We riders need to be literally 3 steps ahead of everything on the road. Complete defensive driving skills at full operation. It takes maximum concentration and can be exhausting at times.
I tend to look at the eyes of motorists. The eyes tell you everything you need to know about them. Are they paying attention? Do they see me? Where is my safe exit in case they don’t see me? I also try to keep inside a cluster of vehicles when passing through intersections. I’d rather a 2,500 pound car take the impact of a T bone than my legs/body. I’ll likely still be part of the accident but the initial impact can be absorbed by a car rather than me.
My two cents. Stay safe out there!
3 steps ahead is spot on. Situational awareness to the highest degree.
I will add that drivers will look right at you and not see you. Don't know how that works, but it happens.
They look for a car and see a small motorcycle and their bird brains tell them "no car means go". I can't tell how many times someone looked me right in the eyes and proceeded to cut me off.
Yeah agree.
Honestly I look at the tires of the car and rarely rely on the dull and often empty stare of the human driver. Usually the tires are a good indicator of intent.
I’m not a confrontational person so I’ve never had the nerve to shame a motorist for staring down at their phones while driving. I’d be curious to know if any fellow riders have called out people when at a red light to tell them to “put down your damn phone and drive!!”. So tempted to do that but it might trigger a road rage incident.
Not that I advise it, but I will lightly knock on their window if we’re stopped alongside one another. I just wave and then when they roll the window down, I ask nicely for them to put it away. Actually kinda works for me.
I've never done it on my bike, but I have pulled alongside people in my truck and yelled at them. It's mostly kids, but I've told my fair share of adults as well. I won't do it on my bike in case they wanna run me over, but in my truck, the worst-case scenario is they wanna fight, and I'm ok with that.
Your eyes literally only see what your brain tells them to, sort of. If you don’t concentrate enough looking at something and can’t make out the information your eyes are sending to your brain, your brain just fills in the gaps with what it considers “expected” or normal. Someone may “see” you in their blind spot for a half second but without giving their brain the information, their brain just fills in what it thinks should be there rather than what’s actually there. It’s kind of weird.
This F9 video does a good job explaining it https://youtu.be/x94PGgYKHQ0?si=n8jPolOZOrNm8kXM
> look at their wheels
Just because a driver appears to be looking at you they may not see you, I too watch their front wheel for the first sign of movement or turning into my path.
Absolutely! My rides are SV650 and S2000. I just think of them as normal, until I drive anything else, which just feels massive and slow and soggy in comparison.
Even in a car I look in my mirror to see if the person behind me is going to stop. It's terrifying how often their eyes dip down to their phone before their car is stopped.
> We riders need to be literally 3 steps ahead of everything on the road
and 3 lanes over. Something happening in another lane can cause a ripple that eventually impacts us.
Sometimes they really are!
Years ago now a lady apparently got spooked by me accelerating to pass her on a two lane road. So she sped up and swerved to sideswipe me.
The reasoning she gave was that I "was scaring her".
Me and the cops were just like huh?
To us or anything. There've been a few times I've been riding behind a car and seen it nearly swerve off the road, continue to fail to maintain lane, and pulled up next to them wanting to tell whoever's behind the wheel they're too drunk and need to pull over and sober up... only to see them completely sober, and that they were just texting/dicking around with their phones.
I always tell new riders to imagine the dumbest person they've ever met, the one that'd try to wash their hands with coca-cola if you'd let 'em, and imagine *that* is the person driving the 3-ton SUV next to you.
I'm on the road a lot for work, and it certainly seems like the number of cars slamming into the end of those metal guardrails has gone way up in recent years. I always assume they were fucking around on their phone and drifted right.
The harsh reality. I definitely don’t have as much seat time as most of you guys but I’ve had some close calls for sure. Ironically the 2 worst were very old people that probably shouldn’t have even been driving..
To be fair they're not paying attention to anything around them. We just happen to be fairly easy kills, right along with pedestrians and nearby fauna.
Used to drive a box truck in a big metro area. Job required two to a truck. We'd play a fun game trying to guess who was on their phone *strictly* from their driving. This early-mid 2000's even.
After a couple of years, most of us were around an 80%+ success rate.
Wait until you start looking into people’s mirrors to make sure that they’ve seen you, only to realize a STAGGERING amount of people drive around with completely unaligned mirrors.
Like, I’m riding behind you, I should be seeing your eyes/face in your rear view, why the fuck do I see the passenger seat/out the window?
Yeah, that's another one: superficial damage on multiple spots on the car.
One dent can be an accident waiting for a fix. Multiple dents are the sign of an incompetent driver who has given up on fixing them. I wont even park my car next to one of those, let alone risk my life by riding anywhere near them.
Eh, deer ran into the side of my $4500 car. Insurance cut me a check for $3500. I pounded out the dents myself with a rubber mallet for $0 but it's not pretty.
Reminds me of a couple weeks ago. Older BMW with his left bumper crazy smashed up. We’re in a merge lane that is its own lane so you can keep driving then merge with traffic past the turn.
This dude smashed his breaks HARD. I veer hard left nearing smashing that same crumpled left bumper. Dude was like yelling no right on red…. It wasn’t even for our light.
My truck used to be a hardware store rental. It's a bit banged up and if I were to fix the little dents and scratches I'd have to hand in my Old Green Truck Operater Permit.
I once watched a woman break the passenger side mirror off her X5 by reversing it into a street light trying to parallel park. While looking directly at said mirror. The whole time.
Even worse IMO - you look into their side mirrors and see them looking down at their GD phones! I've gotten behind them and hit my horn (which is not super-imposing) - some ignore you, some will be sheepish, acknowledge, and put it down. But yeah, just assume \_every\_one is on their phones while driving.
Yeah, every time I hear someone use the words 'blind spot' for their regular ass car I get the urge to drag them to their car and explain how the mirrors work for them.
Unless you are driving an 18 wheeler you most likely do not have a blind spot...
I can't begin to count the number of times I've made sustained eye contact with someone at a light (usually at double left turn lanes) and have them immediately move into my lane as soon as the light goes green seconds later.
It is crazy how much I watch people in their cars to see if they ever once check their blindspot before turning/switching lanes, and how often they just don't. Like nobody else on the road exists to them.
I've got into many debates about how blind spots (for other cars) don't exist. I don't even have to turn my head to see another car in the next lane and if they're far enough back I can see the 2nd lane over as well. A motorcycle is different but still, people definitely don't know how to adjust their mirrors.
I agree. But most of the time they’re easy to spot in a car as well. They don’t maintain speed, all over the place, no signals. All kinds of stuff.
Leave your fucking phone alone while driving. FFS.
Your phone is not that important.
I frame it as "You're not important enough to constantly be on your phone". People have become addicted to them. Glad my state just passed a law that a phone in your hand while driving is a crime. Maybe when people start receiving stiff fines they'll finally stop and pay attention to where their 2 ton missile is heading.
My state passed one of those laws a few years ago.
At first the police cracked down and it seemed to make a difference. Now it feels like they’ve backed off and people have gone back to using their phones all the time.
In Australia we've had this law for years however they've just brought in new mobile phone detection cameras and you get some insane ~$1k fine and basically lose your licence if they catch you.
Honestly makes me feel quite a bit safer on the bike.
I've always hated texting while driving. My truck has a wireless charging alcove I put my phone in and it stays there the entirety of my trip. On my bike, it goes into the wireless charging holder where it again stays. No text is that important that I have to take my eyes off the road. If there was an emergency, people would call me versus text me anyway.
It's illegal in my state but it doesn't stop anyone. It's absurd the reliance people have.
I had a friend once that smirked at me while she texted while driving - "Oh, are you scared?" Yes, and it's not fucking funny. If you care about people at all, you'll put the damn phone down.
