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44Dwarf wrote:Check this out.
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/distracted.driving.nail.2.1680019.html
"This is an accident," defense attorney Jeff Tomczak told the jury in his closing argument. "This is a case of a distracted driver who didn't want to hurt anybody."
The one useful thing to come from my Detroit Public School driver's ed was this quote from my instructor:
"There is no such thing as a traffic accident. They are traffic incidents because they can all be avoided."
Yeah, after she claimed innocence. She was painting her nails, but she put it down to stop at the light. Except there was nail polish all over the interior, indicating she was holding the bottle at the time of impact.
Lots of Harley riders come to Myrtle Beach this time of the year and a good percentage of them will make a day trip to Chucktown. A few days ago, two guys doing just that were sitting in traffic waiting for the light to change and were hit from behind by someone driving an SUV. They were pushed into the car in front of them which was then pushed into the next car in line, so you can imagine the speed of impact. One of the bikers was 80 years old, so they weren't exactly smartass kids out looking for trouble.
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/may/12/2-motorcycle-riders-die-in-wreck/
I plan to start street riding again once my street tracker project comes together, and I intend to have both a headlight modulator and the same taillight modulator tuna mentioned. If some cager gets his/her panties in a bunch over that, well it damn sure beats me getting killed.
Jensenman wrote: ...... and I intend to have both a headlight modulator and the same taillight modulator tuna mentioned. If some cager gets his/her panties in a bunch over that, well it damn sure beats me getting killed.
You have use every tool in the box when you're a Rider. It's a shame, but until DRIVERS stop talking on the phone, texting, reading, putting on make-up etc., and start paying attention, we have to do all we can to make sure we're seen. If it makes me look like a shriner and a travelling light show, so be it.
some are using a headlight modulator, some are just bouncing down the road causing a similar effect. For me, I use an amber light in my highbeam to be noticed. It works.
I have never seen nor heard of those. Must not have made it to Pittsburgh yet, but we tend to be a little behind the times. (Tube Socks were big this year)
I ride with my high beams on as well. I have fallen to the flashing fligh=cops, so I don't wanna be that guy.
Dr Boost, most of us recognize you are kidding about the lugnuts, but it has happened to some of us, so we get a bit pissy about it. If anyone launches anything at me, I don't care how big you are or how many are in the car. We are going to have an issue. You have to stop eventually, if you are bigger than me, you had better be able to catch me, but we will settle it.
Fortunately its not "concealed" to carry a long gun on your back while riding a motorcycle in Wisconsin, and open carry is 100% legal depending on where you are. I doubt anyone would throw a lugnut at the guy on the camouflage rocket with an uncased AR-15 on his back.
pinchvalve wrote:I have never seen nor heard of those. Must not have made it to Pittsburgh yet, but we tend to be a little behind the times. (Tube Socks were big this year)
They hit the market about the same time as tube socks. 
I'm pretty sure I recall seeing ads for pulsing headlights in motorcycle magazines in the early 1980s at least, if not earlier.
The flashing lights are annoying, distracting, and blinding. But running with the high beams on constantly (night and day) is just as bad.
My dad and my brother are avid riders and I rode motocross for 16 years, so I have a lot of sympathy for motorcyclists. But it is their choice to ride a motorcycle in traffic alongside 4 wheel vehicles. What gives them the right to blind us four wheelers because THEIR hobby is dangerous.
You get to risk your life and split lanes. Us 4 wheelers get to be safe and sit in traffic jams. You can't have both.
Cone_Junky wrote: ....... But it is their choice to ride a motorcycle in traffic alongside 4 wheel vehicles. What gives them the right to blind us four wheelers because THEIR hobby is dangerous. You get to risk your life and split lanes. Us 4 wheelers get to be safe and sit in traffic jams. You can't have both.
The outrageous fees for licensing and insurance(plus the state) gives us the right to SHARE the road. Most of the time, it's only dangerous because four wheelers don't or won't afford the motorcyclist the same courtesy as , say an 18 wheeler. You don't hear of too many people pulling out or turning left in front of a dump truck because they didn't see it, but it's an everyday occurrence to the law abiding riders. I don't know where you're from, but here in N.Y., it's illegal to split lanes. A blinking headlight is an attention getter. If that blinds you, you have a bigger issue than a motorcyclist trying to been seen.
In reply to minimac:
Live in Cali where lane splitting is legal. I even watch my mirrors while in bumper to bumper traffic so that I can move over to let a bike by. I look over my shoulder to check blind spots for cyclists when lane changing.
I have an issue if a motorcyclist leaves his 100W high beams on?
If high beams/strobes were only used during the day - no issue. Problem is that every squid that gets stationed in San Diego buys a superbike, pops in higher wattage bulbs, and leaves the high beams on...always.
Again, motorcycles are dangerous (aka donor-cycles). We all know that. You knew that when you bought it. Your problem, not mine.
You only get to spli lanes in CA, and the first time my high beams blind anyone in sunlight, you have my promise that I'll turn them off.
Cudos for actually making room for lane splitters, and checking for bikes, that kind of consideration is rare. But to punish me for the aquids and their high intensity bulbs is no better than bikers lumping you in with the inconsiterate 4 wheelers out there.
I will say this, you being "blinded" by a motorcycle is an inconvience. But a 4 wheeler not seeing us is a collision. So too equate the 2 is a stretch.
Cone_Junky wrote:In reply to minimac:
Live in Cali where lane splitting is legal. I even watch my mirrors while in bumper to bumper traffic so that I can move over to let a bike by. I look over my shoulder to check blind spots for cyclists when lane changing.
I have an issue if a motorcyclist leaves his 100W high beams on?
If high beams/strobes were only used during the day - no issue. Problem is that every squid that gets stationed in San Diego buys a superbike, pops in higher wattage bulbs, and leaves the high beams on...always.
Again, motorcycles are dangerous (aka donor-cycles). We all know that. You knew that when you bought it. Your problem, not mine.
So you think it's OK for a motorcyclist to die so you don't have to endure his/her high beams? Which, from personal experience, are nowhere near as aggravating and blinding as those friggin' HID lamps?
Riiiight. 
Mental wrote:You only get to spli lanes in CA, and the first time my high beams blind anyone in sunlight, you have my promise that I'll turn them off.
Cudos for actually making room for lane splitters, and checking for bikes, that kind of consideration is rare. But to punish me for the aquids and their high intensity bulbs is no better than bikers lumping you in with the inconsiterate 4 wheelers out there.
I will say this, you being "blinded" by a motorcycle is an inconvience. But a 4 wheeler not seeing us is a collision. So too equate the 2 is a stretch.
Agreed, Also remember that even though we get the privilege to split lanes, we are required to wear a helmet.
Now I would always wear a helmet, but if some idiot does not, that is his problem (and possibly the tax payers) if he survives.
Also, I do ride with my HB on in the day, but have an amber bulb in place to bring up the attention factor while reducing the blinding factor. I have friends that have done this as well and they did notice a difference when on the street
Update on the local story: the driver of the SUV was cited for inattention and speeding, basically a slap on the wrist. So it's OK to kill motorcyclists.
The other day I saw a guy on the highway with the headlight flasher and no helmet...
Concerned with safety or just trying to be cool??
