Summer Rants & Pet Peeves

8ninety8 said:

One of the cardinal rules in driver ed. was keep to the right unless to pass. Is any of this taught today? Do high schools have these classes today?

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That's not the only "old school" rule that seems to be ignored these days. What about the rule that said, when you pass a vehicle do not pull back in front of that vehicle until you can see BOTH headlights in your rear view mirror?

I am surprised at how often I see vehicles--both two and four-wheeled-- pass a truck and then, waaaay too quickly, pull back in front of the truck. Of course, I understand that motorcycle mirrors are not positioned to let the pilot follow that rule precisely: if your right side mirror is not adjusted correctly it will sometimes show the truck headlights before it is really safe to pull back over. A simple head check might be enough to let you know that you are too close to the truck to pull back over. Mostly though, situational awareness seems to be missing.

AK Beemer...Thanks

akbeemer said:

I believe his peeve is that drivers do not use the signal until after entering the exit ramp or starting other turns. It is as if many drivers think the meaning of a turn signal is, "Hey y'all, look what I just did!!"

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precisely

shortythorne said:

All of these are pet peeves of mine. It would be nice if everyone was perfect like me!

Regarding texting & cell phones in general..... While on a ride recently, Paul & I were behind a ding bat woman, obviously using her phone and driving really slow. We were all in a left turn lane and the ding bat just pulls into the median & stops, blocking any traffic behind her (US), and she is looking down (obviously texting). Paul gives his horn a blast and does she move? Nooooooooo, she rolls her window down and waves us around, still blocking any traffic behind her!! After all, her & her text is WAY more important than the safe flow of traffic .

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Grenades!

Good Guy

azgman said:

Indeed! I came upon a poor soul on a Connecticut back road who had just been abandoned by his Harley riding partners. He had a coil/sparkplug wire issue that I solved for him. He was amazed that I stopped and that I would carry tools!

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Hopefully he spread the word about the decent Motorcyclist who helped out !!!

Motorists who keep their turning light signals on for miles on the freeway.
On a positive note, I stay as far away from them, as they are clearly not paying attention.
Or drivers speeding with high beams at night on a remote highway blinding others.
Slow down! What are you trying to do - pass your own light cone?

High Beams

I'll second that High Beam irritation - doesn't matter if they're in your face or coming up from behind.
And that includes the safety-spouters who "want their bikes to stand out from the cars".

Many commercial vehicles seem to have their highs on ALL the time, may be a law?

A couple of days ago, I was on the San Diego Freeway, fairly heavy traffic (as usual) but moving at a decent clip... I'm in the #2 lane (HOV and #1 to my left), and waaaaay back I see a bright super-white light coming up fast... figure either it's a bike or motor officer in a hurry, no issue, I just maintained my place and speed... What comes along is a new Mercedes with a middle-aged female driver droning through, with all four of those LEDs blasting a hole for her. Grrr.

If I'm in my car and an SUV or truck gets behind me with his highs, I use my middle finger to flip the rear-view mirror.

Pauls1150 said:

I'll second that High Beam irritation - doesn't matter if they're in your face or coming up from behind.
And that includes the safety-spouters who "want their bikes to stand out from the cars".

Many commercial vehicles seem to have their highs on ALL the time, may be a law?

A couple of days ago, I was on the San Diego Freeway, fairly heavy traffic (as usual) but moving at a decent clip... I'm in the #2 lane (HOV and #1 to my left), and waaaaay back I see a bright super-white light coming up fast... figure either it's a bike or motor officer in a hurry, no issue, I just maintained my place and speed... What comes along is a new Mercedes with a middle-aged female driver droning through, with all four of those LEDs blasting a hole for her. Grrr.

If I'm in my car and an SUV or truck gets behind me with his highs, I use my middle finger to flip the rear-view mirror.

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I don't wanna be peeled off of someone's windshield with a stiff one-finger-salute.
Keeping High Beams on with oncoming traffic puts everyone at risk.
Shining the hills (and not the road) does not equal being safe at a greater speed, nor does using fog lights.
As for those Commerical Vehicles, yes, they have finally caught up and have LED for the better fleet - and they need 'em.

Pauls1150 said:

I'll second that High Beam irritation - doesn't matter if they're in your face or coming up from behind.
And that includes the safety-spouters who "want their bikes to stand out from the cars".

Many commercial vehicles seem to have their highs on ALL the time, may be a law?

