I just started riding with earplugs a few days ago, and I must admit it is a whole different world on my bike.
So last night I'm on a familiar route home and I look in my mirror and there's the red and blue lights flashing, so I ease over to let him by but he got sticky to me.
I shut down and pull off my helmet and this guy is very angry saying things I couldn't even hear. I interrupted his dialog with some words like "hang on a second" as I carefully pulled out my earplugs (trying not to pull out my eardrum).
I started to apologize to him for whatever violation I committed, when he cuts in and says "I've been chasing you for a mile, and I blared my siren 4 times and you didn't stop". Hell! If I only knew he was there, I would've. Bummer, those earplugs are good!!
When I explained to him that I just started wearing these plugs a few days ago, he says "If you say that, I will cite you also for driving with a distraction".
This guy is not negotiating. And I get the 49 in a 30mph zone.
OK, the earplugs need some getting used to.
Distraction he calls it?
What do you call a Tailgater that's 20 feet off your tail, chasing you down with a 2 ton sledgehammer/grinder combo? Where is the police officer when somebody violates your safety zone? How often does a police officer cite someone for tailgating?
I've gone thru speed traps with tailgaters on my back tire and the LEO did NOTHING, leaving me to the mercy of this potential involuntary murderer.
Since I started driving at age 16.5, I've been rear-ended 3 times at red lights and in stop and go traffic. I've also avoided a bad accident by blasting thru a red light on my Tiger, getting out of the way of a ballistic car that skidded right thru the intersection and would've definitely maimed me for life.
I've also avoided slamming my Jeep into another car that just got rear ended as she pulled out of a gas station. After slamming into the Toyota at 55mph, the Ford Explorer flipped forward onto it's radiator grille (I'm sure the driver had his foot on the brake at that point, 'cuz it went all the way over onto it's roof). All this is happening two lanes over from me, so when I looked forward, there's the toyota going backwards at a 45 deg angle bouncing off the center divider. I could see the womans hair clips, she was so close. I declared to myself that I will do anything to avoid slamming into her at 50mph, so I swerved and made it thru. I had a chance to talk to her a few months later, since I was the only witness to step forward, she thanked me...it felt good.
Over the years, I've developed a survival technique on the road that may not be aligned with state law, but because of my clean record, I believe that I am a safe driver.
And if the officers want to give me a ticket without negotiations, slowly stripping me of my respect for the law, allowing the tailgaters to proliferate, then just go right ahead.
As for me, I will do anything to survive on my motorcycle out on the roads. I can control what's in front of me, but the only way to control what's behind you is to avoid the threat...if there is no way to move over,
I WILL GAS IT FAST, regardless of speed limits.
For me, death will not come from behind.
I know this is long, but I had to air out, and thanks for reading my words.
