[shimshimhada]

http://ruiner.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/howclose.mpg

Makr stole this from me.

[Hunter399]

Damn

[sdorn]

I got rid of my motorcycle because it is just too dangerous to drive around Atlanta.

[HRC]

Riding has made me a safer driver. When I was on my bikes, I always assumed nobody saw me...saved me a few times! I drive the same way.

Danny

[BMW F22]

Holy shit!!

[hotsand5]

Thank you sooo much for posting this thread, and I'll keep bumping it for you shimshimshada! I cannot tell you how many times a person in a car (we call them cages) can look you directly in the eye and not "see" you. I cannot tell you how many times people don't look in their mirrors before changing lanes, and it seems like they change lanes at full wheel lock, talking on the phone, and never giving a turn signal in their full size 2 ton chevy suburban (which prepares us to either slow up, down or honk and get out of the way).

In april of 05 I was driving my 04' suzuki gsxr 750, going 35 mph. As I crossed the intersection with a green light, a car made a left turn in front of me. At only 35 mph, with full armor padded leather jacket, jeans, gloves, Shoei helmet, and combat boots, I sustained ONLY a broken collarbone, messed up shoulder, and road rash on my legs as I hit the ground face first, slid down the street and my bike slid into the back of a ford explorer getting pinned underneath, while my collarbone and shoulder breaks the bumper off the car. I'm about 6'1" and 180lbs, and if I were smaller, I would have probably been worse off. The bike had over $9,000 in damages (which was then totalled). After being out of work for 6 weeks, I bought a yamaha warrior. People are probably thinking I am nuts for buying another bike, but unless you have ridden before, you will never understand!

I'm sorry about the long thread guys, but I really want to shout out the importance of being aware of traffic around you. If you see a bike on the road, please leave extra distance in case we have to brake suddenly. Or if on a 2+ lane road, then don't drive next to us and leave us room in case we have to swerve to aviod an object in the road like tires, potholes, debris, etc. You hate the loud pipes on our bikes and are annoyed, but you can hear us while in your car right?

[deutschmann59]

Yeah that's the problem I have with driving motorcycles. It's not that I'm afraid I'll hit something on the bike and fall off...I'm afraid of other drivers.

There was a story of a bike stopped at a red light and the guy behind him driving a car never noticed the bike or the red light and barreled through the intersection, rear-ending the biker.

How can you plan for something like that???

[ksfrogman]

Originally Posted by HRC

Riding has made me a safer driver. When I was on my bikes, I always assumed nobody saw me...saved me a few times! I drive the same way.

Danny

I totally agree. Riding has made me much more aware of bikers. This is why I drive with my daytime running lights. Some people can't even see cars.

[longtran]

i have never ride before, but i do watch out for those guys when i drive.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by hotsand5

Thank you sooo much for posting this thread, and I'll keep bumping it for you shimshimshada! I cannot tell you how many times a person in a car (we call them cages) can look you directly in the eye and not "see" you. I cannot tell you how many times people don't look in their mirrors before changing lanes, and it seems like they change lanes at full wheel lock, talking on the phone, and never giving a turn signal in their full size 2 ton chevy suburban (which prepares us to either slow up, down or honk and get out of the way).

In april of 05 I was driving my 04' suzuki gsxr 750, going 35 mph. As I crossed the intersection with a green light, a car made a left turn in front of me. At only 35 mph, with full armor padded leather jacket, jeans, gloves, Shoei helmet, and combat boots, I sustained ONLY a broken collarbone, messed up shoulder, and road rash on my legs as I hit the ground face first, slid down the street and my bike slid into the back of a ford explorer getting pinned underneath, while my collarbone and shoulder breaks the bumper off the car. I'm about 6'1" and 180lbs, and if I were smaller, I would have probably been worse off. The bike had over $9,000 in damages (which was then totalled). After being out of work for 6 weeks, I bought a yamaha warrior. People are probably thinking I am nuts for buying another bike, but unless you have ridden before, you will never understand!

I'm sorry about the long thread guys, but I really want to shout out the importance of being aware of traffic around you. If you see a bike on the road, please leave extra distance in case we have to brake suddenly. Or if on a 2+ lane road, then don't drive next to us and leave us room in case we have to swerve to aviod an object in the road like tires, potholes, debris, etc. You hate the loud pipes on our bikes and are annoyed, but you can hear us while in your car right?

Dang man that's crazy stuff. It scares me everytime I see someone riding a motorcycle with just a t-shirt, jeans, and like a baseball cap.

[mjh93sa]

This is part of a TV campaign being run in the UK at the moment. Motorcycle News challenged the Road Safety Minister to ditch his chauffeur driven car for a week and ride a bike instead.

Apart from saying how much he enjoyed the riding, he was appalled at the lack of respect given to him as a motorcyclist by car drivers. This camapaign was launched shortly after as a direct result of this. More:
http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campaigns/motorcycles/motorcycles02.htm

I have never ridden a motorcycle, but as a motorcycle roadracing fan I try to be aware of bikes and drive in as considerate a manner as possible. However, just as with cars it's amazing how many discourteous riders there are... a quick flick of the hand or boot in acknowledgement goes a long way when you have moved off line or created a gap for them. It is noticable that the most inconsiderate riders are often those in jeans and t-shirts, whereas the most courteous are often on a sports bike with a loud can and full race leathers.

If you ever go to the Isle of Man, you'll quickly learn to look for bikes, usually in the rear view mirror. There is certainly more consideration on both sides. Cars will make space and indicate to acknowledge the bikes, who more often than not say thankyou as the scream by.

As for load pipes, the loadest I've experienced was Ian Lougher on a race 250 with a broken exhaust. That was physically painfull - and absolutely Brilliant!

The best road in the world, for car or bike (no speed limit):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...71926523672251

[climkt]

just the other day, i was on a busy highway and tried to change to the faster right lane to merge with faster traffic. heard a persistent horn. looked in rear door mirrors 3x, nothing there. then i saw the motorcyclist. he was riding on the road , right in the middle between the 2nd and the 3rd lane. talk about trying to be a stealth pilot! trying hard to be in someone's blind spot . i know riding slowly in the middle of the lane is annoying, but deliberately cruising in between lanes and putting oneself in a driver's blindspot is just asking for it!
________
LINCOLN BLACKWOOD PICTURE
________
NO2 VAPORIZER
________
Motorcycle tires
________
UNIVERSAL HEALTH

[LEDZEP]

Here's the thing. You can't have it both ways, as many motorcyclists would like. I treat a bike just like a car - I give him a couple car lengths distance, make sure it's safe to move into his lane, etc. Granted they are by nature more difficult to see and so there will always be an inherent risk.

But how often do we see bikers zipping in and out of lanes, riding on the shoulder in traffic jams, even between lanes of cars, etc.? If you don't operate your bike according to the same rules as cars then you have no right to complain.

[ksfrogman]

I agree there are those share of obnoxious riders, but you have to ride to see for yourself. You are truly invisible to a lot of car drivers, even if you ride defensively. It is unbelievable.


...And as quick and fast as motorcycles are to accelerate and manuever, it takes just as long to stop a motorcycle as it does a car.

[makr]

You stole this from me Shim.


Good stuff though.

[ThreeBimm]

I hate driving around bikes. I'm very cautious around them. I hate knowing that if I hit them there is nothing protecting them and they are likely to get very hurt.

[325 Baller]

I watched that three times, and got the chills everytime that biker hit the car.