Post by: xavier fremboe on June 11, 2008, 05:54:52 PM
What are the etiquette rules involved here? Where is it appropriate to pass?
Post by: nico on June 11, 2008, 06:01:11 PM
I don't go out of my way to piss off anybody on the road, but I refuse to be intimidated by some jerk who's vehicle weighs a fraction of mine because he thinks he owns the road.
Post by: cassandra and sara's daddy on June 11, 2008, 06:02:55 PM
Post by: xavier fremboe on June 11, 2008, 06:06:36 PM
How could there have been a fight? He was in a car and they were riding bikes, which can be knocked off balance a lot easier, than a car
I don't go out of my way to piss off anybody on the road, but I refuse to be intimidated by some jerk who's vehicle weighs a fraction of mine because he thinks he owns the road.
He was stuck in amongst them for about 15 miles. First stoplight they hit, the expressed their displeasure.
I don't go out of my way to piss off anybody on the road, but I refuse to be intimidated by some jerk who's vehicle weighs a fraction of mine because he thinks he owns the road.
Post by: nico on June 11, 2008, 06:08:10 PM
I was mainly thinking of a situation my dad had in college. He was a part of a car club that participated in autocrosses and often went out to dinner afterwards (think ~10 cars). One time, a few guys on bikes thought they'd screw with one of the female members by forcing her onto the shoulder. My dad and a couple other guys showed the bikers that it works both ways (and bikes don't always do very well on gravel).
Post by: cassandra and sara's daddy on June 11, 2008, 06:39:43 PM
Post by: nico on June 11, 2008, 06:46:11 PM
Post by: The Annoyed Man on June 11, 2008, 08:43:53 PM
Post by: Firethorn on June 12, 2008, 06:49:33 AM
That I have an issue with.
Post by: charby on June 12, 2008, 07:04:14 AM
Post by: Manedwolf on June 12, 2008, 07:10:55 AM
Just the morons with the 110+dB pipes that rev through downtown right past sidewalk cafes on purpose. They're so loud they actually hurt your ears and make them ring.
I think the police are finally cracking down, though.
Post by: Balog on June 12, 2008, 07:15:20 AM
I've not seen any inconsiderate highway bikers here.
Just the morons with the 110+dB pipes that rev through downtown right past sidewalk cafes on purpose. They're so loud they actually hurt your ears and make them ring.
I think the police are finally cracking down, though.
Just the morons with the 110+dB pipes that rev through downtown right past sidewalk cafes on purpose. They're so loud they actually hurt your ears and make them ring.
I think the police are finally cracking down, though.
I gotta wonder what the appeal is of that? "Hey look at me, I'm going deaf!" I just don't get it. They are very annoying, tho Maned.
Post by: Firethorn on June 12, 2008, 07:19:39 AM
I gotta wonder what the appeal is of that? "Hey look at me, I'm going deaf!" I just don't get it. They are very annoying, tho Maned.
I've seen them wearing ear plugs. Yep, riding a bike with custom 'loudeners' and the driver's wearing shades and earplugs, no helmet.
Post by: HankB on June 12, 2008, 07:35:22 AM
Basically it means a bunch of motorcyclists with loud bikes will cruise around Austin and the surrounding area, get drunk, a few will get splattered on the road, and then leave. No big deal for most folks, happens every year.
Of course, they always talk about how much money this brings into the area, benefitting everyone in town . . . they keep repeating this, but never tell me where I should go to get my share.
(Some bar selling more beer does me about as much good as Bill Gates selling more copies of Windows Vista.)
Post by: Tallpine on June 12, 2008, 07:39:40 AM
So I got out my 2' pipe and started checking the load chain binders
Post by: never_retreat on June 12, 2008, 07:50:55 AM
I came real close to love tapping a few of them a couple of months ago. After about 10 miles of 30 in a 50 I started to show my displeasure. I got closer and closer, I figured they would take the hint. Oh no one guy in his wisdom decides to brake check my f250. Let me say that I didn't even touch my brakes. He took of like a bandit when he saw that I wasn't going to play his game.
And yes I have ridden a bike in the past. So no sob story's about how I don't know how it is on a bike.
