Sometimes Cages don't even look.

[burkbuilds]

I was in the left lane today going about 45 mph and was alongside of a full size pick up truck with two women in it. The driver, never signaled, and never glanced at her side view mirror, she just came over into my lane. I hit my brakes hard and then my horn, but she never even glanced anywhere, just seemed to continue talking to the lady in the passenger seat. I was practically even with her door when she came over and there was a high curb on my left so no where to go to evade her. I followed her for about a mile after that and the entire time I never saw her head turn and look anywhere but straight ahead. Sorry for the rant, but some people should not be driving, anything. I could have been wearing strobe lights and I don't think she would have noticed.

[GZ Jess]

Every time I am on the bike as a passenger or riding myself someone cuts me off! EVERY SINGLE TIME! It is really scary and I spend all of my energy watching everyone else! I'm glad you were safe!

[Water Warrior 2]

Don't ride beside a cage ever. Hang back a bit or speed up and get ahead of it a bit. I know that may be difficult in some places but try to find a piece of road to call your own without being beside another vehicle.

[burkbuilds]

WW, that is very good advice, unfortunately, in Atlanta Traffic, you are almost always beside somebody, if you get behind them in a different lane, they just cut over in front of you and someone else pulls up beside you. Traffic here is horrible, when I finally graduate, there won't be enough money to entice me to move into a crowded city! Even my small home town is getting to busy for my taste, and there are only 60,000 people in the entire county there. Atlanta is a really strange place, only about 500,000 people actually live in the city, but over 2 million commute in and out every day, crazy traffic.

[Water Warrior 2]

2 million commuters sounds really ugly. Do you have a Stebel air horn yet ?

[burkbuilds]

No, but I was definitely wanting something loud at that moment when the truck came over into my lane! Up until now, I haven't really thought much about it, but now I'm thinking it would be well worth having an air horn.

[burkbuilds]

WW, you convinced me. I just ordered a Stebel Nautilus Air horn and wiring kit for my bike.

[Water Warrior 2]

You will love the air horn. Word of warning though, do not test it out in a confined space. They are that loud. Mine died due to operator error but I was more than satisfied with it. Bought a Fiam Freeway Blaster and was really disappointed when comparing the 2 for attention getting results. That was about 3 months ago and I think I wasted my money. Air horn time is in the future for safety's sake. ................And forest rats really pay attention. I even saved a bear cub from sure death when I scared him back into the bushes when he was trying to cross the highway with heavy traffic.

[burkbuilds]

You should get a job marketing for them WW. You could change their slogan to "I saved the world with my Strebel Air Horn". Or, "Buy a Stebel Air Horn and save a baby bear cub". Or how about, "With a Strebel Air horn, your life isn't the only one you might be saving". Or maybe, "Live Responsibly, buy a strebel air horn and save endangered species from extinction". :biggrin: On the other side of that type of thinking, did you know that if not for the invention of the automobile, Possums would have taken over the world years ago. O_o

[Water Warrior 2]

Actually I have had a lot of chuckles with the air horn. A wandering cell driver had a hard time hearing her cell with my air horn howling at her.
Also scared a couple folks so bad they almost flipped their phones out the window.
Will be ordering a new Stebel in the next few days. Got to thinking about my own comment about forest rats and our up and coming trip to the Yukon this summer. Loud horns save lives. :lol:

[patrick_777]

Ooo, they come in chrome too!

http://tinyurl.com/32qj2b9

[GZ250]

Glad nothing happened and your managed the truck attack. People do all sort of stuff without realizing that when they come in front with a short margin it is harder and difficult to stop a bike compared to a car. When someone does that and its possible I always approach and their front and look hard at them. They can't see my face because of black visor but at least they should realize their mistake.

But I would say that the situation is not very bad in this state or area. Does this attitude varies state to state? no offence but drivers in NY and NJ are rough in general. So the attitude towards morotcycles/riders might vary also.

[Water Warrior 2]

Ooo, they come in chrome too!

http://tinyurl.com/32qj2b9
That would be the cheap plastic chrome finish horn. The real chrome horn is mega bucks. The plastic chrome finish looks not too bad overall[attachment=0:2be1ij4f]M-50 pics 012.JPG[/attachment:2be1ij4f]

[mrlmd1]

The Stebel was one of the first accessories I put on my S50, like it's not loud enough. It pays off, it can be heard inside a car with the windows up, AC and radio on, and the driver has no clue what's making that noise and has to look around, then sees you. Or it scares the crap out of them, which is OK too.
http://s4.postimage.org/d4gyA.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVd4gyA)

[patrick_777]

Nice, bright REFLECTOR. :poke2:

[burkbuilds]

I ordered the plastic chrome unit, for about $50. I think they wanted at least 3 x's that for the metal chrome one.

[blaine]

I ordered the plastic chrome unit, for about $50. I think they wanted at least 3 x's that for the metal chrome one.


Plastic don't rust or pitt.

[mrlmd1]

I think I paid $29 for mine. I prefer the black, less obtrusive, blends in with the rest of the bike's color, one less thing to try and keep shiny and clean, just as loud.
BTW, if you want to split up the horn into 2 pieces, you can run another longer air hose between the compressor and the horn, to hide it better or if you have a problem mounting it.

[Water Warrior 2]

I think I paid $29 for mine. I prefer the black, less obtrusive, blends in with the rest of the bike's color, one less thing to try and keep shiny and clean, just as loud.
BTW, if you want to split up the horn into 2 pieces, you can run another longer air hose between the compressor and the horn, to hide it better or if you have a problem mounting it.
Do you know how to do that. Would love to have pics and instructions for a hornectomy.

[mrlmd1]

The 2 parts just come apart. I believe it's in the instruction sheet that comes with the horn. I'll try to find it and post it here - it may be a day or two as I'm going on a 2 day sailboat race.

[Water Warrior 2]

The 2 parts just come apart. I believe it's in the instruction sheet that comes with the horn. I'll try to find it and post it here - it may be a day or two as I'm going on a 2 day sailboat race.
Thank you. Have fun boat racing.

[5th_bike]

Don't ride beside a cage ever. Hang back a bit or speed up and get ahead of it a bit. I know that may be difficult in some places but try to find a piece of road to call your own without being beside another vehicle.

I second that, and always divide the cars in the lane(s) next to mine in 1) the ones that have seen me 2) the ones that don't know I'm there, because they didn't bother to check their mirror. Re: 1) when they come from behind and then drive next to you, you can be pretty sure that they have seen you, but Re: 2) but when you come up on them, you'd better go through their blind spot as fast as possible.


Do you have a Stebel air horn yet ?

No, I've known about them for a while now, and I want one now, getting tired of the 'Road Runner' style "meep meep" of the stock horn.