Why riding at 9/10ths on the street is foolish!

[wncbmw]

While riding down one of my favorite local twisties today, I pondered the number of people who claim to ride the street at 9/10ths of their perceived top speed and believe that 10% margin will save the day.

Well, I live in the heart of mountain tourist country and many of the locals are good-old-boys who consider the double yellow only a suggestion. I have seen virtually every dumb and dangerous move there is out there and lived to tell about it. And I ride usually at maybe 75% of what I think I can. And sometimes wonder if that is enough safety margin.

So while briefly considering starting a thread on the topic while riding this road, which I also rode last week and know very well, a car goes past the other way in a blind curve, tires squealing as he stuggles to keep it in his lane. But he does, no problem.

Only there appears to be a race going on and car No. 2 appears as I hit the apex and it looks like he is from across the pond or from downunder, SINCE ALL FOUR WHEELS ARE IN MY LANE!

I stood it up some, went to the white line, he fantically jerks the wheel to the right and manages to get the right side wheels back in his lane before we pass.

I shouted some some driver education pointers (%$&@#*) at him but alas he probably didn't hear. Hopefully, he was as shook as I was and slows down.

Ya'll be careful out there!

[dragonmojo]

I went for a 400+ mile loop yesterday, mainly to escape the triple-digit Sacramento Valley heat. First, in the Plumas forest I passed thru a scene near Sattley where it looked as tho' a few cars had big head-ons. Front part of one looked squashed down to about a foot high, wheels bent and flattened down. The other was off the road; maybe a 3rd, but I wasn't sure cuz I did not stick around. A couple of CHP cars on the shoulder with flashing lights and an ambulance. About 6+ other cars on the shoulder, probably those who witnessed or came upon the crash shortly after it happened.

Had it been maybe a 1/2 hour or hour earlier, could I have been involved?

Coming down mountainous Hwy4 well above Angels Camp (home of Mark Twain's Celebrated Jumping Frog) I passed by an oncoming truck. The road was about a 1.5 lane stretch, but even so, he insisted on taking all 1.5 lanes. It's just fortunate that bikes are comparatively narrow compared to cagers; I had maybe 5' of lane at most.

Almost home and just leaving the '49er Mother Lode foothills, traffic was stopped along Hwy16. I could see a big electronic roadsign stating it was closed, so I doubled back before the rest of the traffic started doing the same. Took another route after 6-8 miles of backtracking. News was that there was a head-on between two Volvos a few hours earlier. 4 died. One Volvo with 3 women in it drifted across the center divider. Man driving other Volvo died; female passenger survived.

So far it's been cars, but I have thought about the irony that a head-on in those curves could easily be between two or several bikers. The 9/10s aggressiveness and inability to maintain a lane could well be our own undoing.

[scottybooj]

whoa. there goes volvo's new ad campaign blitz.

[klrstix]

I constantly tell my daughter (who just got her learners permit) the most important safety part of any vehicle is the driver!

[rdsmith3]

Vann - I'm glad you are here to tell us about it. That must have left some muffler burns in your shorts!

klrstix - My 16 yo son just got his permit. I have not been in the car with him yet. sigh. This is going to take a lot out of me.

[wncbmw]

My 16 yo son just got his permit. I have not been in the car with him yet. sigh. This is going to take a lot out of me.

You will never sweat so much sitting down! It will take a few years off your life too!

Fortunately or unfortunately, for me, here in tourist country hardly a ride goes by without at least one car being over the center line in a curve, so I try to be prepared. Hence my cautionary 75% goal. You have to make up for the other guy's lack of sense!

I am afraid if I ever get to a track day or riding school, I will never be able to overcome my long-ingrained caution, meaning little old ladies on Vespas will be passing me on the track!

[JCsman]

klrstix - My 16 yo son just got his permit. I have not been in the car with him yet. sigh. This is going to take a lot out of me.

Mine turns 16 in October. He's had his permit since last year. I have ridden with him many times. It has hastened my death.....

