Posted on 03/31/2010 7:29:11 AM PDT by Dick Holmes
Missed the implication. Do you think that fault would be assumed to be on us cagers if you were to lane split and rear end the car?
Here in Md, if you hit someone from the rear, its on you.
I hear you. I had been toying with getting a Concours 14, and then the BMW S1000RR came out....
I was speaking from a lib point of view with sarcasm also implied. Guy on a bike being “smaller” will always be the victim to someone in a car (the aggressor), whether or not he was following traffic rules. (Sorry too many implicit implications :)
“I hear you. I had been toying with getting a Concours 14, and then the BMW S1000RR came out....”
My wrists and neck wouldn’t appreciate the S1000RR for very long, although it’s sure pretty sweet. I’m currently riding a Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom and have been thinking about getting a new bike and the Connie 14 was in the running, but I’ve been thinking that any bike like that would put my license in serious jeopardy. It’d be great if I wanted to cruise the highway at 120 mph, but unfortunately I don’t live in Germany. They passed a law here last year that 50 km/h (30 mph) over the limit is now considered street racing, for which your vehicle can be impounded and your license suspended for 7 (or was it 10) days on the side of the road by the police, before you even get as far as traffic court. That has definitely tempered my riding habits, which I guess was the intention, although of course I only ever opened it up in places where it was safe (at least for other people) for me to do so.
I was not bashing cyclists. If you noticed the beginning of my comment, I started with “there are plenty of them out there giving the rest of them a bad name!”
Dangerous drivers come in all forms, shapes and sizes.
You are absolutely right. And some bikers play into that.
Again, I say “some.” I am not saying “all!”
You’re right, you did say that - I apologize if I misunderstood the thrust of your post.
There ARE a lot of idiots out there on bikes giving the rest of us a bad name - riding way too fast in inappropriate places, slashing through traffic just about giving people heart attacks, using straight pipes that are obnoxiously loud, and so forth. I’ll admit to riding somewhat fast at times, in places where it seems unlikely to harm anyone but myself (and hopefully not that), but I try to avoid scaring people or making an ass of myself.
I was splitting lanes behind you on a green Harley Fat Bob faux-hardtail with fringe on the handle bars, saddle bags, and hanging off the electrically lighted Harley skulls welded to the end of all the chromed nuts on my Harley?
Come on, it was me! I had on the genuine Harley Michael Jackson riding gloves, with logo, of course. The Harley logo black denims, with the Harley logo chain securing my Harley wallet? I wasn't wearing my Harley Fritz helmet that day, but I did have on Harley shades, and a Harley skullcap over my shaved dome. Now you remember? I used my Harley boot to put a dent in your door. Remember now? (Hey it was an accident, and I will replace that mirror.)
The Harley Leather vest (fringed of course) over the Harley Tee shirt. and the Harley leather chaps. (fringed of course) Ring a bell? One last clue then, I am 58 years old, weigh 320 lbs and my day job, (when I am not a dangerous motorcycle gang member) is as an accountant for the Girl Scout Cookie Drive.
As a CPA, I thought I might break down the Harley phenomenon for you.
(1) One Harley Davidson Motorcycle, featuring way-cool retro engineering and the basic Harley enhancement packages (fringed of course): $19,585.56
(2)Harley Logo Gear: $26,985.50
(3)Optional Harley Tattoo and Jewelry Package (not really optional) $3,500
(4) Facial Hair, piercings, etc: N/C to riders of either sex, provided all Harley logo gear is worn at all times.
That was you? Heh heh heh... Here’s to wishing you endless days of safe cruising.
Happy hunting for a new ride. I guess I'm waiting to be inspired like when the ZX-11 came out; it was so much more bike than anything else out there, I snapped one up in April that year, and had put over 10,000 miles on it that summer.
“30 MPH over is “street racing”? That’s almost the average speed of light traffic on highways around here. And how can you be racing if you’re by yourself?”
It’s a pretty ridiculous law, both in terms of its formulation (shouldn’t 30 mph in a 30 mph zone be more harshly punished than 30 mph over in a 70 mph zone?), and its provisions for (effectively) punishments to be meted out by cops on the side of the road. Even if you successfully fight the ticket, you’ve still had your license suspended (your insurace company will love that) and had to pay for the towing and getting your car out of impound. No worse I guess than some US states I’ve heard of where anything over something like 85 mph will get you a trip to the county jail (also considered “racing” even if no other vehicle is involved).
I don’t honestly expect too much sympathy from most people for excessive speeding like this, though. That would include most people on this forum.
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