SuzukiSavage.com - Street Survival

Paladin.

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Sunny Southern California
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Street Survival
01/07/06 at 09:57:53

http://motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/

An interesting set of articles. I don't agree with all of them, but I am a very disagreeable person. The articles even disagree between themselves as they were written by different people at different times.

One gave me a chuckle of fond memories: http://motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/stsurvival/
Quote:

If you have been riding motorcycles for any length of time, you almost certainly have come across a driver who, having just changed lanes into your space or turned in front of you, looks at you in surprise, and says, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

No, Really

My usual response to this statement is, "No. You didn't look." That is a more accurate assessment of what happens.

I can recall two incidents where I actually had further communications with a person who attempted to violate my right of way:

One was a young hispanic lass who made a right turn from the left lane right in front of me. I caught up with her, stopped beside the driver door and said, possibly in a rather loud voice, "YOU STUP...." That was when the twin barrels of a .38 caliber over/under derringer appeared above the window sill. I ended the conversation with a release of the clutch lever and WOT.

The other was an older lady as she and I approached an intersection from opposite directions. I was turning right, she was making a wide left to dive into the parking space at the corner market. She passed within a couple of feet of my stopped bike. I zipped around her, parked the bike and went into the store. She followed me in and spake the exact words in the article above "I'm sorry, I didn't see you." Unlike the above author I did not attempt to chastise the lady (having learned THAT lesson!) I simply smiled at her, "No problem, if someone doesn't try to kill me once a week I feel slighted."

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Savage Librarian

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One Hoopy Frood

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Houston area
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Re: Street Survival
Reply #1 - 01/07/06 at 10:13:54

You know, I've worried that I'd get myself shot, a time or two. I've picked up the habit of yelling at idiot drivers while I'm in my car...and it always takes effort to not do so while I'm on my bike when they can actually hear me.

I did see one interesting, and rather amusing, occasion of a biker yelling at a cager. I was coming back from the Lone Star Rally in 2004, and was tagging along with a large group heading the same general direction I was. We stop at a light behind a couple of teenagers in a truck, who are quite loudly yelling, shall we say, lewd comments in the direction of a female motorcyclist. Apparently the guy at the head of the pack hold sthe same views I do as to how to treat women. As such he lowered his kick stand, dismounted, and marched his intimidating tatooed bald headed pierced self over to the truck. He proceeded to stick his head inside the cab and insult the kids on as many levels as possible, and tell them exactly how they would treat women and motorcyclists in the future.

I didn't know a Ford Ranger could take off from a stop that fast.

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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely, in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid in broadside, used-up, worn out, and defiantly shouting 'Geronimo!!!'

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Digger

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Colorado Springs, CO
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Re: Street Survival
Reply #2 - 01/07/06 at 11:29:24

Back (waaaay back) in my younger days, I used to get all militant when I'd been slighted by a cager on the road.

One time, I got off the bike, he climbed out of his truck, I gasped at the size of him, he beat the livin' hell out of me........then pushed over my bike for good measure!

Since then, I've adopted a different attitude.....steady and calm.

Remember, there are idiots out there, and they're trying to kill you.

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Digger
2001, Metallic Glacial Blue, Raptor Petcock, Verslavy (first hole) (otherwise, mechanically, the bike is stock), 13,xxx miles
I don't own a cage.
www.astronautbiker.com

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Ed L.

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Re: Street Survival
Reply #3 - 01/07/06 at 16:55:04

Most of the time they see you but don't care, you aren't going to argue with a pickup when on a bike. I've noticed a real bad blind spot on the cage I'm usually driving, when turning left into traffic you can't see a car about 25 yards away coming at you. Because of this I've learned to wait with both the bike and car. I also try to be aware of possible blind spots with the cars I'm on the road with. Gotta drive defensive or carry hand grenades. Grin

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Silver '02, clubman handle bars, Cobra headlight, Sportster muffler, K+N stock air filter, 152.5 main, Superbrace, oil cooler, 1/2 inch aluminium plate forward controls, spark advance, goes like stink

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Richard Amirault

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Re: Street Survival
Reply #4 - 01/10/06 at 09:53:23

I had an incident when a teenager stepped out in front of me *without looking* .. I locked the brakes and skidded towards him .. while he turned at the sound and *froze* in mid stride.

I stopped about 2 to 3 feet away .. and I yelled (thru my full face helmet) ... "F***'n, LOOK BOTH WAYS!"

It was a fairly narrow street. Someone has stopped in the opposit direction to give the kid a ride. A car was approaching from behind (towards me) .. saw the kid .. slowed down and waved the kid across .. with that he just stepped off without looking in my direction .. sigh.

Richard in Boston, MA, USA

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short round

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mid Missouri
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Re: Street Survival
Reply #5 - 01/10/06 at 20:49:34

A little different than the others but I had a scare last week. I always drift to the right side of the lane when I crest a hill if I'm not already on the right side. Last week it probably saved my life when I crested a hill just as a cage did from the other direction only it was at least a foot over the double yellow lines into MY LANE!. We were past each other before there was time to even react. WOW! I usually ride to the right anyway, now I for sure will if no other circumstances move me over. Just a drawback to living in the country with 2 lane roads.

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Ron
South Central Missouri

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sluggo

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moses lake washington
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Re: Street Survival
Reply #6 - 01/10/06 at 21:13:23

short round wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:01:

A little different than the others but I had a scare last week. I always drift to the right side of the lane when I crest a hill if I'm not already on the right side. Last week it probably saved my life when I crested a hill just as a cage did from the other direction only it was at least a foot over the double yellow lines into MY LANE!. We were past each other before there was time to even react. WOW! I usually ride to the right anyway, now I for sure will if no other circumstances move me over. Just a drawback to living in the country with 2 lane roads.

i always ride on the right side as i only have a left hand mirror. keeps people from sneaking up on me.

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SINGLES RULE, HARLEYS DROOL

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