A couple of days ago, I was on the San Diego Freeway, fairly heavy traffic (as usual) but moving at a decent clip... I'm in the #2 lane (HOV and #1 to my left), and waaaaay back I see a bright super-white light coming up fast... figure either it's a bike or motor officer in a hurry, no issue, I just maintained my place and speed... What comes along is a new Mercedes with a middle-aged female driver droning through, with all four of those LEDs blasting a hole for her. Grrr.

If I'm in my car and an SUV or truck gets behind me with his highs, I use my middle finger to flip the rear-view mirror.

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What do you do if you're blinded head on on a narrow highway, while you enjoy a late night ride?

Pauls1150 said:

I'll second that High Beam irritation - doesn't matter if they're in your face or coming up from behind.
And that includes the safety-spouters who "want their bikes to stand out from the cars".

Many commercial vehicles seem to have their highs on ALL the time, may be a law?

A couple of days ago, I was on the San Diego Freeway, fairly heavy traffic (as usual) but moving at a decent clip... I'm in the #2 lane (HOV and #1 to my left), and waaaaay back I see a bright super-white light coming up fast... figure either it's a bike or motor officer in a hurry, no issue, I just maintained my place and speed... What comes along is a new Mercedes with a middle-aged female driver droning through, with all four of those LEDs blasting a hole for her. Grrr.

If I'm in my car and an SUV or truck gets behind me with his highs, I use my middle finger to flip the rear-view mirror.

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Happy safety-spouter here....

I just knew that was gonna open up a big ol' can o' worms...! Fresh and squishy, where's my spork?

Some (most? all?) states have laws that require you to dip your high beams when within N number of feet of an on-coming vehicle, and when within N number of feet behind a vehicle ahead of you going the same way.
Law, common sense, and courtesy come together here. Thou shalt not blind the other guy.

If blinded head-on on a narrow road - First reaction is to haul all the way to my right (in this country) and hope that the drone wakes up and gets back into his lane in time; if he doesn't, a quickie counter-swerve over to the left.
But as Napolean and/or Sun Tzu said, "No battle plan survives engagement with the enemy."
Every situation is different.

We are all going to "ride our own ride" ... Adapt, or learn about consequences.

Next rant?

In my 850,000 BMW miles I always have used the high beam during daylight hours, and then low and high as appropriate when meeting or following after dark. I have been "flashed" by oncoming daytime traffic exactly 2 times. I do and will continue my current practice.

Pauls1150 said:

I just knew that was gonna open up a big ol' can o' worms...! Fresh and squishy, where's my spork?

Some (most? all?) states have laws that require you to dip your high beams when within N number of feet of an on-coming vehicle, and when within N number of feet behind a vehicle ahead of you going the same way.
Law, common sense, and courtesy come together here. Thou shalt not blind the other guy.

If blinded head-on on a narrow road - First reaction is to haul all the way to my right (in this country) and hope that the drone wakes up and gets back into his lane in time; if he doesn't, a quickie counter-swerve over to the left.
But as Napolean and/or Sun Tzu said, "No battle plan survives engagement with the enemy."
Every situation is different.

We are all going to "ride our own ride" ... Adapt, or learn about consequences.

Next rant?

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No rant - just some info.

Most states have laws that restrict the use of high beams, but only during hours of darkness, which is usually defined in statutes as 1/2 hr. before sunset until 1/2 hour after sunrise (-set and -rise determined by the U.S. Coast Guard). Such 'dimming' should occur within 500' (about 1 and 1/2 football fields) before encountering oncoming traffic or approaching traffic from the rear.

High beam use during daylight hours is typically legal.

While we each have our own methods of being conspicuous, if something is legal (such as Paul using high beams all the time during daylight operation), we ought to respect that and ride on.

brownie said:

Now that summer is in high gear....let's hear some of our rants & pet peeves we see on the road...

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The most annoying moment for me was during my annual ride to the Kootenays in July. I had just started into my favourite part, the Slocan Valley, when I came up on a guy driving a clapped out (cage) Ricer. I couldn't get by him, because he was passing traffic, and blocking me, in the few places where there was room. Then, when we finally got by the traffic, he tried to outrun me! Fortunately there is one long straight section in the Valley, where I did a full throttle roll - on, and got by him. I ran the bike up to 180 for a bit, to put some distance between us, but he dropped back.

A few kilometres later I came up on the first section of shaved, ribbed pavement, and I had to slow down. Most of the highway to New Denver was shaved....

Maybe riding the fresh asphalt next year will make up for it.

Pauls1150 said:

I just knew that was gonna open up a big ol' can o' worms...! Fresh and squishy, where's my spork?

Some (most? all?) states have laws that require you to dip your high beams when within N number of feet of an on-coming vehicle, and when within N number of feet behind a vehicle ahead of you going the same way.
Law, common sense, and courtesy come together here. Thou shalt not blind the other guy.

