Road Rage in Florida

[Jstpssng]

I've had very few "irritations" with bikers and give them a wide berth as I would like while riding.
The few bikers I've had any issues with were the "crotch rocket" riders that appear to have a death wish, driving insanely fast for the road and conditions. Come on down on your bike :thumbsup:

What always amazes me is when their "woman" is on back holding on for dear life.

 

[Industrial Toys]

If I do something stupid on the road, I am terribly apologetic. Some people's Ego's just take over when someone is yelling or swearing at them (and rightly so). It's actually amazing how when you want to say you're sorry, nothing got damaged and no one got hurt, but some just want to keep being mad at you. Like I said before, some people need a focus for all their anger and frustration.

 

[3930dave]

Deputies arrest alleged driver in Sarasota road rage incident

Thanks Gman.

If that is the guy, shall we assume that he was on his way to Rocket Science school at the Cape ?

Rgds, D.

 

[aczlan]

First of all, they don’t, they modulate the intensity of the low beam from 30-100%. They don’t work with high beam or at night.
Riders use them because they work. Over half of multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents are left-turners who failed to notice the bike.
They’re legal by federal law.

Riiiight, SUUUURE they all get put on the low beam. Many people have them on the high beam, just look at this thread: I'm all for motorcycle safety,but I find headlight modulators distracting | Adventure Rider
I suspect that the bike that I am thinking of also had a mis-aimed headlight in addition to a modulator on his high beam.
I am all for being seen, but like the OP in that thread on ADVRider, they make it hard to see turn signals and when you are riding in with a group of cars they are annoying. IMO, putting a pair of amber foglights on the bike and running them all the time will do MUCH more for your visibility without being annoying like a modulator.
Interestingly, one Signal Dynamics specifically mentions turning their modulator off in traffic:

Full Function You do not have to compromise between the high beam and low beam with a Signal Dynamics Plug & Play™ Headlight Module because this module will modulate your high OR low beam headlight(s)... you get to choose whenever you want! This feature is useful along with the ON/OFF feature: i.e. You're riding in heavy traffic and you don't want to annoy the bumper to bumper traffic ahead of you, so you switch your modulating low beam(s) off and turn on your solid non-modulating high beam(s).

You could always just pull your pickup over and let the motorcycle by. You’d both be happier.

If I am driving down the road at or slightly above the speed limit and a moron in a motorcycle wants to tailgate me, they are welcome to risk tasting my bumper if I have to stop suddenly.
I wont brake check them (might touch the brake pedal just enough to trip the brake lights a couple of times, but nothing more), but I wont run into something or someone to give a tailgater room to stop without hitting me.

Aaron Z

 

[3930dave]

Vehicle road lighting as practiced my many, is deteriorating.

Car/Truck Non-HID factory lights (ie. regular halogen) often have poor optical designs. To compensate, many people around here install higher output bulbs, that also seem to splatter more. The Hella conversions I used circa 1982 had way better optics, and output (with a stock H4 bulb) than what I see today. Progress......

Then, there's the clowns with the light-bars. I've driven to Yellowknife - use 'em for roads like that, not in populated areas....

IIRC Aaron, you don't street ride. Virtually nobody would be messing with MC lighting options like we're discussing if car/truck drivers would stop turning left across the path of oncoming MCs. People spend time/money on this because riders are getting killed by other people's mistakes.

Rgds, D.

 

[swnoel]

Only an idiot would do this riding a donorcycle... then again illegal aliens have right too! Apparently he's being singled out ...

 

[aczlan]

IIRC Aaron, you don't street ride. Virtually nobody would be messing with MC lighting options like we're discussing if car/truck drivers would stop turning left across the path of oncoming MCs. People spend time/money on this because riders are getting killed by other people's mistakes.

I don't ride on the road, just out back on the moped from time to time. I have various family members and friends who do ride on the road. Personally, I put it in the same category as those who think they are safer with their "loud pipes"
Not that much difference in safety and very annoying.

Aaron Z

 

[MossRoad]

I think the flashing headlight in the daytime on motorcycles works as intended. You certainly notice them, and that's what its supposed to do. Lots of people poo-poo'd daytime running lights on cars, too. I like them. If the lights in my mirrors bother me, I just flip the night mirror on and I'm good.