[socalrob]

Klrstk,

My oldest daughter recently turned 16 & got her license. She's a pretty decent driver.

Prior to getting her permit I took her out to the typical parking lot (we use the Rose Bowl here), & had her drive in circles for a total of maybe 5 hours (over many days). Gave her a feel for steering, acceleration & brakes.

When she first got on the public road it was a riot.

stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!!! was a frequent comment, as was go go go & turn turn turn.

After a couple of hours on the road (the next day) she & I had to drive 200 miles to my parents. I put her behind the wheel in our suburban in fast hyper just post rush hour traffic. Picture bumper to bumper at 50 mph on nice curvy LA freeways with agressive drivers, & my 80 lb 16yo daughter behind the wheel of a 3/4 ton 4x4 suburban with an 8.1 L engine. I figured trial by fire, & let me tell you, after that there was much less stress on all sides. We stopped at my sister's to pick up her dog & take it to my parents, I almost thought they were not going to let the dog ride with us. I know my brother-inlaw thought I was nuts. His twin girls are about a month younger than my daughter.

I actually had a good time teaching her. Look at it right & its a great right of passage to share. Teach em right & you can be proud.

[wncbmw]

Hopefully, we are teaching all these teenage drivers which side of the yellow line to drive on!

[Xray28]

Because their drivers need them to be!

[BoiseBeemer]

While riding down one of my favorite local twisties today, I pondered the number of people who claim to ride the street at 9/10ths of their perceived top speed and believe that 10% margin will save the day.

All you need to know about this topic is the reminder that Lawrence Grodsky just died after hitting a deer on his bike (on his way home from a safety conference, no less).

For those of you who don't know, Grodsky helped write the Pennsylvania MSF curriculum, ran his own rider-training business (training an estimated 5000 riders over the years), and wrote a monthly safety column for Rider Magazine since 1989. I'd say that, arguably, there was no more safety-conscious rider in the world than Larry Grodsky.

(Stuff) happens. Deer and bad drivers jump out at you; precarious road conditions happen when you least expect it (unless you're one of those who, like me, ALWAYS expect it)...

I don't get it either. 9/10 riding is for the track. On the road or street, you need an ACTUAL margin for error. Even on this board, I cringe at the "exploits" of riders who like to boast about racing on public roads. That ain't manly; that's stupid. If you're racing squids on a public highway, what's the difference between you and the squid?

[Just-Beeming]

LOL yep the teaching the kids to drive....I can so relate...

stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!!! was a frequent comment, as was go go go & turn turn turn.

I am sensitive enough to realize that it is hard for the kids to learn....they feel very scrutinized and under the microscope when learning,,,,so No matter how much I told my self...'don't yell, don't yell,,,don't yell. I was right there yelling, screaming, shrieking.....You could have killed someone!

sigh* we have talked about this before in other threads.....I don't know what the best strategy on riding is....for me it really boils down to 'ride your own ride'. It sounds so simple but so easy to get pulled into anothers style, easy to rationalize my actions based on the flow of traffic, easy to get complacent. Ride your own ride. I resolve to not show off and prove nothing. Remind myself constantly that I'm not as good as I may think I am...just living through a situation doesn't mean I always will.
Yet it continues to float my boat!
Neil says it best in Ghost Rider...Danger+Survival=FUN.

[vinman]

Fortunately or unfortunately, for me, here in tourist country hardly a ride goes by without at least one car being over the center line in a curve, so I try to be prepared. Hence my cautionary 75% goal. You have to make up for the other guy's lack of sense!

Unfortunately you don't have to live in tourist country to come across a bunch of idiots that can't keep their car in their lane. Its everyday that I drive by people that drift from one side of their lane to the other. They go from riding the white line on one side to riding the line on the other side. I'd say about a third of the cars I pass on curves are riding the yellow line or even over it. Most don't even make an attempt to move over.

So, when you're in the curves make sure you avoid coming near that yellow line.