lee
Debbie's Servant
That's how I handle it.
Debbie has learned to blames everything on me and it works for her
I have not learned how to do the sad little puppy eye thing
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Is the Blue Ridge Parkway inherently dangerous?
- Thread starter rickdm
- Start date
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That's how I handle it.
Debbie has learned to blames everything on me and it works for her
I have not learned how to do the sad little puppy eye thing
I think you mean your ONTARIO insurance. Those of us in British Columbia have this year enjoyed a substantial decrease to our somewhat reasonable insurance rates. As well, for good drivers/riders, your discount is not tied to how many vehicles you insure, it is applied to every vehicle you insure.
But I don't want to turn this thread into one about insurance so, carry on.
I ride the Parkway between 45mph and 50mph, I just maintain the speed in the curves. Plenty fast to have fun. But I will pass on double yellow if I am in an open area with good visibility. I just don't have the patience to follow a car doing 35mph on the straights and 15mph in the corners. I will often pull off and give them a head start, but I'm right on their tail in half a mile. Not fun for me or them. Since I ride the Parkway early in the morning, this might happen once or twice a ride if at all.
wbrownell9
New member
Please stay in Idaho. Based on this, I don't want to share a road with you.
If the speed limit is X and you're going faster than that, you should get a ticket. If you're just keeping up with traffic, then everyone deserves one. And the highway engineers need to have another look at matching the road to the posted limit.
If you want to pay a special "go fast" registration fee, apply the money to a track day.
jr31
New member
I’m everywhere, dear. All the same, enjoy Delaware and the ultra-forgettable, mid-Atlantic roads you kids have. I’m delighted to share very little with you. My guess is you have precious little to offer aside from the roads you seem to think you own.
Anyway, if you “should” get a ticket every time you exceed the speed limit, are you implying that you get away with something each time you exceed the traffic impedance instruction and don’t, or that you never exceed posted guidance?
Either way, I find your position neither credible nor defensible. Indeed, I find it rather juvenile and yawningly tiresome. And so do you. And so do the people reading this right now. Mostly this is because it’s highly likely you use discretion to determine your speed and that you exceed posted limits at some point almost every time you operate a motor vehicle.
Don’t worry. The great majority of motor vehicle operators do that, you see. A small percentage (with an apparently outsized representation here) think they should get a ticket whenever they do so.
I don’t believe it is the dumbest thing I’ve ever read, but I think it may be in contention.
Feel free to phone the junior college criminology kids the next time you post a 56 in a 55. They’ll be pleased to help you get right with what you “should” get or what you “deserve”. Just give them a call and insist that you be cited.
I am pleased to help you in your journey to make your actions commensurate with your values.
A gift from the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene.
You’re welcome.
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davidsanders
Member
Highway engineers determine safe speeds for given stretches of highway but politicians determine speed limits. Don't you remember the "double nickel?" The Federal government decided the speed limit would be no higher than 55 mph. States didn't have to comply but would lose their Federal highways funds if they didn't. IIRC, at least one western state complied by issuing a $5 "energy surcharge" ticket that was good for the rest of the day.
I'm not a crazy driver: I have had one ticket in my life and it was 25 years ago. But in the last few years as I have started riding a motorcycle I have learned that I need to do, what I need to do, to keep me safe. If I need to accelerate well beyond the speed limit to get out of a sketchy situation, I will do that. If I need to roll through a stop sign because it is safer than merging into high speed traffic from a complete stop, I will do that. If I get stopped and the officer does not accept my explanation, then I'll pay the ticket. I am responsible for my own safety. Riding at the speed limit on a highway in Texas would be a pretty scary thing......
PGlaves
#13338
??? We do it all the time on our G310GSs, except on I-20 where the speed limit is 80. Then not so much. TX118 past our house has a 75 mph limit.
lee
Debbie's Servant
I wonder if he means you'll get run over if you do not ride faster than the speed limit?
I like the two lane speed limits.
Hwy 55
jr31
New member
Rational.
PGlaves
#13338
I think he means that the G310GSs are not that happy doing 80.
That is what I meant. I am not sure what he meant.
Just a guess, but since rickdm's part of Texas is Dallas, I would think that he does indeed mean that riding at the speed limit, and not above, is a good way to get run over.
At least, that was my experience pretty much every time I rode through Dallas. Applies equally to Memphis. And several other larger cities I've ridden through.
For some reason, people who were willing to do somewhere near the speed limit 40 miles from town seem to feel that they must speed up to at least 125% of the speed limit once they're in city limits.
Critical mass effect, sort of.
At least, that was my experience pretty much every time I rode through Dallas. Applies equally to Memphis. And several other larger cities I've ridden through.
For some reason, people who were willing to do somewhere near the speed limit 40 miles from town seem to feel that they must speed up to at least 125% of the speed limit once they're in city limits.
Critical mass effect, sort of.
