Because they ARE! 

I made a market run this aft and was on a smaller through street with adjoining side streets that all had stop signs. The street I was on had stops interspersed with yield to pedestrian signs. I'm cruising along and a woman in an old Caddy pulls right out in front of me from a stop sign like she was expecting me to stop, though I had not even touched the brakes, because she needed to wait until traffic was clear. So I leaned on the horn while I slowed down (giving her a little driver training 1A). So she stops in the middle of the intersection to make me come to a full stop, and sits there giving me a dirty look. I pointed at the signs, hoping she'd get a clue that she had just parked her fat butt in the middle of through traffic. Nope. So I gave her another blast and went around as she inched out of the intersection. If the car behind me had been closer, I could have been rear ended because of her insistance that the intersection was a four way stop when it wasn't, and that she would make me stop. She did, but in another similar situation she could get someone hurt or killed because of her inability to assess an intersection properly. She apparently never saw that my direction had crosswalks but NO limit lines, let alone no stop signs. Stop signs here will usually say "4 Way" on a four way stop intersection.
This is how people drive, badly, and with arrogance that they are always right, even if they are NOT. I learned a long time ago never to expect or insist on right of way, because I don't want to be the guy that gets hit. I'm not above leaning on my horn when they are egregiously in the wrong, however. I figure if they see that they did something stupid they'll be more careful in the future.

Lesson = Never expect to get your right of way. Especially on a moto, I never do.


My hubby was coming home on the fwy yesterday and saw a guy in a medium sport ute come barrelling up an on ramp, driving way too fast for the traffic flow. He cut across a few lanes, still with his foot in it, and the cars up ahead of him were stopped. My husband was thinking "WTF is that guy thinking?! He isn't going to be able to stop!" and he couldn't, by the time the guy started to brake furiously there was a long squeal and a big thunk! He rear ended the car in front of him...
So yes, the world is full of distracted idiots driving heavy machines they don't know how to begin to control, and with crappy attitudes to boot.

Lesson = Be wary of dirvers exhibiting excessive speed in any direction, and never assume they will be able to stop in time.


I was thinking maybe some real world examples will help riders here stay aware, so maybe others could post some stories?

Had a close call on the way home from work today. Strong sidewinds from the right made my ride interesting at times. A car comes up behind me (way too close - first mistake).
I go past a section with shelter, and leaning against the wind "pushes" me right. The driver mistakes my maneuver as a sign to pass, and does. Way too close although theres plenty of space. And when the hedge that provided the shelter ended, guess what direction the bike went. I had about 2-3 inches from the front wheel to the cars fender, but only because i used the brake as soon as i realized he was going to pass me.

Lesson= Pay attention to the sorroundings - your actions and path is easily mistaken by cagers.

oh man i have been riding since 1969 so i have WAAAY too many horror stories to post

People are not idiots. It's us being invisible.

I got a head on left turner in front of me while riding 40mph on a country road by a farm. That guy just turned the wheel when he aparently changed his mind and decided to check out their fresh berries or whatever. No turn signals. Nothing. Not a concern about anything on the road. I had my high beam, but betcha' he did not realize I was there. Oh, berries! Whoosh! Just a sharp turn when I was 100-150ft away. I locked my rear wheel, but managed to stay up and missed his rear bumper by less than a foot.

I was furious. But went on...

Very few cagers do bad things to us intentionally, they just cannot see the motorcycle because of it's size, agility, blurring with the colorful background. They miscalculate our speed. They often see the road with peripherial vision, they do not LOOK. Their minds are on something else. They are on cell phones. They drive automatic transmission and steer with one finger. They drink cofee, look at their donut, read SMS, talk to the kids in the back seat, etc, etc, etc.. They are maybe upset, or preocupied, or day dreaming, or just sleepy, etc, etc, etc, etc. They may be 17 or 85 years old. They may be drunk. I can go on, and on, and on....

On the other hand we DRIVE our vehicles (in the initial meaning of this word). We direct. We are focused. We balance and lean to turn. We scan and analize. We predict and act. We posess coordination of motion skills most cagers will never obtain.

That's why it makes us mad when somebody else on the road are just ignorant and unfocused. They are not stupid or idiots. They are careless.

You can't do anything about them. Ride smart and defensively. You are invisible.

cagers have too many distractions, which is one of the reasons i DO NOT recommend nor use mp3 players while riding

Quote from: frankieG on April 11, 2008, 07:15:06 PM
cagers have too many distractions, which is one of the reasons i DO NOT recommend nor use mp3 players while riding

yup , all you need is the music of the engine 

  I sing to myself as I ride

oh boy 

Quote from: mach1 on April 11, 2008, 08:42:21 PM
I sing to myself as I ride

raises hand...

i pretend i'm on a bike when i'm in my car on the way to work. i lean and everything. i'm afraid to try countersteering though as i may end up in the ditch. 

OK, the first two points made were about driving in cars and interacting with others in cars, no motos anywhere, no excuses, the woman who pulled out in front of me assumed I had a stop sign too and I did not. My SUV was not invisible, and she had an attitude that could get herself and someone else hurt. If I'd been on my moto, yes, she would have been oblivious.

Lesson is people are careless, as noted.

Point 3 was also about a car driving right behind a motorcycle, and driver could see the motorcycle. Driver was careless and clueless.
So yes, ride as if you are invisible, and don't stick stuff in your ears.   

Frankie, a few stories might be helpful. You have good insight. 

(But I do think statistics show that most people are basically idiots, the average I.Q. is 100, half the population is below that, and another 1/4 isn't a lot higher up the scale. 100 is not really bright. 160 is the beginning of genius, for comparison. How else can one explain fundamentalism?    )

Quote from: jserio on April 11, 2008, 08:48:00 PM
i pretend i'm on a bike when i'm in my car on the way to work. i lean and everything. i'm afraid to try countersteering though as i may end up in the ditch. 

dont try to do stoppies either

also what about the 1d10t riders?

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on April 12, 2008, 10:44:13 AM
also what about the 1d10t riders?

I guess that would be covered under the title, good point though, although all we need to do is go to YouTube to actually see! 1d10t riders!

indeed  and drivers for that matter