won't let me pass

[ninjaridaz]

I went riding sat at a local twisty road. After some nice esses, I spot a hd ahead of me in a rare straightaway. I've ridden this road countless of times before. It's popular with cruisers and sport bikes. Coming up after the straight is best set of twisties. The road had just been newly paved. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck behind mr. hd slow poke in the turns. Already in OD, I decide to just throttle up to get ahead of him. I notice that it is taking me a little longer than usual to pass him. hd decides that he doesn't want me to pass him. I considered dropping it a gear, but decided that going WOT would be enough. I was right. WOT in OD was more than enough to dust him. With the curves coming up, I slowed to my "no brakes" pace. This was, of course, too fast for the pirate- lost him within 3 turns. I find that in the Smoky Mountains, this is not a problem. Most people will get out of your way if you are faster and vice versa. Other than my state, has anybody noticed this attitude in their locale?

[rexmitchell]

I have only experienced this once, I was riding in a group of 7-8 bikes and while one or two of us could have easily passed I chose to just ignore their ignorance and take a run at slow pace. Keep in mind this is the buy riding with no helmet or shirt on. Now, I don't even bother with waiting to see if they are going to let me pass, first chance I get, I quickly go around and don't bother with other people being inconsiderate anymore.

[Phantom]

If your bike has any kind of power, I don't really see how someone could not let you pass.

The way I see it, its your choice whether you're going to be courteous or just blast past them.

If you're afraid to pass them using the oncoming traffic lane, just pull over on the side of the road for a few minutes, let them get some distance on you. Then when nobody passes you for awhile, and you have a nice gap, rip it.

[Bonsai]

I don't get that attitude. Everytime I'm in the mountains or the twisties if any bike catches me I wave them past right away. I won't stop for them (unless it's a large group and there is an easy pull off area) but I'll pull to the far right of the lane and give them every chance to go around, even in a curve if it's a sweeper. I figure they are out having fun and if their fun is faster, let them go.

On the other hand...I have a friend that won't move over, he figures it's THEIR job to get around him. I give him crap about it all the time. When we were up in NC in September I wanted to kick his butt a few times, I'd let a bike or two by and they'd be stuck behind him until they could open it up.....but it was interesting to watch them nail it to get around him,,,,the acceleration is amazing.

And just so we don't get into labeling or stereotyping...I ride a HD and know and understand it's limitations, he rides a sportbike.

[4Raven]

I always wave people on if they want to fly through the twisties, but I do hope that the people behind me at least wait until I see them and wave them on safely...I cannot stand it when I am really into my own ride and all of the sudden some ahole....flies by me at a high rate of speed....:frown:

[markk53]

I won't blast past anyone without first riding behind them at a reasonable distance giving opportunity for them to see me.

I also rarely will pass in the same lane. Even given room, I will usually be at least slightly left of center and only passing where I have line-of-sight to do so. No passing in corners unless they're really long open vision corners and only if the other rider acknowledges I should go.

It's not worth it to take many risks.

[FLBandit]

I actually had a car let me around once when I was coming up on the twisties. At the time this set of curves was a daily thing on my way to work. I was heading home and coming up to them when I came up behind a car. Amazingly, he eased over and waved me around! I figured he must be a rider himself and was familiar with the road!

[Badlands-4-2]

I have had several cars do the speed up thing as I pass, morons. I have no problem if some one wants to pass. Everyone has thier own pace. The only time I have ever been mad about getting passed by another bike was when the idiot did it in my lane. Just came zooming up beside me and was gone. I had no idea that he was even there. I was enjoying the moment and had not checked my mirrors.

[rexmitchell]

I actually had a car let me around once when I was coming up on the twisties. At the time this set of curves was a daily thing on my way to work. I was heading home and coming up to them when I came up behind a car. Amazingly, he eased over and waved me around! I figured he must be a rider himself and was familiar with the road!

I have cars let me around all the time in the twisties, they always get a wave of thanks

[Stainlesstehle]

Unfortunately, cars here don't seem to give a rip if you get behind them. Doesn't matter what you drive/ride whatever.
If you get stuck behind a slow driver, you have to pass as soon as possible-or be there for a while.
However- cagers here are generaly very respectful of motorcycles, other than that.

