2 Different encounters with riders yesterday...

[casticus]

I don't want to take this conversation to far afield but the thread has started to discuss trusting "instincts" or your "gut" and appearances/assumptions. This starts sounding very similar to conversations regarding law enforcement issues.

 

We spend a lot of time trying to educate new Officers on trusting their gut (or that reptilian portion of their brain). If something doesn't feel right something aint' right. At the same time you have the issue of large segments of society emulating persons that commit anti-social or criminal behavior in their style of dress, speech, etc...

 

While it is simple to say if it walks like qwacks like and looks like a duck then it is a duck with experience you can beging telling the ring tailed mallards from some other species of duck (ok I am not a biologist). But it takes experience (usually bad ones) to gain that ability.

 

I continually tell people that you have to trust your gut. If something inside you is telling you that something isn't right get the heck our of there. Do not allow societal pressure to keep you from heeding your "flight" response from your biology.

 

I don't know if I will give the saying justice but in law enforcement we say that rookies know when they are going to get hit and veterans don't get hit.....

 

Just something to think about. I have passed a group of riders on curvy roads who were riding in formation by having to surf into their formation (always passing on the left and then entering into a hole between bikes) and when I realized that they would be coming upon me again (stopping for lunch, gas, etc...) I have been cautious about where I stopped and if I could park someplace that I could see me bike but you couldn't see it from the road.

 

Trust your gut/instincts...they are telling you something for a reason.

[myshkin]

While riding styles do vary from coast to coast, we don't lane split here on the east coast. Slower traffic is 'supposed' to stay in the right lanes and while there are no rules about how motorcycles are supposed to pass each other, not respecting the space around a bike and passing in the same lane is not only discourteous but hazardous as well, especially if the closing speed is very fast.

 

Recently, two HD riders with LOUD pipes passed me closely on either side while I was going 75 on I95. I thought, what was that all about. The traffic was fairly heavy and I was being very alert to the vehicles around me. I waited for a while and when traffic conditions permitted passed them in the same manner but at a considerable higher speed. They both were caught unawares and hopefully got my message. I could see them duck down as I passed. Fighter pilots do this type of manuever and call it "dusting off". Sometimes they misjudge and a midair occurs. It is no fun to be on the receiving end of this type of behavior.

[Lets_Play_Two]

"I waited for a while and when traffic conditions permitted passed them in the same manner but at a considerable higher speed. They both were caught unawares and hopefully got my message. I could see them duck down as I passed."

 

Thata boy you sure showed those social misfits!!!

[Bud]

It wasn't that they followed at an exit. It was they were driving below the speed limit on the interstate and when passed sped up to catch the rider doing 85 MPH.

[Bud]

While riding styles do vary from coast to coast, we don't lane split here on the east coast. Slower traffic is 'supposed' to stay in the right lanes and while there are no rules about how motorcycles are supposed to pass each other, not respecting the space around a bike and passing in the same lane is not only discourteous but hazardous as well, especially if the closing speed is very fast.

 

Recently, two HD riders with LOUD pipes passed me closely on either side while I was going 75 on I95. I thought, what was that all about. The traffic was fairly heavy and I was being very alert to the vehicles around me. I waited for a while and when traffic conditions permitted passed them in the same manner but at a considerable higher speed. They both were caught unawares and hopefully got my message. I could see them duck down as I passed. Fighter pilots do this type of manuever and call it "dusting off". Sometimes they misjudge and a midair occurs. It is no fun to be on the receiving end of this type of behavior.

 

I'm not sure what message you were trying to send.

[Bud]

I don't want to take this conversation to far afield but the thread has started to discuss trusting "instincts" or your "gut" and appearances/assumptions. This starts sounding very similar to conversations regarding law enforcement issues.

 

We spend a lot of time trying to educate new Officers on trusting their gut (or that reptilian portion of their brain). If something doesn't feel right something aint' right. At the same time you have the issue of large segments of society emulating persons that commit anti-social or criminal behavior in their style of dress, speech, etc...

 

While it is simple to say if it walks like qwacks like and looks like a duck then it is a duck with experience you can beging telling the ring tailed mallards from some other species of duck (ok I am not a biologist). But it takes experience (usually bad ones) to gain that ability.

 

I continually tell people that you have to trust your gut. If something inside you is telling you that something isn't right get the heck our of there. Do not allow societal pressure to keep you from heeding your "flight" response from your biology.

 

I don't know if I will give the saying justice but in law enforcement we say that rookies know when they are going to get hit and veterans don't get hit.....

