Crazy Drivers

Well, I guess I'm starting to grow up. Yesterday, riding from Stanford
to Redwood City (on Avenida de las Puelgas) I was cut off three times by
inattentive drivers: never got angry once. I recognized the violation
of my right away early enough that I could adjust my speed without a
scrape or a scare. One case was baffling: I was at a stop light and
a Pick Up (full of fence posts) jack-rabbited out to make a left turn in
front of me. I could see him twitching into the intersection so I
rolled forward slowly to let him pass (and he nearly dumped his load
making that turn). What was baffling was I made eye contact with him
and he still did it.

I have decided that Cages are like dogs and deer: unpredictable,
irrational and dangerous (except with more armor).

 

[snip fuckwit in truck]


It's not just motorcycles they pull out if front of. I was in the
company van, this is a 1 ton white van, it's hard to miss. Some moron in
a slightly larger truck pulled out in front of me after making what I
though was eye contact. No wonder there are drive-by shootings.

 

Timberwoof handed down these > lines in ba.motorcycles:

Well not sure the modulator will help for the idiocy on the roads today ..
turned left from one major throughfare to another about 6am .. still dark
... noticed a guy coming up a side street real fast .. covered the brakes
just in case, but he stopped with his nose sticking out .. made a little
adjustment to give him a wide berth and as I go in front of him .. OUT HE
CAME!!! .. just missed the rear of the bike 'cause I swerved hard left and
gassed it .. soooo a modulator won't help in case you are dealing with
people who just don't get it .. and yes he was driving a beat up POS and
probably hi on something ..

 

But eye contact is symmetric... how can both be lower in the pecking
order than the other?

 

I have a pair of BIG PIAA lights on my GS ... when I ride in Rush hour I
often turn them on ... people get out
of my way cuz they think I'm a cop (so I suspect)

 

JB wrote:

You're assuming that some form of the 'golden rule' applies. I suspect
the actual thought process is something like "I know I'm a bigger
asshole that you are, so you're lower in the pecking order."

 

Very true. A modulator is simply an attention getting device, and there
are many ways to attract attention and express _intention_. Lowering
lights offers "after you", raising them requests "after me". Note the
words...roads are cooperative places, not adversarial ones.

Aux lights that go on when the brights are dipped seem to help in daytime.
Having them come on _with_ the brights is useful at night. The wiring is
simple. Expressive lane position changes can help too; the bike leaning
over on swerving away from a threat swings the lights up and down, making
a visual impression that is distinct and seems helpful.

As a last resort, and with full understanding that it's considered heresy
in these parts, when one sees a threat it's sometimes useful to slow down.



bob prohaska

 

my aux lights (a pair of 55W Hella MicroDE foglamps) are on all the time,
unless I intentionally turn them off. my highbeam is a 100W H4, and if I
flash it at someone, they damn well had better notice or they are truly
braindead. I don't do this casually.

I do feel having the two foglamps on helps define how far away I am to
oncoming motorists, as it establishes a triangle rather than just the
point source of the stock headlight on my R1100RS... the fog lamps aren't
so bright as to blind or confuse said cars.

 

Eye contact doesn't imply shit! I don't know why people even whine about
it in forums like this. I make "eye contact" with someone and depending on
the time/place (night club or Bay Bridge toll plaza, etc.) I will interpret
it as... gosh, any number of things that don't bear repeating here. Eye
contact means LOTS of things, depending on where you are, and at any given
moment in time, doesn't say much of anything at all about which lane someone
intends to change into, or what they intend to do after a stoplight or some
such.

 

I am not assuming any rule, regarless of color or metal content...

I am saying "Eye contact is Symmetric" (IOW: If I look you in the eye,
you must be looking me in the eye), so how can making eye contact
with another driver yield right-of-way, initiative, status?


BTW: I've noticed certain cultural types NEVER make eye contact with
other drivers (and usually not when in a line or other situation where
there is competition for a position).

 

Yup. But mine are Yellow.

 

I am not saying it does. I am saying that since it takes two to make
eye contact, how can it lower MY place in the
pecking order without lowering the other person's?

 

Too true. Flashing lights is not codified. I have seen truckers turn
on/off lights (especially at night) to signal safety
to a truck ahead signalling to come into their lane ahead of them. I
sometimes use this to signal trucks (real trucks,
no pickem ups). I once signalled a pick up who wanted to come over by
the off/on light method... he slammed on
his brakes, flipped me off and then started driver erratically. All
this because I was trying to be nice and say "Come on over"

I wanna get one of those 12V, 50W garden flood lamps, painted red,
shining backwards for those a-holes
with brights (and tailgaters).

 

True. But if they see you, that should mean that... they see you. One
would hope they would then not try to kill you.

 

} I am not assuming any rule, regarless of color or metal content...
}
} I am saying "Eye contact is Symmetric" (IOW: If I look you in the eye,
} you must be looking me in the eye), so how can making eye contact
} with another driver yield right-of-way, initiative, status?
}
} BTW: I've noticed certain cultural types NEVER make eye contact with
} other drivers (and usually not when in a line or other situation where
} there is competition for a position).


I hear that in some places where drivers are more aggressive
(NYC) making eye contact is a recipe to get cut off. They
figure if you see them you won't hit them, so they go.

 

We New Yorkers aren't aggressive, just assertive. ;-}

Rich, Urban Biker (native New Yorker)

 

OK. I know I'll get flamed for asking this again but ...


"How can making eye contact yield the right of way to the other person
with which you've made eye contact? Haven't they
made eye contact with you, too?"

I am wondering ... perhaps it isn't the eye-contact per se ... it is how
you do it. If you are looking around as if asking "Can I go now?"
then they have the authority to say "No, it is my turn!" or "Yes, you
may go at my pleasure."

I throw one last point of confusion - I almost always wear sunglasses
when I ride or drive during the day. I have found that I cannot
make eye contact with people while sitting in the park wearing
sunglasses, how can I make eye contact while on my ride?

 

Dude! THANK YOU. This is the best insight I've recieved. IOW: The
person looking for confirmation loses the initiative.
(This also explains why you see so many luxury car-luxury car accidents

Again. Great point. In fact, on 2 wheels I often yeild the right of
way (to stay out of the wrong way) and I sometimes have to resort
to a grand wave of the hand to motion the other driver through. I
also usually wear sunglasses (mirrored or not, it's hard to read eyes
though sunglasses).

 

It's not just motorcycles they pull out if front of. I was in the

Only in America - perhaps it has something to do with your gun laws

 

get proper strobes - remote strobes. hack 'em into your tail light
reflector and hide a momentary trigger in your switchgear. backs
people off but good.

http://www.strobes-r-us.com/strobesrus_008.htm

etc