Who do cagers think they are?

[busa_boy_69]

You know I just thought I would share a gripe with you all. As I was out with my buddy on his gixxer 1k the other evening we were going down the highway in MINIMAL traffic. Well we started playing with each other. He would speed up a little and I'd match it.....he would I would .....so on and so on. Well we finally went all out. He was in the fast lane of a 3 lane highway and I was beside him in the middle lane. Well as we are gaining speed his lane is empty and I have a cage coming in front of me. So I cut over into the slow lane which is traffic FREE. Well I hit it and just OBLITERATE him in a few seconds catching him and passing him. Well about 30 seconds down the highway I come up to our exit. I am sitting at the light and he pulls up a few seconds later. As I am looking back watching him come down the ramp the cager in the right turn lane beside me looks over and goes (nicely I will add not being shitty) Hun I aint trying to gripe at you or anything but I almost came over into you back there. You passed me in the slow lane back there and I didn't even know you were there it scared me to death. I mean I aint trying to gripe at you but you guys be careful you scared me to death. (keep in mind I passed her just before the exit so I had slowed down to about 75-80 mph by then). I just looked over and said sorry mam I was just playing a little bit and she pulls off. (while the light was red with a big no turn on red sign in front of her and on the side of the road to.....lol). I just looked over at my friend and he was like what was all that about? I said I just got a lecture no biggie. Well my point is that with the exhaust I have it SCREAMS I know that back could be heard about at least a 1/4 mile back and is it not supposed to be a rule slow lane or not you look for traffic before you merge? I mean I do everytime I change lanes no matter what. Now granted I accept full responsibility that I was driving a little wreckless speeding in the fast lane but to me this was just a case of not being aware of whats going on in traffic. Thats what mirrors are for. I mean I am not really mad about this I just thought I'd share the story and see if this was one of you all how you would take it. I mean it's like the cagers act like they never break traffic laws. Kills me sometimes.

 

[LadyHawk]

Dude, yesterday 2 tried to take me out.. and I was abiding the laws.

1. Gjoker gets into the left lane, but there isn't time for me to get over (I always ride a bike's length behind him and to the right side), he slows down to get me some room. I pull into that lane. The cage behind us gets mad and  rides my behind, not more than 2 feet behind me..GJoker slows wayyy down to back him off, and at the red light, pulls up beside him (we were in the turn lane he was beside us.) and lets him have it. He tells him "that's my wife, you better be careful" The cager says "I have a right to drive on this road too ya know"  

 huh?

2. We are in the turn lane to take a left onto a 3 lane street.. we get the green arrow, I take the middle lane, GJoker takes the left lane....and  a car going the opposite way takes a right.. ALL the way over to the left lane! If I hadn't been watching her, she woulda took me out... I had to slow wayyy down as her front fender comes directly in front of me. GJoker slows to let her over, and then hangs beside her staring into her passenger window...I'm sure he might have been cussing too.

I don't know what it is about cagers... when I'm in my car I give bikes plenty of room, give them the right of way, and try to protect them from other cagers. I guess non-riders could give a flip less about bikers.

I still want the bumper sticker that says "look twice, they are everywhere" with a pic of a motorcycle on it. Not that it would help much, but ya never know.

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[busa_boy_69]

Wow.....sounds like you had it worse then me. I was actually breaking the rules a little but but your story just backs up my point of them not looking one bit when they are driving. It's ridiculous. Glad you guys didn't get hurt though.

 

[nitrousjunkie]

Could have been worse, for the most part, people in cars arent looking for people on bikes, they are watching for other cars, consequently sometimes they pull out in front of us or over on us.Glad youre ok! NJ.

 

[Glyn]

I figure it's a good ride when nobody tries to kill me.

 

[MrGxr]

Riding a bike these days is taking your life into other's hands. Those cage drivers that have no bike experience aren't lookin for two wheels... actually I don't think they are lookin at all. I find that when I pass them they get that startled look like I just scared them. I usually just smile and move on, but somedays I really want to tell them to look around once in a while. Tunnel vision will get ya killed...

 

[IL_BusaBoy]

It's always interesting how some cagers act. I know when I drive the cage, I always respect other bikers, I guess that comes from the fact that I ride a bike. I think more people would respect bikes if they either rode them or if we didn't have so many squids out there.