Post by: MillCreek on June 12, 2008, 07:55:26 AM
Post by: mgdavis on June 12, 2008, 08:12:18 AM
Some people are tools, no matter what they ride/drive. I think they get off on the sense of empowerment that they get from making a nuisance of them selves. Besides, everybody knows that Harleys so slow they can't hardly get out of their own way.
Post by: nico on June 12, 2008, 08:16:54 AM
Post by: Gewehr98 on June 12, 2008, 08:47:08 AM
It's kept blue-hairs away from me on several occasions, and that's just fine with me, since they can't be bothered to normally look when making lane changes into my lane...
Post by: The Annoyed Man on June 12, 2008, 08:56:52 AM
Post by: xavier fremboe on June 12, 2008, 09:05:01 AM
Is the original poster referring to motorcyclists or bicyclists? It sounds more like motocyclists than bicyclists on a group ride or race.
Motorcyclists.
Post by: The Annoyed Man on June 12, 2008, 09:19:21 AM
I have a co-worker friend who has other friends that all ride rice.To a man they all whine that the Harley riders can get away w/straight pipes & they get hassled over their "performance" mufflers.
Post by: Manedwolf on June 12, 2008, 09:22:46 AM
On the subject of loud pipes.
I have a co-worker friend who has other friends that all ride rice.To a man they all whine that the Harley riders can get away w/straight pipes & they get hassled over their "performance" mufflers.
I have a co-worker friend who has other friends that all ride rice.To a man they all whine that the Harley riders can get away w/straight pipes & they get hassled over their "performance" mufflers.
Well, there's a double standard, yes. To say nothing of the fact that glasspack mufflers on cars are banned where ear-damaging bikes are allowed.
The ones that annoy me seem to make a habit of deliberately gunning it in on quiet residential streets or downtown in front of outside restaurants, like children banging on a pot for attention. It ruins meals, causes babies to scream in terror, is loud enough to make your ears ring, and is just a nuisance all around. There's absolutely no reason for it at all.
Post by: Gewehr98 on June 12, 2008, 09:26:55 AM
Post by: StopTheGrays on June 12, 2008, 09:32:53 AM
Quote
Well, there's a double standard, yes. To say nothing of the fact that glasspack mufflers on cars are banned where ear-damaging bikes are allowed.
The ones that annoy me seem to make a habit of deliberately gunning it in on quiet residential streets or downtown in front of outside restaurants, like children banging on a pot for attention. It ruins meals, causes babies to scream in terror, is loud enough to make your ears ring, and is just a nuisance all around. There's absolutely no reason for it at all.
The ones that annoy me seem to make a habit of deliberately gunning it in on quiet residential streets or downtown in front of outside restaurants, like children banging on a pot for attention. It ruins meals, causes babies to scream in terror, is loud enough to make your ears ring, and is just a nuisance all around. There's absolutely no reason for it at all.
QFT!!!
Cars blasting a sub-woofer used to really bother me. Since moving to a more rural area it is Harley riders gunning it from the stop sign at the end of the block. "Yes, you have a Harley. I heard it when you were idling at the stop sign...ass."
Post by: Boomhauer on June 12, 2008, 09:34:06 AM
I have straight pipes on my Harley.
It's kept blue-hairs away from me on several occasions, and that's just fine with me, since they can't be bothered to normally look when making lane changes into my lane...
It's kept blue-hairs away from me on several occasions, and that's just fine with me, since they can't be bothered to normally look when making lane changes into my lane...
Yeah, I've seen the blue hairs that jerk the wheel over w/o looking. They are usually the ones going 20mph down the road, with the turn signal on, while weaving back and forth.
We call them q-tips...for the white hair that sticks up over the steering wheel.
Post by: Balog on June 12, 2008, 09:34:18 AM
But sitting in the parking lot and revving it over, and over, and over is still a dick move.
Post by: MechAg94 on June 12, 2008, 09:40:27 AM
Most of my driving is two lane farm roads out in the country. Normally it is just one or a few riders getting away from things for the day.
Post by: Bogie on June 12, 2008, 11:29:10 AM
Around here, you get a lot of "bikers" wearing new leathers and boots, riding new $30K+ bikes, with their wife-types riding bitch... Oh, they bad, they bad...
