Things that make you cringe on the highway

[erbarry88]

So I recently gained enough confidence to ride on the highway and have found a few things that make me cringe. The reflectors that divide the lanes freak me out when switching lanes. Every now and then when I ride over them I get this wobbly feeling in the handle bars. The second thing that freaks me out are cracks that go for miles in the direction you are heading. Whenever I get caught up in one it feels like the bike has a mind of its own. Anyone else get these feelings or is it just me? What are things that make you guys cringe?

[staulkor]

Cracks in the road are the worst. They scare the **** out of me. I avoid them as much as I can, lol.

[ryan.chin]

Originally Posted by staulkor

Cracks in the road are the worst. They scare the **** out of me. I avoid them as much as I can, lol.

Potholes, on off ramps, asshole cagers.

[krolinked]

Cars.

[staulkor]

Originally Posted by ryan.chin

Potholes, on off ramps, asshole cagers.

Well those are givens. To me, seemed like OP was looking for non-obvious things

[erbarry88]

Originally Posted by ryan.chin

Potholes, on off ramps, asshole cagers.

Cagers are a given but most give me the room to ride in between them.

[RedCromwell]

Originally Posted by ryan.chin

Potholes...

Oh, definitely potholes. Not noticing one till the last moment because traffic in front of you hid it.

Grooves on the highway. Some stretches of roadway, especially bridges, have these grooves, I guess for run-off or traction, but they make my bike feel squirrely.

Cagers that don't signal... cagers that drift into your lane because they're busy texting.

Getting hit in the throat by a rock or bug.

[erbarry88]

Originally Posted by RedCromwell

Getting hit in the throat by a rock or bug.

Havent had this happen yet

[ryan.chin]

Originally Posted by RedCromwell

...cagers that drift into your lane because they're busy texting.

Getting hit in the throat by a rock or bug.

This is a huge pet peeve of mine. If I see someone texting and driving and not paying attention, I pull up next to them and I give them the WTF pose, and pretend to be texting, then shake my head.

[Jiggles]

I hate it when I'm hauling ass in the carpool lane and then the cage I'm coming up on changes lanes to let me go by. I'm like, dude what the ****, I was just going to go around you, what's your deal?

[ryan.chin]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

I hate it when I'm hauling ass in the carpool lane and then the cage I'm coming up on changes lanes to let me go by. I'm like, dude what the ****, I was just going to go around you, what's your deal?

Sometimes I want to punch you in the leg.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by ryan.chin

Sometimes I want to punch you in the leg.

You'll break your hand, that shits metal yo

[ryan.chin]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

You'll break your hand, that shits metal yo

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by ryan.chin

That **** is also metal yo

[R1Chronicles]

State Troopers ...

[erbarry88]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

I hate it when I'm hauling ass in the carpool lane and then the cage I'm coming up on changes lanes to let me go by. I'm like, dude what the ****, I was just going to go around you, what's your deal?

You are funny sir. Havent had this happen, most cagers move over just enough to let me pass by.

[ryan.chin]

Originally Posted by R1Chronicles

State Troopers ...

F da POE-LEECE

[Ktaylor07]

Other than cagers and anything related to them and their horrible driving habits, I'd have to say the crack between the two lanes. It's not really a crack because the pavement is practically brand new but it's basically almost like a small divider between lanes that something like a piece of wood was laying in while they poured the concrete and the lanes are somewhat uneven after the bike crosses over the small crack. I try to drift over it pretty quick because the first time I went across it slowly, it felt like it pulled the bike in and started feeling wobbly. I hate the reflector things too. Not as bad as cracks but I get that feeling in the handlebars every now and then when I'm getting off at an exit or crossing lanes with a little bit of lean and hit them.

[lgk]

Originally Posted by Ktaylor07

Other than cagers and anything related to them and their horrible driving habits, I'd have to say the crack between the two lanes. It's not really a crack because the pavement is practically brand new but it's basically almost like a small divider between lanes that something like a piece of wood was laying in while they poured the concrete and the lanes are somewhat uneven after the bike crosses over the small crack. I try to drift over it pretty quick because the first time I went across it slowly, it felt like it pulled the bike in and started feeling wobbly. I hate the reflector things too. Not as bad as cracks but I get that feeling in the handlebars every now and then when I'm getting off at an exit or crossing lanes with a little bit of lean and hit them.

those and the expansion joints, between each pour.
they are like speed bumps.

if you head into VA avoid Emporia that place is a back breaker...

[Stingray1000]

Turns and tar lines the moron state uses to fix the road... a friend of mine low sided on one because when tar gets hot it gets slick like mush and it can take your tires right out from under you... everyone be mindful of tar lines.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by erbarry88

You are funny sir. Havent had this happen, most cagers move over just enough to let me pass by.

