Recent Road Ramblings

Fellow Cyclist: Sam The Semi Tailgater

I was on the interstate in a car.  Another interstate was merging in from the left.  Ahead and to my right, I saw a semi trunk with a typical trailer coming down the lane.  Nothing out of the ordinary there.  But right behind, like a few shoes back - a guy on a motorcycle.  He had on an upscale racing suit and helmet.  Full gear.  I gave him props for full good gear.  But I'm not sure what he was thinking.  If that trucked stopped for anything, he wouldn't have time to react.  There's no quick stop or dropping down in speed when the distance is a few shoes length away.  I don't even think you can swerve, not enough room to maneuver.  Let alone reaction time.  I'm not sure if reaction time counts.  He was so close, the trucks brake lights would be just in his peripheral vision.  The motorcyclist passed the truck on the right as soon as the interstate finished merging in.  And he zipped off ahead.

Fellow Cyclist: Winter Hat

Its fall and its cold outside.  Getting too cold to ride.  I had all my gear on, and it helps keep you warm.  I pulled up to a stop light and there were two fellow motorcylists in the accompanying lane.  They didn't have helmets on, but instead had on a wool winter hat.  Coming down to just above their eyes and ears.  Damn, if you already have to put something on your head to keep your warm, is it really that much extra inconvenient to wear a helmet?  Personally, I'm a fan of a full face helmet, but even a partial top helmet is better than a winter hat.

Pass Me In The Intersection

I'm stopped at an intersection on the bike.  Two lanes going forward.  While I'm waiting a sporty car pulls up next to me in the right lane.  The thought that comes to my mind is: sporty cars are often driven by people who drive overly aggressive.  When the light turns green, we both start going, but the car driver makes to pass me not long from our starting spot, while we are both still in the intersection, cutting me off without much room.  I could tell he was starting it, so I backed off the throttle as he started edging closer and was prepared to stop if needed.  Its not really high speed when you just got rolling from a red light.  So I didn't feel in danger.  But man, there's a guy whose worried about being late for the Family Night sale at Burger Kind.

Cars Suddenly Turning Right

This weekend I was driving down a state highway at 55 nearing an intersection.  The two lanes were clear except for a line of cars in the left lane waiting for the left turn signal.  My light was green and I was over in the right lane away from that.  As I got nearer the cars and the light, I try to keep a watch on everything going on around an intersection, especially the cars stopped at the light.  Then it happens, I see one of the trucks break from the turn lane and jam across the road.  That gets your attention.  I rolled off the throttle and was aligning to the right, had a good escape on the right, and preparing to brake if needed.  But no need, he stayed in the left lane.  I was over in the right lane.  And he picked up speed and zoomed on.  No biggie.  And not being parked in the passing lane of the highway pays off.  It wasn't that eventful, just another example circumstance of why you have to pay attention and always be prepared to react.  Why I write is what happened today.

Today, I'm driving in my car on the interstate.  I'm in the far right lane, having just merged in not too long ago.  The one lane over is crawling much slower.  Keeping an eye on it.  And then one of the car drivers guns it right in front of me.  One of those things about trying to occupy the same space as another object at the same time.  What was almost comical is that I saw him flash his right turn signal about halfway through the lane change.  Looking back it was comical, because at the time I had to hit my brakes hard.  Collision avoided, but damn.  The thing is too if he turned on his signal and tried to do it properly, I would have let him over.  What I'm getting home 30 seconds later?  I'll deal.  But at least no accident.  I know motorcycling is statically more dangerous than driving a car.  But even in a car, people still don't know what they are doing.  And I kind of wonder if driving a motorcycle has made me better at driving a car, or at least more aware.