Do you ride a bike? NF

[Big Cliff]

There seems to have been a lot of accidents lately involving motorcycles. Today I was South bound on 35 a few kilometers South of Lindsy; I looked in my mirror and there was a guy on a bike almost on my bumper (I was doing about 90 in an 80 zone).

 

There were five cars ahead of me and we were approching a hill, all of a sudden this guy decides to pull out and pass. Long story short I had to slam on my breaks and hit the sholder to give him room to get out of the North bound lanes or he would have been a hood orniment.

 

I seem to see a lot of this sort of thing, had a guy pass me on the 407 not too long ago on the the right hand side, he must have been doing upwards of 180 because tehre he was "gone", in fact just after he passed me he blew through a radar trap. Cop turned on his lights and just about as quick, turned them off again. The bike was so far gone he'd never have caught it anyway.

 

I rode a bike for many years and would never thought of doing some of these stunts, what gives?

[AKRISONER]

exactly what you just stated, a lot of bike guys feel above the law because they can go 250 without even blinking.

 

its too bad that guy that passed you was going to hit another car, rather than just running of the road into a tree...at least the rest of us would be safer with people like him gone.

[Steve]

cops have radio's.

 

cops are everywhere.

 

cops should not "give up" because "they" are too slow.

 

reading motorcycle forums on the net, its well known that if you see a radar, and your speeding, SPEED UP!

 

cops will say "it's too dangerous" to chase.

 

what they are actually saying is "we are too lazy, and there is another car going 25km above the limit coming right around the bend".

[OhioFisherman]

We seem to have a death a month just in my immediate area of bikers, some just don't have good judgment but some people in cars don't seem to notice them either.

 

I was coming home from a bass tournament with a buddy years ago, on the interstate highway and passing a slower car, I was in the far left lane. Two guys on crotch rockets blew by me on the left berm, both had girls on the back of their bikes, and a distance behind them? The highway patrol in pursuit.

 

One guy eventually pulled over, the other guy? Down the on ramp entering the interstate, just glad it wasn't any of my daughters riding with morons on bikes.

[dracokaos]

cops have radio's.

 

cops are everywhere.

 

cops should not "give up" because "they" are too slow.

 

reading motorcycle forums on the net, its well known that if you see a radar, and your speeding, SPEED UP!

 

cops will say "it's too dangerous" to chase.

 

what they are actually saying is "we are too lazy, and there is another car going 25km above the limit coming right around the bend".

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. As soon as a cop turns on his lights he is taking responsibility for himself, the rider of the bike and the innocent bystanders in other vehicles. What they do is assess each situation and react accordingly. I've been on this board for awhile now and know if a cop decided to pursue a guy on a bike and that rider lost control and killed himself, or another motorist, people on this board would be tearing him apart for acting recklessly and would demand his head. A speeding ticket isn't worth a life.

[DRIFTER_016]

Never rode on the roads, too dangerous for me.

I was an off road dirt bike guy. Less chance of being squashed by a distracted driver.

Just had to watch out for deer and turkeys on the trail!!!!

[ecmilley]

Why I dont drive a bike way to easy to do 300km/h.

If a guy cant pass 6 cars needs better bike lol.

Normal to see excess speed esp on hwys around here doing there bike poker runs. The run from flynns to gooderham is a great run for bikes and cars.

police normally dont chase bikes. Safety issue just radio ahead and hope for best

[BillM]

Why put the publics safety at risk by chasing a guy on a bike? You'll rarely out run the radio, and if he ends up in an accident, the odds are good he'll only kill himself.

Edited July 23, 2014 by BillM

[Wagoneer]

I see more bad drivers in cars than I do on bikes.

 

People in this province.. heck... this continent, are so ignorant towards motorcyclists and driving in general. This goes for law enforcement, the government, insurance companies, AND the general public.

 

You know how many people pull out in front of me? Or change lanes into me? Or stop two inches from my back tire? There's no reason for this. I have extremely bright twin headlights, and my exhaust is super loud. Driving in the city has lost all it's fun for me because of these things. Not to mention being followed by cops all the time.

 

It's too bad that the few idiots on crotch rockets who obviously have a death wish give all of us a bad name. If my bike wasn't so much more fuel efficient than my vehicle and the fact that I want to ride all l can to get my money's worth out my insurance costs, there'd be no way I'd ride in the city anymore. I have to make at least one evasive maneuver a day to not die. This should NOT be the case. I wish people could see motorcycles as an efficient and environmentally friendly means of transportation.

 

The level of ignorance towards driving in general in this country is something I don't take sitting down. Its laughable how easy it is to get a license in this country. Nobody knows the rules of the road, nobody knows how to drive on the highway, and everybody has this holier than thou attitude and nobody admits fault.

