^ If concealed carry was legal where that happened I would have put a bullet in the guy.

 

[similost]

I think it would have been justifiable too...

Here's a picture of what was left of the bike..

 

[kx250rider]

But on weekend rides, I see more cars drifting across the lane lines as the driver talks on their cell phone.

Do you think cell phones are making motorcycle riding less safe these days?



I think cell phones are increasing this risk. Yes, I am more careful. I assume that car pulling out of that McDonald's in front of me does not see me.



Ride safe. Snade

Absolutely, positively! I've been riding motorcycles on the roads of Southern California for nearly 30 years, and I've seen a change in the past ten years with the advent of cellphones. I don't care what kind of nonsense a CEO will tell you about his/her ability to "multitask" (not even a word in the English language), and it isn't a word because there is no such thing. Either a driver is paying attention to DRIVING, or they're paying attention ELSEWHERE. No if's and's or but's.

I've written the following before, including for an editorial letter published in the Los Angeles Daily News; I tried an experiment on a tailgater on the Ronald Reagan Freeway: A woman was tailgating me; both of us exceeding the speed limit, in the slow lane of 4 lanes. She was tossing her head, deeply entrenched in some sort of a phone call. So I decided to play a trick on her to show her just how little attention she was paying to the world outside of her Suburban. Very gradually, I increased my speed from 65 to 70, then 75, and sure enough, she was still about 11 feet off my bumper. Then I took it to 80, 85, 90, and topped out at 105 mph! Oblivious, she was still behind me, relying on MY driving to pilot her Suburban as if she were the caboose and I'm the locomotive. Suddenly, she must have glanced at her speedometer, and she let go of the gas so quick that she nearly lost control! She had ABSOLUTELY no idea how fast she was going, since she wasn't driving her car; I was, in effect, and she assumed that she could tailgate me at 65 mph forever, and she wouldn't have to worry about taking responsibility for her own vehicle as long as she was busy on the phone and I was navigating for her. Being dangerous, I won't do that again, but I can nearly guarantee the same outcome with the same factors.

Charles

 

[Duffinator]

Heck, *driving a car* is less safe.

Yes but cars are much safer than they have ever been. While I personally don't think it's any less safe than 30 years ago, there's always something to distract a driver, cell phones don't help any. For the past year it's been the law in CA that drivers must use some sort of hand free device while talking on their cell phones in their cars. Yet I'm amazed how many people still drive with their phone glued to their ears. With law enforcement receiving budget cuts I don't see this getting any better.

I no longer ride on the street or dirt and I really miss it. You guys be safe out there. :thmbsp:

 

[Snade]

I've written the following before, including for an editorial letter published in the Los Angeles Daily News; I tried an experiment on a tailgater on the Ronald Reagan Freeway: A woman was tailgating me; both of us exceeding the speed limit, in the slow lane of 4 lanes. She was tossing her head, deeply entrenched in some sort of a phone call. So I decided to play a trick on her to show her just how little attention she was paying to the world outside of her Suburban. Very gradually, I increased my speed from 65 to 70, then 75, and sure enough, she was still about 11 feet off my bumper. Then I took it to 80, 85, 90, and topped out at 105 mph! Oblivious, she was still behind me, relying on MY driving to pilot her Suburban as if she were the caboose and I'm the locomotive. Suddenly, she must have glanced at her speedometer, and she let go of the gas so quick that she nearly lost control! She had ABSOLUTELY no idea how fast she was going, since she wasn't driving her car; I was, in effect, and she assumed that she could tailgate me at 65 mph forever, and she wouldn't have to worry about taking responsibility for her own vehicle as long as she was busy on the phone and I was navigating for her. Being dangerous, I won't do that again, but I can nearly guarantee the same outcome with the same factors.

Charles

Very good analysis of how people on cell phones go into a zone and rely on following the person in front of them to, in effect, pay attention to driving conditions for them.

As a bike rider, we just need to pay more attention, knowing more drivers in cars are in this cell phone zone and attention to anything outside the zone (like me and my bike) is diminished.

Good post, Charles.