 

[diesel]

Once you realize everyone is out to try to kill you, you'll be fine. I 'm guilty of passing on the right, left, double yellows, whatever, but I pretend I'm invisible even when they're looking me dead in the eye or the pipes are screaming. Oh, I scared you in your suv on my 450lb bike? Go F yourself-oh, sorry mom I didn't see it was you.

 

[diesel]

It's always interesting how some cagers act. I know when I drive the cage, I always respect other bikers, I guess that comes from the fact that I ride a bike. I think more people would respect bikes if they either rode them or if we didn't have so many squids out there.

I don't know...you have a point, but around here you don't get much respect from other bikers either, whether it's cruisers doing 10 below the speed limit on your favorite twisty who refuse to let you go by, or the jerks on sportbikes passing you on the right in your own lane, riding up your a ss or in your blindspot. I guess we're considered squids, too, considering the speeds we go and those of us who wheelie or whatever.

 

[suzuki4life]

You know I just thought I would share a gripe with you all. As I was out with my buddy on his gixxer 1k the other evening we were going down the highway in MINIMAL traffic. Well we started playing with each other. He would speed up a little and I'd match it.....he would I would .....so on and so on. Well we finally went all out. He was in the fast lane of a 3 lane highway and I was beside him in the middle lane. Well as we are gaining speed his lane is empty and I have a cage coming in front of me. So I cut over into the slow lane which is traffic FREE. Well I hit it and just OBLITERATE him in a few seconds catching him and passing him. Well about 30 seconds down the highway I come up to our exit. I am sitting at the light and he pulls up a few seconds later. As I am looking back watching him come down the ramp the cager in the right turn lane beside me looks over and goes (nicely I will add not being shitty) Hun I aint trying to gripe at you or anything but I almost came over into you back there. You passed me in the slow lane back there and I didn't even know you were there it scared me to death. I mean I aint trying to gripe at you but you guys be careful you scared me to death. (keep in mind I passed her just before the exit so I had slowed down to about 75-80 mph by then). I just looked over and said sorry mam I was just playing a little bit and she pulls off. (while the light was red with a big no turn on red sign in front of her and on the side of the road to.....lol). I just looked over at my friend and he was like what was all that about? I said I just got a lecture no biggie. Well my point is that with the exhaust I have it SCREAMS I know that back could be heard about at least a 1/4 mile back and is it not supposed to be a rule slow lane or not you look for traffic before you merge? I mean I do everytime I change lanes no matter what. Now granted I accept full responsibility that I was driving a little wreckless speeding in the fast lane but to me this was just a case of not being aware of whats going on in traffic. Thats what mirrors are for. I mean I am not really mad about this I just thought I'd share the story and see if this was one of you all how you would take it. I mean it's like the cagers act like they never break traffic laws. Kills me sometimes.

Welp unfortunately, its not our place to judge others actions unless it directly affects you. So her turning on a red is irrelevent. If you passed her on the right in many states that is illegal. Be happy she decided to very nicely voice her opinions/concerns to you rather than report your plates and description to the po po.

And as for your exhaust SCREAMING, noise emits rearward due to many reasons. Most times it takes VERY deep bass tones to generate the HArley rumbling many people complain about. I highly doubt your bike simulates a Harley in its most annoying of form. So basically even though you THINK she should had heard you, odds are she didn't her you till you were directly beside her or just past her. The vehicle is insulated for noise plus her radio, road noise etc will all help make your sounds less noticable.

 

[suzuki4life]

Dude, yesterday 2 tried to take me out.. and I was abiding the laws.

1. Gjoker gets into the left lane, but there isn't time for me to get over (I always ride a bike's length behind him and to the right side), he slows down to get me some room. I pull into that lane. The cage behind us gets mad and  rides my behind, not more than 2 feet behind me..GJoker slows wayyy down to back him off, and at the red light, pulls up beside him (we were in the turn lane he was beside us.) and lets him have it. He tells him "that's my wife, you better be careful" The cager says "I have a right to drive on this road too ya know"  

 huh?

2. We are in the turn lane to take a left onto a 3 lane street.. we get the green arrow, I take the middle lane, GJoker takes the left lane....and  a car going the opposite way takes a right.. ALL the way over to the left lane! If I hadn't been watching her, she woulda took me out... I had to slow wayyy down as her front fender comes directly in front of me. GJoker slows to let her over, and then hangs beside her staring into her passenger window...I'm sure he might have been cussing too.

I don't know what it is about cagers... when I'm in my car I give bikes plenty of room, give them the right of way, and try to protect them from other cagers. I guess non-riders could give a flip less about bikers.