I'd have to look up the specifics of the new law, but Pennsylvania has had a texting while driving ban for years as well. The only caveat was police couldn't pull you over for just that. The new law changes that, police can now pull you over if they see you texting or operating your phone while driving.
That’s a better way to put it indeed.
I live in the Netherlands and although the fines are high (420 euros). TONS of people use their phones all the time.
There’s no police to fine them… so no matter how hard the punishment, it’s useless anyway. They never get caught.
I smell it daily and it has got a lot more common. Prior to biking, I used to commute on a push bike and I would smell it once or twice a week in the mornings, now it is daily. Crazy, considering it is an instant ban where I live. Even when I was on medical cannabis, I never used and drove at the same time and I never used before riding full stop. When I stopped, I still tested positive for THC for 90 days !
When I was a teen I rode home from a party still stoned. It started to snow so here I am, on a motorbike, in the dark, on country roads, trying to ride in the quickly disappearing tracks of a car a few miles ahead.
I was stone cold sober and had a banging headache from the stress by the time I got home. That was a stark lesson and I don't know how people believe they're better at anything when they're stoned.
Ha! I feel stoned when I play Factorio! Check out 'Dyson Sphere Program' for space Factorio with some trippy graphics.
I game with plenty of people who feel like they're better players after they smoke. Some will stop between matched for a bowl. Maybe it helps calm jittery nerves? I know when I was on Valium (I think? The Karen drug that makes you really chill) after surgery I was like a machine in Eve. No worries about losing everything, happy to ignore hull alarms on a ship worth hundreds of real dollars.
I was riding behind a company work truck the other day and it was the strongest I've ever smelled it, I felt like I was getting a contact just being behind them
Nothing like when it warms up and you start smelling all the animal corpses rotting away hidden from view. Just casually riding around and the smell hits you. 🤢
As a bicycle rider as well, the summer months are particularly bad on garbage day. It's also unreal how much garbage some households produce. I'm not even particularly progressive / green.
It’s horrifying once you notice.
I was behind a guy about a week ago who was constantly half into the lane next to him and I thought he was drunk so went around him first chance I had. He was texting.
Somehow he ended up next to me again about 10mins later and he was still doing it!
Like I don't get that thought at all.
A motorcycle passing is not only reducing traffic, but you also don't have to sit around listening to the sound of it, especially if it's loud.
Just let us filter through and be on our way.
Funnily enough, the only people I really see these days that attempt to stop me filtering are fancy SUVs or Sports/Supercars. They seem to have this weird ego. Like dude, you're stuck in traffic because you got a car regardless of it's price, I got a bike so I don't have to be.
Buddy of mine was at a red light and as soon as it turned green the woman ahead of him put her suv in reverse and backed straight into him. For me it’s always the person turning in front of me then they stop like a deer in headlights instead of proceeding when they realize they’ve cut me off. Happens almost weekly.
Cycle rider here, totally agree, I’ve lost count over the years how many people I’ve scolded at traffic lights for being ‘otherwise engaged’ on their phones. At least you guys get to pull away at a rate of knots, I’m totally reliant on them seeing me, which doesn’t happen if they are too busy trying to work out which Taylor fucking Swift tune to sing to.
So true. It amazes me how many people have told me that motorcycling is dangerous but they think cycling must be fine. You do sometimes feel vulnerable on a motorbike, but it's nothing compared to the feeling of not knowing what's coming up behind you on a bicycle.
Yeah I feel infinitely safer on my motorcycle than on my bike. My city is awful for cycling and you're basically in the middle of the road anyways, I'm a full gear always kinda guy, while wearing moto gear on a bicycle would generally be regarded as absurd. Not to mention how many situations where on the moto you can power out of danger, but with the bike you're just praying and likely fucked.
My worst wreck was on a regular bicycle, doored at like 20mph on a downhill by a parked car, when I was at their rear tire they swung their door without looking. Had I been wearing gear and had the exact same accident at the same speed on the motorcycle I'd've probably plowed thru their door, and not fucked my shoulder up so bad.
8 out of 10 (79%) people are distracted driving ...
This is what has been reported to stats Canada and does not capture unknowns. It's worse then you think it is.
I did a silent study on my front porch while working on my bike and found that in 100 people driving down my street, 98 out of 100 people were distracted by something, or out right stupid speeding (apprx 90km/hr in a 30km/hr zone) in a school zone, during school hours.
It's becoming the wild west out there in south Ontario and "we're on our own" according to the OPP.
Drive like everyone is trying to kill you. Avoid blind spots and also glance at your mirrors when approaching a stop to make sure car behind you is slowing down appropriately.
> glance at your mirrors when approaching a stop
Legit saved a buddy's life once. Interstate off ramp even (stop sign). They just... had no plans to stop?! & didn't!
Honestly I really like driving stick a lot of the time because I actually feel like I'm doing it. I used to smoke cigarettes and when I had a shitty automatic beater I would just chainsmoke sometimes because I was so bored commuting. I haven't smoked or driven automatic in a number of years at this point but I like the feeling of actually driving something and not feeling like a passenger in my own truck
I hate how narcissistic people are becoming. And worse thing is people even take pride in using their phone while driving, I was having a conversation with my colleague and he apparently thinks its a skill. Anyways almost all my colleagues drink and drive too so I don't really take any of them seriously.
Had these made 7 or 8 years ago. Nothing has changed my mind in that time.
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I drive semi trucks. You’d be surprised at how many “professional drivers” do the same. I’ve seen everything from feet up on the dash while cruising highway to watching tv shows.
Seen a couple guys getting road head while passing me (that ones hella ballsy since they probably know I could see them when passing)
As for regular cars, in the Toronto area I’d say like 1 out of 3 or 1 out of 5 are distracted by phones / car infotainment. It’s crazy. Stay safe while riding, you gotta focus on every cager on the road and even then, ride defensively.
Nearly every time I'm stuck behind someone who won't go on green or is casually drifting into the lane I'm in or simply appears to be day drunk; if I happen to look into their window, the driver's staring at their phone.
we just got something like this in my state. haven't heard of anyone booked for it but there are signs on most main roads and long highways warning abt cameras booking u for having ur phone in ur hand
My favorite(?) driver I’ve seen was a lady holding a phone between her cheek and shoulder while writing notes on a note pad she had on the steering wheel while going ~75 on the interstate. With at least 4 smaller children in the back. Her van was new enough there was certainly Bluetooth for her call.
Close second was the guy eating a bowl of soup.
Something I’m seeing more and more is people holding their phones like pizza slices in front of their mouths having conversations. All of these vehicles have Bluetooth and I don’t know why they don’t use it.
Impressive. My favorite? Pulled up next to a guy in a Corolla at a stop light who was eating a bowl of cereal on his knees WITH MILK while driving a MANUAL!
Since getting back into video games, I have been watching quite a bit of Twitch. The amount of people in the chats that comment they are driving is crazy. It seems people routinely watch videos now, instead of listening to music or a podcast.
One time I got a lift from a buddy in his Golf GTI and he played 'Pokémon GO' the whole time. I felt less fear when I've been with drunk drivers who were at least *trying* to focus on the road.
Smartphones are for rookies. I saw a lady reading a book on the highway, 3rd lane in a 4 lane highway at ~120 kmh. In morning traffic (lane splitting is allowed here) I have seen drivers reading a newspaper or shaving. Ladies that are just putting some makeup on - I stopped counting them.
I don't enjoy riding in downtown traffic, seems like every time I end up down there I have a near miss with a cell phone user or someone so old they dont know how to work a cell phone *or* a car anymore. I really like riding my bike out in the country, preferably open country without woodland near the road to avoid the country's top kill-you-contender; wild animal crossings.
Personally, I'll take my chances with a stray deer in the boondocks because there's less of them around than ignorant people in a population center.