 

What's the first thing people do when they get pulled over? Blame the cop. Who should they blame? Themselves. Maybe if officers weren't pushed so hard to write speeding tickets all day long and actually wrote REAL traffic tickets, they'd start getting a bit more respect. But it's not their fault. You can basically do anything you want on the road and not get a ticket - cross 3 lanes without a blinker, enter any lane you want when turning left or right, pack the intersection with 4 cars all waiting to turn left, follow someone two feet off their bumper... but go 15km/h over the speed limit? Oh Hells no! That's dangerous!

 

This issue goes all the way back to our licensing programs. We need at the very minimums: skid pad training, evasive maneuvers, tougher driving tests (and a complete revamp about what gets you failed and what doesn't), and everyone needs to enter an amateur racing event (yeah, I'm not kidding about that - it works WONDERS in other countries, no better way to learn car control than driving on the limits of your vehicle in a safe environment). If our country really cared about safety on the road they would start implementing these things. Why don't they? $$$!!! Gotta get that revenue from those speeding tickets!

 

So having the attitude that motorcycles are dangerous to have on the road is ignorant and a perfect example of why everybody sucks at driving in this country. I see vehicles flying on the 401 at speeds above 150km/h multiple times a day. But you see that one motorbike going that fast and you immediately group all motorcycles as a danger to the general public? You know what motorcyclists are doing while they're driving? Actually paying attention to the road! Can you say that about people driving cars?

 

Sorry to say guys, some of your attitudes are pathetic. Expecting police officers to put their life in danger to hand out a $300 speeding ticket? Have any of you ever driven a crown Vic at those speeds? C'mon guys, be reasonable. Remember, driving on public roads is a privilege, not a right - that's important to remember. Respect ALL vehicles on the road.

[Wagoneer]

We seem to have a death a month just in my immediate area of bikers, some just don't have good judgment but some people in cars don't seem to notice them either.

 

I was coming home from a bass tournament with a buddy years ago, on the interstate highway and passing a slower car, I was in the far left lane. Two guys on crotch rockets blew by me on the left berm, both had girls on the back of their bikes, and a distance behind them? The highway patrol in pursuit.

 

One guy eventually pulled over, the other guy? Down the on ramp entering the interstate, just glad it wasn't any of my daughters riding with morons on bikes.

Traffic tickets should be doubled for bikers with passengers. Especially drivin like that.

 

What bothers me is do you ever see a passenger on a bike with proper equipment? Never. When my girlfriend is on my bike she's wearing her full equipment every single time, I don't care how hot it is.

[bigugli]

cops have radio's.

 

cops are everywhere.

 

cops should not "give up" because "they" are too slow.

 

reading motorcycle forums on the net, its well known that if you see a radar, and your speeding, SPEED UP!

 

cops will say "it's too dangerous" to chase.

 

what they are actually saying is "we are too lazy, and there is another car going 25km above the limit coming right around the bend".

Actually, it's because of public outcry, civil suits, and cowardly politicians, that the police have set rules on whether or not they may engage in a high speed pursuit.

[chris.brock]

yeah, I ride a bike, a Yami 125 scooter

 

I've ridden a bike all my life, I feel I've spun the wheel of death enough times but I still want to ride, so now it's a scooter (go ahead with the jokes, I've heard them all before, hahaha)

 

at least the newer street racing laws give the enforcement people more teeth if they do catch guys doing this stuff

 

there's bad drivers in SUVs, and cars, and on bikes

[Wagoneer]

I have a feeling this is going to get into politics in law enforcement rather than motorcyclists.

 

The only way a police officer will pursue a person going that fast is if he's wanted for some other crime. If an officer chases a bike down at 200km/h (which is the top speed of a crown Vic - which takes about 5 years to get there) for a simple speeding ticket, he's going to get his butt reemed by his SO. They'll maybe radio ahead and see if someone can set up a road block, but that's about it. He can safely hand out 3 20-over speeding tickets in the time that it'll take to pull over the bike.

 

Cops hate handing out serious traffic violations because that means they'll be stuck in court for an entire day. Because who in this country isn't going to fight a careless or reckless driving violation?

[Big Cliff]

Well, with the 407 guy radioing ahead wouldn't have worked anyway, by the time her got the call out this guy was probably two exits away and what could they have said; "a guy on a motorcycle" The bike might not have even been on the 407 by then.

 

As for the guy that tried to pass me on 35; it was a dumb move and he was lucky that I realized what was happening and was able to take evasive action and allow him room to get out of the way. If he had done this to some new driver there is a good chance someone would have not walked away from it.

 

This wasn't meant to bash cops or bike riders, I have the up most respect for both. I asked the question to try to get a better understanding of why I am seeing these things, perhaps it is just because I am spending more time on the road these days.

 

Wagoneer made a good point; "This issue goes all the way back to our licensing programs."

 

Living in Lindsay we see people coming up here from the city every day to do their drivers test because they couldn't pass it in the city. Many of these people can't even speak English let alone read it, how are they supposed to know what road signs say, read a map, hear a traffic report on the radio? They come here, get their license and then go back and drive in an environment where they couldn't pass their test. How safe is that?

