Motorcycle Riding - less safe today?

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.

As a non-bike rider, I am afraid I must agree with you. I was raised in the country on a farm, and I learned to respect everyone's right to use the road, including bicycles, motorcycles, farm equipment, and even farm animals. Over the years I have retained most of that respect with the exception of cyclists, both motor and bicycle.

I can't count how many times I have come upon a bicyclist in town riding in the traffic lane, which is their legal right, holding up traffic, which is also their right, and then running a stop sign or red light.

Then, there's all the times that motorcyclists (around here, anyway) will go on a run in "groups". They'll come to a stop sign, and one of them will block the intersection so all of their buddies can stay together. What? Are you too stupid to find your way on your own? Need to follow someone?

A few months ago, a local motorcycle rider was killed on his way home from work. He was a local boy, graduated from the local high school, and worked tor a local financial institution. He did volunteer work in the community, so he was fairly well known. The story was the headline in the paper. He pulled out to pass a car on his way home from work, and a car pulled out of a driveway at the same time he pulled out to pass, and they hit head on. The article said speed may have been involved, too.

What the article DIDN'T tell you is that he was on his rear wheel, in excess of 80MPH. That's why he didn't see the car pull out of the driveway. I've seen him go by my place here on the street (55 MPH) doing closer to 100 on his rear wheel several times. I'm sorry that he's gone, but I feel even worse for the poor lady involved in the wreck that will have to live with that for the rest of her life, even though she had no fault in the accident (there were tons of witnesses).

I'll give any biker all the respect he deserves. No more, no less.
 
Same thing happened to me the other day. I just got an old Olmo racing bike repaired. It is a very nice bike. I was crossing the street with it, being cautious, and some lady was making a right. She had been looking right at me. I did not realize she was on a cell phone at the time. She hit my bike and I fell into the street, and narrowly avoided being hit by another car in the street. A Word of caution everyone, BE CAREFUL!! Luckily I was not injured. But definitely shaken up, and now my bike needs five hundred dollars worth of repairs. People....
 
I rode for 16 years. It was always a bit unsafe- especially regarding other drivers not paying attention.

But yes, when the cell phones became ubiquitous the riding became a lot more difficult, and a lot more friends were being hit. Primarily rear-ended at a stop sign or light.

I worried that on-board DVD players and TV screens would add to it, but unless it's the rare knucklehead watching a re-rigged to work front tv display (like the local guy here who got busted for watching porn on a dash-mounted DVD screen while driving), the DVD players and screens didn't seem to add to the issue.


What seems to be the biggest problem is not just talking on the phone with one hand on the phone, one on the wheel, and your attention diverted.

It's texting. Two hands on the phone, elbows or knees steering the wheel, and eyes on the phone and not the road.



Boston's "T" service (subway transit) has been rife with bus and train accidents, all attributed to employees "texting" while on service.

A recent severe one occurred on the green line branch.
 
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.
Hmmm, that sounds just like a comment my parents made 30+ years ago. ;) The more things change the more they stay the same. One big difference today is the capabilities of today's crotch rockets. When I was riding you didn't see many guys doing nose wheelies at 50 mph. :no:
 
The only consolation regarding cell phone users is that a goodly percentage of them will develop brain tunors, check the obits.

Here even driving a full size car you have to watch the curves, not sure why but 90% of MD drivers are incapable of negotiating a curve wholly in their own lane.
 
While SOME younger riders are total idiots.....MOST young riders are smart enough to know how easily you can get killed on a motorcycle!?
And the one's that don't?
Darwin will get them eventually.......................

As far as motorcycles and cell phone usage distracting drivers?
You might as well hold a revolver to my head.....and pull the trigger.....BOTH will kill me just as easily!!
I've been run out of a lane more than once by some cell-talking idiot.

Steve
 
MOST young riders are smart enough to know how easily you can get killed on a motorcycle!?
And the one's that don't?
Darwin will get them eventually.......................

