Commuting…The strange. The Odd… And the FUN

[lemieuxmc]

Obviously, he was some kind of psychotic asshole... or perhaps an off duty cop?

Vigilance and discretion are great usages of The Force. Learn well, young Jedi.

[pretbek]

Absolutely stunning how batshit crazy some people can get with their misplaced "you are cutting the line!"-emotions.

That is the main reason that I am very hesitant to filter at traffic lights or split lanes in (almost) stationary traffic outside of CA.

[Mgbgt89]

Originally Posted by lemieuxmc

Obviously, he was some kind of psychotic asshole... or perhaps an off duty cop?

Vigilance and discretion are great usages of The Force. Learn well, young Jedi.

Off duty cops don't brandish cans of monster, kinda ruled that one out. (I guess i'm not positive it was monster, but it sure smelled like it.)

My number 1 goal was to get away. Fight or flight as they say, I was choosing flight. I was ATTGAT, so in a fist fight i would have the upper hand, but i didn't know what else he had besides energy drinks, and i wasn't going to stick around to find out.

[Mgbgt89]

Normally in a traffic situation like that, i wouldn't get on the interstate in the first place, but i was going to meet someone for dinner in the next city, and wasn't exactly sure how to get there via surface roads. Rush hour stop and go is no fun place to be.

I cancelled the dinner, and went home. I need a break from the bike. Don't worry, I'll be back on it tomorrow. Just need to calm my nerves first.

[Mgbgt89]

I really fucking hate northeast ohio. Over the weekend i rode with a few sportbike guys to columbus. They didn't want to go 1mph over the speed limit the whole way there. I took no offence, since they might as well be riding a neon sign that says PULL ME OVER OSP!

Wow, I have never seen so much cager asshattery in that short 2.5 hour ride. Cars weaving between us, tailgating, cutting us off with less than 2 feet to spare. Oh yeah, That's why i speed, I forgot.

I really hate the fact that i have to move, as i have a great job here. It's actually a family business, that i may end up inheriting some day. But in 6 months i've had 2 near possible death experiences, and countless that i've avoided through anticipation. I cannot handle riding here anymore. I'm going to end up dead. There is no way i can spend my entire riding career in this shithole. Riding motorcycles gets me through anything. I have battled with horrible depression since my early teens, and once i bought a bike in 2007, It hasn't went away, but it sure has diminished. Anytime i'm having a hard time with something in my life, getting out and riding just makes it all go away. I'm not going to give up the one thing that makes it worth getting out of bed in the morning.

[Mgbgt89]

Originally Posted by pretbek

Absolutely stunning how batshit crazy some people can get with their misplaced "you are cutting the line!"-emotions.

That is the main reason that I am very hesitant to filter at traffic lights or split lanes in (almost) stationary traffic outside of CA.

Believe me, I don't like it either. I only split when traffic is at a crawl, or it is suddenly stopping. Even in bumper to bumper traffic you can look over and see someone staring at the phone in their lap, instead of the road ahead. Splitting to me is a necessary evil. Today i slid through an unbelievably small gap when the guy jumped to the shoulder and then tried to cut me off from the side. My leg is actually a little sore now, I think i was so pumped full of adrenaline trying to escape i actually hit his front bumper as i went through as he was parked sideways across the center lane the first time, and didn't even realize it at the time. Thank god for gear. I will never, EVER, ever, ever ride without it again. Ever. That monster can would have knocked me the fuck out.

Now if someone will start making bullet proof gear i'll be all set.

[King_Panther13]

This thread shouldn't be dead, I love posting my encounters!

So, just yesterday I was riding in a group with two other riders. My uncle, and some guy I just met a few days ago who's new to the area and didn't believe that we had a few good roads(and he only talked to me because I was wearing 'sport bike boots' on my CX500!). Oh, and it was my birthday too. Anyhow, we're going down the main drag heading out of town, and I'm the last in the group as I'm the slowest rider. I always hang back a tiny bit too, maybe one cars length from the guy in front of me, because I'm used to having very crappy brakes (Though now they work fine, I still ride like I have next to no brakes, gives me more room).

Wouldn't you know it, as we're approaching a light, some chick in her late teens or early 20s driving a beaten up Ford Taurus cuts in front of me, no signal or anything of course. I layed on my horn the second I saw her touching the line, and had to back up. Lovely. Then the impala that had been tailgating me swung around and got in front of the chick that just passed me. We were getting very close to the light.

A bit more perspective...it's a four lane highway, so two lanes on my side...I'm in the left. To the left of me is the turning lane for the light. Well, I saw red, and for the first time didn't think to calm it down because I didn't want to miss the light because of this vapid bitch and have my buddies go on without me. So I pulled into the turning lane, and while still seeing red, got right next to her window with the intent of kicking a dent into her door. I turned my head to give a death glare before kicking, but she had her window open, and stuck her head out, and started screaming "I'M SO SORRY I'M SO SORRY OH MY GOD I'M SO SORRY!" I've never had a moron driver in the area apologize to me. So I just shook my head, and accelerated...and realized I was still in the turning lane, and we were right at the light. I gave it more gas, and cut in front of the impala who was tailgating me earlier, with a decent amount of room to spare, and got back in the group. Of course the impala continued to tailgate me after I got in front of it.

