Cagers.

[shooter]

Wife and I have been doing a whole house remodel for about 6 months. We completed a big project this morning and with a free afternoon decided to RTE for supper. We both love Pasta House. Round trip about 80 miles to the one we frequent. Nice ride going down. Bad coming back. On the hwy in the hammer lane about 5 miles from the restaurant cruising about 75 in heavy traffic. This little punk comes flying up on the inside and slammed on his brakes cause a car was just in front of me in the other lane. I look over and he is texting. He doesn't even look up. He immediately comes over in my lane with me. At this point I'm evading as hard as I can while laying on the horn. I think my wife was trying to get off at this point. Thank god there was a nice shoulder by the median. Just as I hit the white line doofus woke up and realized he had screwed up. He had his window down and I never appreciated my modular helmet more. I questioned his lineage , his heritage and even mentioned his mom. He got off at the next exit. So then traffic thinned out and we was moving along really good when some A-Hole in an Avalanche is coming up hard. I'm running about 80 at this point and he dives to the inside lane , deja vue , and can't go anywhere. You know guys when traffic is heavy you just go with the flow. And it was flowing pretty good. Not good enough for this prick. So at 80 this prick rolls his window down and tells me I'm number 1 while at the same time cutting in front of me. So at 80 mph his rear bumper was about 8 ft in front of me. He couldn't go anywhere cause there was a red Toyota up there. I believe people should have more respect for bikes than that. It was a dangerous move at best. It bothers me when the wife is on and people do those things. Be extra careful guys. The road is full of idiots. Take care of yourselves and your passenger. Ride defensively and remember , that car outweighs you 5 times over. I wanted to kick both their azzes , but what do you do. The guy in the Avalanche is the one that pissed me off the worst. He acted like it was my fault he couldn't run 100 mph in 80 mph traffic. He was a young punk also. I don't have anything against young guys , just punks. I ride with my nephew and my son all the time. Both are great examples of responsible young men. I think this kind of behavior is more prevalent at the beginning of riding season. Watch those cagers.

[Az Wingrider]

I agree that living with the Cagers is becoming more difficult every year. Distracted drivers are the biggest problem and tougher laws prohibiting texting or talking on cell phones while driving are needed. Most of my close calls involve distracted drivers and more lights and Hi Viz clothing don't help if they are not looking. Riding defensively helps but it is impossible to anticipate some of the moves these idiots are going to make.

I work as the curator in a motorcycle museum and there are a lot of people that come into the museum and say they gave up riding because the drivers and heavy traffic in the cities scare them.

I have no clue what the answer is but I ride as if the cagers are all trying to kill me. Getting out of the city and getting on some good country roads makes everything good again but the cities are a real challenge.

Keep riding and keep smiling. We can't let them take away our joy

[MisterB]

Even without the distraction of cellphones there is this desire to get ahead of everyone even if there is no true gain.
For years I have wondered if many drivers need glasses because they race to get ahead of everyone even when there is a red light shining 300 feet away.
Some people drive as if the only thing holding them back from full throttle is that bothersome vehicle in front of them. They jockey to get around but are confronted by yet another bothersome vehicle.
They continue like this all the way home, I've seen it. Constantly switching lanes when there is a tiny gap to slip into.
These are people who lack basic pattern recognition. If you've never driven the highway in an area you may think that the current thing keeping you from going full throttle is a temporary thing that you can get around. But if you've traveled it more than once you HAVE to realize that it will continue like this because all of these other people extend for miles ahead and behind.

I travel 270/255 in St. Louis every weekday, you'd think that people would notice the patterns, but they don't.
Same for Big Bend. There are traffic lights that cycle and they don't cycle faster if you race to them and stomp on the brakes.
How many of you have had someone ROAR around you only to get no further ahead than one car length?

There's a bike rider I see during the summer who will change lanes 20+ times on 270, always trying to get ahead. We often arrive at the same stoplight in Columbia together, I didn't change lanes once.
Same with a few other cars and Dodge Rams I've gotten used to seeing behave the same way every day.

30 years ago we'd get a ticket for going 5 over, I seldom see police any more. Prolly all quit thanks to the current anti-LEO BS. Wouldn't blame them.

I take Lindbergh Blvd. to work in the morning, it keeps my blood pressure down.
Hopefully all of the idiots will eventually realize that we're all in this together and just go with the flow.
Shooter, good to hear about your son and your nephew, maybe they will help balance things.

Oh yeah, just FYI, I'd never seen truly distracted driving until I drove on hwy 40 east a couple years ago, don't know if it's a local phenomenon but it was WILD. I never see it that bad on 270 or Lindbergh. (text text text...)
Beware.

[shooter]

B I don't envy you on 270/255. That's traffic at its worst. My wife closes her eyes when we ride on that at rush hour.

[GaTeach]

How was the pasta?

[wjduke]

It's the same story you hear, doesn't matter what part of the country you're in. I had a great ride solo yesterday to NH, and there were some hairy moments, especially where I thought a lane change was coming from a car on the side of me. Twice in Boston going through the tunnel. I wear a hi-viz vest now with my winter jacket and I believe it helps. The summer jacket I bought has hi-viz built in. Not warm enough for that yet, but as one who's been hit, it seems like they see me better. It's all I can suggest besides having your head on a swivel. I'm off again shortly to CT to ride with a former 9er ( peregrine ) who now rides a Vic. It'll be more of the same coming back on 95. Getting there this early won't be too bad.

Oh, and I love this bike....I know, you're all surprised to hear that. Over 3,400 miles now and it's still cold out there. At least 300 more today. Low 60's and clear blue skies. It'll feel like summer...finally.

[seadog]

Respect for others on the highway has gone right out the window in the last 20 years and gets worse by the year. Me first seems to be the theme and to hell with you is the attitude of the day. I wasn't at all sorry when I retired from my career driving semi tractor trailers for a living. I was just happy to be alive after 36 year of driving seeing where this traffic problem was getting worse. To all those me first attitude cagers

[Old Ryder]

I know it was back in the "Stone Age" but when I was learning to drive the catch phrase was "courteous driving". I can't remember the last time I heard that. Now the phrase is Road Rage.

[willtill]

Yeah.. was posting in another forum about our "lawless" society. There are laws prohibiting texting/cellphone usage while driving; but that is largely ignored. More than half the cagers I see are normally doing just that.

Never been so appreciative of my headlight modulators... I'm a huge proponent for them. But they are not the "save all" to insure you get home unscathed on your bike.

I am also finding a change in my personality as when the dumb azzes on 4 wheels do stupid chit. Doesn't seem to anger me as much as it used to. Guess I'm going "with the flow" regarding that. I've realized that I can't change each dumb azzes behavior.... again it's a lawless society out there on the road. I just resign myself to the fact that I'm going to see it demonstrated repeatedly against me, while operating my motorcycles and to prepare for such azz-hattery.

[shooter]

How was the pasta?

It was good Teach. Baked Mostaccioli with Meatballs smothered in Cheese. Totally bad for me and I eat it all. I did eat a salad first.