And you get a few of them together on the road, it's like they grow attitude. And since they tend to meet at bars, well... As they day goes, the attitude grows... They may have been going five under the limit under the mistaken beloof that izsafferwhen you is schnocked to skid offa da road slowerish....
They're the folks who'll trailer the bikes to Sturgis or Daytona.
Post by: cassandra and sara's daddy on June 12, 2008, 11:39:16 AM
Post by: Gewehr98 on June 12, 2008, 12:13:29 PM
Quote
They're the folks who'll trailer the bikes to Sturgis or Daytona.
Being a Shovelhead rider, we have a term for those folks - WHORES (We Haul Our Rides Everywhere).
Post by: Monkeyleg on June 12, 2008, 01:02:17 PM
On one trip, though, I got a late start and wound up riding back home through Wyoming a day or so before the Trailer Fest began.
I go out west to ride in the mountains, take turns at a fast but reasonable speed, and enjoy the twisties. I don't go out west to get stuck behind a pack of HD riders who are scared to death to lean their bikes into the turns. That ride through Wyoming was more frustrating than getting stuck behind a parade of RV's. At least RV drivers don't stop every five miles to wipe the bugs off of shiny new leathers.
Post by: taurusowner on June 12, 2008, 01:12:23 PM
Post by: cassandra and sara's daddy on June 12, 2008, 02:01:59 PM
Next time you've got a problem with Harley riders, just get yourself a nice 650 sport bike and burn past em
i got my butt kicked pretty good in va beach for doing that. on my first honeymoon guy with no sense of humour
Post by: The Annoyed Man on June 12, 2008, 02:04:46 PM
Quote
Being a Shovelhead rider, we have a term for those folks - WHORES (We Haul Our Rides Everywhere).
So, Gew, what's your longest ride and when? Or do ya just pose around whatever town you're in in Mich?
Post by: Gewehr98 on June 12, 2008, 02:07:20 PM
My longest ride? Probably from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe to San Francisco and back to Sacramento...
Long enough to remind me that I'm glad it's not a hardtail, but to still wish for rubber motor mounts.
Post by: The Annoyed Man on June 12, 2008, 02:09:22 PM
Quote
My longest ride? Probably from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe to San Francisco and back to Sacramento...
That's like what........an afternoon?
(Sorry about the Michigan/Wisconsin confusion. They're all the same to me.)
Post by: Racehorse on June 12, 2008, 02:14:12 PM
Next time you've got a problem with Harley riders, just get yourself a nice 650 sport bike and burn past em
i got my butt kicked pretty good in va beach for doing that. on my first honeymoon guy with no sense of humour
Wait. Your first honeymoon was with a guy with no sense of humor?
Sorry. I couldn't help myself.
Post by: cassandra and sara's daddy on June 12, 2008, 02:23:22 PM
Post by: Bigjake on June 12, 2008, 03:02:05 PM
So, Gew, what's your longest ride and when? Or do ya just pose around whatever town you're in in Mich?
Troll
Bluehairs are worse than most cage drivers around here. I love it when the guy that can't see over the wheel aims his land yacht into traffic without stopping or looking, and then stops when he's blocking both lanes because he's just realized a bike is comming!
Post by: The Annoyed Man on June 12, 2008, 03:19:43 PM
Quote
Troll rolleyes
Bluehairs are worse than most cage drivers around here. I love it when the guy that can't see over the wheel aims his land yacht into traffic without stopping or looking, and then stops when he's blocking both lanes because he's just realized a bike is comming!
Bluehairs are worse than most cage drivers around here. I love it when the guy that can't see over the wheel aims his land yacht into traffic without stopping or looking, and then stops when he's blocking both lanes because he's just realized a bike is comming!
I dunno who you're talkin' about, Farmer John, but it ain't me. My longest (one day) motorcycle ride was San Luis Obispo, CA to Tucson, AZ. And it wasn't all that long ago.
Whatta you got? A ride down to the DewDropInn on the John Deere?
Post by: Gewehr98 on June 12, 2008, 03:20:33 PM
I still don't know why you called me a poser, though. Care to explain that one?
Post by: The Annoyed Man on June 12, 2008, 03:22:16 PM
Post by: The Annoyed Man on June 12, 2008, 03:25:21 PM
I understand, Paddy. Anything east of the rarified air of Kalifornia can get pretty confusing.
