A word on "being polite and letting someone out" If you reason this out you'll come to the conclusion I have: there is no reason to ever stop and let someone out into traffic. Why? Because of two scenarios. Either you have a line of cars behind you, and you are stopping them and inconveniencing them in order to be polite to one. (Piss off 9 people to make one happy?) or there is nobody behind you, in which case things would go faster if you had just kept driving!
Im not nice to beige vehicles, specifically Toyotas, Hondas and Buicks.....because the owner will probably go a minimum of 10km/h under the speed limit and will cause me to have an aneurysm.
I've been finding a bonus to driving this Brabus Merc thing around, folk are awful nice about not cutting me off. And If I need to move over a lane to get an offramp or something, they tend to go ahead and let er go, and I wave, and all's swell. Maybe it looks a bit intimidating in a side mirror, but whatever it is, I'll take it!
motomoron wrote: In the DC metro area where I've driven for 38 years, the use of turn signals, correct following distance, an understanding of right-of-way as it applies to merging, intersections and traffic circles, not being distracted and simply paying attention are nearly completely absent in traffic. You probably think I'm exagerating, but I'm really 100% serious. It's gotten steadily worse over the years I've driven, but I've travelled extensively, and I've yet to experience a level of inneptitude in and disinterest in the process of driving as we have here. So, The cars I give a break to are anyone who pays attention, signals their intention and shows the tiniest shred of having some notion of where they're going, and a microscopic modicum of awareness that there are in fact drivers and vehicles other than themselves. It's shocking when I'm on a highway and see a car come down an on ramp then... Actually activate their turn signal and begin to accelerate. A couple times a year my giving that rare example a headlight flash results in their merging smartly into the space I've offered. So, yeah. I'll give a break to anyone who makes the tiniest effort to be aware.
here, here!!!!!!!!!!!
Trackmouse wrote: In reply to Driven5: Because stereotypes are real brotha.
So is ignorance.
When I commuted to downtown Chicago everyday I was younger and it was pretty much every man for himself. No quarter given or taken. These days I've got better stuff to stress about than traffic.
To the OP, ...kinda judgy on type of car, seems kinda, oh, what's the word?
ebonyandivory wrote: Don't show appreciation and I'll tailgate you for miles. And I'm not above closing ranks on motorcycle lane-splitters either. Otherwise the same rules alloy.
So you're willing to kill someone for lane splitting? Really?
You know he's actually helping you by reducing lane congestion?
Maybe the guy's bike is overheating or discharging from the fans running constantly for the last 15 minutes, and he's trying to get to an exit before it dies. Or he's tired of the bro-dozer behind him who's been roid-raging in his cab and keeps creeping closer and closer to his back tire.
I get that squids are annoying, but they are Darwin-limited. Let them take themselves out so the rest of us can get home alive.
I will admit, I give air-cooled Volkswagens extra space/consideration.
Nick_Comstock wrote: Nope, I'm fairly generous to all the traffic around me. I wouldn't even consider being a dick just because of the car they are driving. The persons actions may cause me to change my behavior but it has nothing to do with the car.
^^^^^ This. I'm a BMW driver who goes out of my way to be courteous to all other drivers, and especially to commercial truck drivers.
Thanks a lot for the return courtesy, d-bag.
XLR99 wrote:ebonyandivory wrote: Don't show appreciation and I'll tailgate you for miles. And I'm not above closing ranks on motorcycle lane-splitters either. Otherwise the same rules alloy.So you're willing to kill someone for lane splitting? Really? You know he's actually helping you by reducing lane congestion? Maybe the guy's bike is overheating or discharging from the fans running constantly for the last 15 minutes, and he's trying to get to an exit before it dies. Or he's tired of the bro-dozer behind him who's been roid-raging in his cab and keeps creeping closer and closer to his back tire. I get that squids are annoying, but they are Darwin-limited. Let them take themselves out so the rest of us can get home alive.
Oh God, seriously?
I'll just say that riders that do this are putting thier own lives at serious risk (just check out Youtube) as well as that of their passenger if they're riding 2-up. Not letting them through is far healthier than them flying between randomly moving cars (duh).
I can see far enough behind me so that I can move over long before the bike ever gets close. I'd never cut into someone and endanger thier lives.
I'll also add with 100% certainty that lane-splitting motorcycles are being ridden by tools that don't care about others or decent guys temporarily acting like tools. I'm willing to bet that at least 99.9% of lane-splitting bikes aren't doing it because thier bike is overheating (was that even a serious comment or were you kidding?)
My roommate had a old ford hatch, it was slow going up and down the mountains but lord did he was all the time having people cut him off and flipping him the bird.. He was a good driver but hate for some cars will always be there.
In reply to ebonyandivory:
This is how the civilized world works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJy10pBhJCw
Why the berkeley does it bother you if someone goes by you? Get over yourself.
