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Post by wheelbender6 on Jul 2, 2018 21:04:57 GMT -5
There are hundreds of entrance ramps in Houston and thousands of intersections. I could make a pro bono career out of it.
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Post by onewheeldrive on Jul 3, 2018 0:47:11 GMT -5
I’m mostly worried about animals that run out in to the road without much notice. I’ve ran over an opossum and a racoon and even though it was smooth sailing, my heart did skip a couple beats. I had deer (plural) that ran out in front of me where I had an accident breaking my wrist pretty bad after rolling on the pavement after I hit the ground.
It’s an even worse situation if the road conditions aren’t great. Definitely don’t want to lock up the front brakes trying to avoid a situation.
One thing that freaks me out a bit is when people SLOWLY pass you and are only a couple feet from you.
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Post by SylvreKat on Jul 3, 2018 6:29:34 GMT -5
... One thing that freaks me out a bit is when people SLOWLY pass you and are only a couple feet from you. I'd think slowly would be way better than passing FAST and close! As for painting curbs, why not just paint the worst ones on your usual route? Or at least call whoever runs street maintenance and ask nice for them to fix it. Esp Leo's curb that has caused numerous accidents. We had road work up the street, and they didn't fix the hole correctly (left a ditch around the large patch). I called about it, explained that I could feel the "ditch" in my car and feared what could happen once I started driving my scooter. Guy apologized and said it would be fixed. Next day, it already was! Yes, I called and thanked him right away--gratitude goes a long way in getting these things accomplished next time. >'Kat |
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Post by pistonguy on Jul 3, 2018 22:32:54 GMT -5
... One thing that freaks me out a bit is when people SLOWLY pass you and are only a couple feet from you. I'd think slowly would be way better than passing FAST and close! As for painting curbs, why not just paint the worst ones on your usual route? Or at least call whoever runs street maintenance and ask nice for them to fix it. Esp Leo's curb that has caused numerous accidents. We had road work up the street, and they didn't fix the hole correctly (left a ditch around the large patch). I called about it, explained that I could feel the "ditch" in my car and feared what could happen once I started driving my scooter. Guy apologized and said it would be fixed. Next day, it already was! Yes, I called and thanked him right away--gratitude goes a long way in getting these things accomplished next time. >'Kat I kindly take acceptation. You go ahead and side draft me on a fly by rather than lollygagging and siting on my corners. When making my pass on to wheels I make the commitment and squirt by in a safe but speedy manner. if I push the speed limit by a few to get it done so be it. Same in a car, the highway pass at 1/2 mph faster than you sitting on my corners lallygagging , jeez get it done and get out of the way. Probably my race driver mentality of Lead or Follow just get off my dmn corners.. |
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Post by SylvreKat on Jul 3, 2018 23:13:11 GMT -5
Ok, piston, we had different definitions of slow vs fast passing.
"Fast" is what those semis do that tossed even my old wagon a bit.
"Slow" is passing a little faster than my speed and not tossing my car like a soda cup.
"Irritating git" is lallygagging and not passing but sitting off my dogleg like a bleeding stupidhead hoping you're in my blind spot so I'll change lanes and hit you. Or something similar. Or just plain stupidness. But those gits are more irritating during the day, 'cause at least at night you can see by their headlights that they're driving stupid.
>'Kat
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 4, 2018 23:11:51 GMT -5
Ok, piston, we had different definitions of slow vs fast passing. "Fast" is what those semis do that tossed even my old wagon a bit. "Slow" is passing a little faster than my speed and not tossing my car like a soda cup. "Irritating git" is lallygagging and not passing but sitting off my dogleg like a bleeding stupidhead hoping you're in my blind spot so I'll change lanes and hit you. Or something similar. Or just plain stupidness. But those gits are more irritating during the day, 'cause at least at night you can see by their headlights that they're driving stupid. >'Kat
Folks in your hood actually use HEADLIGHTS?  Around here, law enforcement says 1 out of 3 cars are STOLEN... Most, driven by illegals 12 to 18 years old. In their pot-fogged little brains, they think if they don't use lights, they won't be noticed... REALLY?Personally, I don't know a quicker way to get "Johnny Law's" attention than to drive around at night, lights out, in that freshly jacked ride... 
One good thing about those brain-dead little miscreants, most do NOT know how to drive a stick-shift... Keeps 'em from jacking a LOT of really swell sporty rides!!!Joking aside, I do understand... All too often some cretin (usually in a "monster" 4x4) comes flying by and pulls into YOUR lane before getting QUITE past your scoot... As Dr. Phil says" "...I hate it when that happens...".
Driving in general is a "heads-up" situation, and riding on 2-wheels is much more so...Side note: around here, if you paint a curb, you'll get charged with defacing city property and get a hefty fine along with community service removing paint... That actually happened to a 75-year-old lady crossing guard at an intersection she worked for school kids. Several kids had been hit, so she painted a safety walk across the street... Next week she was no longer a guard, and on her knees in the sun, scraping and painting over her handywork. The CBS news reporter was quite amused... Maybe if it had been HER mother she'd have felt differently... Nah! My neighbor found out that if you complain about totaling your car on a cammo curb, you'll be threatened with a charge of reckless driving. The arrogance of local government is off the meter.