I've been trying to follow this thread. Being somewhat familiar with the BRP, It seems as that if a rider doesn't import the 75-80 mph speed limit, the rider should be safe enough at the current posted 45/35 mph parkway speed. Oh, and if you get a ticket, you don't deserve it. Did I get that right?
Doug
Doug
davidsanders
Member
…. Y’all should try riding in Italy!
I have. And I felt a helluva lot safer there than I do in the US. I felt more at ease riding up Passo dello Stelvio on a lane and a half wide road and passing caravans than I do riding on I-81 in Virginia. Stelvio might be chaos, but it's organized chaos - unlike the sh!t show of 81. The sausage at the top of the hill was a lot better, too.
Interesting distinction: [from Institute of Transportation engineers]
Design Speed vs. Operating Speed
Transportation professionals involved in speed management use two terms when discussing the design and operation of a given road—the design speed and the operating speed. Design speed is used explicitly for determining minimum values for road design, such as horizontal curve radius and sight distance. The “green book” outlines means and methods that transportation professionals can use to select the appropriate design speed based on road type. Ultimately, design speed is selected by an agency with statutory authority to set speeds based on many factors. The selected design speed is then used to determine the various geometric design features, most notably the horizontal and vertical curvature. Other geometric design features such as cross-section elements, lane widths, shoulder width, the presence of curbs, etc., are determined based on the road function and safety. Most motorists will select a speed that they feel is reasonable and safe, influenced by the speed limit and design features of the road. Ideally, the speed a motorist feels is safe is the same as the designs speed selected.
Operating speed is a term used to describe the observed speed of a group of vehicles traveling on a section of road. A group of vehicles typically do not travel at the exact same speed; thus a speed study usually creates a speed distribution. With an engineering approach, a speed study is done for a specific road segment during a certain period of time for a specific sample set to determine mean speed and the speed distribution. From the speed distribution of a speed study, the 85th percentile can be determined from the cumulative distribution plot projecting horizontally from the 85th percentile level to the intersection of the plot and reading the speed at the horizontal axis. The 85th percentile speed may be determined to be the operating speed, may be considering in determining the safest design speed, or as a factor in setting a target speed. However, there are other factors that may need to be considered when determining the safest operating speed. Some transportation professionals are also considering other approaches, such as expert systems, safe system, and possibly a 50th percentile data point for safe urban streets. Ideally, the operating speed should be close to the speed limit.
https://www.ite.org/technical-resources/topics/speed-management-for-safety/setting-speed-limits/
The BRP is not "inherently" dangerous...it is inherently a road...
My favorite :
Anyone who drives slower than I is an idiot and anyone who drives faster than I is a maniac. I've softened that stance somewhat over the years, but thinking of it sometimes lets me laugh at myself!
My favorite :
Anyone who drives slower than I is an idiot and anyone who drives faster than I is a maniac. I've softened that stance somewhat over the years, but thinking of it sometimes lets me laugh at myself!
22600
rsbeemer
My answer to your question is, NO the Blue Ridge Parkway is not inherently dangerous? I've ridden it twice in my long life and it wasn't a problem. I've ridden Stelvio Pass in Italy and it was not a problem, but I stayed within my skill as a rider, plus my wife punched me in the kidney any time I thought about going faster.
I believe that riders who ride beyond their skill or what the bikes designed for is what's inherently dangerous. I'm just as guilty as the next on sometimes riding beyond my skill. But, yes some roads are more challenging. So, everyone has there on skill level and should try to stay within that.
And a word about the HWP and police; I give them all respect as they have a very challenging job to do. I don't want to make it harder for them or me if I get stopped. Most I have had a pleasure to meet have been very friendly. I got stopped last year by the Texas HWP while driving my RV; the wind was blowing me all over the road. He walks up and asks me if I was OK; he noticed me swerving a lot. I gave him my DL and CCP and said the wind is hell today. He then said that's what he thought and ask me where I carry my pistola. I told him it's right here in the door pocket. He said, "well, if you don't go for yours I won't go for mine." We both had a laugh and that was it. There's a few bad apples but most of them are OK.
I believe that riders who ride beyond their skill or what the bikes designed for is what's inherently dangerous. I'm just as guilty as the next on sometimes riding beyond my skill. But, yes some roads are more challenging. So, everyone has there on skill level and should try to stay within that.
And a word about the HWP and police; I give them all respect as they have a very challenging job to do. I don't want to make it harder for them or me if I get stopped. Most I have had a pleasure to meet have been very friendly. I got stopped last year by the Texas HWP while driving my RV; the wind was blowing me all over the road. He walks up and asks me if I was OK; he noticed me swerving a lot. I gave him my DL and CCP and said the wind is hell today. He then said that's what he thought and ask me where I carry my pistola. I told him it's right here in the door pocket. He said, "well, if you don't go for yours I won't go for mine." We both had a laugh and that was it. There's a few bad apples but most of them are OK.
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