[trixter]

Other than my state, has anybody noticed this attitude in their locale?

I have noticed both sides of this. In Amador County, California where I live most people will let you pass (aside from the rare person who feels its their right to go 20 under the speed limit and refuses to pull over). The terrain is the foothills of the sierra nevada mountains so most of the roads immediately around my house are single lane no shoulder (occasional turnouts though) twisty roads.

Amador county sees thousands of bikes each weekend during the summer (no rain for 3-4 months so it ends up being nice riding each weekend). Since the population for the entire county is 44,000 and the "big cities" are 3000 it tends to have little road traffic making it a nicer ride. Few come up here, most stay lower in elevation where the wineries are. Those that come up here are looking for the twisties.

The next county over is Sacramento County, and there people will do everything they can to try to get 1 car length ahead. It does not matter that they will have to stop at the next traffic light or will be caught in the same freeway traffic, they feel they accomplished something great as long as they can jump in front of someone and be 1 car length (or less) ahead of where they were. As a result they generally do not want to let anyone pass, some appear to take it as a personal insult if that happens.

Sacramento city is about the 35th largest city in the nation (looking only at city limits and no suburbs), the county has a lot of well developed areas meaning the population density is quite high, possibly in the top 20 places in the US. I think that this is a big reason why people are the way they are (there is a clear culture difference even though its 30 miles from my house to Sacramento). People just get caught in the culture of "me first" and selfishness. This in turn leads to icehole drivers as the culture spreads to the road.

[Dylon]

My cousin once took the front fender off a bug with his steel ball n chain, seriously, he took it right off!
The idiot in the bug was so adamant of not letting my cousin pass, that he nearly wiped him off his bike a few times! That was when he got a gap and it was all over!

[tom10167]

alright how douchey is this. I've never done it but some times I really want to.

Phoenix 101 is a badass highway. Three lanes + an HOV for almost the entire thing(it's a loop)

On top of that, to the left of the HOV lane is a very, very wide breakdown lane. It's as wide as any travel lane. I ride in the HOV almost exclusively, I just think it's safer, less cars in it, no traffic on the left, people rarely merging in to it.

So let's say I'm in the HOV lane and all of the "regular" lanes are congested, and there's a car in front of me doing 70(65 zone) How prickish is it to pass on the left in this case? If you think high, why? Like I said I've never done it, and I probably wouldn't, not really for safety(very low risk I'd say) or legal reasons(just don't care that much) but only because it's rude -- but I don't really see why it's that rude.

Does your answer change if it's not HOV-enforced? Thus making it just an extra lane?

If it's not congested I'll go to the right one, pass, and go back, but I think that's 1.) Not something that I should have to do and 2.) Substantially more dangerous than passing on the left.

I guess I should add that this highway is very straight and flat for the most part, you can see well in front and behind.

[Dodsfall]

Thus making it just an extra lane?


It's not worth the moving violation or risk of serious accident to use the shoulder to ride on.

[Lurch77]

The only time I run into problems is on a favorite motorcycle ride near here. Highway 55 on the Menominee Indian reservation. It is a twisty two lane with "slow vehicle pull over" lanes every mile or so. The lanes are a few hundred feet long. The problem is rarely do cars or other slower vehicles pull over for you.

[TCO]

I was riding to class one day in a small town where the speed limit is 25. A bike followed me for a few miles into town and when we got to town, followed me for a couple blocks. I was riding along at 25 and all of the sudden he came flying past me in my lane on the RIGHT side. I was so ticked. What would have happened if I needed to swerve to aviod something? It would have been a bad deal.

[Phantom]

I don't like people passing me in my own lane, even if I know them.

But I don't care if someone wants to use the oncoming lane/whatever else to pass me as long as they have the vehicle capable of doing it "safely" and choose a good time to do it.