I still want the bumper sticker that says "look twice, they are everywhere" with a pic of a motorcycle on it. Not that it would help much, but ya never know.

Check your state's DOT manual. In a 3 lane situation the center lane is normally considered neutral. Right or left turns can normally access it if they can do it in a "safe manner". HOWEVER where you would had gotten cited if an accident would had occured. I am betting your state DOT clearly states, "left turning vehicles MUST YIELD TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC". It normally is a easy loophole becuase every state I have ever been in is considered a "defenisve driver" state. If you are not working to AVOID the accident you are then somewhat at fault.

 

[bronc3]

Passing in the slow lane is always risky, but even more so when it's a bike overtaking a cager.

 

[eynlai]

not passing at all and being "caged" up in a pack of traffic is worst that passing on the right. I'm just paranoid that way, but that's why I pass which ever way I can to get out from being in a sardine pack. I'll take it easy once I'm in the clear.

When I first started riding a year ago, I was in that considerate state of mind and always being seen. Example, I used to be very reluctant to pass in a car pool lane (HOA lane for the other part of the country), wearing that orange reflector vest at night, etc... But what I found is this: In that that carpool lane, if I hestitate in passing/splitting, then the vehicle ahea will only see me and purposely close the gap on me to box me in. I estimate that happens about 85% of the time. I abandoned the orange/reflective "safety" vest awhile ago. I know, most people respond by saying, "shouldn't you keep it on to be seen at night?". Call me paranoid, but I rather not be seen and be a stealthier rider, than a blazing moving target for some aggro driver to aim at

 

[FAKK2]

Well depends on the cager, suv/mini vans drivers own the road and while talking on their cell non stop it is their road so watch your ass they will cut you off and it is you that are in their way!!! seem to be a trend in those vehicles.

 

[DAB]

It's a combination of things.

Some cagers have never ridden bikes so they aren't aware of them on the road.

Some bikers don't allow for the difference in speed between them and the general flow of traffic, and the fact that cages aren't able to accelerate/brake as fast as a bike

I was taking an exit on the highway the other day in my cage at about 65mph, and a bike came past me on my left, threading through traffic at around 90. If I'd been a typical "blind" cager and decided to wander from my lane into his without indicating, even if I'd looked in my mirror for a second I wouldn't have seen the bike and I would've pulled out in front of it and wouldn't have known what hit me.

Point is, you have to try and let them know you're there before you pass anyone - on the left or the right. I've found that if I move around side to side a little in a lane before making a lane change it tends to catch the eye of the cagers. You can't rely on sound because they may have the radio on etc. I watch for their head and shoulder movement as well to see if they're looking in their mirrors or they're considering a sudden turn. If I stick to a fixed line I seem to "disappear" in the background noise and become a lamppost or a light on the vehicle behind me.

Also, it's best to treat each vehicle individually when passing if possible, because the guy at the front of a line of traffic probably can't see you at all.

At junctions, I'll deliberately move diagonally across the lane as I enter the crossing to (a) put as much distance between me and the cager who may be about to pull out in front of me, and (b) to try and establish some kind of eye-contact with the driver because that movement is "unusual".

The worst cagers in my opinion are the ones on the cellphones. They're ablivious to everything. Consider honking your horn, flashing your lights, and kicking their car to get their attention.

Finally, some patience and courtesy is worth having. I sat behind a guy in an open-top Mercedes a couple of weeks ago for about two miles until he noticed I was there. He then moved over a little and let me pass. He wasn't trying to block my progress, he was just oblivious to my existence. I gave him a wave as I blew his doors off...

 

[gtrpimp76]

When I got into my accident on Jan. 15, 2005 my girl and I were riding two up that evening on a two lane road with a middle island for Left Turns. I notice this Chrysler Crossfire parked off to the side of the road and not moving. I let off the throttle and cover my brakes. Last 90 feet she decides to pull a u-turn in the middle of a fast highway. I had no time to swerve and all I could do was hit both brakes hard ( to the edge of locked) but we still broadsided the lady! We both go over highside but thank God I wasn't going that fast 40-45 MPH. But it was still enough to fracture bones in the hip and pelvic areas. The police found her at fault for failing to yield and now my lawyers and I are going to have a field day with this (we're pursuing FULL POLICY AMount on her insurance for settlement). Just be careful out there guys because cagers don't give a damn and they'll always claim that they "never saw you coming." Do everything you can to be seen and heard..