Ride safe, heads-up, eyes-open!Leo |
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Post by SylvreKat on Jul 5, 2018 6:33:32 GMT -5
Leo, whenever you post about your area,  you just make me even happier I live in my area! >'Kat |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 5, 2018 23:40:42 GMT -5
Leo, whenever you post about your area, you just make me even happier I live in my area! >'Kat
Life's an ADVENTURE! I admit, 50 years ago, back in the day, in Chicago, it was a lot LESS of an adventure... Not much traffic, most folks made an effort to avoid collisions, and speeds were WAY less than today. Honestly, I'd say riding HERE, in Texas today, is about 60% more dangerous than riding in CHICAGO, in the 1960's... But then, I'm probably 40% smarter now than back then... It helps!
I do my best to enjoy the ride, and the adventure... (as if I have a choice?)  I stay REALLY close to the good Lord, and figure I always have a few jumbo-sized angels between me and what the devil has in mind. And, I don't tempt old Nick like I might have 50 years ago... You know, like, "...Hey! I bet I can ride across the WHOLE river on the handrail of this stupid bridge..." or "I bet I can get through all four gears and still stop before I hit that building at the end of the parking lot..." Nope. Not no more, not ever... 
These days, I don't ride any way, or go anywhere I wouldn't ride or go to with Jesus on the passenger seat... It's worked well for me so far!
The day MAY be coming when I'm no longer safe to ride on two wheels... The old eyes, balance, and reaction times are NOT what they were even 5 years ago. If that time comes, I'll probably go to a trike (or put a sidecar on "Minnie Mouse")… Nothing more fun than taking a hard, sweeping left, going 2-wheeler, and "elevating" the sidecar passenger six-feet off the ground...   
I only got to do that once on an on a pal's old foot-clutch Hog, but I still chuckle when I think about how my gal-friend freaked-out!!!
Being a good steward of borrowed bikes, upon return, I did clean the leather seat in the sidecar and treated my girl to a 25-cent "bath" at the local spray-wash, and, popped for new $6 pair of jeans... Heck, after all, it WAS 1962, and a po' boy could afford such things...
 Hoo-HAA, Woo-Hoo and as they say 'round here, well, dog my cats!
Ride safe, and enjoy the ride!Leo |
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Post by chewbaca on Jul 6, 2018 19:47:19 GMT -5
that's why you gotta stealth it 😑
glue reflective budumps to the top of the curb
and scamper off
if you do a really crappy job of it it's going the look just like city work
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Post by onewheeldrive on Jul 6, 2018 22:57:37 GMT -5
I'd think slowly would be way better than passing FAST and close! As for painting curbs, why not just paint the worst ones on your usual route? Or at least call whoever runs street maintenance and ask nice for them to fix it. Esp Leo's curb that has caused numerous accidents. We had road work up the street, and they didn't fix the hole correctly (left a ditch around the large patch). I called about it, explained that I could feel the "ditch" in my car and feared what could happen once I started driving my scooter. Guy apologized and said it would be fixed. Next day, it already was! Yes, I called and thanked him right away--gratitude goes a long way in getting these things accomplished next time. >'Kat I kindly take acceptation. You go ahead and side draft me on a fly by rather than lollygagging and siting on my corners. When making my pass on to wheels I make the commitment and squirt by in a safe but speedy manner. if I push the speed limit by a few to get it done so be it. Same in a car, the highway pass at 1/2 mph faster than you sitting on my corners lallygagging , jeez get it done and get out of the way. Probably my race driver mentality of Lead or Follow just get off my dmn corners.. That’s what I mean. Some people pass without even getting into the other lane. Sometimes I’ll get over to the right, and when there is curb to your right and a car 2 feet to your left, there isn’t much room to breath—especially if there is a car behind you. It’s like the longest 10 seconds. |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 7, 2018 20:03:53 GMT -5
that's why you gotta stealth it 😑 glue reflective budumps to the top of the curb and scamper off if you do a really crappy job of it it's going the look just like city work
I agree, but at least around here, Big Brother has video cameras at nearly every intersection... Even those in the boonies... You can't scratch yourself without being video-taped.On the "plus side" those cameras DO catch a lot of perverts... Ride safe,Leo |
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Post by urbanmadness on Jul 8, 2018 22:49:49 GMT -5
I don't like riding at night in Rural areas, because of the animals. I ride a bike nick named "The Mad Max Battle Wing". It's a GL1500 painted flat black and it's huge (it's 900lbs dry). Pot hols don't bother me, they just rattle the mirrors a little; what bothers me is other drivers. Especially those texting or don't bother checking the blind spot before changing lanes. I ride in stop and go traffic a lot, so I do split lanes and filter which is legal here. You do it to stay safe. You do not want to end up being a chevy and motorcycle sandwich, when a car, your behind, gets rear ended.
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