[Wagoneer]

I had the same thing growing up in a small town. Our licensing office was always booked solid because our town was too far away from a 400 series highway so they substituted merging onto a 80km/h road. We also have very little side streets that are full enough with parked cars so you usually end up just "pretending" there are cars and slide ride in to the imaginary slot.

 

To bash this point in even more, I just finished college and one of my friends was so excited about passing her G test... HER FULL G TEST. She called me on her way to my house (while driving), stopped outside my door (I didn't have a house at that point, I was living in a condo), and preceded to ask me to reverse her into the parking spot for her because: 1. She didn't know how and, 2. She didn't want to reverse out when she had to leave and potentially hit my car. She went on to have two collisions in her first two months of driving (both at fault) and one single car accident in the winter a year later. And she still pays less for insurance than I do with a completely clean record!!

 

Tell me there isn't something wrong there...

 

At the very least we need skid pad training for every single new driver. If it were a perfect world, I'd have everybody do it. Usually the first time someone gets in an accident is the first they've had their car in a skid. 99% of the drivers have no idea how to control their vehicle in a skid.

[Steve]

well, simply put, I don't agree that if you drive "too fast" you get a free pass.

 

I don't agree that allowing the biker to put other folks in the public in danger is any different than a cop driving with his / her lights on putting people in danger.

 

but again, that's just me. cops should do their job.

 

when else can you break the law, but if you break it "too badly" you get a free pass to drive away....

 

its absolutely crazy for me to wrap my head around.

 

if someone is speeding, and you catch them in a radar trap, you go get them....

[Wagoneer]

We'll put you in a crown Vic and see if you can catch a liter bike in heavy traffic on the 401.

 

If you can do it without hurting yourself, the car, or anyone else for that matter, you get a cookie.

 

I'm not saying it's right, that's just how the poop plops. They do the same thing with extremely fast cars too. All they can do is write down their plate, or at the very least a description of the car and catch up with down the road.

 

Sometimes they catch them at gas stations. Good thing is you don't get very good mileage at those speeds and sport bikes only have 20L tanks.

[lew]

If cops chase the speeders and crap happens, the cops are at fault.

 

If they don't chase them and they get away, folks say they aren't doing their job.

[BillM]

If cops chase the speeders and crap happens, the cops are at fault.

 

If they don't chase them and they get away, folks say they aren't doing their job.

 

Cops can't seem to win around here Lew (Or anywhere else for that matter)

[Wagoneer]

Speaking of which, motorcycle accident at putnam westbound on the 401. Anyone heading that way it looks like it's going to be closed for most of the morning.

[lew]

 

Cops can't seem to win around here Lew (Or anywhere else for that matter)

 

You've got that right Bill, no matter what they do somebody is gonna say their in the wrong.

 

It's a tough job and coppers have my full respect for what they do.

[BillM]

You and me both, we've got two in the family, I couldn't deal with 90% of the crap they do.

[bushart]

I nearly had a head on with 3 crotch rockets last year

 

I live in an area of hills and winding country roads---and groups of bikers use it lots for their tours---It's even advertised in magazines

 

At times they try to see how fast they can go down these roads

 

Anyway one Sunday morn---I'm driving along.....coming up to what is the crest of a hill and a sharp curve at the same time

 

Well there was approx 15-20 bikers in this group---but the lead 3 went too fast and could'nt negotiate the curve at their hi speed---they ended up right in the middle of MY lane and comin fast

 

I haul it over on the shoulder (doing 80km--also not the safest-------they yank on their bikes till their knees are nearly on the asphalt---we miss each other by not much

 

They all kept going---I stopped at the next house down the road and called the cops----not sure what happened after that??

 

What amazes me is that 99% of people would'nt drive this fast with steel around them and airbags----How far thru the air would they fly if I hit them---or would they go thru my front windshield and out the back window?---assuming they did'nt hit me driving

 

Ya want to commit suicide???---Go do it somewhere where you won't hurt anyone else

[Sinker]

What kills me is any joe schhmoe with an M license can go buy a bike that does 0-200 in 3 seconds.

 

You think they're not going to ride fast? I know I would, and thats why I dont ride a bike.

 

Cliff, 35 has to be one of the worste roads going. Ive seen more head ons between pontypool and lindsay than aanywhere else. The stupid part is, when you get to lindsay and hit the red light, the idiot that just risked his life and a bunch of others is right there stopped at the same light.

 

I used to be a very aggressive driver. Fast cars, bikes, you name it, but these days there are just too many bad drivers to risk my life having a bit of fun.

 

My daughter is driving now. I tell her to watch for the idiots every time she gets behind the wheel. My parents told me to drive safe....why is that?

 

People are only getting worse.

 

S.

[Ralph Field]

There was a clip on the news the other night of a biker riding through the tunnels under the university of Ottawa at 80 km/h. What a stupid fool, he could have run into a worker or student.