[Darla_G]

Ok please no offense intended towards asian cultures or anything but i have mostly heard the term toward the high powered Japanese sport bikes.

Well my rant is towards the idiots that drive them with a death wish. I was driving home tonight. sitting in the rightmost lane of a highway with a series of traffic lights. The light had just turned green and i was accelerating and there is a car in the center lane maybe a car length ahead of me and we're probably going about 45 at this point. All of a sudden this bike comes roaring up and attempts to pass in between us only thing is he didn't plan on having to cut it over to the right lane (where I was) and he almost got clipped by me because i didn't even see where he came from until he was literally right in front of me ( i might have only missed him by less than 2 feet) . He bobbles the bike a little bit, recovers and then proceeds to pull a wheely for like 200 ft at probably over 80 mph. (its mostly 55 with some sections 45)

He was forced to stop at the next light but when i pulled up along side of him and glared he proceeded to rev his bike to superloud levels. I think he was in a group of 3 riders. One had a Harley who was constantly pulling up the rear of the group and the second was a couple on the bike. This guy who i described pulled away really fast but the couple well she almost lost it. He attempted to accelerate as fast as the first guy and the girl on the back well she was hanging underneath onto the seat (no sissy bar or seat back) till she was almost horizontal! I thought for sure she was off but somehow she hung on. Guy in front was obviously more interested in catching up with his friend than worrying about her. and if she would have fallen she was certainly dead because there was lots of traffic around.

But this went on for a while, running light to light. I just settled in the middle lane and when there was a merge ahead went back to the right. And then all of a sudden the Harley is right on my tail and i hear the horn. Now the Harley must have been closing at over 30 mph over the speed i was doing because that lane was real clear when i signaled to go over. Now i hear it all the time from my friends who ride bikes "the cars don't see you ! and other stuff like that" Well one of the major problems is for bikes to pass on the right. First of all you can't see the right mirror as well as the left, but more importantly there is no way to judge closing speed of a bike. If a car is speeding up to your right you see TWO headlights and by the two lights diverging (going further apart) you can tell he is closing on you (going faster) . With a Bike a single headlight there is no way to tell that. Bikers need to consider this.

You might think by reading this I am down on Bikes, but as I've mentioned I have lots of friends who ride. and I always wanted to own a buy one up until the time when i was a teenager and my cousin lost his leg in a bike accident no fault his own. But I've decided it's the guys on the Rice Bikes that are the most dangerous when they ride like A**Holes. Today was just another example of that.

[kdmakeuparts]

I get it! I respect most bike riders. But I HATE the ones that think they can weave and bob in between traffic just because they are bikes. The ones that go so fast and go in and out of lanes as if they are invinceable. And when these jerky types are in a group of 3 or more...forget it.
I know safe riders and they also agree!

[Karen CD FL]

As a motorcycle rider myself (Honda Goldwing) it really ticks me off seeing these kids who ride "Crotch Rockets"

They make it bad for all riders and most non-riders group us all together.

The only good thing about people who ride these bikes and usually without helmets is that eventually they become a "Darwin Award"

[Darla_G]

Originally Posted by Karen CD FL

As a motorcycle rider myself (Honda Goldwing) it really ticks me off seeing these kids who ride "Crotch Rockets"

They make it bad for all riders and most non-riders group us all together.

The only good thing about people who ride these bikes and usually without helmets is that eventually they become a "Darwin Award"

Agreed! Thank you Karen.

[nanzmck]

Bad drivers are just bad drivers, regardless of the vehicle.
I am scared to death of motorcycles, after my friend took me on a 115 mph ride for my first time ever on a bike.
On a side note, why aren't bikers required to wear helmets, but you can get pulled over by police in your car for not wearing your seatbelt? (In Minnesota anyway.) I never understood that.

[Karen CD FL]

nanzmck.

It is much more than a "bad driver" thing.

There is a personality trait for the people who do this. One they have no self esteem so they makeup up for it by showing off on a bike and Two, they have no consideration for anyone around them.

And honestly, unless you were both motorcycle racers, why would your friend take you on a 115 mph ride?

As far as helmets go, some states have changed the Helmet laws. In 1999, then Florida Governor Jeb Bush, signed the new law into effect. Florida riders over 21 were no longer required to wear a helmet. This is just plain nuts. The death rate has risen steadily every year since then.

Florida motorcycle fatalities increase after helmet law is repealed - Online Lawyer Source

MC Helmet

I ride properly, going with the flow of traffic. I wear a full face helmet, long pants, boots and gloves. I have never had any accidents or any incidents.

I do ride a big bike and that does help others see me. Motorcycle riding is really very safe when it is done with respect.

[ticki]

crotch rocket rider = future organ donor

[nanzmck]

Totally. It's completely a personality thing, not specific to import bikes.
Oh, and truth be told, I never spoke to my "friend" again after the little joyride.

[Anthea]

I love high powered Japanese motorcycles, they are such fun to ride. However there is a place and time for everything. The rider in question would behave the same if he were on a Harley, its just their (the riders) mentality and its not the type of machine they ride. Don't have to ride them hard an fast, the throttle is there and it works also at moderate traffic speeds as well as flat out. Its up to the rider.

Not everyone on Large Japanese bikes rides irresponsibly (I have an old one) and when I was riding regularly I did not ride like the person described. In all groups you will get idiots an they tend to stand out and make everyone else look bad.

Its a pity there was not a cop around when you witnessed all this Darla.

[Darla_G]

thanks Anthea your points are well taken. it is a pity because one of these days something bad is going to happen

[Dragonfly]

Sorry to hear about your experience Darla.

When I grew up, "rice burners" were a street term for mopeds. Just wanted to throw that out there.

[-Chelsey-]

I too get extremely annoyed when they drive like that. They're just asking to get hit, it's bad enough no one sees them even when they're driving good. I've noticed that the majority of people that ride like that are beginners and have just gotten their bikes. I have a lot of friends that have 'crotch rockets' that have had them for years and dont drive like that but did when they first got it to 'show off'.

[StereoXGirl]

I was going somewhere with my mom awhile back and had something similar happen.

A motorcyclist passed between lanes, and we didn't see or hear him until he was right there. He was going waaaay fast. He got stopped at the next light by an undercover cop that just happened to be stopped at the light. lol.

I agree with the others that it's a personality thing, though.

My brother is an admin on a Kawasaki forum. lol. He's had two pretty major accidents, but luckily has never broken anything. If he wouldn't have been wearing his helmet, he'd be dead. But he wears a full helmet even though it's not required by law (you don't have to wear a helmet in FL). He just has a bunch of scar tissue built up in his knees that he's going to have to live with for the rest of his life.

[magosienne]

my dad rides a motorcycle and although he's extremely cautious he nearly got amputated more than once. i agree it's more a personality thing. one thing my dad learned is the money you spend in your gear, gloves, boots, jacket, full helmet is the money you or your children won't have to spend on hospital or coffin.

my uncle had a motorcycle in his young years. crazy kid, riding super fast in straight roads, stupid bets. until he met a truck (although it was the truck driver's fault) and he ended at the hospital, stayed a few days in a coma. he still has some scars and some metal in his arm.

[S. Lisa Smith]

As a lawyer I have made more money representing injured MC riders than people in cars. The injuries are always huge. The last two I did, the MC riders were behaving