 

Just something to think about. I have passed a group of riders on curvy roads who were riding in formation by having to surf into their formation (always passing on the left and then entering into a hole between bikes) and when I realized that they would be coming upon me again (stopping for lunch, gas, etc...) I have been cautious about where I stopped and if I could park someplace that I could see me bike but you couldn't see it from the road.

 

Trust your gut/instincts...they are telling you something for a reason.

 

+1

[Bud]

I think the F*** OFF sticker would be enough to convince me that he is likely to have complete disregard for generally accepted behavior. Someone who would do that seems likely to be looking for trouble and I would not want to be their excuse for finding it. It is certainly possible that he was a nice reasonable person but he has probably gone out of his way to be antisocial.

 

FWIW, I know a guy with one of those. Nice guy. Would stop to help anyone on two wheels in need.

 

Last weekend, couple arrive.

She's tatooed, jeans, Biker B*tch tanktop, helmet w/stickers worse than F off.

1st impression.

She bought a 650 GS, is very nice, and will make a super grandma some day.

Go figure.

 

Hard to figure out why a "super grandma some day" would wear "helmet w/stickers worse than F off". She is sending a message of some kind. I can not figure out what it is.

[tallman]

I think the F*** OFF sticker would be enough to convince me that he is likely to have complete disregard for generally accepted behavior. Someone who would do that seems likely to be looking for trouble and I would not want to be their excuse for finding it. It is certainly possible that he was a nice reasonable person but he has probably gone out of his way to be antisocial.

 

FWIW, I know a guy with one of those. Nice guy. Would stop to help anyone on two wheels in need.

 

Last weekend, couple arrive.

She's tatooed, jeans, Biker B*tch tanktop, helmet w/stickers worse than F off.

1st impression.

She bought a 650 GS, is very nice, and will make a super grandma some day.

Go figure.

 

Hard to figure out why a "super grandma some day" would wear "helmet w/stickers worse than F off". She is sending a message of some kind. I can not figure out what it is.

 

Probably her message is that she supports the Bill of Rights.

[Bud]

I think the F*** OFF sticker would be enough to convince me that he is likely to have complete disregard for generally accepted behavior. Someone who would do that seems likely to be looking for trouble and I would not want to be their excuse for finding it. It is certainly possible that he was a nice reasonable person but he has probably gone out of his way to be antisocial.

 

FWIW, I know a guy with one of those. Nice guy. Would stop to help anyone on two wheels in need.

 

Last weekend, couple arrive.

She's tatooed, jeans, Biker B*tch tanktop, helmet w/stickers worse than F off.

1st impression.

She bought a 650 GS, is very nice, and will make a super grandma some day.

Go figure.

 

Hard to figure out why a "super grandma some day" would wear "helmet w/stickers worse than F off". She is sending a message of some kind. I can not figure out what it is.

 

Probably her message is that she supports the Bill of Rights.

 

As do most of us here, but I still wouldn't dress that way.

[Lets_Play_Two]

"As do most of us here, but I still wouldn't dress that way."

 

And isn't it great that you can dress any way you want? But be careful, you will be judged based on your look!

[russell_bynum]

It wasn't that they followed at an exit. It was they were driving below the speed limit on the interstate and when passed sped up to catch the rider doing 85 MPH.

 

It might just mean they saw a cool looking bike fly by, thought "That looks like fun", and wicked it up to play a little."

[E30TECH]

"As do most of us here, but I still wouldn't dress that way."

 

And isn't it great that you can dress any way you want? But be careful, you will be judged based on your look!

 

Starting sentences with conjunctions may get you judged as well.

[wrestleantares]

I think the F*** OFF sticker would be enough to convince me that he is likely to have complete disregard for generally accepted behavior. Someone who would do that seems likely to be looking for trouble and I would not want to be their excuse for finding it. It is certainly possible that he was a nice reasonable person but he has probably gone out of his way to be antisocial.

 

FWIW, I know a guy with one of those. Nice guy. Would stop to help anyone on two wheels in need.

 

Last weekend, couple arrive.

She's tatooed, jeans, Biker B*tch tanktop, helmet w/stickers worse than F off.

1st impression.

She bought a 650 GS, is very nice, and will make a super grandma some day.

Go figure.

 

Hard to figure out why a "super grandma some day" would wear "helmet w/stickers worse than F off". She is sending a message of some kind. I can not figure out what it is.

 

Probably her message is that she supports the Bill of Rights.

 

I just do not like casual profanity. Someone with stickers like that would not be on the top of my list to get to know.

 

But, I'm sure she doesn't care nor do the others that put things like that on their helmets.