Steve

I was a pretty supid kid with a bike.. took me about 15 years to realize HEY! I might get killed on this thing, and started riding with half a brain...

No idea how I made it as long as I did riding like a cat with 30 lives, but I did... now I'm waiting for the other person to take me out since I've finally taken my own stupidity out of the equasion...
 
I have longed for another bike. But then a freaking expedition nearly runs my astro van off the road. If they cannot see a 5500 lb van how the hell can i expect these assholes to see me on two wheels....

They seriously need to tighten up who the hell they give drivers licenses too !!!
 
I'm no risk taker.

As a 50-something guy that owns a sportbike, this is what I do.

- I only ride early morning on Saturday or Sunday when traffic is light (usually a breakfast run with one of my buddies).

- I head straight west to try to get out of the Chicago burbs onto country roads and then I open the bike up a little.

- Suburban roads are actually dangerous because so many vans and SUV's are pulling out in front of you, pulling out from shopping centers, so I always assume the drivers of these cars cannot see me and slow down until I make eye contact or change lanes to give them room.

- Any long trip (for me that is a 2 to 6 hour trip), I ride with at least two other bikers. A group of 3 bikes, properly spaced and knowing how to ride as a group is very safe, IMO, because it creates a presence on the road that cars see and respect.

- My Yamaha will go 140mph, but I never use all its horsepower. This bike has carbs and not FI, so it is easy to ride slowly and with control. I've never attempted a wheelie, that's crazy to me on a motorcycle.

- I wear a good Aria helmet, leather gloves and jacket (even on hot days), and boots that protect your ankles if you roll the bike over (the most common accident and these ankle injuries are usually very damaging). Never ride in shorts (again, that is crazy)

- I've retaken the motorcycle riding safety courses.

Cheers, Snade
 
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Cell phones are part of the problem, but there are other reasons for driver distraction, besides cell phones (eating, drinking, videos, etc.). And there are more folks on the road, and many of these folks are new (just got their license), or old (just don't have the reflex skills). If I'm riding, I prefer country roads (less obstacles). :yes:
 
I agree with the cell phone ban, or scrambing, in vehicles.

Hands-free is a joke because you're still majorly distracted by the conversation.
 
I have longed for another bike. But then a freaking expedition nearly runs my astro van off the road. If they cannot see a 5500 lb van how the hell can i expect these assholes to see me on two wheels....

They seriously need to tighten up who the hell they give drivers licenses too !!!

x2 brother!

I've been thinking about getting a bike for daily commutes during the warm months (about 5 :D) but frankly the other people on the main thruways here scare the living **** right out of me. It's bad enough that they can't see my 325i, let alone a motorcycle that's about 1/5 the size.

As much as I hate loud straight pipes on motorcycles, I can see their point on having them. It does allow car drivers a slim chance to at least hear you coming.

And cell phone scramblers? Illegal, but oh so tempting to install one on the car, and have a no cell zone for about 20 metres around me. The thought is attractive.
 
Is it just me or does it seem like the newer cars have more blind spots. Seems like the post are thicker to carry the side airbags.
 
I think it would have been justifiable too...

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

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I have been riding for 45 years and this is why I carry a couple of rolls of nickels with me at all times! I can`t begin to tell you how many times I have broken them over the triple tress and let fly backwards or sideways at some AS*HOLE!! Saved me more than once. I know I know that makes me the A-Hole huh? Well after owning a motorcycle shop for 11 years and having lost a few friends over the years I don`t think so! I have seen more than my share of pic`s like this and worse much worse.JMHO.
It`s Dangerous out there and Cell phones have made it even more so. So I wake these folks up a little!
 
x2 brother!

I've been thinking about getting a bike for daily commutes during the warm months (about 5 :D) but frankly the other people on the main thruways here scare the living **** right out of me. It's bad enough that they can't see my 325i, let alone a motorcycle that's about 1/5 the size.