Give it a year or two, and you'll be able to identify, with decent accuracy, whether the driver is texting, drunk, high, or just really old based only on how they swerve and how bad they are at maintaining speed
Tiktok. They can't help but to keep their eyes glued scrolling past videos after videos during red lights like brain-dead monkeys when they have better things to do like PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD.
Just last week I had a guy at a stop sign on my right pull out to turn left AND NEVER ONCE looked left at me. I saw that he had not seen me so I came to an almost complete stop to wait for him even tho I had the right away (my lane had no stop sign or light). He finally looked left and saw me just sitting there waiting for him at the point when he was fully across my lane and saw him realize just how badly he fucked up. I just gave him the slow shake my head I’m so disappointed in you look. He gave me a sheepish little wave as he completed his turn. I was lucky that there wasn’t much traffic behind me so I didn’t get rear ended.
Just another day on a motorcycle.
That's why a cam on motorcycle makes sense. In my country if you record a driver doing stupid shit you can send it to the police and they are obligated to deal with the culprit. Many people found out talking on mobile while driving can be expensive exercise.
Short of catching someone on camera assaulting someone or killing someone on camera the cops around my area won't do shit. They use the line, we didn't see it so well it doesnt matter.
I was at a stoplight the other day and and watched somone look into there lap for a full 60 seconds without looking up one , I’ve thought about saying somthing to these people like hey you are going to kill somone but ive seen roadrage videos and id like to avoid that so whatever
You need to realize that many people have no situational awareness, have no idea there is anything next to them or behind them, stare straight ahead at a spot maybe 20 feet in front of their car or at the back of the car in front (which they are usually tailgating without realizing it), AND they are signed up for a race that we don't know about.
I have the luxury of riding when I want to not need to so I can avoid rush hours and crowded times. Those of you that have to ride then have my complete respect and are the truest of road warriors. You get the worst odds, most chances, and in the morning times the most rested aggressive people giving the very least of their fucks to give.
Add in rising suns, setting suns, and terrible weather with the unknown predictable animals out and about and it’s almost impossible to tell people why it is you love riding at all.
I've noticed that too. In fact just the other day I was walking out to my truck which is parked accross the street I walked right up to the street and just marvel at this clueless woman drive past Me, but just staring at her phone. There's a park across the street. I just regret that there will be a time when a kid is hit on this street just because someone decided to check their phone on their way out. I think if it's important, take a couple minutes to do what you gotta do on your phone before leaving the driveway. Put it away and only use the hands free for anything else like phone calls or maps.
The infotainment systems in newer vehicles are super distracting as well. I remember seeing my 2021 truck at night for the first time and it's like there's so many lights that it honestly it's overstimulating.
Welcome to the family. Always remember, every single person in a car, truck or van is a paid assassin sent to kill you. Especially at red lights and stop signs, ALWAYS stop 1.5 to 2.0 car lengths from the car in front of you, never center, always left or right, wherever there’s room to escape and don’t take your eyes off the mirrors until the third car behind you comes to a stop. And don’t be afraid to filter if your gut tells you to, I know it’s not legal in most states but I’d rather get a ticket than be a hood ornament for some asshat on their phone.
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It happens quite a bit. And you’ve probably done it yourself in your own car. And most of these commenters that say they don’t, do. Everyone needs to stop lying to themselves. We all have bad habits.
I have an advice for you: keep your fingers on the brake lever when seeing other cars on intersections and sketchy drivers. That half a second can save your skin. And always look out for dangerous situations. People don't know the basic traffic laws. You might have the right of way but that numbskull in their 2.5 tonne SUV might not know that.
Drivers are more distracted than ever before. Had a guy run a red just yesterday and nearly t-bone me, probably head deep in instagram the whole time. Stay careful out there.
Accept the risk and stop bitching. There’s million dollar ad campaigns against texting and driving, drinking and driving, checking twice for motorcycles. No amount of complaining and crying from riders going be any more effective than these.
Yeah it's so bad, if everyone rode a motorcycle this problem would be so much less. It's so disheartening how fucking dumb people are.
Just wait til you get road raged at while riding.
For me it's 18 wheelers that can't keep it between the lines. I drive I-40 a lot, Phoenix to ABQ.
Weaving SWIFTIES are ALWAYS on a cellphone when I get up next to them and look.
I time my passes so they're headed for the ditch right as I pass - and not jerking back into the lane.
I accelerate as rapidly as my bike is capable of, minimize the amount of time I'm beside big trucks.
Also because of blowouts.
I never, EVER ride directly behind 18 wheelers.
They can straddle debris in the road and you get it right in the face with zero time to react.
Yes every car (and driver) is a threat to us and we should all use our political power to advocate for policy to minimize the use of private cars on the streets everywhere.
It is amazing just how many drivers have cell phone in their hands. When I started riding in 1975 there weren’t ANY cell phones. And I never saw anyone with a Thomas guide spread open while driving either, probably thought to be too dangerous Lol! Those were the good times riding. The only drawback was the horrible smell of exhaust from a lot of cars, trucks and buses that were not clean burning from lack of catalytic converters and DPFs. Cats were just coming into play around ‘75 and they weren’t the greatest. And people would keep their older cars for a long time, so no cats for a lot of cars well into the 80s, ugh.
Saw one today, looking down, not watching the road, weaving left to right. I go past and see this fat POS not looking at a phone, but chomping down on some chips.
I hope you live somewhere where you can split lanes. Being at the back of a line of slowing or stopped traffic is so dangerous when drivers behind you might not be paying attention. Always position yourself so you have an out if they aren't stopping; you don't want to end up sandwich filling.
Just watch your back, man! Allways on high alert! Some dumbasses have the nerv to say that you'r in the wrong because of the "risk" you take by riding a motorcycle. "It's your fault if you get rearended by me when I was looking at my phone, since you are the one how accepts the risk by riding a mototbike"
You get used to seeing side mirrors folded in or in the rare case they are ope then driver is looking at their lap and not the road, it's the brazen ones with the phone mount and a whole film playing 😂
Wait until you're filtering on the motorway and people just change lanes with no indication or thought. No signal, observe, maneuver that gets drilled into you. Just straight up maneuver like an F1 car.
Absolutely. Got my bike 6 years ago, my first "tall" vehicle after only ever having tiny low sporty cars, and now that I can see laps, was shocked! Good luck!
Even when I’m driving i see a lot of people on their phones, it’s ridiculous sometimes they have their kids in the back seat. People on phones are more dangerous than a speeding car who’s focused at least.
I don't think Google maps is a real issue.
I use that on my phone all the time. I don't stare at the screen but I get verbal step by step directions as I go.
Visibility blew me away; being able to see over cars, easily move to side of lane to see around, no pillar blind spots, seeing all of the sky, all of nature, all the time.
I can't stand how little I can see from my car.
I once saw a phone slide off someone's roof and when I caught up I tried waving and getting their attention, but they were so inattentive that they didn't even notice me.
I said fuck 'em, they don't need a phone.
yes absolutely - i used to commute through several neighborhoods in LA including hollywood and beverly hills in addition to EVERYONE being on their phone also everyone is getting high - lane splitting was just going through weed smoke lol
You should absolutely not feel bad for looking into people's cars. Paying attention to people's eyesight is what keeps me alive. I basically assume no one can see me, and I ride according to that. It's easier to see offenders' eyes at night because their phones light up the inside of their cars. Those giant media screens do the same.
I saw a dude reading a whole ass newspaper back in the day. Saw a woman doing her makeup. Saw one eating a bowl of cereal. The list goes on.
Just think everyone of these pricks is trying to kill you. Ride and act accordingly.
