[Emily W Trott]

One cat passed me on the right, on one wheel. And people wonder why motorcyclists get a bad rap.

Wow. A number of years ago I was driving along on a four lane highway (two each way), and in the mirror I saw some strange looking thing approaching fast. It was a motor cycle doing the longest wheelie that I've ever seen. It was still up on one wheel when it disappeared around a curve hundreds of yards ahead. The next thing I saw in the mirror was an RI State trooper going full speed past me. After he was out of sight I never saw either one of them again.

Coolest thing I ever saw a motor cycle doing was back in high school when my friend and I had gone to buy fireworks from Spike in Silver Lake. A motor cycle came down Pocasset Ave with the rider standing upright on the seat and he went for a couple of blocks. Just his nerves were impressive. LOL!!

 

[larry_minn]

Karen, you held at 50 in a 75 zone? Don't ever come to Florida, you'll get shot. :ender:

Just blend into traffic, don't try to influence people. It takes two to road-rage.

Road rage is slowing down so they pass? Influence people? I just wanted the dangerous driver away from me. You realize it’s legal to drive for conditions? It was raining, but of sleet. But roads were very good. A person tailgating will Not be able to react As fast as you. I have driven in FL. Wife was stationed there 2 yrs. you have the normal stupid drivers.
If you failed to understand. I slowly reduced speed (rather then the BRAKE check many seem to advise here). I dropped all the way to @50mph. Take a advanced driving Safety course. It doesn't even have to be a winter one. They will tell you to slow down in rain, snow, ice.... that you increase following distance if being tailgated, reduce speed.

There's a simple lesson right there. :faint:

Yep tailgaters are idiots. I’m in stop and go traffic. I stop (Because car ahead of me stops) the idiot runs into me.
Accident report the first driver to stop. “I stopped because this other car cut me off, I saw that guy (me) stop behind me then he got plowed int by 3rd driver who pushed that guy (me)’s car into mine.”
I had plenty room. Other lane drivers were cutting into my safety zone. (So I back off again). Give me a 10’ vertical lift for my car I will let them slide under, land behind them.

 

[Geeorge]

Interestingly, neither one of those things are indicators of impairment;

They are, however, indicators that someone is an *******.

Not being able to tell you are driving to close and not knowing your brights on are sound like it to me. Drunks are know for driving to close as they can't see very far in front of their cars and the brights were to help them see also:director:

 

[ranger1968]

Not being able to tell you are driving to close and not knowing your brights on are sound like it to me. Drunks are know for driving to close as they can't see very far in front of their cars and the brights were to help them see also:director:

Yeah, no...

You're conflating.

There are a number of impairment indicators , but high beam use and tailgating are not among them....

 

[Jim Watson]

Traffic light goes amber, check mirror before hitting brakes.

 

[Emily W Trott]

Traffic light goes amber, check mirror before hitting brakes.

That may work way down south where you live, but here in Rhode Island we're expected to blast through the yellow light. That and to never use the turn signals. LOL!!

 

[Geeorge]

Yeah, no...

You're conflating.

There are a number of impairment indicators , but high beam use and tailgating are not among them....

I didn't know I was dealing with an EX-Spurt:freak:

 

[astepup]

I don't have to deal with tailgaters when I drive this....

Git yourself one of these and you won't have to either.

Simple solution.

 

[ranger1968]

I didn't know I was dealing with an EX-Spurt:freak:

You don't know what you don't know, and there's nothing wrong with that.....

 

[Lowcountry_Glocker]

Yeah, no...

You're conflating.

There are a number of impairment indicators , but high beam use and tailgating are not among them....

failure to dim lights is 100% a possible indicator of impaired drivers. I have personally seen it be the sole reason for a stop which subsequently turns into a slam dunk DUI arrest, numerous times. when intoxicated your attention is divided. you are mentally trying to overcome the intoxication, while trying to adhere to the rules of the road. little things like high beams, turn signals, etc. tend to be forgotten. you also pay too much / too little attention to turns, roads, etc. and do the trademark 1/2 mile drunk slow down, or a slam on brakes.

same principal w/ SFST tests. they require you to focus on holding a position, while listening to instructions. easy when sober, not so easy when drunk, and your future is flashing before your eyes.

I hate tail gaters. I hate the idiots that blow by you just to whip in front of you to make the next available turn. most recent example, I am on a 2 lane road, w/ dashed line, so passing OK. I am already doing 10 over. guy tail gates me, blows around me, and not 3 full seconds go by before he is slamming on brakes to make a left, and he had to come to full stop to yield to traffic. I almost hit him. I keep a safe and very generous following distance b/w me and the next car, sadly, all this does is encourage people to cut you off and jump into the gap.

interstate stupidity takes the cake and I avoid those roads at any and all cost unless forced to take them.

 

[pittpa]

I move over a bit

What does that mean?

 

[ranger1968]

failure to dim lights is 100% a possible indicator of impaired drivers. .

In and of itself it is not; while a stop for failure to dim may be the initial violation for which a stop that turns into a DUI is made, it ( unlike the other examples you listed) is not generally part of the generally accepted ( and trained) group of driving patterns and indicators which point toward impaired driving.....