As much as I hate loud straight pipes on motorcycles, I can see their point on having them. It does allow car drivers a slim chance to at least hear you coming.

And cell phone scramblers? Illegal, but oh so tempting to install one on the car, and have a no cell zone for about 20 metres around me. The thought is attractive.

I'm gonna adress your point and Jimfets..

I drive my wife's car, an Eclipse, and it's got a very bad blind spot.. A large rear post that you just can't see through.. I also have my mirros so I can see the most of the lane next to me, and if a car is in my mirror, it is close enough to see looking over my shoulder before the post.. so that's good...

Unless it's a motorcycle, and then I have a big blind spot. This morning there was a guy on a V-rod running in that blind spot.. but I knew her was there because he had really loud pipes.. Had he not had those popes and I changed lanes, I would have taken him out....

This brings up two points.. Loud pipes may have saved his life, but then again, he was stupid for riding for several miles in that blind spot beside me.. I make it a point to NEVER leave myself where a car can't see me... I either back way off so they can see me in the mirror, or I pass them...

I love the loud pipes on my Roadstar because I know for a fact people know I'm there.. and I'm glad the guy today had loud pipes..
 
I have been riding for 45 years and this is why I carry a couple of rolls of nickels with me at all times! I can`t begin to tell you how many times I have broken them over the triple tress and let fly backwards or sideways at some AS*HOLE!! Saved me more than once. I know I know that makes me the A-Hole huh? Well after owning a motorcycle shop for 11 years and having lost a few friends over the years I don`t think so! I have seen more than my share of pic`s like this and worse much worse.JMHO.
It`s Dangerous out there and Cell phones have made it even more so. So I wake these folks up a little!

I agree with you.. some times you gotta do what it takes to save your life.. I've left boot heel prints in three doors, and took out a window with a ball-peen... Not stuff I'm proud to have claimed doing, but I'm still talking to you because of it.. If I could carry and get away with it, I would in a heart beat..
 
Gotta be careful anywhere on a scooter, but there are one or two advantages of living in a small town, and this is one of them, IMO. Not so much traffic....

I consider myself a good driver, but it's all I can do to make it through some of that heavy "big city" traffic without a bout of road rage myself. It's like GEEZUS...leave me a fricking inch of breathing room, will ya? But NOOOOOO if a car can squeze in it will. Let's change lanes 38 times in the course of 100 yards because MAYBE you can get home 12.3 seconds quicker. Damn...my blood started boiling just typing this....
 
Is it just me or does it seem like the newer cars have more blind spots. Seems like the post are thicker to carry the side airbags.

Yes on both points, altho my Dad's '87 T-bird had a HUGE blindspot behind the B-pillars. It was large enough to conceal a full size 1/2 tonne.
 
Yes I too have used a ballpeen in the old days when I built and rode Original Choppers. You know the ones with the front forks in the next county. :D I wouldn`t have missed it for the world. But there are a lot of A-HOLES out there who don`t care and try to get you. I have seen a lot of wrecked motorcycles and the folks to go with them over the years. And yes the new cars do have some large blind spots but that having been said I will quote a little know fact from the AMA. When I used to teach safety classes for the AMA, (Over 76% of all motorcycle accidents are caused by inatentivness of the Rider). Yes it was a fact that was proven. Scary as that is it`s TRUE! I have seen guy`s go sailing out through the trees and right through the side window of a station wagon (and lived). Hit dogs people and cars and almost anything else you can think of including a spare tire off of an 18 Wheeler in the thick morning fog. My head eyes,and mind are on a swivel and I don`t think of anything other than the task at hand when riding. And I don`t drink and ride. I drink after I ride when I arrive at the final destination.
 
I make it a point to NEVER leave myself where a car can't see me... I either back way off so they can see me in the mirror, or I pass them.....

very good advise ....for acting in smart defensive manners is way better than lowering yourself to the a-hole in the four wheeler !
 
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