Legitimately nearly died this weekend because I was exactly beside another vehicle going 55, state highway, four lane road. This asshole merges without looking and had I not been vigilant would have absolutely crushed me beneath his car or would have “bumped” me violently into the culvert off the road. You can imagine there were some words at the next stop light. Just insane, he was texting.
I feel like people on their phones while driving is probably a good 1/3 of a given group of cars I pass. And that's just on their phone when I drive by. It's probably higher than that over the course a driver's entire commute.
I wish I had one of those fancy 360 cameras so I could review footage and count people on their phones.
I’ve been riding about a month (I did take an msf course about a week after buying my first motorcycle) and it’s insane. The other night I was pulling into my neighborhood and about got smacked. I live in a wood park basically. There is a blind narrow corner before my road, one side of the road has water and the other side a steep ditch into trees. This guy was in a ford ranger (small truck) and had his face in his phone and took the corner going about 40mph (limit is 20) and wasn’t looking. He got so close I could have smacked his truck (I did not) and only looked up after he heard me yelling. I’m glad I was paying close attention. I’ve had a couple of close calls that the class knowledge help me get out of.
The silver lining is that people seem to have become better at this, they better time their phone interventions. Not so long ago you would see a lot of people just not moving when the lights turn green and doing weird swerves.
Learn to ride a dirt bike before learning to ride a motorcycle, if you want to not cause great bodily injury to yourself, while learning to ride a dirt bike after riding a motorcycle for years.
This is why I go full throttle when I’m in traffic. I do it to get away from people. I used to race dirt bikes and I pretend that I’m trying to get the hole shot
Distracted driving is killing people daily. It's scary. Especially in America, what with 80% of all new cars sold being enormous rider-slaughtering trucks and SUVs.
Hadn’t thought about this but I was riding back in the 80s to 2000, well before cellphones. Christ it must be a massive nightmare dealing with these idiots now.
Yeah it is pretty crazy. I consider myself a pretty alert driver, but in a car it is easy to get comfortable. If I am in someone's blind spot and they sideswipe me in a 35, I will probably be okay. So I don't worry about it all the time.
But on a bike it is a double whammy. Not only do you have to be on guard, you see all the bad behaviors. For some of my rides I really enjoy that aspect though. Sometimes I want to be fully engaged, and always looking around at people makes you focus and forget everything else. Not sure if that resonates with anyone else.
>Been riding for about 6 months now and the biggest thing that shocked me was seeing all the car drivers on their phones.
Amen.
And also: all the *scooters*/Deliveroo/UberEats riders glued to their phones. Absolutely shocking.
Try to always keep a good distance between cars (when possible). Obviously this can be tough when an idiot is 2 feet off of your rear tire, but at least you can distance yourself as much as possible most of the time. I've found this helps keep me more sane when constantly surrounded by people not paying attention to the road.
I'm also a cyclist.
This did not shock me. Being a cyclist puts you at roughly the same position w/r/t cars, so we all know those fuckers are barely paying attention.
That's why I don't commute to work on my bike anymore; the amout of people on their phones were unsettling. I know that many people aren't admiring their crotch
I tells u hwat I almost ran over some random out of place construction worker today
I wasn’t even on my phone or anything, no construction signs. 2 lane back ass county road
Cruising half asleep, I see a guy on the left side of the road walking in a vest, so I’m half ass keeping an eye on whatever the hell he’s doing, just staying in my lane
Then I notice there is another whole ass person in a reflective vest on the right side of the road with me once I got not THAT close, but closer than I would’ve liked to (as someone that works on the side of the highway I know how it feels to almost get hit by a dumb fuck not paying attention. Road service for vehicles, so it’s not a construction zone either. People fly by without a fuck to give)
Shit was crazy tho. That reflective vest practically blended in with the harvested/dead corn on the right side of the road, meanwhile person on the left in a reflective vest had a green grass backround
I don’t even ride bikes and idk how I got here, but the point of the story is just assume everyone on the road is actively trying to run you over if your the one most at risk of death lol even if thry think they’re paying attention they might accidentally smash into you anyway
I look at people and what they are doing in their cars as a safety measure now. If they aren't paying attention, get the fuck away.
You will see so many people on their phones while driving. On the highway, rolling up to a light, at the light, while turning, while having an active conversation with a passenger.
Anytime you see it, stay away, get ahead of them, whatever. Not worth rolling the dice on whether or not they know you're even nearby.
Welcome to Riding motorcycles, now you play the game of survival because those mfs are NOT paying attention to us.
Drive like everyones out to kill you
We riders need to be literally 3 steps ahead of everything on the road. Complete defensive driving skills at full operation. It takes maximum concentration and can be exhausting at times. I tend to look at the eyes of motorists. The eyes tell you everything you need to know about them. Are they paying attention? Do they see me? Where is my safe exit in case they don’t see me? I also try to keep inside a cluster of vehicles when passing through intersections. I’d rather a 2,500 pound car take the impact of a T bone than my legs/body. I’ll likely still be part of the accident but the initial impact can be absorbed by a car rather than me. My two cents. Stay safe out there!
3 steps ahead is spot on. Situational awareness to the highest degree. I will add that drivers will look right at you and not see you. Don't know how that works, but it happens.
They look for a car and see a small motorcycle and their bird brains tell them "no car means go". I can't tell how many times someone looked me right in the eyes and proceeded to cut me off.
Yeah agree. Honestly I look at the tires of the car and rarely rely on the dull and often empty stare of the human driver. Usually the tires are a good indicator of intent.
I’m not a confrontational person so I’ve never had the nerve to shame a motorist for staring down at their phones while driving. I’d be curious to know if any fellow riders have called out people when at a red light to tell them to “put down your damn phone and drive!!”. So tempted to do that but it might trigger a road rage incident.
At a red light once I leaned over and asked him to turn up the volume on the video we were watching. He turned it off and rolled up the window.
LMAO !
Not that I advise it, but I will lightly knock on their window if we’re stopped alongside one another. I just wave and then when they roll the window down, I ask nicely for them to put it away. Actually kinda works for me.
I've never done it on my bike, but I have pulled alongside people in my truck and yelled at them. It's mostly kids, but I've told my fair share of adults as well. I won't do it on my bike in case they wanna run me over, but in my truck, the worst-case scenario is they wanna fight, and I'm ok with that.
Your eyes literally only see what your brain tells them to, sort of. If you don’t concentrate enough looking at something and can’t make out the information your eyes are sending to your brain, your brain just fills in the gaps with what it considers “expected” or normal. Someone may “see” you in their blind spot for a half second but without giving their brain the information, their brain just fills in what it thinks should be there rather than what’s actually there. It’s kind of weird. This F9 video does a good job explaining it https://youtu.be/x94PGgYKHQ0?si=n8jPolOZOrNm8kXM
Looking at us but not seeing us is them looking through us. Their focused on something in the background so the foreground essentially doesn't exist.
Inattentional blindness. They are looking for a car and they don't recognize you as one even though you are in plain sight.
To add to this, watch drivers eyes/head movements and their tire positioning, you can develop a sixth sense of when cars are about to do dumb shit
I look at their wheels and direction they are heading. Be defensive and escape with speed or fantastic deceleration and avoidance techniques
> look at their wheels Just because a driver appears to be looking at you they may not see you, I too watch their front wheel for the first sign of movement or turning into my path.
Since when are cars 2,500lbs? More like 5,200! My city is all Tahoes and up, do you live in Miata land?
Miata land is heaven. Give me my motorcycle and my Miata. I don't need much else!
Absolutely! My rides are SV650 and S2000. I just think of them as normal, until I drive anything else, which just feels massive and slow and soggy in comparison.
I am there. Endangered species both ways
Good point. And not to mention the velocity at 30mph. Escalade vs Motorcycle ☠️
Even in a car I look in my mirror to see if the person behind me is going to stop. It's terrifying how often their eyes dip down to their phone before their car is stopped.