I still don't know why you called me a poser, though. Care to explain that one?
I still don't know why you called me a poser, though. Care to explain that one?
I dunno. Maybe because you put yourself out as some kind of hardcore biker in Post #31?
Post by: Gewehr98 on June 12, 2008, 03:27:23 PM
Post by: Gewehr98 on June 12, 2008, 03:35:42 PM
Go to Sturgis or Daytona, Paddy. You'll see two types of motorcycle riders:
1. Those who trailer their shiny bikes to an event, stop at a motel 2 miles outside of town, unload the bikes and ride the last two miles into the event, all clean and looking like they just walked out of the Harley showroom.
2. Those who rode from home to the event (sometimes for days), bugs in teeth, oil on their pant legs, tools in the front tool bag, looking for all the world like they're straight out of Mad Max.
I ride a '78 Shovelhead. I have to tighten all the nuts and bolts frequently, to keep them in close formation as I head down a given road. I don't drink lattes while having the Harley shop change the oil in my bike. As a matter of fact, when I see an oil puddle under my bike, I'm happy because I know there's oil remaining in the oil tank. At Daytona, those spotless bikes got fewer looks than a dirty vintage Shovelhead.
So yes, we are entitled to call the people listed above WHOREs. That's what they do, and it's damned near hilarious to see them in action. It's kinda like watching Prius drivers, toodling along in a cloud of smug.
Post by: Bigjake on June 12, 2008, 03:59:34 PM
So yes, we are entitled to call the people listed above WHOREs. That's what they do, and it's damned near hilarious to see them in action. It's kinda like watching Prius drivers, toodling along in a cloud of smug.
And you guys dog me for helping them along with a LITERAL cloud...
Post by: Bogie on June 12, 2008, 04:13:36 PM
Well, a whole LOT of speed for about a week or so.
Rode a hardtail chopper from near Lexington, Kentucky down I-75 to Florida, pretty much straight through.
Back when I-75 had tarred joints on the concrete every 20 yards or so.
I think I lost two inches in height on that trip. But the week was one helluva party.
Ain't NEVER gonna do that crap again.
Post by: Biker on June 15, 2008, 05:49:22 AM
Quote
They're the folks who'll trailer the bikes to Sturgis or Daytona.
Being a Shovelhead rider, we have a term for those folks - WHORES (We Haul Our Rides Everywhere).
If mine ain't leakin', there's something wrong.
Biker
Post by: Iain on June 15, 2008, 06:31:30 AM
Basically, pulled into my road, which is supposed to be a quiet side street off a busier road. Traffic was busy on that road and as I pulled off two cars came off with me to use it as a cut through. There are cars parked both sides and further down it narrows to being one car width only. Got to the house with these cars behind me and pulled over to the right where the drive is (remember we drive on the left) to let them pass so I could then manouevre my way in reverse. up the steep and sharp turn that is the driveway.
Realised I was going to have to pull forward and looked and then did so. Quickly selected reverse, looked and turned in reverse so that my front end swung out a little into the road. Hear brakes and a motorcycle appears on my left hand side and just about slows enough to avoid hitting me in the bonnet/front tire region. He swears at me and drives off. I park up, he returns and tells me that I don't look for bikes, which is probably in part true. We part on somewhat less expletive ridden terms.
Thing is - I have no idea where he came from. He says he locked his brakes - does that mean he was doing any speed, or can that happen on a bike at low speeds when needing to brake hard? Secondly, I was in the middle of the road, a quiet road, with my reverse lights on and he tried to pass me on my left. Yes I should probably have seen him, but I'm not sure that he was wise to even attempt this. Thirdly, pretty sure he was another cut througher.
Probably going to get told exactly what I did wrong, but maybe I need to hear it - so, thoughts?
Post by: gunsmith on June 15, 2008, 06:47:37 AM
Quote
everybody knows that Harleys so slow they can't hardly get out of their own way.
with most of the current crop of yuppie riders, that is very true.
One time on hway 101 from the airport to sf city I was in a "race" with an outlaw, rush hour traffic and we were both lane splitting at 70 to 90mph
he passed me finally because he really was faster and crazier than I was.
most times I won my little races, mostly because I was a motorcycle courier and drove at top speed for a living.
a normal day was start off in SF, ride to Sac over to Modesto, pick up again in SF and end the day in Santa Cruz.
