Pay attention in traffic

[ozyran440]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGG GGGGHHHHH!!!!!

Sorry, had to vent (mentally).

Ever have one of those days? One of those days where you look at all, and I mean all the cagers out there and wonder just what's going through their minds? Minor things like 5 mph under the speed limit in the left lane. Okay, minor frustration. I'll just ride around them.

There was a guy in a company pickup, a full-size late model Chevy 2500 extended cab 4x4, that wanted to race my bike. I mean, I was taking it easy and trying to get in front of him...nope, wasn't happening. I speed up to about 50 mph (this was a 45 and most people try to drive around 50-55 mph) - this truck is still gaining! No sense in being stupid - I slowed down and let him go right by.

I saw a plethora of people holding up traffic on the other side of the road as they sat there waiting to turn onto my side of the road. Someone in an Alabama state-owned truck going 50 in a 35.

Oh yes, and the best one yet, because it sounds oh-so-much like a stereotype - an elderly woman, driving her sedan, didn't realize that 4 lanes means 2 on one side and 2 on the other. I made a left turn onto the 4-lane road that I take to get to my house, and after I complete the turn I'm greeted by headlights. Not a bad thing, except she was in my lane!!! So, I slowed down, flashed my high beam miltiple times, and she got the message - she returned to her side of the road.

I finished the day with three VERY BIG convictions:

#1 - The Big Man Upstairs was watching out for me. Any of these situations could have become very, very ugly.

#2 - PAY ATTENTION! I know it's preaching to the choir for some, but if I hadn't been paying attention I'd be a hood ornament or a bumper sticker.

#3 - DO NOT compromise on any riding gear. Period. Knowing that the traffic on these roads is very unpredictable reinforces this in my mind.


Thanks for listening to my ranting and raving. I was just very frustrated with people's driving skills and wanted to vent.

Ride safe out there.

[mdqueenz]

I feel your aggravation. I get ticked when i see stupid drivers too.

Just always be on the defensive and expect the worse.

Good luck.

[Tod]

Yep, it's Tuesday all right.

Glad you made it home in one piece.

[vn2kbob]

Just can't be too alert at all times. Ride safely everyone!

[gr8ride]

Amen to that, I had a truck pull out a left turn in front of me and then a 16yr old girl tried to race me. It is ridiculous. Glad to here you're okay though.

[Scrambler81]

I had a cop try to make a left in front of me Sunday. A cop! First off, I'm behind him on a main road, and he's in the right lane at a light. He makes a left from the right lane into a development. OK, maybe he just got a call and had to change directions. Nope. I turn into the next entrance to the development, and a couple of blocks in I find the same cop car going the other way. He looks right at me, and sure enough, tries to make the left turn in front of me. I jam the brakes and start to skid at the same time he realizes he can't make it and cuts his wheel back to the right and stops. I let off the brakes and roll by him, and he waves at me! Why do people wave at you after they've nearly wrecked you? Should that have made me feel better? Once the undies are soiled, no amount of waving will clear the stain, or the smell.

[topolover]

I hear ya Scrambler. A week and a half back I laid my 175 over after t-boning a guy that did just that. No serious damage, luckily.

What I hate is when you get these jerks (which is "clean" compared to what I really want to call them!) that try to share the same lane with you! They will look right at you and ignore you. I've been thinking of carrying chains for guys like that! Sometimes they get so close you can touch their car. Doesn't matter if it's one lane coming and one lane going or if it's two lanes instead.

[House_of_Dexter]

Originally Posted by Scrambler81

Why do people wave at you after they've nearly wrecked you? Should that have made me feel better? Once the undies are soiled, no amount of waving will clear the stain, or the smell.

Thats the Oh sh** I'm sorry Wave...

[KZBob]

Dress for the crash, not the ride.

[BamaMike]

Originally Posted by Scrambler81

I had a cop try to make a left in front of me Sunday. A cop!

What is up with all the cops on the phone ALL THE TIME. We all complain about Joe and Jane Average yappin on the phone and not paying attention. But over the last week I kept count of the cops I saw on the cell. Saw 18 cops this last week (75 mile roundtrip daily commute), ALL OF THEM WERE YAPPIN ON THE PHONE . If a cell phone ban while driving ever passes in Alabama, I may have to make a citizen arrest. I will at least be taking note of car numbers and calling the shift supervisor.

[Sabre2007/900]

Bama, you can bet their on that phone on official business (lol). Why else?