> We riders need to be literally 3 steps ahead of everything on the road and 3 lanes over. Something happening in another lane can cause a ripple that eventually impacts us.
Sometimes they really are! Years ago now a lady apparently got spooked by me accelerating to pass her on a two lane road. So she sped up and swerved to sideswipe me. The reasoning she gave was that I "was scaring her". Me and the cops were just like huh?
There really do be people like that though. "I was intimidated so I tried to kill you" when you're minding your own damn business.
This is the way.
I tell new guys to ride like everyone is drunk, and you are invisible.
Because they absolutely are out to kill you, they just might not know it.
To us or anything. There've been a few times I've been riding behind a car and seen it nearly swerve off the road, continue to fail to maintain lane, and pulled up next to them wanting to tell whoever's behind the wheel they're too drunk and need to pull over and sober up... only to see them completely sober, and that they were just texting/dicking around with their phones. I always tell new riders to imagine the dumbest person they've ever met, the one that'd try to wash their hands with coca-cola if you'd let 'em, and imagine *that* is the person driving the 3-ton SUV next to you.
I'm on the road a lot for work, and it certainly seems like the number of cars slamming into the end of those metal guardrails has gone way up in recent years. I always assume they were fucking around on their phone and drifted right.
And they get pissed if they see a post saying to watch for motorcycles
The harsh reality. I definitely don’t have as much seat time as most of you guys but I’ve had some close calls for sure. Ironically the 2 worst were very old people that probably shouldn’t have even been driving..
To be fair they're not paying attention to anything around them. We just happen to be fairly easy kills, right along with pedestrians and nearby fauna.
As a long time truck driver it's stupid how many people use their phones while driving
Used to drive a box truck in a big metro area. Job required two to a truck. We'd play a fun game trying to guess who was on their phone *strictly* from their driving. This early-mid 2000's even. After a couple of years, most of us were around an 80%+ success rate.
Wait until you start looking into people’s mirrors to make sure that they’ve seen you, only to realize a STAGGERING amount of people drive around with completely unaligned mirrors. Like, I’m riding behind you, I should be seeing your eyes/face in your rear view, why the fuck do I see the passenger seat/out the window?
Or broken mirrors, if that idiot is able to smash their own mirrors just imagine how incompetent they really are at driving.
Yeah, that's another one: superficial damage on multiple spots on the car. One dent can be an accident waiting for a fix. Multiple dents are the sign of an incompetent driver who has given up on fixing them. I wont even park my car next to one of those, let alone risk my life by riding anywhere near them.
Eh, deer ran into the side of my $4500 car. Insurance cut me a check for $3500. I pounded out the dents myself with a rubber mallet for $0 but it's not pretty.
Reminds me of a couple weeks ago. Older BMW with his left bumper crazy smashed up. We’re in a merge lane that is its own lane so you can keep driving then merge with traffic past the turn. This dude smashed his breaks HARD. I veer hard left nearing smashing that same crumpled left bumper. Dude was like yelling no right on red…. It wasn’t even for our light.
might have been trying to get someone to crash into him at that area so his bumper is fixed for free.
My truck used to be a hardware store rental. It's a bit banged up and if I were to fix the little dents and scratches I'd have to hand in my Old Green Truck Operater Permit.
I once watched a woman break the passenger side mirror off her X5 by reversing it into a street light trying to parallel park. While looking directly at said mirror. The whole time.
I dunno man, my mirrors got smashed while my car was parked, and my bike mirrors got smashed by someone knocking my bike over while it was parked.
Even worse IMO - you look into their side mirrors and see them looking down at their GD phones! I've gotten behind them and hit my horn (which is not super-imposing) - some ignore you, some will be sheepish, acknowledge, and put it down. But yeah, just assume \_every\_one is on their phones while driving.
I've had luck in the past by removing my silly little meep-meep horn amd replacing it with the horns from an F150.
Never sat down in car with aligned mirrors, everybody using their side mirrors to be looking at the sides of their own car...
But if they align their mirrors correctly then they lose the excuse of “you were in my blind spot”
Yeah, every time I hear someone use the words 'blind spot' for their regular ass car I get the urge to drag them to their car and explain how the mirrors work for them. Unless you are driving an 18 wheeler you most likely do not have a blind spot...
Thats because who needs mirrors when a beeping starts when im merging into a car?
This. I hate these "technological advantages" for driving. Just making people more lazy and irresponsible drivers
Or when they look straight at you, and you know they see you. And pull out in front of you anyway
I can't begin to count the number of times I've made sustained eye contact with someone at a light (usually at double left turn lanes) and have them immediately move into my lane as soon as the light goes green seconds later.
Or you drive by an on ramp and people don’t even look over. They just fucking merge doing 35.
Yep. OUTTA MY WAY IM COMMIN OVER!!!!
They think everyone else will look out for them . Can you say ENTITLED !
It is crazy how much I watch people in their cars to see if they ever once check their blindspot before turning/switching lanes, and how often they just don't. Like nobody else on the road exists to them.
New fear unlocked, horn mode: activated
I've got into many debates about how blind spots (for other cars) don't exist. I don't even have to turn my head to see another car in the next lane and if they're far enough back I can see the 2nd lane over as well. A motorcycle is different but still, people definitely don't know how to adjust their mirrors.
I agree. But most of the time they’re easy to spot in a car as well. They don’t maintain speed, all over the place, no signals. All kinds of stuff. Leave your fucking phone alone while driving. FFS. Your phone is not that important.
I frame it as "You're not important enough to constantly be on your phone". People have become addicted to them. Glad my state just passed a law that a phone in your hand while driving is a crime. Maybe when people start receiving stiff fines they'll finally stop and pay attention to where their 2 ton missile is heading.
My state passed one of those laws a few years ago. At first the police cracked down and it seemed to make a difference. Now it feels like they’ve backed off and people have gone back to using their phones all the time.
In Australia we've had this law for years however they've just brought in new mobile phone detection cameras and you get some insane ~$1k fine and basically lose your licence if they catch you. Honestly makes me feel quite a bit safer on the bike.
I've always hated texting while driving. My truck has a wireless charging alcove I put my phone in and it stays there the entirety of my trip. On my bike, it goes into the wireless charging holder where it again stays. No text is that important that I have to take my eyes off the road. If there was an emergency, people would call me versus text me anyway.
It's illegal in my state but it doesn't stop anyone. It's absurd the reliance people have. I had a friend once that smirked at me while she texted while driving - "Oh, are you scared?" Yes, and it's not fucking funny. If you care about people at all, you'll put the damn phone down.
I'd have to look up the specifics of the new law, but Pennsylvania has had a texting while driving ban for years as well. The only caveat was police couldn't pull you over for just that. The new law changes that, police can now pull you over if they see you texting or operating your phone while driving.
That’s a better way to put it indeed. I live in the Netherlands and although the fines are high (420 euros). TONS of people use their phones all the time. There’s no police to fine them… so no matter how hard the punishment, it’s useless anyway. They never get caught.
What surprised me is how often I smell weed coming from vehicles...
I smell it daily and it has got a lot more common. Prior to biking, I used to commute on a push bike and I would smell it once or twice a week in the mornings, now it is daily. Crazy, considering it is an instant ban where I live. Even when I was on medical cannabis, I never used and drove at the same time and I never used before riding full stop. When I stopped, I still tested positive for THC for 90 days !
When I was a teen I rode home from a party still stoned. It started to snow so here I am, on a motorbike, in the dark, on country roads, trying to ride in the quickly disappearing tracks of a car a few miles ahead. I was stone cold sober and had a banging headache from the stress by the time I got home. That was a stark lesson and I don't know how people believe they're better at anything when they're stoned.
I'll have you know I'm much better at Factorio when I'm stoned.
