loud pipes save lives....or not?
#21
09-09-2006, 01:52 PM
RE: loud pipes save lives....or not?
The deep, resonating low rumble of our V-twins penetrates far better than any electric horn. Doesn't matter if the car is in front of you, they WILL hear it.
#22
09-09-2006, 02:02 PM
RE: loud pipes save lives....or not?
ORIGINAL: whaap
Instead of beeping the horn and yelling, if you would simply have braked a little there might not have been the crisis that you describe.
I'm always amused by those that talk about blowing their horns or wishing they had air-horns, etc. I don't even know if my horn works. To me it's difficult to blow horns and take evasive action at the same time. I opt to just avoid any problems. I do have 60+ years and am not a rookie either.
Instead of beeping the horn and yelling, if you would simply have braked a little there might not have been the crisis that you describe.
I'm always amused by those that talk about blowing their horns or wishing they had air-horns, etc. I don't even know if my horn works. To me it's difficult to blow horns and take evasive action at the same time. I opt to just avoid any problems. I do have 60+ years and am not a rookie either.
In reading this particular post (above), maybe you didn't understand my situation clearly. There was no braking...she was coming into my lane way too fast and I was already there...braking wouldn't have solved a thing...matter of fact, I was braking, but I would have to have brakes that would get me from about 45 mph to 5 mph in half a second to avoid a crash in that way. Bottom line is, if she didn't hear me yelling at the top of my lungs, I wouldn't be posting right now.
On the other hand, I do agree with your statement that says that blowing a horn and taking evasive action at the same time is difficult. That's exactly what happened yesterday. My horn came after I was yelling at her. Had I not yelled, the horn most definitely would have come in too late.
" I opt to just avoid any problems"...I don't think there's a person on this message board who doesn't do this. But as anyone who rides knows, that no matter how defensively you ride, problems do happen once in a while. That's just an inevitable thing when riding where there is other vehicle traffic...period. It's certainly not like I said, "I'm going to pass this car on the right of me, even if I think she's going to make a sudden lane change". If we had a crystal ball, we'd all be able to avoid problems.
Once again...thanks for the replies.
Todd
#23
09-09-2006, 02:11 PM
Road Warrior
RE: loud pipes save lives....or not?
I have to agree loud pipes help, when your coming up beside someone they can hear you and feel you with the right pipes. When I put the rineharts on I noticed a immediate difference with people looking in their mirrors for you.
#25
09-09-2006, 02:44 PM
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RE: loud pipes save lives....or not?
ORIGINAL: FatIndy
Not so sure load pipes are going to help with most drivers. I am a LEO in a major city and I could not tell you the number of times I have been on my way to an emergency with lights and sirens and got behind someone who was oblivious to what was going on around them. Sometimes I will get right behind them and use the spot light on my car to try and get them to move to the right. It’s kind of funny because when I patrol the “dope neighborhoods” the drug dealers can spot my car from 3 blocks away. Turn my lights and siren on and the car becomes invisible.
Not so sure load pipes are going to help with most drivers. I am a LEO in a major city and I could not tell you the number of times I have been on my way to an emergency with lights and sirens and got behind someone who was oblivious to what was going on around them. Sometimes I will get right behind them and use the spot light on my car to try and get them to move to the right. It’s kind of funny because when I patrol the “dope neighborhoods” the drug dealers can spot my car from 3 blocks away. Turn my lights and siren on and the car becomes invisible.
NO KIDDING!!! BUt I do think it helps.
Ask "BIG RED" on this site about our close call we had while in the fast lane of the freeway in Vegas. We were leaving early one morning and this carcame frm the left shoulder and pulled into the fast lane at maybe 20-25 MPH and we were cruising at around 65-70. Talk about evassive manuevering. The driver never looked, never bother to wonder if their was a bunch of cars coming when pulling into the fastlane at a snails pace.
#26
09-09-2006, 05:28 PM
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RE: loud pipes save lives....or not?
ORIGINAL: skips69
I don't think it matters. I used to have loud pipes and people still drift into your lane, or change lanes without looking - they're not paying attention (cell phones, stereos, etc.). I have never used my horn either - generally no time when trying to get out of the way - or brake - or speed up to avoid a collision, whatever. I try to hang back from passing in traffic until I have plenty of room to advance beyond that next car, in the next lane - and then do it with some quickness. I try to stay out of anyone's blind spot as well - Don't ride there for several blocks waiting on your side of traffic to creep up. All you can do is drive defensively, try to not put yourself into bad situations, keep vigilant and continue looking for "escape routes" when coming up besides someone else, etc. I have been driving through town in my truck before, windows rolled up, A/C on, stereo playing and been startled by a firetruck or ambulance that was all of a sudden "right behind" me with lights and sirens blaring. So, if you don't see or hear that all of the time, what do you think the chances are of seeing / hearing a loud Harley...........Just be careful. I think for the most part, our senses are sharper when we're on the bike's. I think the burden is on us for the most part to avoid putting ourselves in a bad situation. People in cars will still make eye contact with you and then turn left in front of you. That's the one thing that scares me the most. When they look at you, but look through you? I love to ride. Been down once. It's a crap shoot everytime we go out. I try to be as attentive as I can, and I believe our own riding skills are our best asset. Stay Safe everyone...........
I don't think it matters. I used to have loud pipes and people still drift into your lane, or change lanes without looking - they're not paying attention (cell phones, stereos, etc.). I have never used my horn either - generally no time when trying to get out of the way - or brake - or speed up to avoid a collision, whatever. I try to hang back from passing in traffic until I have plenty of room to advance beyond that next car, in the next lane - and then do it with some quickness. I try to stay out of anyone's blind spot as well - Don't ride there for several blocks waiting on your side of traffic to creep up. All you can do is drive defensively, try to not put yourself into bad situations, keep vigilant and continue looking for "escape routes" when coming up besides someone else, etc. I have been driving through town in my truck before, windows rolled up, A/C on, stereo playing and been startled by a firetruck or ambulance that was all of a sudden "right behind" me with lights and sirens blaring. So, if you don't see or hear that all of the time, what do you think the chances are of seeing / hearing a loud Harley...........Just be careful. I think for the most part, our senses are sharper when we're on the bike's. I think the burden is on us for the most part to avoid putting ourselves in a bad situation. People in cars will still make eye contact with you and then turn left in front of you. That's the one thing that scares me the most. When they look at you, but look through you? I love to ride. Been down once. It's a crap shoot everytime we go out. I try to be as attentive as I can, and I believe our own riding skills are our best asset. Stay Safe everyone...........
#27
09-09-2006, 06:28 PM
Road Master
RE: loud pipes save lives....or not?
Todd, I love you man.
hehe.. i'm going to have to agree with you 100% on this. My pipes are slip-ons... and they are louder than stock but not obnoxious.. I think they have made my presence known (other than my dead sexy looks of course) on more than 1 occasion.
hehe.. i'm going to have to agree with you 100% on this. My pipes are slip-ons... and they are louder than stock but not obnoxious.. I think they have made my presence known (other than my dead sexy looks of course) on more than 1 occasion.
#28
09-09-2006, 06:43 PM
RE: loud pipes save lives....or not?
I'm sure loud pipes work, already worked for me few times. Bihind a car on a country road, car waiting to enter, i know they didn't see me but i reved it up and i know they heard me and stopped.
In traffic when i'm stuck behind someone and off the back corner of the guy next to me i make sure they know i'm there. I know it works.
In traffic when i'm stuck behind someone and off the back corner of the guy next to me i make sure they know i'm there. I know it works.
#29
09-09-2006, 07:25 PM
RE: loud pipes save lives....or not?
FLASH, Loud Pipes Saves Lives!!! I would like to meet the nimrod that came up with that saying, sold a lot of decals and patches with that one, and it seems to have convinced some riders that it is true with all the stories I read here..A nice set of mufflers with a cool sounding rumble is pretty cool, I like that myself, but LOUD PIPES, no way Straight pipes are a total waste of time for performance unless you really tune your motor for them. I myself went throught the time in my life that I thought it was cool to run straight pipes, but trust me it really isn't..it just pisses people off is all, I have never had time to pull in my clutch and blip my throttle to give some dip-stick a blast of my pipes, far eaiser to use the horn and evasive action..Defensive rideing is the answer, try it, your neighbors will like it..Look I been in the saddle for 48 years, and trust me, if it keeps going like it is, soon the Feds will step in and say no changes to exhaust systems, do we really want that?? Not me, like I said I like a low rumble on both my bikes, and whould like to keep them..Seems to me that when ever I ask somebody, why the loud pipes, that is the answer I hear, "Loud Pipes Save Lives"
Oh, and to the person that was down on chicks with cell phones in their ear, seems to me I see a lot of men that chat away on their cell phones while driveing, perhaps your one that chats when your in the Car, Truck, yourself.. I really wonder what the heck we did before cell phones??? smoke signals, flags, who knows..and yes I also carry a cell phone, but in my saddle bag or in the glove box, when I get to a gas station, or stop, I look for messages..thats what we all should do instead of driveing and talking.. but then its kind of like the Loud Pipes thing, nobody will listen. [sm=biker.gif]
Oh, and to the person that was down on chicks with cell phones in their ear, seems to me I see a lot of men that chat away on their cell phones while driveing, perhaps your one that chats when your in the Car, Truck, yourself.. I really wonder what the heck we did before cell phones??? smoke signals, flags, who knows..and yes I also carry a cell phone, but in my saddle bag or in the glove box, when I get to a gas station, or stop, I look for messages..thats what we all should do instead of driveing and talking.. but then its kind of like the Loud Pipes thing, nobody will listen. [sm=biker.gif]
#30
09-09-2006, 08:31 PM
RE: loud pipes save lives....or not?
I had a lady in a Explorer swap lanes while I was next to her on the freeway. She too was on a cell phone. The first thing I did was give a blast of my horn,not even a look back from her, next came a great blast of the thunder-header, still no look. It wasnt till I slapped the shi%@ out of her side-view mirror did she even realize I was still riding next to her, in the same lane. She imidiatly flew back into her old lane and gave me the old' Sorry, I didnt even see you' routine. Not only did she not see me, she didnt hear the horn OR the Thunder header. I agree that Loud pipes save lives, I even have that sticker on my P-U,but some people cant even hear those. Look out people, sometimes I think theyre out to get us!