I've been in two motorcycle/car collisions. No injuries. But both times, the car was coming towards me, and made a left turn in front of me, realized their mistake, and stopped blocking my lane. Both times I had nowhere to go, cars coming towards me in the left lane, and if I'd gone right, I'd end up in front of the oncoming car, and if they didn't stop, they'd smear me. So, I hit my brakes and aimed for the rear of the car hoping they'd continue and I'd scoot behind them, but nope.... they stopped and I hit the passenger side of the car. I probably should have stopped so they could get a ticket, but back then, I was not a responsible adult. No damage to me, so I'd just give them the finger and leave.

 

[rd_macgregor]

In the Santa Clarita video clip, it looked to me like there was only the driver in the sedan (unless passengers were really short). If so, what was he doing in the HOV lane? Does a motorcyclist need to have a passenger to travel in that lane?

 

[3930dave]

In the Santa Clarita video clip, it looked to me like there was only the driver in the sedan (unless passengers were really short). If so, what was he doing in the HOV lane? Does a motorcyclist need to have a passenger to travel in that lane?

Good point. I believe in Cali, you can legally use HOV with one person on a MC.

HOV

Rgds, D.

 

[aczlan]

Good point. I believe in Cali, you can legally use HOV with one person on a MC.
HOV
Rgds, D.

And if you have an electric (or in some cases, a "hybrid") vehicle.

Aaron Z

 

[3930dave]

And if you have an electric (or in some cases, a "hybrid") vehicle.

Aaron Z

True..... also interesting that some Cali zones now require 3 people in regular vehicles.....

Rgds, D.

 

[Liquidsilver]

A bike can stop light years quicker than an automobile, which weighs 4 or more times as much.

Respectfully, I just wanted to correct the quote above, which is a very common misconception. Braking statistics show that most modern passenger cars are capable of braking as fast or faster than most motorcycles, and that's with a skilled rider at a test facility. I'm not a physicist, but I've been told that it has something to do with the amount of contact patch, of which cars have vastly more, and weight distribution. Motorcycles CAN usually accelerate much faster than most cars, due to the much higher power-to-weight ratio.

I've appreciated all the comments in this thread and I add my voice to the opinion that both parties were behaving extremely stupidly and both should be charged. If my 16-year old daughter had been driving in the vicinity, trying to drive defensively and carefully as she does, these clowns could have panicked her and caused her to crash and get hurt. Then they'd have me to deal with.

I ride all kinds of motorcycles and I'm a race license holder. (which means I ride at the motorcycle's limits on racetracks) I know that certain kinds of riding are NOT suitable for public roads. Nothing irks me much more than an asshat on a sportbike (which I own several) riding aggressively on public roads. Minivan moms, distracted drivers and big trucks can all be harmed if said asshat causes a chain reaction... then guys like me, riding as safely and defensively as I can, are given a sterotype.

On the motorcycle headlight modulators, there is much debate of their effectiveness. (I) believe they, like overly bright headlights are another distraction that make other drivers act even more unpredictably. Many agree with me, but many feel like they are more visible with their lights 'flashing.' They actually don't flash, they're dimming and brightening because some states outlawed lights that actually turn off and on, which could be confused with emergency vehicles.

(Now back to my tractor)

 

[Garandman]

I don't ride on the road, just out back on the moped from time to time. I have various family members and friends who do ride on the road. Personally, I put it in the same category as those who think they are safer with their "loud pipes"
Not that much difference in safety and very annoying.

Aaron Z

Asked and answered. There are numerous safety studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of headlight modulators. That's why they are legal under federal law. You don't like them: got it. BTW we have five motorcycles and none have headlight modulators, for other reasons than that you find improperly installed ones annoying.

There are zero safety studies that demonstrate that loud pipes (which generally means completely unmuffled) have any safety benefit whatsoever. The �Proof usually comes from Vtwin riders and is always anecdotal. The attitude is harshly criticized by the vast majority of road motorcyclists, who believe it creates resentment among drivers and increases the chances of road rage.

The point is easily disproven by asking, what if there are two loud motorcycles? Three? If there are multiple loud noise sources, no one can hear anything, everyone is less safe. Imagine if cars, trucks and busses all completely removed their mufflers.

That leaves out the fact that almost all multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents are from vehicles ahead of you, or from behind while decelerating or stopped. In those situations, the loud exhaust is not a factor because it is directed behind the vehicle, while accelerating.

Of course, a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.

Good point. I believe in Cali, you can legally use HOV with one person on a MC.

HOV

Rgds, D.

US Federal law defines a motorcycle as an HOV. So they may use HOV lanes everywhere.

Electrics and hybrids as HOV vary by state. The other Liberal Loon State (People’s Republic of Massachusetts) does not. 14 states do: HOV rules by state

 

[lmalcomb]

EXactly :applause: