I have 'Zero Trust' towards the cages. Lately, in SoCal, land of the SuperIdiots, we've got a new breed of cage driver that only stops when they have to. They'll hit the intersection at 15-20 mph and only stop, because they have to, otherwise, they'll blow right through it. We've also got an increasing number of 'Red Light' and 'Stop Sign' Runners as well, so no love there either.

Yesterday, I'm on a four lane (2x2) road, with residential streets plugging into it and I'm in the farthest lane I can get from the openings of the intersections (gives you a little more time and space). Some young bozo pulls up to one of the stop signs in an older Dodge Ram Pickup and he starts to slowly roll through, even though I'm on the bike and have the right of way, so I slow down, he slow downs, but doesn't stop. Why the fxck should I trust this idiot?

He takes the action of me slowing down, as a signal that I'm GIVING HIM THE RIGHT OF WAY! He starts to roll out again and by now, I'm pissed and I roll on it and he throws up his hands in disgust! I held my hand out, palm forward and said 'Why don't you just make a full stop STUPID!' He's halfway out in the intersection by now as I roll by and frankly, I just don't give a flying fxck. If I don't trust them, then I ain't going to take nothing they do for granted. I watch the front wheels of the cages like a hawk and that tells me all. Also, don't trust any a-hole (or a-holes) who just pull over in front of you in the middle of nowhere for nothing. Half the time, they're going to pull a U-turn, right in front of you. My woman on her Duece and me on my FXST slow down simultaneously for these idiots and roll by carefully. Trust no one!

 

Can't we just start one stickie for everyone who wants to blah blah blah about cagers?
Yeah we know they are stupid, unattentive and unconcerned about bikes but GET OVER IT ALREADY or quit riding.

 

yeah but sometimes a guy just needs to vent a little.

 

Isn't what a forum is for, too vent?

 

I drove a "cage" as you call it for over 20 years. And always looked out for bikers. At least a couple owe me their life.
It's not what they ride or drive.
It's how they do it.

If you "watch out for cages", you're bound to have your ticket punched by some dork on a bike trying to push it over its limits (without knowing his own) or by someone on a scooter trying to outsmart the traffic jam, or by the random pedestrian crossing without looking.
Watch out for IDIOTS.
It's not difficult: they are everywhere!

 

I wonder who does not trust who. You either stop or go but you can not do both. And you did signal him to go.



"He takes the action of me slowing down, as a signal that I'm GIVING HIM THE RIGHT OF WAY! "

 

WTF, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? the OP slows down as defensive riding and your trying to pin it on him? HE DID NOT signal him to "go"

 

May read dumb wish the LEO's would ride some unmarked bikes with cruiser back up. Ticket these MFers. Hurt them in the pocket some might learn. Know a guy who been riding a long time when they pull out in front of him he nails it heads straight for em real loud pipes. Kinda fu*ks them up to see him going right at them. Naturally he leaves himself an out I guess.

 

I have to agree here. I don't trust anyone in a car anymore. So, if he would have locked up his brakes to avoid hitting the person who was pulling out in front of him would that have been giving them a signal to pull the rest of the way out?

I've "almost" been hit so many times this summer compared to previous summers it's hard for me to believe. I blame a lot of it on idiots and cell phone use. If I see someone with a cell phone pressed to their ear I just start slowing down to avoid the inevitable. I've owned a Harley since 1977 and had many other bikes prior to that. I've been riding motorcycles since I was eight years old. It's getting worse, not better.

 

"It's getting worse, not better". ...... And its only gonna continue to get worse!