What I really don't like is when someone tail gate the crap out of me, trying to encourage me to move over when I'm already doing 5+ over the speed limit. If you wanna go way over the limit, don't get pissy when other people are already going a reasonable speed just because you want to push it more. If your goal is to ride excessively fast, you really don't have much room to complain about people driving/riding at reasonable speeds.

That being said, I've passed tons of people in oncoming traffic lanes, shoulders etc. I probably REALLY pissed people off doing it, as I have done it going well over 100 plenty of times, sometimes just inches from their car. Afterward's I'm not sure who I scared more; myself or them!

Then again, people scowl at me when I creep by them, doing well under the speed limit. Maybe it's jealousy, but it's pretty annoying either way. Some people are just idiots or are unhappy with their life and are always looking for an excuse to be pissed off about something. Don't be this person just because someone won't let you pass, or is doing something that doesn't reasonably effect you in anyway.

[trixter]

It's not worth the moving violation or risk of serious accident to use the shoulder to ride on.

I can also see a potential problem with a place that has little traffic cleaning the surface, but traffic next to it tossing debris into that area. In short you may find there is extra gravel, dirt, and other debris on the shoulder. I am unsure if this is what you meant be serious accident or not, I also do not live in Phoenix so I dont know the condition of that shoulder.

Based on the police that I have seen at accidents here, the odds for debris is somewhat higher. Here at an accident (or tire blow out or whatever) they tend to just toss any debris onto the side of the road or into the bushes just off the road. Sure its littering but they wont ticket themselves. If that happens there you may find road gators (tire blowouts leaving large chunks of rubber) or glass fragments or lens covers or ... in addition to any dirt and other debris.

[Dodsfall]

I am unsure if this is what you meant be serious accident or not


I wasn't writing about the debris, but that is a good additional point.

The main purposes of the shoulder of the road is to provide a measure of safety in an escape point to avoid accidents, provide a temporary place for disabled vehicles, and for use by emergency vehicles.

There are several scenarios I can think of where it would be very dangerous for a motorcycle to be using these as traffic lanes. The other vehicles on the road may have a need to suddenly use the shoulder and won't be looking for the happy rider passing traffic using an illegal lane of travel. I would bet not many people check their blind spot before hitting the shoulder in a hurry if they need to.

Sure, the chances of being in the wrong place at the wrong time are fairly small. Is the chance of getting wiped out worth getting to your destination 20 seconds early?

[ninjaridaz]

Then again, people scowl at me when I creep by them, doing well under the speed limit. Maybe it's jealousy, but it's pretty annoying either way. Some people are just idiots or are unhappy with their life and are always looking for an excuse to be pissed off about something. Don't be this person just because someone won't let you pass, or is doing something that doesn't reasonably effect you in anyway.

I passed him on the left using the oncoming traffic lane when it was legal to do so. I didn't even drop a gear to do so. We did get to about 90 before I passed him. No way was I going to be stuck behind him with the best twisties ahead of us. I've met one guy on a cruiser that was faster than me on the dragon before I got some training done. I let him by me when I thought it was safe.

[Phantom]

Yea. Plenty of bikes have tons of power and most people including myself don't even push them even close to their capabilities in the curves.

Some of those bigger bikes have massive engines and can definitely get up and go, but if you're on a sport bike they stand no chance.. Just annoying if it takes an extra 100 feet because he wants to gun it when you're trying to pass his slow ass safely.

Honestly, I think some people get little dick syndrome sometimes when you pass them. NOOO his bike is faster.. Have to give him hard time to pass. That's when you drop the wheelie fly-by on them.

[ninjaridaz]

:coffeescreen:It happened again. Another pirate, personal plate- mongo, :thumbsup:, tried out accelerate me so I would not pass him. It did not work. I think the next time this happens- I'm going to have to drop it a gear or 2 and buzz by him like a jet buzzing the tower. Other than the turbo vrod- not stock, is there a hd out there that would be difficult to pass?:71baldboy:

[Cie]

Was going with dh to have some stitches out of his back yesterday ... he was driving ... going on the connector highway to 95N. Some dweeb in a gray beemer was scooting along at about 45 in the right lane, (we had just got on the connector and dropped in behind him), but the speed is 55, no traffic anywhere but this bonehead and dh signals (L) and eases around doing about 60.