Mark

Mark

 

[Tower Boss]

Hello Folks,

Riding has always been risky due to distracted drivers and I think that only riders themselves make for attentive drivers. In 1977, my Pop lost his right leg in an accident due to a guy who made a right turn in to a liquor store on his 21st Birthday. Nothing wrong with that except he was traveling in the left lane of the arterial and did not see my Pop.

That could have been the end to me ever getting into bikes, but in '78 after he recovered he got my brother and I a Honda XL-75. Because of my Pop's mishap, I have always been extremely wary of all drivers and take nothing for granted.

My first street bike was a Kawasaki GPz750 I got while stationed at Fort Ord in California. The first weekend I had it, I went to see my Mom and Aunt in Mill Valley, which is just north of San Francisco. As I was crossing the GG, a driver began to change lanes from the fast lane into mine. I realized they did not bother to look over to the right as were looking in their rear view instead. I braked hard and fortunately, my motocross skills came into play as I hit a span of metal grating causing the rear to kick out so I had to put my foot down. I was able to keep the bike up and brake enough to where the cars bumper just missed my front tire. After the guy got in front of me, he gave me a nice wave while still looking in his rear view. Needless to say, I gestured back with the appropriate international symbol of response!

I actually have a photo of the bike from that weekend along with a few other Kawasaki's I had.

1985 Kawasaki GPz750

1985 Kawasaki Ninja 900 (GPz900R)

1992 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R

I think most of today's problem with bikes is the proliferation of the younger generation careless riding and many IMO have no business on a bike. It has lead to all of us being clumped into a stereotype of being reckless and deserve what happens to us by other motorists.

Regards,
TB

 

[kx250rider]

For the past year it's been the law in CA that drivers must use some sort of hand free device while talking on their cell phones in their cars. Yet I'm amazed how many people still drive with their phone glued to their ears.

100% ignored by most drivers, and virtually all police. Then again, with police as stretched to the limits as they are in SoCal, they don't care if you have no license plates, no lights, or bald tires, for that matter.

What's so all-thundering important that everybody has to yakkety-yak on the phone the entire day anyway?

Charles

 

[Russellc]

Having been a rider for my early years, I can make two observations:

1.) Motorcycles are invisible. I have had people look right at me and dam near kill me. They just dont see you. This is one thing in favor of loud Harleys, at least they hear you in traffic.

2.) Always watch other drivers heads. If they are occasionally glancing your way, they know you are there. If not, they can kill you.

I love bikes and we all love stories about how 4 wheeled drivers who didnt look out should be shot.....I cant say how many times I've felt the same way
about some moronic crotch rocket rider endagering everyone in their paths lives. Local PD has lots of cases chasing these dumbasses at 150 mph plus on public highways. Talk about needs shot!

Russellc

 

[Russellc]

Hello Folks,

Riding has always been risky due to distracted drivers and I think that only riders themselves make for attentive drivers. In 1977, my Pop lost his right leg in an accident due to a guy who made a right turn in to a liquor store on his 21st Birthday. Nothing wrong with that except he was traveling in the left lane of the arterial and did not see my Pop.

That could have been the end to me ever getting into bikes, but in '78 after he recovered he got my brother and I a Honda XL-75. Because of my Pop's mishap, I have always been extremely wary of all drivers and take nothing for granted.

My first street bike was a Kawasaki GPz750 I got while stationed at Fort Ord in California. The first weekend I had it, I went to see my Mom and Aunt in Mill Valley, which is just north of San Francisco. As I was crossing the GG, a driver began to change lanes from the fast lane into mine. I realized they did not bother to look over to the right as were looking in their rear view instead. I braked hard and fortunately, my motocross skills came into play as I hit a span of metal grating causing the rear to kick out so I had to put my foot down. I was able to keep the bike up and brake enough to where the cars bumper just missed my front tire. After the guy got in front of me, he gave me a nice wave while still looking in his rear view. Needless to say, I gestured back with the appropriate international symbol of response!

I actually have a photo of the bike from that weekend along with a few other Kawasaki's I had.

1985 Kawasaki GPz750

1985 Kawasaki Ninja 900 (GPz900R)

1992 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R

I think most of today's problem with bikes is the proliferation of the younger generation careless riding and many IMO have no business on a bike. It has lead to all of us being clumped into a stereotype of being reckless and deserve what happens to us by other motorists.

Regards,
TB

Amen brother! :yes:

Russellc