Apparently neither of my friends saw the chick changing lanes into me, and they were wondering why I performed an illegal maneuver in the turning lane, and how I even got there to begin with.

I felt a little bit guilty for doing the turning lane thing, even though it's honestly safe and legal over in Europe, Asia, and California :P. I don't feel guilty for riding up to her window though. I'm a bit proud of myself that I didn't just kick her door in, and I'm very happy that I found a driver for once that acknowledged their mistake. If I ever get acknowledgement from a driver that did something stupid, all of my "seeing red" and all of the anger disappears. The only reason I get angry or plot out something like kicking in a door is basically to say to them "Hey, moron, what you did was wrong. You should be more careful next time." Not to try and intimidate or pick a fight or anything (though it may lead to one or the other, and I'm perfectly aware and ok with it).

Oh, and here's the thing: There was a turning arrow at the light at that particular time, so I subconsciously already had a way out planned if I wouldn't have been able to cut back in front of the two cars, or if vapid bitch would've been violent and tried to swerve into me or turn or something. I had a way out planned pretty much the whole time.

[Inane Cathode]

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

.

Road footsie is bad for your health

My commute is only about three miles on surface streets

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by ParrotheadJeff

My commute is only about three miles on surface streets

You need a better map.

Originally Posted by DAKEZ

You need a better map.

OK - you got me Here's the basic route of my commute home on Friday

Click here

[Sir Not Appearing]

I only commute to my 2^nd job as the school where I teach is across the street from my house. Each day after school is out, I go home pick a bike and ride 12.5 miles to the factory. I take one of two routes depending on the bike or the amount of time that I have. One is a 10mi of highway and some zigzagging through town or 10mi of 45mph county road and zigzagging through town.

On the highway, there are the “racers” who others have already brought up. It used to be ricers and the odd muscle car (I started riding in ’00), but in recent years those have been replaced around here by diesel 4x4 pickups. Invariably, if you pass one that is doing 5mph under, they’ll hammer it and start fogging for mosquitos and I easily pass them just twisting the throttle in high gear every time whether it’s the Daytona, Versys, EX, or S50. I’ve seen quick daily driver diesels at ORP (formerly IRP) during Test & Tune night that ran consistent low 12’s, but around here I think they add pillar gauges and think they’re Don Garlits or something.

On the rural road, there isn’t much excitement and my only story is odd and has nothing to do with road rage. One fall day I was tooling along on the EX500 when I spot a Chinese scooter a couple hundred feet out into a field and two helmeted kids trying to move it. I stop, turn on the flashers, get off the bike and walk out to where they were and asked if I could help. Turns out it was a brother and sister and the girl told her brother to take a short cut through the field. She made it and her scoot was sitting on the next north/south road and he sunk in the mud. I helped them get it out of the mud and back onto the road. The boy thanked me and told me his parents would have killed him and I just replied with “you’re welcome, but remember that the next time your sister tells you to do something dumb like this.”

[Kommando]

Originally Posted by King_Panther13

A bit more perspective...it's a four lane highway, so two lanes on my side...I'm in the left. To the left of me is the turning lane for the light. Well, I saw red, and for the first time didn't think to calm it down because I didn't want to miss the light because of this vapid bitch and have my buddies go on without me. So I pulled into the turning lane, and while still seeing red, got right next to her window with the intent of kicking a dent into her door. I turned my head to give a death glare before kicking, but she had her window open, and stuck her head out, and started screaming "I'M SO SORRY I'M SO SORRY OH MY GOD I'M SO SORRY!" I've never had a moron driver in the area apologize to me. So I just shook my head, and accelerated...and realized I was still in the turning lane, and we were right at the light. I gave it more gas, and cut in front of the impala who was tailgating me earlier, with a decent amount of room to spare, and got back in the group. Of course the impala continued to tailgate me after I got in front of it.

Unless you're passing or making a left turn soon, get out of the left lane.

[PeterW]

I really wish I had a photo to post to prove this one, but then if I posted it I'd get banned.

I commute through Surfers Paradise , in summer the distractions definitely get to "better than average" anyway - but one hot windy day, there's a line people waiting at the bus stop to catch a ride home - a BIG gust of wind and one of the waiting girls learns why it's always a good idea to put your underwear back on when you come off the beach even if it is a bit gritty.

The only bits of her I didn't get a good look at were from the neck up - her dress flew all the way up and wrapped around her head - and I never knew before that when people are REALLY embarrassed they blush ALL over.

Cheers
Pete

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by ParrotheadJeff

OK - you got me Here's the basic route of my commute home on Friday

Click here