I think it depends on the biker. Some guys are immature and have no buisness anywhere near a motorcycle. My last close call really had nothing to do with how i ride. I gave an indicator to turn left and some dumbass in an SUV behind me decided i was going too slow (i was slowing down for the left turn) and decided to pass me from the left (2 lane street, 1 lane in each direction). Had I take the left turn i would have ended up in the hospital but luckily i saw him in the miror and i didn't take the left. Its those kinds of drivers, the people who have zero respect for people on bikes, that bikers always have to watch out for.

 

^
yup. My friend had a pretty bad injury, cause this dumb truck driver tried to pass him, didn't have enough space, and saw a freaking car coming from the other side. Steered rightaway back on road, my friend was hit.
He survived though, with hella cuts and stuff.

 

u do have to ride like everone is out to get u, no one pays any attention to bikes even if they do see u they will still try to run u over. i think that motorcycle riders are the best drivers out there because they get so use to watchin everthing around them.

 

^ those who survived

Yea, I'm not telling there is no such problem, I know it exists, and I know itdoes contribute significantly to the number of accidents. But bike provides much more opportunities to screw up than car does, and that's why lots of unexperienced bikers get hurt.

And I do agree that those who managed to meet natural selection challenge do become much better drivers on average.

 

There are bikers out there, that make the rest of us look bad. Just like any other groupings, there's always a few bad apples in the barrel. I for one can't stand it when I'm in my car in a jam, and a bike rolls up the middle or down the side. Pisses me off every time. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Just takes pissing off one person to the point where they open their door.
A few friends of mine are very upset at me for getting the Harley, just waiting for me to meet my maker. My feeling is, when my number's up, it's going to be up no matter where I am or what I'm doing. Ride smartly, focused and most of all defensively. Just because you're not paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

 

Thats what i figure

 

What's your problem, man? They get somewhere faster than you? That's one of the reasons people use bikes to commute. All over the world (at least in the contries I happen to see) except US this is a normal practice and nobody gets pissed off about that...

 

ya i cant say id get mad about some on a bike doing that because i do it. especially at bike myrtle beach bike week it gets backed up ill use sidewalks t getaround any way u can just got to watch for cops, hell my uncle went through the pavillion one night lol. and like misha said in other countries thats why they ride bikes i wish we could go through traffic here and not get in trouble for it.

 

If you think that splitting lanes is bad, you shouldn't visit some other countries. I've been to india and the traffic there is absolutly crazy. You don't even have to be on the right side of the road there. There aren't any lanes and ppl pretty much do whatever they feel like.

 

The reason it pisses most decent bikers and drivers in this country off, is because its a flagrant violation of the laws. There isn't a state where it's legal. My other pet peeve is bikers who ride two or three abreast in situations or places where it's illegal to do so. There are a few states where it is legal to ride two abreast in the same lane (MD for instance), but never 3.

Whenever I was in traffic (and Misha, I'm sure you know what DC traffic is like), I've always stayed in my lane and abided by the laws. It's dangerous to the rider, and to other cars to go up the middle of the lanes in a traffic jam as you never know when someone might decide to change lanes, or be close to the center. My mother had her passenger mirror taken off by someone doing that, who then turned around and sued her... needless to say the judge threw the case out and revoked the guys license to ride.