A Harley Rider was NICE to me

[Water Warrior 2]

[quote=Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by "Water Warrior":3w46xkf5

Had a rude rider pass me on the right side while I was making a left turn.

What ???

Let's see a show of hands......how many riders would NOT do that if the guy making the left was well out of the way and was waiting to turn ??
I would slow down but would not give it a second thought.

While it might be technically illegal, it seems pretty dumb to stop if there is plenty of room to go by. (And no, I don't approve of "lane splitting" under most circumstances either.)

[Edit] Just occurred to me that you didn't specify what you were driving at the time. I assumed bike in my reply. If it was a cage then...........never mind. :roll:[/quote:3w46xkf5]
Was on my bike and he passed me while I was going around the turn. He might have been gambling on his smaller size and manueverability but might is right if the sh*t hits the fan. There were 2 left turn lanes and "WE" were in the left most lane. With cages in the right most left turn lane he had no where to go if I moved over to the right in my own lane once we were half way around the turn.

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by ncff07

I think we all have a phase when were growing up and think were invincible but its always bad when something like that happens. But sometimes its not always the kids though. Theres been 5 or 6 bike fatalities in this county alone so far this year. The one that sticks out in my head was a 25 year old that had just taken the MSF class and passed it and when he wrecked he had just left the DMV getting his endorsement 15 minutes before and was on some sport bike doing over 120 and lost it. Too much bike too soon and not enough experience although I dont think id ever venture to get that fast no matter what im on.

That is why a graduated licensing system is in need. Trouble is most North Americans would cry and scream about their rights being violated. Yup, get your endorsement, get a really fast bike and exercise your right to kill yourself. Just don't take out somebody else when you die.

[ncff07]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

That is why a graduated licensing system is in need. Trouble is most North Americans would cry and scream about their rights being violated. Yup, get your endorsement, get a really fast bike and exercise your right to kill yourself. Just don't take out somebody else when you die.

The really scary thing about where I got my endorsement(North Carolina) was how the DMV does it, in order to get the full motorcycle endorsement you have to take a written test plus a road test which is riding in their parking lot around cones and braking and stuff like that and the DMV waves that riding test if you pass the MSF class BUT the thing is you can take just the written test and no road test or class and theyll give you a motorcycle learners permit which is good for 18 months even if the person has NEVER been on a bike before and doesn't know anything about riding one other than reading the handbook.

And that person has full riding priveledges with it other than riding with a passenger. They cant have a passenger until they get a full endorsement.

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

Had a rude rider pass me on the right side while I was making a left turn.

At least he passed you on the right when you were going left. I've had a few near misses with the impatient passing me on the right when I was going right, and on the left when going left. I wouldn't say I'm at 100% but I have gotten much, much better at (nearly) always checking with my head (not the mirrors) before I go to the left or right. A few times I've been surprised to see someone or something there that I was not expecting. My current habit I'm trying to tame is the tendency to look behind me for too long as I'm changing lanes and then, when I turn back to the front, discover the traffic has stopped (and I am inches from climbing up someone's bumper.) I've had two really close calls with this. Traffic out here seems like it can regularly go from 85 to 0 in a few seconds and if it happens when you are looking behind you it's at minimum gonna be a near miss. The Strat has fantastic brakes. The GZ, well it's a lot lighter and doesn't go as fast, but the brakes are not what I'd call fantastic.

[dhgeyer]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

That is why a graduated licensing system is in need. Trouble is most North Americans would cry and scream about their rights being violated. Yup, get your endorsement, get a really fast bike and exercise your right to kill yourself. Just don't take out somebody else when you die.

That's the dilemma we have, and I think more so in the US than Canada. The conflict between freedom and saving lives. It isn't just motorcycles, either. It's harder to get a license to drive a car in Germany than in the US; much harder. And, it's a lot easier to lose it. I think that's probably true in most of the European countries, although I don't have that data.

Of course, if you make it harder to get a license, fewer people will, so fewer motorcycles will get sold/built/available used and etc. We would lose political clout, which we have a little of, at least, although not much the majority of places. Some dealers would die, maybe some manufacturers. The entire pastime would get more expensive as it got rarer. The Jap brands are pretty safe, as we are no longer their big market, but some of the smaller brands could die out. And fewer people would die.

A culture of freedom, or one of legislated safety? Where do you draw the line? Tiered licenses? A real training course that takes weeks or months, and really trains you on how to ride safely in traffic, maintain your bike, deal with emergency situations, and survive? The MSF course we have is better than nothing, but only barely so in comparison to what a real training course would entail.

Tough questions. I think I favor tiered licensing. I also think some real consequences for abusing the freedom we have would save a lot of lives. Ride stupid, get caught, you don't ride anymore. Period. The young lady (car driver) that caused our accident and permanently disabled my wife didn't even get a ticket for failing to yield the right of way. If we want to get serious about saving motorcyclists' lives, one piece of the equation must be a system under which, if you cause a serious accident involving a motorcycle, bicyclist, or pedestrian, you never drive again legally, or at least not for several years. Right now, we're a freebie.

Lots to think about.

[BillInGA]

Originally Posted by ncff07

And that person has full riding priveledges with it other than riding with a passenger. They cant have a passenger until they get a full endorsement.

In Georgia you can get your motorcycle permit after taking the written exam, but you are limited: no passengers, no divided highways and daytime only. It's only good for 6 months, but can be renewed indefinitely. I've met some riders who have never done anything but renew their permit.

Full privileges are bestowed upon passing the practical test, which involves dodging some cones, negotiating curved lines and some braking. Nothing as rigorous as the California test, which is the only other one I'm familiar with.

Bill

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

There were 2 left turn lanes and "WE" were in the left most lane.

Oops, that's different than my first understanding.

You BOTH were turning left and he passed you while in the same lane.

I got it; I'd be pissed too.......just like when a jackass pickup truck rabbits into a right turn lane at the first possible second, passing several cars in the lane he just left, some of whom might be turning right too.....only to then wait at the light for the traffic to clear. Mindless hotdogs.

I'm really sad that my beat up old pickup finally died.
I had some fun with it on a couple of occasions. :whistle:

[5th_bike]

Originally Posted by dhgeyer

If we want to get serious about saving motorcyclists' lives, one piece of the equation must be a system under which, if you cause a serious accident involving a motorcycle, bicyclist, or pedestrian, you never drive again legally, or at least not for several years. Right now, we're a freebie.

Lots to think about.

Reminds me, I was in Turkey once, the pedestrians there enjoy respect from cars because if a car kills a pedestrian, the driver gets charged with murder. I heard of a taxi driver committing suicide after he hit and killed a child (with his car, and not intentionally, of course). Very sad story, yet I like that law.