I loved it when I finally got a pick up truck and didn't have to worry about dying because some idiot couldn't use mirrors or made an illegal left.
I just continue on and if they smack into me then they can pay for damage.
Funny, they always seemed to wake up in time.
Post by: xavier fremboe on June 15, 2008, 11:04:53 AM
Was it on a weekend?
Around here, you get a lot of "bikers" wearing new leathers and boots, riding new $30K+ bikes, with their wife-types riding bitch... Oh, they bad, they bad...
And you get a few of them together on the road, it's like they grow attitude. And since they tend to meet at bars, well... As they day goes, the attitude grows... They may have been going five under the limit under the mistaken beloof that izsafferwhen you is schnocked to skid offa da road slowerish....
They're the folks who'll trailer the bikes to Sturgis or Daytona.
Tough to say. They were all Harley's and no Geezerglides. From the looks of the guy that that had the primary 'problem', these didn't look like the guys taking the weekend off from Merrill Lynch to go on a run. The Hill Country is an interesting mix of retired folks and old hippies. These cats didn't look like a bunch of investment bankers. If they did, I would have passed them. As it was, they were being jackholes and preventing any of us four-wheelers from going past them, or even going the speed limit. On a 5 hour drive, it gets pretty old pretty quick. I run up on them fairly frequently, and try to time my gas/#1 breaks to allow me room to run. I've got the 34 in the front seat, but there's no reason to Around here, you get a lot of "bikers" wearing new leathers and boots, riding new $30K+ bikes, with their wife-types riding bitch... Oh, they bad, they bad...
And you get a few of them together on the road, it's like they grow attitude. And since they tend to meet at bars, well... As they day goes, the attitude grows... They may have been going five under the limit under the mistaken beloof that izsafferwhen you is schnocked to skid offa da road slowerish....
They're the folks who'll trailer the bikes to Sturgis or Daytona.
From the sounds of the posts, I just need to take my car vs. SWMBO's and we won't have an issue. I'll just blow past them.
Post by: gunsmith on June 15, 2008, 12:20:06 PM
Post by: Monkeyleg on June 15, 2008, 12:55:34 PM
Locking up your brakes can happen at low or high speed. Most bikes don't have anti-lock brakes, so stomping on the brakes in a panic stop will lock them up. This often results in the rear wheel losing traction and flipping all over the road, and sometimes results in the bike going down. It's no fun.
"I've noticed the same kind of jerks in Reno, I understand slow driving and all, but do that in the slow lane!"
That reminds me of one trip where I was coming down US 50 from Lake Tahoe into Carson City. I'm sure you know the road, Gunsmith. It's three lanes in either direction, with a nice gentle grade and sweeping turns.
This time, though, the road was being repaired, and the pavement was grooved. OK, so don't take it at maximum speed. Still, it was enjoyable until I saw a guy on a brand new HD riding in the bicycle lane at about 10 mph, terrified of the grooved pavement.
Post by: Iain on June 15, 2008, 01:12:25 PM
The only further encroachment that I made, the only way that I took up more room on the left hand side of the road was the minor swinging out of the front end during the reverse. So he tried to nip through a small gap around a reversing vehicle. I'm thinking that yes, I should have seen him and I did look in that direction but failed to register him which is bad, but he wasn't an innocent party.
If I came up that road and saw a car where I was, with reverse lights on, I would hang back until they had made their move, not try and cut around them at any speed. Polite and safer. Doubly so if I was on a bike, because he was quite right - car drivers are bad at spotting bikes, and I'd be taking that into account.
Post by: De Selby on June 15, 2008, 01:34:54 PM
Quote
If I came up that road and saw a car where I was, with reverse lights on, I would hang back until they had made their move, not try and cut around them at any speed. Polite and safer. Doubly so if I was on a bike, because he was quite right - car drivers are bad at spotting bikes, and I'd be taking that into account.
While I try to watch for them also, it's a fact that they're just plain harder to see due to size...
Definitely not wise to use the small size to fit in where other drivers wouldn't expect a vehicle to appear, imo. Good thing for both of you that no one was hurt.
Post by: 86thecat on June 15, 2008, 06:57:39 PM