Yard sales and cell phones. (rant)

[Bird]

a quick pop of your horn will get em out of the way 9 times out of 10

Are you kidding? Or are you actually serious? If you're serious, you've certainly got a different kind of bike rider than we have.

 

[irwin]

The temptation to react with anger is greatest when I'm forced, suddenly to swerve and so keep safe my auto and contents, and keep the oblivious or rude driver safe as well. My heart will take a minute or so to slow, in that fear (and it's brother) anger I'm tested. Most of the time I pass the test. When I react I fail the test, and after those frightning moments pass I realize I failed.. This is the age of the automobile. People in ages past did not have so many opportunities to judge strangers harshly and anonymously. Nor did they control such a fast and dangerous conveyance as we so often do. Perhaps permission to continue driving can be related to how well we keep sane as we move among the many tests of patience, and our inept fellow man.

 

[Bird]

This thread makes me curious about something. How many of you periodically take one of the defensive driving or driver safety courses? There are a variety of names for them and they're taught in a variety of forms, a variety of instructors and prices, etc. You know most (but perhaps not all) auto insurance companies give you a 10% discount on your premiums for 3 years after you take one of the courses. So some people take one of the courses every 3 years for the insurance premium savings. Others take them because, in some cases, it will get a traffic ticket dismissed.

And no matter what your driving record, training, or anything else, you still have to attend one of the courses as a "student" every 3 years for the insurance premium savings (at least in Texas). I was qualified to teach the course over 30 years ago, and the last time I attended as a student (3 years ago), it was the AARP course and they tried for quite some time to get me to volunteer to teach, but I just didn't have the time. But of course, I have to take it every 3 years to keep the insurance savings.

All the courses I'm familiar with are 8 hour courses; usually taught in two half day classes although I suppose some go just one full day. For that reason, some people just never go to one because they don't feel they have the time to spare.

Well, now you can take the courses online at your convenience 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This past week, my wife and I each did the AARP Driver Safety Online Course so we can keep getting the insurance savings. You do not have to be an AARP member to take it, but it'll cost $4 more if you're not a member. Another place you can take a course is through the AAA Online Defensive Driving Course although it costs more. Of course, the AARP course is geared toward drivers over the age of 50, so other courses would be more appropriate for younger drivers. I'm sure there are other online courses also, but those are just the two I know about.

For those who don't know it, the courses are easy; just takes a little time, any quizzes or tests are for your information only; no one fails. I'm sure some will say they're so basic that there's nothing there you don't already know, but I think the refresher is good for all of us.

Sorry to be a bit long winded, but thought some of you might want to save a little money on your insurance premiums.

 

[sandman2234]

The Judge in court mentioned that I maybe included in the bunch that "has to" go to 4 hours of school as part of the ticket that I got with that accident. Voluntary election of school to dismiss or remove points is not an option for people who have "CDL's". The took that away from us a couple years ago. Some of the rules they have for us could drive a guy to drinking. Oh wait, one drink and I will be over my .04 bac... and I can't drive until it has been out of my system for 24 hours. (not 24 hours after I drink it)
I guess I better get off my soapbox and let FarmswithJunk have his cellphones and yard sales back.
David from jax

 

[milkman]

Bird,

Of all of the nutty things I see on the road, that motorcycle with the pipes is the only one that has pushed my buttons enough to get me close to a situation that might get ugly. Make my daughter cry and I get mad.

LOUD PIPES, obviously you don't read their helmet stickers,
LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES.

Also the ex cop in the shooting that FWJ referred to never spent a minute of time in jail either.

 

[N80]

LOUD PIPES, obviously you don't read their helmet stickers,
LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES.

Loud pipes make the rest of the world hate bikers. To suggest that they are a safety feature is just rationalizing. Bikers have loud pipes because they want to be loud and they want to get noticed and if it bothers someone else, all the better.

It is not a bit different from the 60000000 watt super woofers that these idiots put in their cars....facing outwards. There is no musical value to them whatsoever. Its an uncontrollable desire to be noticed and to irritate others.

I have no doubt that loud pipes and loud woofers are simply compensation for for a certain anatomical 'smallness' for which there is no other remedy.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Also the ex cop in the shooting that FWJ referred to never spent a minute of time in jail either.

Not YET anyway. I know his attorney. From what I hear, shooter's gonna get a real smackdown in civil court. How that helps a mostly brain dead quadraplegic I don't know. Case is under investigation by feds. (that ol' all-encompassing violation of civil rights thing) Grand Jury may yet hand down indictment. IMHO, they should.

 

[workinallthetime]

Loud pipes make the rest of the world hate bikers. To suggest that they are a safety feature is just rationalizing. Bikers have loud pipes because they want to be loud and they want to get noticed and if it bothers someone else, all the better.

It is not a bit different from the 60000000 watt super woofers that these idiots put in their cars....facing outwards. There is no musical value to them whatsoever. Its an uncontrollable desire to be noticed and to irritate others.

I have no doubt that loud pipes and loud woofers are simply compensation for for a certain anatomical 'smallness' for which there is no other remedy.

actually they do and have saved my life more than once. You see when skippy has is subs cranked up and is bobbing his mellon to the beat he didnt see me pulling up along side him on a 3 lane city road. As he began to enter my lane i have 2 choices either hit the " excuse me, would you not hit me horn" that bikes come with or grab a handfull of clutch and hit the rev limiter on 1000 cc's of hot rice. I kept it down most of the time but the pipe was needed more than once and it did add some power. Until you have been in the shoes of a guy on 390 lbs of power dont judge his decision on which pipe to buy. Someday it might be you who looks twice after hearing that pipe before you change lanes.

 

[Bird]

Until you have been in the shoes of a guy on 390 lbs of power dont judge his decision on which pipe to buy.

I've been there, so yep, I figure I can judge that decision, and yep, it's nothing but immaturity. Some outgrow it and some never do.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

You are taught when riding motorcycles to not put yourself in those positions. As manuverable as sport bikes are you should be able to get out of or avoid most of these situations rather easily. The last thing I would want to do is grab the clutch and hit the throttle "hoping" my pipe will wake up a driver next (who knows, maybe he is deaf and can't hear the pipe) to me and also "hope" that the shock of that pipe doesn't make him swerve faster into me as I still have the clutch in and no other course of action.

If someone looks like they are day dreaming pass them as fast as you can without causing problems. Bikes can stop a lot faster then cars can also so you have plenty of options without needing loud pipes. When you ride you have to always expect the other drivers to do the unexpected.

I had one accident on my bike, I was still on a permit and was riding with a friend. He did something I didn't expect (swerved in front of me to pull over as he forgot to put on his goggles) and I over reacted and hit too much front brake. It was entirely my fault as I hadn't taken the MSF class yet to learn proper riding techniques. It was an expensive mistake though and I am sure it would have been avoided if I had a loud pipe