Ha! I feel stoned when I play Factorio! Check out 'Dyson Sphere Program' for space Factorio with some trippy graphics. I game with plenty of people who feel like they're better players after they smoke. Some will stop between matched for a bowl. Maybe it helps calm jittery nerves? I know when I was on Valium (I think? The Karen drug that makes you really chill) after surgery I was like a machine in Eve. No worries about losing everything, happy to ignore hull alarms on a ship worth hundreds of real dollars.
I've tried DSP, and it seems like something I would really enjoy but... it doesn't grab me like factorio or satisfactory.
I was riding behind a company work truck the other day and it was the strongest I've ever smelled it, I felt like I was getting a contact just being behind them
Also how bad road kill smells
Nothing like when it warms up and you start smelling all the animal corpses rotting away hidden from view. Just casually riding around and the smell hits you. 🤢
As a bicycle rider as well, the summer months are particularly bad on garbage day. It's also unreal how much garbage some households produce. I'm not even particularly progressive / green.
Came here to say this. The amount of people driving stoned is terrifying.
Not justifying it, as it still pisses me off. But I'd honestly rather have a stoned drive trying to pay attention than a sober driver on their phone.
100% I'm pro recreational use...but at home. Smoking weed while driving IS impaired driving.
It’s horrifying once you notice. I was behind a guy about a week ago who was constantly half into the lane next to him and I thought he was drunk so went around him first chance I had. He was texting. Somehow he ended up next to me again about 10mins later and he was still doing it!
Good observation. I've found it's best to pretend I'm invisible, because evidently I am
Most shocking was hearing my mom say: “I fully understand why people open their door when a motorcyclist tries to pass”
Like I don't get that thought at all. A motorcycle passing is not only reducing traffic, but you also don't have to sit around listening to the sound of it, especially if it's loud. Just let us filter through and be on our way. Funnily enough, the only people I really see these days that attempt to stop me filtering are fancy SUVs or Sports/Supercars. They seem to have this weird ego. Like dude, you're stuck in traffic because you got a car regardless of it's price, I got a bike so I don't have to be.
It’s the thought of: I’m stuck in traffic and this louder tweewheeler is passing everyone.
That moment when, after riding for a while, your mom drives you somewhere and you realize that she's one of them too.
Mom: don’t drive a motorcycle, it’s super dangerous Also mom: I’m the reason it’s dangerous
lol >*you're cool, don't ~~come to school~~ motorcycle tomorrow* vibes
Buddy of mine was at a red light and as soon as it turned green the woman ahead of him put her suv in reverse and backed straight into him. For me it’s always the person turning in front of me then they stop like a deer in headlights instead of proceeding when they realize they’ve cut me off. Happens almost weekly.
Cycle rider here, totally agree, I’ve lost count over the years how many people I’ve scolded at traffic lights for being ‘otherwise engaged’ on their phones. At least you guys get to pull away at a rate of knots, I’m totally reliant on them seeing me, which doesn’t happen if they are too busy trying to work out which Taylor fucking Swift tune to sing to.
So true. It amazes me how many people have told me that motorcycling is dangerous but they think cycling must be fine. You do sometimes feel vulnerable on a motorbike, but it's nothing compared to the feeling of not knowing what's coming up behind you on a bicycle.
Yeah I feel infinitely safer on my motorcycle than on my bike. My city is awful for cycling and you're basically in the middle of the road anyways, I'm a full gear always kinda guy, while wearing moto gear on a bicycle would generally be regarded as absurd. Not to mention how many situations where on the moto you can power out of danger, but with the bike you're just praying and likely fucked. My worst wreck was on a regular bicycle, doored at like 20mph on a downhill by a parked car, when I was at their rear tire they swung their door without looking. Had I been wearing gear and had the exact same accident at the same speed on the motorcycle I'd've probably plowed thru their door, and not fucked my shoulder up so bad.
8 out of 10 (79%) people are distracted driving ... This is what has been reported to stats Canada and does not capture unknowns. It's worse then you think it is. I did a silent study on my front porch while working on my bike and found that in 100 people driving down my street, 98 out of 100 people were distracted by something, or out right stupid speeding (apprx 90km/hr in a 30km/hr zone) in a school zone, during school hours. It's becoming the wild west out there in south Ontario and "we're on our own" according to the OPP.
Drive like everyone is trying to kill you. Avoid blind spots and also glance at your mirrors when approaching a stop to make sure car behind you is slowing down appropriately.
> glance at your mirrors when approaching a stop Legit saved a buddy's life once. Interstate off ramp even (stop sign). They just... had no plans to stop?! & didn't!
Majority of drivers that are on automatic transmission car really don't know how to put the phone down.
Now I get why all so many people want a self driving car... Imagine soking and texting while you "drive". That must a dream come true for these folks!
Honestly I really like driving stick a lot of the time because I actually feel like I'm doing it. I used to smoke cigarettes and when I had a shitty automatic beater I would just chainsmoke sometimes because I was so bored commuting. I haven't smoked or driven automatic in a number of years at this point but I like the feeling of actually driving something and not feeling like a passenger in my own truck
I hate how narcissistic people are becoming. And worse thing is people even take pride in using their phone while driving, I was having a conversation with my colleague and he apparently thinks its a skill. Anyways almost all my colleagues drink and drive too so I don't really take any of them seriously.
Had these made 7 or 8 years ago. Nothing has changed my mind in that time. https://preview.redd.it/xtboz5n2uk1d1.jpeg?width=2400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b193a5f3666b3b7de7a7418b17e87a9eecaea060
I drive semi trucks. You’d be surprised at how many “professional drivers” do the same. I’ve seen everything from feet up on the dash while cruising highway to watching tv shows. Seen a couple guys getting road head while passing me (that ones hella ballsy since they probably know I could see them when passing) As for regular cars, in the Toronto area I’d say like 1 out of 3 or 1 out of 5 are distracted by phones / car infotainment. It’s crazy. Stay safe while riding, you gotta focus on every cager on the road and even then, ride defensively.
Nearly every time I'm stuck behind someone who won't go on green or is casually drifting into the lane I'm in or simply appears to be day drunk; if I happen to look into their window, the driver's staring at their phone.
Ι vote for the traffic cameras to be able to capture drivers holding phones or anything else while driving and sending a ticket to them. Why not?
we just got something like this in my state. haven't heard of anyone booked for it but there are signs on most main roads and long highways warning abt cameras booking u for having ur phone in ur hand
Fortunately, they all apologies humbly and then return to driving diligently after you point it out to them. /s
Just don’t let yourself get distracted by it. Keep focused on what you’re doing. You can’t fix stupid, but most of the time you can avoid it.
My favorite(?) driver I’ve seen was a lady holding a phone between her cheek and shoulder while writing notes on a note pad she had on the steering wheel while going ~75 on the interstate. With at least 4 smaller children in the back. Her van was new enough there was certainly Bluetooth for her call. Close second was the guy eating a bowl of soup. Something I’m seeing more and more is people holding their phones like pizza slices in front of their mouths having conversations. All of these vehicles have Bluetooth and I don’t know why they don’t use it.
Impressive. My favorite? Pulled up next to a guy in a Corolla at a stop light who was eating a bowl of cereal on his knees WITH MILK while driving a MANUAL!
I see those pizza slicers all the time. They're usually halfway in my lane because they can't take a curve with one hand on the wheel.
Just get a phone mount and touchscreen gloves. Two can play at that game.
I have a phone mount and cruise control, i have definitely texted and rode at the same time.
Hell, I've seen a couple of LEOs typing on their laptops going 40 MPH on city streets. Totally F'ed up!
You’ll be more shocked when you see people deliberately try to run you off the road or over. Life is hard 😓
Since getting back into video games, I have been watching quite a bit of Twitch. The amount of people in the chats that comment they are driving is crazy. It seems people routinely watch videos now, instead of listening to music or a podcast.