 

[JohnnyE]

Wow. A number of years ago I was driving along on a four lane highway (two each way), and in the mirror I saw some strange looking thing approaching fast. It was a motor cycle doing the longest wheelie that I've ever seen. It was still up on one wheel when it disappeared around a curve hundreds of yards ahead. The next thing I saw in the mirror was an RI State trooper going full speed past me. After he was out of sight I never saw either one of them again.

Coolest thing I ever saw a motor cycle doing was back in high school when my friend and I had gone to buy fireworks from Spike in Silver Lake. A motor cycle came down Pocasset Ave with the rider standing upright on the seat and he went for a couple of blocks. Just his nerves were impressive. LOL!!

That had to be a sight to see with the guy standing on the seat!

What do you think about this?

I was on the outer loop of the Washington DC beltway (I-495) down near Andrews AFB. It was a hot summer Saturday afternoon and traffic was dense with all four lanes going my way moving in tight formation at about 65 MPH.

I saw a guy on a bike in the lane to my right about three car lengths ahead. This guy hops off his bike to his left at 65 MPH and, while holding on to the handlebars, skids his boots along the asphalt! Must have had hobnail soles to take the abuse. He skids along the pavement for a hundred yards or so before remounting his bike. I was gob-smacked!

OK, I get that he was confident in his skills, and he may have driven that section of road a few minutes earlier to make sure there were no potholes, roadkill, etc., but geez, the wild card is what if grandma is next to him when he pulls that stunt and she freaks out and swerves or otherwise wipes him out?

That is clearly the craziest thing I’ve seen or heard of involving a bike on a public road.

 

[larry_minn]

What does that mean?

Instead of being in middle of granny lane. I moved to right. Try to indicate “pass me”. Let the idiot go.

 

[larry_minn]

Wow. A number of years ago I was driving along on a four lane highway (two each way), and in the mirror I saw some strange looking thing approaching fast. It was a motor cycle doing the longest wheelie that I've ever seen. It was still up on one wheel when it disappeared around a curve hundreds of yards ahead. The next thing I saw in the mirror was an RI State trooper going full speed past me. After he was out of sight I never saw either one of them again.

Coolest thing I ever saw a motor cycle doing was back in high school when my friend and I had gone to buy fireworks from Spike in Silver Lake. A motor cycle came down Pocasset Ave with the rider standing upright on the seat and he went for a couple of blocks. Just his nerves were impressive. LOL!!

In high school a classmate had his front tire blow out on his bike. A PEDEL bike. He rode home doing a wheelie. Couple miles. After seeing him leaving town on one tire. Wheelies don’t impress me much.

 

[Nutty Professor 188]

I don’t like tailgaters. I don’t tailgate and appreciate the same treatment. It is one of the few things I pull people over for. I haven’t written a citation since 2007 but I still like to warn people about the hazards of following too closely. I usually finish by asking “has anyone every tailgated you? Do you like it? Then why do it to someone else?” They agree but I think it might be that they are just glad they are not getting a ticket.

I drive a Dodge 2500 diesel. It weighs close to 8,000 pounds. I drive the speed limit on the interstate and toll roads. I try not to block anyone’s way by staying in the high speed lane but I don’t floor it to blast around anyone when we are all going the same direction. Sometimes cars or smaller trucks get behind me and tailgate. I guess they think that they are pressuring me to move out of their way, that they are impressing me with how bad a$$ they are. I really don’t care. Move me out of the way if they think they can. Or roar around me. I’m not wasting my time to worry about their stupid bull$hit. I’m not gonna drive all over hell and creation to shake fists or curse at each other or pull over to get into the mix with them. I don’t really care enough about them for that.

I’m not the most bada$$ in the world. Not even close. But I can hold my own. If someone can box me in or get me stopped they might can kick my a$$. Or maybe not.

 

[G30SF/F-250]

I usually finish by asking “has anyone every tailgated you? Do you like it? Then why do it to someone else?” They agree but I think it might be that they are just glad they are not getting a ticket.

I would rather pay the ticket than listen to you talk to me like a five year old.:wavey:

 

[jonb32248]

I followed a drunk driver for 30 mi. one time, called 911 rwice and even passeda trooper sitting in the median without any response. A little frustrating.The guy was weaving back and forth across the lane's and shoulder.

 

[Nutty Professor 188]

I would rather pay the ticket than listen to you talk to me like a five year old.:wavey:

I’m not condescending to them. I just say it like it was advice. But it’s your choice to take it like you want to. If you think your acting like a 5 year old that deserves taking to, well, I’m sorry.
If you tailgate, then your acting like a jerk. Maybe you deserve either the ticket or the speech.

 

[Emily W Trott]

That had to be a sight to see with the guy standing on the seat!

What do you think about this?

I saw a guy on a bike in the lane to my right about three car lengths ahead. This guy hops off his bike to his left at 65 MPH and, while holding on to the handlebars, skids his boots along the asphalt! Must have had hobnail soles to take the abuse. He skids along the pavement for a hundred yards or so before remounting his bike. I was gob-smacked!

That is clearly the craziest thing I’ve seen or heard of involving a bike on a public road.

Wow! That is definitely the craziest thing that I've ever heard of. Sort of wild west style horse riding tricks except with a motorcycle, and not in a circus tent. God bless him, and I hope that he grows to an old age where he can tell his grandchildren about the things he used to do. Thank you for sharing an excellent story.