If blinded head-on on a narrow road - First reaction is to haul all the way to my right (in this country) and hope that the drone wakes up and gets back into his lane in time; if he doesn't, a quickie counter-swerve over to the left.
But as Napolean and/or Sun Tzu said, "No battle plan survives engagement with the enemy."
Every situation is different.

We are all going to "ride our own ride" ... Adapt, or learn about consequences.

Next rant?

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LOL, ride on!

Learning a new set of rules or NO RULES

I spend about 6 months out of the year in Taiwan. I'll mention just a few things that tick me off.

1. Cars making U turns in the middle of the road which everyone does even though it's against the law.
2. Cars that pull out in front of you without looking which everyone does.
3. Cars that run red lights which everyone does. When the light turns red, at least three to four more cars always run thorough it.
4. There is a 5' marked scooter lane on the right side of the road in between the regular lane and cars parked on the side of the road. But, cars always park in the scooter lane also.
5. Cars that turn right without giving a signal when you are continuing on across the intersection in the scooter lane.

I could go on and on. I have learned to drive here under these unwritten rules/no rules. You know, "when in Rome do as the Romans do." Or die.

Also, the policemen in their cars here do not stop anyone for any reason. You can have a drag race down through town or do any of the things I mentioned above and no problem with them, unless there is a wreck. They ride around in there cars all day with the lights flashing where they will be seen.

I rode a r1150 (smuggled in from Japan in pieces) for a few years (late 90's/early 2000) here when those bikes (anything over 150cc) were not even allowed on the Island. I would get stopped sometimes by the cops. My tag said, "BMW", I had no license. After taking my helmet off and they seeing I'm a Westerner, they would just say, "go" as they didn't want to deal with it. They are generally nice guys and do what they want until there is an accident and then they direct traffic.

Bottom line is when you are in a foreign country, you have to learn to drive as they do or be pissed all the time.

High beams during day is taught in BRC, so I can't bitch too much if I encounter it, doesn't mean I like it.
I hate staring into high beams, always have, always will.

I don't know what they teach in Driver's Ed programs you pay someone to educate your child.
I do know what I taught my daughter before I unleashed her onto the world this summer in parent taught driver's ed.

She hates impatient drivers who can't exit the highway behind her and instead go around her before exiting. (That seems to have carried over from my muttering when I drove her for years)
She doesn't blink last moment nor too early)
She was taught that bikes have a full lane just like her. (And I taught her before I knew I'll have a bike again after 20 years)
She was taught to always turn her head to look into her blind spot.
To check her mirrors periodically, to know traffic around her and to give her awareness of who travels how fast around her.
The Truemotion app we made her install shows her being the second best driver in family, no speeding, no distracted driving (app registers when screen is on during drive), no late hours, just the occasional hard brakes, which have come down a lot lately and her score keeps climbing.

Doing the paperwork was annoying but I wanted her to be taught right, as talking to coworkers and seeing other drivers was obvious isn't done right in the US (anymore? this thread suggests things used to be better)

So really my biggest pet peeve might be the lack of standardized, thorough driver's ed requirements.

Or not being able to stop on a yellow light even if I could stop my cage easily because the guy behind you always seems to think "I'll make it too", resulting in screeching tires.
Have not stopped on yellow once since getting my bike.



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https://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/MSF-Quick-Tips-Pretend-You-Are-Invisible.pdf

Always have your headlight on, and use your high beam or an aftermarket headlight modulator during the day (where allowed).

Okay, I have to give a HD guy some credit. I like to take photographs of abandoned buildings. The other day I found an old abandoned farmhouse out in the middle of nowhere so I pulled off the road to take a few pictures. A guy in a pickup truck - with Harley stickers on the rear window and a Harley front plate - stopped to see if I needed any help. I thought that was a nice thing to do.


And now a pet peeve - I live in a small town. Lately it has become popular of inconsiderate drivers to make U-turns on the central, downtown street to get to a parking place on the other side of the street. That is both illegal and inconsiderate.

AKsuited said:

https://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/MSF-Quick-Tips-Pretend-You-Are-Invisible.pdf

Always have your headlight on, and use your high beam or an aftermarket headlight modulator during the day (where allowed).

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I also use my high beam during the day when I approach a heavy intersection with high accident occurrence in combination with my flashers.
On said intersections I don't bother lane splitting to get to the front of the pack. I've seen too many running red lights.
Whatever works for you, ride safe!

I hate it when the summer construction crews get to my favourite roads before I do.