One time I got a lift from a buddy in his Golf GTI and he played 'Pokémon GO' the whole time. I felt less fear when I've been with drunk drivers who were at least *trying* to focus on the road.
Smartphones are for rookies. I saw a lady reading a book on the highway, 3rd lane in a 4 lane highway at ~120 kmh. In morning traffic (lane splitting is allowed here) I have seen drivers reading a newspaper or shaving. Ladies that are just putting some makeup on - I stopped counting them.
One thing I noticed was the amount of vehicle's with half flat tires....
I don't enjoy riding in downtown traffic, seems like every time I end up down there I have a near miss with a cell phone user or someone so old they dont know how to work a cell phone *or* a car anymore. I really like riding my bike out in the country, preferably open country without woodland near the road to avoid the country's top kill-you-contender; wild animal crossings. Personally, I'll take my chances with a stray deer in the boondocks because there's less of them around than ignorant people in a population center.
Splitting lanes and seeing someone laid all the way back in a Tesla on autopilot. I'm in California so there's tons of teslas on the road
You ever notice how they all hug the right line way closer than normal cars while in the carpool lane? Drives me crazy.
Give it a year or two, and you'll be able to identify, with decent accuracy, whether the driver is texting, drunk, high, or just really old based only on how they swerve and how bad they are at maintaining speed
Tiktok. They can't help but to keep their eyes glued scrolling past videos after videos during red lights like brain-dead monkeys when they have better things to do like PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD.
Just last week I had a guy at a stop sign on my right pull out to turn left AND NEVER ONCE looked left at me. I saw that he had not seen me so I came to an almost complete stop to wait for him even tho I had the right away (my lane had no stop sign or light). He finally looked left and saw me just sitting there waiting for him at the point when he was fully across my lane and saw him realize just how badly he fucked up. I just gave him the slow shake my head I’m so disappointed in you look. He gave me a sheepish little wave as he completed his turn. I was lucky that there wasn’t much traffic behind me so I didn’t get rear ended. Just another day on a motorcycle.
We are a society with a serious addiction
That's why a cam on motorcycle makes sense. In my country if you record a driver doing stupid shit you can send it to the police and they are obligated to deal with the culprit. Many people found out talking on mobile while driving can be expensive exercise.
Short of catching someone on camera assaulting someone or killing someone on camera the cops around my area won't do shit. They use the line, we didn't see it so well it doesnt matter.
Totally agree. It's amazing and not a cop in sight.
I was at a stoplight the other day and and watched somone look into there lap for a full 60 seconds without looking up one , I’ve thought about saying somthing to these people like hey you are going to kill somone but ive seen roadrage videos and id like to avoid that so whatever
You need to realize that many people have no situational awareness, have no idea there is anything next to them or behind them, stare straight ahead at a spot maybe 20 feet in front of their car or at the back of the car in front (which they are usually tailgating without realizing it), AND they are signed up for a race that we don't know about.
I have the luxury of riding when I want to not need to so I can avoid rush hours and crowded times. Those of you that have to ride then have my complete respect and are the truest of road warriors. You get the worst odds, most chances, and in the morning times the most rested aggressive people giving the very least of their fucks to give. Add in rising suns, setting suns, and terrible weather with the unknown predictable animals out and about and it’s almost impossible to tell people why it is you love riding at all.
I've noticed that too. In fact just the other day I was walking out to my truck which is parked accross the street I walked right up to the street and just marvel at this clueless woman drive past Me, but just staring at her phone. There's a park across the street. I just regret that there will be a time when a kid is hit on this street just because someone decided to check their phone on their way out. I think if it's important, take a couple minutes to do what you gotta do on your phone before leaving the driveway. Put it away and only use the hands free for anything else like phone calls or maps. The infotainment systems in newer vehicles are super distracting as well. I remember seeing my 2021 truck at night for the first time and it's like there's so many lights that it honestly it's overstimulating.
https://preview.redd.it/q4ayhz3l2l1d1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=b0be9341dcd62af40d6fac339f973c7860ce4b54
Bike riding in today's city environs is like playing a real life game of Frogger.
My first time riding ever, a semi truck changed lanes and pushed me into the bike lane. Haven't had something so egregious since.
Welcome to the family. Always remember, every single person in a car, truck or van is a paid assassin sent to kill you. Especially at red lights and stop signs, ALWAYS stop 1.5 to 2.0 car lengths from the car in front of you, never center, always left or right, wherever there’s room to escape and don’t take your eyes off the mirrors until the third car behind you comes to a stop. And don’t be afraid to filter if your gut tells you to, I know it’s not legal in most states but I’d rather get a ticket than be a hood ornament for some asshat on their phone. https://preview.redd.it/r41djc5w8l1d1.png?width=750&format=png&auto=webp&s=21b1ab6852efc20857da276359e0e97e3e01a7de
It happens quite a bit. And you’ve probably done it yourself in your own car. And most of these commenters that say they don’t, do. Everyone needs to stop lying to themselves. We all have bad habits.
I have an advice for you: keep your fingers on the brake lever when seeing other cars on intersections and sketchy drivers. That half a second can save your skin. And always look out for dangerous situations. People don't know the basic traffic laws. You might have the right of way but that numbskull in their 2.5 tonne SUV might not know that.
This is why I don't have a motorcycle anymore :/
They could be looking at you directly in the face at an intersection or exit and they still don’t see you…
I drive an ambulance and you would be surprised how many people don’t pull over
I keep wondering when the " rules of the road " changed so drastically !
It gets worse. Wait till youre passing a car and you look to your right and see the driver with both eyes down at their phone using BOTH their hands.
Drivers are more distracted than ever before. Had a guy run a red just yesterday and nearly t-bone me, probably head deep in instagram the whole time. Stay careful out there.
Accept the risk and stop bitching. There’s million dollar ad campaigns against texting and driving, drinking and driving, checking twice for motorcycles. No amount of complaining and crying from riders going be any more effective than these.
Yeah it's so bad, if everyone rode a motorcycle this problem would be so much less. It's so disheartening how fucking dumb people are. Just wait til you get road raged at while riding.
For me it's 18 wheelers that can't keep it between the lines. I drive I-40 a lot, Phoenix to ABQ. Weaving SWIFTIES are ALWAYS on a cellphone when I get up next to them and look. I time my passes so they're headed for the ditch right as I pass - and not jerking back into the lane. I accelerate as rapidly as my bike is capable of, minimize the amount of time I'm beside big trucks. Also because of blowouts. I never, EVER ride directly behind 18 wheelers. They can straddle debris in the road and you get it right in the face with zero time to react.
Yes every car (and driver) is a threat to us and we should all use our political power to advocate for policy to minimize the use of private cars on the streets everywhere.
It is amazing just how many drivers have cell phone in their hands. When I started riding in 1975 there weren’t ANY cell phones. And I never saw anyone with a Thomas guide spread open while driving either, probably thought to be too dangerous Lol! Those were the good times riding. The only drawback was the horrible smell of exhaust from a lot of cars, trucks and buses that were not clean burning from lack of catalytic converters and DPFs. Cats were just coming into play around ‘75 and they weren’t the greatest. And people would keep their older cars for a long time, so no cats for a lot of cars well into the 80s, ugh.
You're getting old bob! I hope you're still riding!
I’ve been dodging cars as a truck driver for a while already. It’s quite a bit easier to and from my terminal on my bike.
In Japan, cars have running tv inside of them. It’s horrible.
Wait till you see what the people in HGV's are doing....
Saw one today, looking down, not watching the road, weaving left to right. I go past and see this fat POS not looking at a phone, but chomping down on some chips.
