Sunday, August 30, 2009
Those who see, those who don't, and those who don't care.
Some friends and I went for a long motorcycle ride last weekend - up in the mountains in the cool air. It was fantastic but it reminded me that when you're on a motorbike, there are essentially three categories of car driver. Those who see you, those who don't, and those who see you but just don't care.
On narrow mountain roads, for the most part, the lanes are separated with a double yellow line. Passing opportunities are few and far between - you can ride for miles before coming across a broken yellow.
When you come up behind a car driver, those who see you are normally very accommodating. Realising you are infinitely faster than they are on a mountain road, they'll pull to the side and slow down, and/or pull in at a lay-by, and/or wave you past. This is nice - you know you've been seen and a friendly wave as you pass them helps seal the deal.
The drivers who don't see you are the same ones who cause all the motorbike accidents. They'll happily run you down as much as look at you, mostly because they're busy corralling the kids, arguing with the co-driver or more likely, texting on their phones. These are simply lost causes - you have no choice other than to sit well back to give them room to drive like total dicks, and then pass them when the markings allow. More often than not, taking them by surprise.
The last category are those drivers who've clearly seen you, and are deliberately doing everything possible to prevent you from passing. Normally this involves driving incredibly slowly when the lines in the middle of the road are double yellow, then speeding up and drifting to the left when you get to a passing area.
Motorcyclists all love driver type 1. We deal with driver type 2 because we have to. Driver type 3? Well, the less said about them, the better. You know who you are and you know where you can go.
From a motorcyclist to all the type 1 drivers who have seen me and acknowledged me: thank you. Especially the guy towing the boat up Mount Nebo loop a few weeks back who pulled the entire rig over on to the soft shoulder and waved me through. I appreciate it.
On narrow mountain roads, for the most part, the lanes are separated with a double yellow line. Passing opportunities are few and far between - you can ride for miles before coming across a broken yellow.
When you come up behind a car driver, those who see you are normally very accommodating. Realising you are infinitely faster than they are on a mountain road, they'll pull to the side and slow down, and/or pull in at a lay-by, and/or wave you past. This is nice - you know you've been seen and a friendly wave as you pass them helps seal the deal.
The drivers who don't see you are the same ones who cause all the motorbike accidents. They'll happily run you down as much as look at you, mostly because they're busy corralling the kids, arguing with the co-driver or more likely, texting on their phones. These are simply lost causes - you have no choice other than to sit well back to give them room to drive like total dicks, and then pass them when the markings allow. More often than not, taking them by surprise.
The last category are those drivers who've clearly seen you, and are deliberately doing everything possible to prevent you from passing. Normally this involves driving incredibly slowly when the lines in the middle of the road are double yellow, then speeding up and drifting to the left when you get to a passing area.
Motorcyclists all love driver type 1. We deal with driver type 2 because we have to. Driver type 3? Well, the less said about them, the better. You know who you are and you know where you can go.
From a motorcyclist to all the type 1 drivers who have seen me and acknowledged me: thank you. Especially the guy towing the boat up Mount Nebo loop a few weeks back who pulled the entire rig over on to the soft shoulder and waved me through. I appreciate it.
// posted by Chris @ 16:27 
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So essentially you're saying motorcycles are above the law and can break rules as they please, and anyone getting in their way of doing so is an asshole... ?
I must be missing something because this isn't making me feel very sympathetic.
I must be missing something because this isn't making me feel very sympathetic.
# posted by 
: August 30, 2009 11:06 PM
: August 30, 2009 11:06 PM
Three types of drivers:
Those that let you pass on a double solid yellow line, those that can't (they don't see you) and those that won't (those that see you but don't wave you by).
In my country, double solid yellow lines mean no passing, ever. How am I an asshole if I see you behind me but don't go out of my way to let you pass on a double solid? That would be breaking the law. And you appear to be upset about people who don't do this for you.
?
Those that let you pass on a double solid yellow line, those that can't (they don't see you) and those that won't (those that see you but don't wave you by).
In my country, double solid yellow lines mean no passing, ever. How am I an asshole if I see you behind me but don't go out of my way to let you pass on a double solid? That would be breaking the law. And you appear to be upset about people who don't do this for you.
?
# posted by : August 31, 2009 8:58 AM
: August 31, 2009 8:58 AM
Yee Gods, how on earth did "Anonymous" get that impression???
I'm guessing he be a Type 3.
I'm guessing he be a Type 3.
# posted by : August 31, 2009 9:02 AM
: August 31, 2009 9:02 AM
I believe you've missed one small piece of information, and that is that the cars could slow slightly and pull over to the shoulder etc to let the bikes past. I don't think Chris was suggesting anyone break the law.
# posted by : August 31, 2009 9:07 AM
: August 31, 2009 9:07 AM
Anonymous : did you miss this?
"you have no choice other than to sit well back to give them room to drive like total dicks, and then pass them **when the markings allow**."
At no point in my post do I mention, promote or condone passing on double yellow lines. That's the whole point - the drivers who see me move over and give me room to pass without crossing the double yellow. Those who don't see me mean I have to wait (sometimes for miles) for a passing area. Those who drive slowly on the double yellows then speed up in the passing areas are the third type.
How did you not get this from the original post?
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"you have no choice other than to sit well back to give them room to drive like total dicks, and then pass them **when the markings allow**."
At no point in my post do I mention, promote or condone passing on double yellow lines. That's the whole point - the drivers who see me move over and give me room to pass without crossing the double yellow. Those who don't see me mean I have to wait (sometimes for miles) for a passing area. Those who drive slowly on the double yellows then speed up in the passing areas are the third type.
How did you not get this from the original post?
# posted by 
Chris : August 31, 2009 9:26 AM
Chris : August 31, 2009 9:26 AM
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