Triumphrat

chisel

I've been witnessing some unusually strange behavior from the cagers. I am curious if any of you have also noticed it. What's been happening is that cagers seemed to think that cutting me off is a good safety technique. I will provide the two latest examples below:

1) Driving along in the number 2 lane on a city street. A compact pickup is in the number 1 lane a good deal ahead of me. A pedestrian crosses at a crosswalk not governed by stop signs or lights. The compact truck is slowing to a stop, checks his rear view mirror, apparently sees me coming, and then swerves halfway into my lane as he stops.

I am assuming they did this to "protect" the pedestrian in case i didn't see them. Unfortunately, all it did was cause me to go "***!", readjust my braking distance, and my intended stopping location.

2) This morning i was splitting lanes on city streets as traffic was unusually heavy and at a standstill. I pick my way through until i see that a little ways up ahead there's a gap where the cars weren't parked right up on the bumpers of the cars they were following. Being an experienced lane splitter, i recognize this open space as a danger zone. I slow down even slower than i was already going, and look for a lane changer or someone turning on/off the street at the intersection.

Just as i'm getting to the car at the gap, i see the woman behind the wheel check her review mirror. I also see through her windshield the left hand turning pickup that she and the other car are making room for. However, much like the man in the compact pickup, her mirror check was one of those "one hand on the wheel pulling yourself closer just to be sure you're seeing what you're really seeing in the rearview" moves. She then moves the car over towards the one next to her dropping the gap between them down to about 6 inches at the nose.

Again, i'm assuming she was only looking out for my safety by preventing me from driving in front of a left hand turning vehicle. However, all it did was make me stop waaayyyy before i had planned to in a very unexpected manner.

This last one got me thinking and inspired me to post about it. I believe that it was abrupt enough that, if the situation occurred back in my early years of riding, i would have grabbed a handful of front brake and promptly dumped myself on the asphalt.

It also got me wondering how often this occurred since i don't hear much about it. Does this happen to anyone else, or am i alone in this phenomenon?

.

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Those who behave like sheep should not be surprised when they get fleeced.

Baltobonneville

I haven't noticed it, but it sure is a dumb stunt.

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Marty
2005 Bonneville Blue 790cc, AI removed, Staintunes RC, Unifilter, no snorkel, 118/40/Thrux needle/1 shim/3 turns, tachometer, Ikon 7610s in back, Ricor Intiminators in front, Pirelli Sport Demons, D9 gauge panel.

road dog

Maybe it's just their usual poor driving skills. Like an attempt to change lanes before they actually see you approaching them in their mirror, at the last second.

I honestly doubt any cagers are making an attempt to try and warn you of the situation. It's more likely that they're out to get you... any way they can.

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-Phil

fivehundo

I see you live in L.A.

Get used to it! I've had people do all kinds of ridiculous things for reasons unknown to me. I had a guy open his door when I was lane-splitting once. He regretted that "stunt"...

The drivers in this region tend to be either completely discourtious, or completely aloof. BE CAREFUL!!!

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"The Father wove the skein of your life a long time ago. Go and hide in a hole if you wish, but you won't live one instant longer. Your fate is fixed. Fear profits a man nothing." Herger the Joyous

Thruxton-Texas

I can't really comment on the first situation, maybe the pick-up driver is antagonistic toward motorcyclists in general.

And before I comment on the second, I know that lane splitting is legal in California and I'm not taking any cheap shots here. But, lane splitting aggravates car drivers; they see it as getting an unfair advantage. And since they can't do it too, they think that you should wait your turn and suffer right along with them. Some think (wrongly), that since they have the higher moral ground, irregardless of the laws, and because they are swinging a bigger club, they can play at enforcing the situation. The only thing that will change the mind of these arrogant A**holes is a slap upside the head; in reality, it's best to avoid road rage confrontations. The one time I tried my hand at lane splitting (illegal here in Texas), no one tried to cut me off, but the evil stares from all the cagers kept me from trying it a second time. The little bit of time I shaved off my trip wasn't worth the possibility of having a collision, getting into a fist fight, or being shot ( lots of armed motorists here in Texas). ---James.

Baltobonneville

Reminds me of the fuel crisis and gas lines in the 70s, when the CB450 was my only transportation, other than the transit bus. In those days, the different grades of fuel each had their own pump, and the vast majority of automobile drivers used regular.

I would pull up without interfering with anyone, without getting in anyone's way, and without slowing anyone down in any way, and fill my motorcycle with premium. This nevertheless really aggravated the car drivers, who felt that I should wait in line, even though what I did had no effect on their wait.

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Marty
2005 Bonneville Blue 790cc, AI removed, Staintunes RC, Unifilter, no snorkel, 118/40/Thrux needle/1 shim/3 turns, tachometer, Ikon 7610s in back, Ricor Intiminators in front, Pirelli Sport Demons, D9 gauge panel.

propforward

Car drivers seem to be like that. Some miserable beeoch was yelling at me one night to get my bike out of the way while I was gloving up so she could fill her car up. After telling her I wouldn't be long she pulled her car around in front of me to box me in and went into the station to start yelling at the attendants.

I wish I could say that I took the high ground and just got out of there, but I was quite young and desperate to see the small guy get his just dues so I geared up, moved my bike around and yelled obscenities before riding off. Poor response on my part, and I wouldn't do it that way today.

As for the squeezing you maneover - I think that's just yer bog standard, average crap car driving.

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Rule 1: Cardio

Rustic Road Progress

Thruxton-Texas

After reading the last two posts, I'm beginning to reconsider my position on the slap up side the head; today's armored gloves seem tailor made for the purpose!: Perhaps another alternative is a novel device that injects metallic implants into the subject's head, causing cessation of all anti-social behavior; there is also a side benefit, the subject is then able to speak directly to God!::---James.

chisel

I've been in LA for 8 years and have experienced a lot of mean-spirited and inattentive crud. The difference in these events is that i don't believe these people had any onerous intentions and they were definitely paying attention. Their actions remind me of the parent who wacks their kid in the chest "to hold them back" when doing a panic stop in the car. The good intention is there, but it seems to do more harm than good.

I think the pickup incident may be misinterpreted because my comment was *** out and it sounds like i had to do some emergency evasive maneuvering. On the contrary, my comment was more like "What the heck are you thinking?" and it really didn't affect where i was going that much. I could have easily just gone around him before the pedestrian got to the gap he left. The truck more eased into my lane rather than lurched as if he was going to try and zip by the pedestrian himself.

I dunno. Maybe the reason that i'm finding this so fascinating is that there's someone actually trying to look out for a motorcyclist. I'm so used to be a target.

.

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Those who behave like sheep should not be surprised when they get fleeced.

davidc

The older I get, the less that crap bothers me, the the "head in butthole' drivers. Ahhh, I DO NOT miss the old days where I'd want to slap the sont out of them.