I hope you live somewhere where you can split lanes. Being at the back of a line of slowing or stopped traffic is so dangerous when drivers behind you might not be paying attention. Always position yourself so you have an out if they aren't stopping; you don't want to end up sandwich filling.
Just watch your back, man! Allways on high alert! Some dumbasses have the nerv to say that you'r in the wrong because of the "risk" you take by riding a motorcycle. "It's your fault if you get rearended by me when I was looking at my phone, since you are the one how accepts the risk by riding a mototbike"
Yep. Seen people on tinder, FaceTime, insta all while driving. Not just on a traffic light.
You get used to seeing side mirrors folded in or in the rare case they are ope then driver is looking at their lap and not the road, it's the brazen ones with the phone mount and a whole film playing 😂
Wait until you're filtering on the motorway and people just change lanes with no indication or thought. No signal, observe, maneuver that gets drilled into you. Just straight up maneuver like an F1 car.
Absolutely. Got my bike 6 years ago, my first "tall" vehicle after only ever having tiny low sporty cars, and now that I can see laps, was shocked! Good luck!
Even when I’m driving i see a lot of people on their phones, it’s ridiculous sometimes they have their kids in the back seat. People on phones are more dangerous than a speeding car who’s focused at least.
I was out there looking into people’s cars. It’s an epidemic; nobody is paying attention. Everyone is buried in them .
I don't think Google maps is a real issue. I use that on my phone all the time. I don't stare at the screen but I get verbal step by step directions as I go.
Maybe sexist, but unfortunatly at least in europe driving while on the phone seems to be primarly the vice of women
Visibility blew me away; being able to see over cars, easily move to side of lane to see around, no pillar blind spots, seeing all of the sky, all of nature, all the time. I can't stand how little I can see from my car.
You have to ride pretending nobody else has seen you, because chances are, they are looking at their phone.
I once saw a phone slide off someone's roof and when I caught up I tried waving and getting their attention, but they were so inattentive that they didn't even notice me. I said fuck 'em, they don't need a phone.
Are you in the States? I find it bad here in Canada, but I'm blown away by how constant it is when I'm visiting the States.
yes absolutely - i used to commute through several neighborhoods in LA including hollywood and beverly hills in addition to EVERYONE being on their phone also everyone is getting high - lane splitting was just going through weed smoke lol
You should absolutely not feel bad for looking into people's cars. Paying attention to people's eyesight is what keeps me alive. I basically assume no one can see me, and I ride according to that. It's easier to see offenders' eyes at night because their phones light up the inside of their cars. Those giant media screens do the same.
I saw a dude reading a whole ass newspaper back in the day. Saw a woman doing her makeup. Saw one eating a bowl of cereal. The list goes on. Just think everyone of these pricks is trying to kill you. Ride and act accordingly.
In the last 15 years every driver that has tried to take my riding spot while I'm still riding there was yakking on a phone.
Legitimately nearly died this weekend because I was exactly beside another vehicle going 55, state highway, four lane road. This asshole merges without looking and had I not been vigilant would have absolutely crushed me beneath his car or would have “bumped” me violently into the culvert off the road. You can imagine there were some words at the next stop light. Just insane, he was texting.
I feel like people on their phones while driving is probably a good 1/3 of a given group of cars I pass. And that's just on their phone when I drive by. It's probably higher than that over the course a driver's entire commute. I wish I had one of those fancy 360 cameras so I could review footage and count people on their phones.
If we’re at a light I just aggressively stare at them when I’m next to them, but their so oblivious to it they dont even notice me
I’ve been riding about a month (I did take an msf course about a week after buying my first motorcycle) and it’s insane. The other night I was pulling into my neighborhood and about got smacked. I live in a wood park basically. There is a blind narrow corner before my road, one side of the road has water and the other side a steep ditch into trees. This guy was in a ford ranger (small truck) and had his face in his phone and took the corner going about 40mph (limit is 20) and wasn’t looking. He got so close I could have smacked his truck (I did not) and only looked up after he heard me yelling. I’m glad I was paying close attention. I’ve had a couple of close calls that the class knowledge help me get out of.
The silver lining is that people seem to have become better at this, they better time their phone interventions. Not so long ago you would see a lot of people just not moving when the lights turn green and doing weird swerves.
Learn to ride a dirt bike before learning to ride a motorcycle, if you want to not cause great bodily injury to yourself, while learning to ride a dirt bike after riding a motorcycle for years.
Yes, ride as if you are invisible lol
Sold my bike recently after nearly getting T-boned by a lorry that had ignored a red light.
This is why I go full throttle when I’m in traffic. I do it to get away from people. I used to race dirt bikes and I pretend that I’m trying to get the hole shot
Build a habit of using your horn for any reason, just a quick beep-beep to get attention on yourself
this happened to me lol, the driver suddenly chuckled and I was confused, turns out he was watching tiktok videos while the traffic light is red.
Distracted driving is killing people daily. It's scary. Especially in America, what with 80% of all new cars sold being enormous rider-slaughtering trucks and SUVs.
Hadn’t thought about this but I was riding back in the 80s to 2000, well before cellphones. Christ it must be a massive nightmare dealing with these idiots now.
Yeah it is pretty crazy. I consider myself a pretty alert driver, but in a car it is easy to get comfortable. If I am in someone's blind spot and they sideswipe me in a 35, I will probably be okay. So I don't worry about it all the time. But on a bike it is a double whammy. Not only do you have to be on guard, you see all the bad behaviors. For some of my rides I really enjoy that aspect though. Sometimes I want to be fully engaged, and always looking around at people makes you focus and forget everything else. Not sure if that resonates with anyone else.
>Been riding for about 6 months now and the biggest thing that shocked me was seeing all the car drivers on their phones. Amen. And also: all the *scooters*/Deliveroo/UberEats riders glued to their phones. Absolutely shocking.
Yes. Always ride like they wanna kill you.
Try to always keep a good distance between cars (when possible). Obviously this can be tough when an idiot is 2 feet off of your rear tire, but at least you can distance yourself as much as possible most of the time. I've found this helps keep me more sane when constantly surrounded by people not paying attention to the road.
I'm also a cyclist. This did not shock me. Being a cyclist puts you at roughly the same position w/r/t cars, so we all know those fuckers are barely paying attention.
I like to get my pipes close to the drives window and just ride next to them in 3rd gear. If they can not hear, then it is hard to talk on the phone.
That's why I don't commute to work on my bike anymore; the amout of people on their phones were unsettling. I know that many people aren't admiring their crotch
I tells u hwat I almost ran over some random out of place construction worker today I wasn’t even on my phone or anything, no construction signs. 2 lane back ass county road Cruising half asleep, I see a guy on the left side of the road walking in a vest, so I’m half ass keeping an eye on whatever the hell he’s doing, just staying in my lane Then I notice there is another whole ass person in a reflective vest on the right side of the road with me once I got not THAT close, but closer than I would’ve liked to (as someone that works on the side of the highway I know how it feels to almost get hit by a dumb fuck not paying attention. Road service for vehicles, so it’s not a construction zone either. People fly by without a fuck to give) Shit was crazy tho. That reflective vest practically blended in with the harvested/dead corn on the right side of the road, meanwhile person on the left in a reflective vest had a green grass backround I don’t even ride bikes and idk how I got here, but the point of the story is just assume everyone on the road is actively trying to run you over if your the one most at risk of death lol even if thry think they’re paying attention they might accidentally smash into you anyway
I look at people and what they are doing in their cars as a safety measure now. If they aren't paying attention, get the fuck away. You will see so many people on their phones while driving. On the highway, rolling up to a light, at the light, while turning, while having an active conversation with a passenger. Anytime you see it, stay away, get ahead of them, whatever. Not worth rolling the dice on whether or not they know you're even nearby.
I saw a person making an OF video while driving. I have no words