Four more exits to go and he signals (R) to get back in the right travel lane. He has plenty of room - he has to - but is watching his right mirror - I see a frown - then I see his bottom lip tighten - and hear a something about the son on the beach and eating something - and he eases over - keeping his speed steady. Signal off.

I catch a glimpse in my side mirror. Seems the beemer decided to speed up as soon as he put on his signal and wouldn't give up the lane. By now, we were on our exit and dh wasn't backing down. I looked in the mirror and could see the stuff on the guy's dash. (((eyebrows up in maximum and my mouth is shut tight-tight ... momma ain't saying nuthin!!)))

That beemer kept a hair widths distance from our bumper on the huge ramp - dh kept steady. He/she stayed on our bumper w/ clear lanes to the left, and - aside thinking about having a bucket of paint to launch out of the sun roof - I was getting worried. I knew at any moment a little bunny was gonna run across the road and sweet dh would hit the brakes ... so I grabbed my camera and started taking flash pictures ... wow - the guy sure did find the middle lanes and I guess found his gas pedal. You should've seen him!

Reckon it would be mean to mount a laser grip onto my camera? That may've helped a little quicker...

[internationalballer]

I don't really have the problem in IA. I can get out on some country roads and not see another biker the entire trip. I usually blast the twisties pretty hard for a cruiser but if I saw someone coming up on me I would let em around. The first time I ever had that happen was riding in TN. I hit the corners hard for a cruiser but it's probably a leasurly pace for sport bikes, meanwhile I'm throwing sparks off the floor boards LOL. I let em pass. I also thought it was cool down there getting stuck behond a car they would more often than not pull over where possible to let bikes around. I love twisties, probably one of my favorite parts of riding, so if my pace is slower than someones I'm not going to be the guy to ruin their good time. I would have let you around ninjarida.

[greyboyfan]

... so I grabbed my camera and started taking flash pictures ... ...



Thats funny right there, LOL!

[juanitotheclumsy]

You know, with cagers I have had both good and bad luck having them pull over to let me by, mostly good luck. Only once or twice have I run into an a-hole who was clearly not letting me by, usually the drivers are just clueless. As far as bikes, though, the only times I have ever had bikes holding me back is when they were on HD's, often riding two abreast below the speed limit. I don't get it. What kind of ego makes it ok to act as traffic cop, or worse? At least the police get you slowed down to the speed limit or a bit below, then take off, but these pirate chumps think you want to grow beards as long as theirs while you wait for a passing opportunity.

[tecknojoe]

Just pass on the outside and kiss his foot in the turn haha

donno why guys do that ****, if someone wants to go play, let them

[Stainlesstehle]

My riding buddies and I enjoy going on slow cruises on back roads. But if another car/bike comes up behind up we will pull to the side as soon as it is safe to do so, and let the others pass.
We're not going to rush for anyone, but we're not going to hold you up either.

[benny hedges]

Just pass on the outside and kiss his foot in the turn haha

donno why guys do that ****, if someone wants to go play, let them


agree with that entirely.
nothing more ignorant than some inconsiderate king of the road hogging the lane riding like a granny.
i like to pass them on one wheel or if they are taking corners wide, on the inside. :D

over here it is also usually hd riders, born again sunday riders doing their 10 mile a week (if it's sunny), feet up, laid back, can't corner for ****.
either that or bmw drivers - ignorant aholes

[Peter Darby]

I was riding the tail of the dragon and other twising roads in that area. When I came up on a cager that was putzing down the road I would take my hand off the grip and lean my forearm on the handlebars and look like I was about ready to fall asleep. Next wide spot in the road their turn signal would come on, they would pull over and I would pass. It worked everytime. Just following it was hit or miss on whether they would pull over to let me by.

[Cie]

I wave 'em around no matter what I'm riding/driving ... even before I started riding. I'm sometimes just so bobble headed about the views (or new road!) I just don't want to go beyond the speed limit, even a little.