Skervey wrote: My roommate had a old ford hatch, it was slow going up and down the mountains but lord did he was all the time having people cut him off and flipping him the bird.. He was a good driver but hate for some cars will always be there.
People see a minivan coming and they automatically assume you're going at least 15 mph slower than you are. I've lost count of the number of times people have pulled out in front of me when I was driving the Battle Bus, and now, the Concert Coach.
In reply to Nick_Comstock:
It doesn't bother me when people pass me. I'm very rarely in the fast lane so most people pass me.
Not sure what you don't understand about obeying the law and not riding a 700lb bike 10" from my car whenever you feel like being a db at whatever speed you feel like.
Can you just give me the Cliffs notes on the video? I'm not that into watching it at the moment.
Your avatar has me thinking you've lane-splitted before. I'm sure I'm wrong though.
Oh, I just got over myself thanks!
Some crazy Londoner lane splitting London traffic with MM precision.
I personally don't lane split. But I've never gotten mad when people do it, as long as my car or bike is not hit it's not an issue to me.
In reply to Nick_Comstock:
So when I put my blinker on and change lanes and some lane-splitting guy and possibly his companion are crushed... Who's fault is it?
The truth is, I don't want to hurt anyone because they did something stupid.
I'm sure It doesn't feel any better when you kill someone even though it thier fault. Not much consolation I'm sure of that.
A car driven within their rightful use of their lane constitutes "killing" somebody? Really? Where it's legal to do so, it is primarily up to the motorcyclists to do it in a safe and prudent manner, so as to not kill themselves...And lane splitting where it's illegal is inherently doing so in an unsafe manner. Period. Regardless of whether it's a car or motorcycle, mechanical/electrical problems are no excuse for illegal and/or unsafe driving either. And if illegal and/or unsafe lane splitting is an option to get away from an undesirable situation like road rage, so is legally and safely using the other lane(s).
I ride too, but refuse to dream up extremely uncommon hypothetical excuses for what is essentially inexcusable behavior.
In reply to ebonyandivory:
If you do it on purpose just because you feel superior, as you said, then your a dick.
If you actually need to change lanes and just happen not to see them and they are not observant enough to see you may be changing lanes then ultimately it's the riders responsibility to be aware of his surroundings, simply due to the laws of physics, while the driver has that responsibility as well, the rider better be taking his situational awareness very seriously because he has a lot more to loose by either a misjudgment or a run in with an homicidal maniac with a superiority complex.
Do you also point guns at people who run stop signs?
In reply to Nick_Comstock: Please don't start an argument by typing stupid things ie: the gun comment.
It's beneath you.
Actually I was quite serious. Both the examples I gave are actually real-world experiences, not 'dreamed up'. Ride a Honda VFR in 10-15mph traffic for a bit. After having to push a dead bike uphill with no shoulder, I got a voltmeter with big warning light, and became a tool if necessary. Way safer rolling along at 25mph than pushing at 1mph.
Intentionally blocking someone to 'teach them' is far different than changing lanes using the blinker, but I think we all may be using some bias and thinking of more extreme scenarios than what was intended.
In reply to ebonyandivory:
It's a very similar sentiment to what that guy was saying. Just saying.
Alright! All kinds of drama going on in here. Dance my minions! Dance! MuhuhahahA!
In reply to Trackmouse:
As you wish M'Lord...
Meh. I have little patience for people who don't know where they're going, and aren't paying attention. You tucked in front of me with no blinker, took the right on the turning lane, and now you're straddling two lanes at fifteen miles per hour for a block swerving back and forth without picking a lane before slamming on the brakes for an unsignaled right? You're on my list. You arrive at a crowded four-way stop, with cars in each direction, and you simply California stop the stop sign and roll through? You're on my list. You decide that my stopping at a four-way stop means there's no way I can hit you if you just coast through? You're on my list. You ignore the merge signs for five miles, and try to slip in at the last instant? I won't be the one letting you in.
Yeah, there are things that annoy me.
I'm nice to the people who signal, merge early, or who are driving something special or difficult. That means buses and large trucks, antiques, and non-jerkwad motorcyclists.
In reply to XLR99:
Admittedly I got lucky and never actually had a problem with the charging on my VFR, but keeping the possibility in mind I also never encountered a scenario where I would have thought (presumably illegal) lane splitting to be the safest way to deal with it. Of course, it probably didn't hurt that mine was wrecked by the previous owner and only ridden naked...The bike, not me, as that too would be unsafe for for both me and anybody unfortunate enough to have seen things that cannot be unseen. LOL. My understanding was that even at 10-15mph, instead of 25mph, they typically start exhibiting symptoms a problem with enough time/distance remaining on the battery to find a safe place to wait for it to cool off and traffic to open up, replace the R/R, or wait for a ride as necessary.
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