You sir, live in the wrong part of california

[skucera]

Here in Oregon the use of studded snow tires wears tire tracks into the roads, and the bike likes to follow these, especially when they are deep. They get worse in the rain. This year I've been a "fair weather motorcyclist" only, so they've only been an annoyance.

Also, some of concrete roads done in the Seventies still have grooved pavement, and that is so scary that the state puts up yellow warning signs with a motorcycle above wavy lines. I slow down for those.

Oh, crosswalk stripes in the rain are really exciting! I almost low-sided my bike on a wet crosswalk thirty years ago, and it makes my palms sweaty just thinking about it now.

Scott

[toua70]

Ladybugs

[aShifty]

this lady had a merge sign infront of her. Yet she stops like an idiot like its a yeild. so i go around her and i get honked at.

mind you this is a chicane so i love turning on it.

[Jiggles]

How about when the car in front of you is smoking so much ganj that you get high off it against your will. Weed just raped your brain and theres nothing you can do about it.

[fatestkid]

The ridges on the side of the hwy to warn you if you are drifting. I have only had to go on the shoulder once but they do scare me.

Man hole covers in the rain

Bugs hitting me in the neck. That actually hurts sometimes.

Kids playing on the street, that's why I always am under 40km/he in residential zone.

What scares me the most is my temptation to lane split. In stop and go traffic it takes all my might to hold myself back. Its illegal here and I haven't done it yet.
Posted via Mobile Device

[dirty nasty]

Nothing? Except left lane blockers/right lane passers. Everything you guys are listing are minor speed bump obstacles that are fun. Try riding MX sometime where you need to fly through whoops sections that are taller than you are at 40+ MPH. Now THAT'S some real fun.

I love the left lane blockers/right lane passers when I'm driving the work truck though. When I'm trying to move out of your way, but you're passing on the right, and if my turn signal comes on and you're still passing me anyways you're going to find out REALLY fast how good your brakes work. I can't imagine it'd be pretty if any average cage went up against our 20+ ft. long F550's. All I can think of is the time some lady rear ended us and her car was totaled and we didn't have a scratch on our paint.

[kawagirl]

The highway I have to take to get to town has a section that is grooved and has a couple of pretty gnarley curves through that grooved area. I hate it.

[azimmer11]

I hate people that don't know how to use 4 way stop-sign intersections or roundabouts...especially roundabouts...when people stop at the yield signs -.- gr

[ninjamunky85]

Not much anymore. Unless you run into something like this guy did.

P.S. I'm pretty sure I would sh*t my pants if I went airborne for 150 ft on the highway.

http://www.news10.net/video/10489742...y-causes-crash

[dmb5450]

Dead deer, and random mattresses, and huge pieces of garbage

[erbarry88]

Originally Posted by dmb5450

Dead deer, and random mattresses, and huge pieces of garbage

I'm glad I don't ride where there is deer. Have had a few road trips in the cage where deer have scared my pants off! Can't imagine rideing and encountering them.
Posted via Mobile Device

[nakedhunter]

Big rig tires. Either the fear of one blowing as I am trying to get past an 18 wheeler or the remains of their blown tires that are always all over the highway.

[lgk]

i always keep good space away from them...
do not out ride your controls and reaction time.

[nakedhunter]

There is always this to help you imagine - just remember to yell for help and have your phone ready to call your mom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atCrbQv5P3k

Originally Posted by erbarry88

I'm glad I don't ride where there is deer. Have had a few road trips in the cage where deer have scared my pants off! Can't imagine rideing and encountering them.
Posted via Mobile Device

[bdavison]

GIANT FREAKIN PIECES OF SEMI TRUCK RETREAD!
They should seriously ban retread semi-tires. You gotta constantly watch out for them. Trucks in front of you will sling one off, cars in front of you will run one over and launch it head-level, or cars will straddle one, and all of a sudden its right in front of you, making you have to dodge it as best you can.

I cant count how many times I've run over a chunk. Last time my rear tire launched a 20" long section right up and over the car behind me. I was driving a car one time, and the car in front of me kicked one up, and it hit the front of the car hard enough to make me wonder if it wadded up the grill. Was so glad I was not on the bike.

DUMP TRUCKS
Usually filled with pea gravel or some other item which becomes a projectile at interstate speeds. Or you get the dirt truck that just sprays you with a stinging cloud of dust.

RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
I cant for the life of me figure out why you have to have a CDL to drive a semi, but they will let any moron drive a RV. 90% of them cant stay in their own lane, and weave down the interstate like drunken sailors. Then on top of that, they loosely strap every object imaginable to the back. No joke...saw a RV dragging a propane tank down the interstate on a chain. YEAH.

Then there is always the usual stuff like tar snakes, uneven pavement, cracks, potholes, hidden puddles under overpasses, inattentive drivers, and the stuff that falls off of poorly maintained or commercial trucks and cars like lugnuts, welding rods, hose clamps, paint buckets, ladders, hoses, traffic cones, trash, etc.

The interstate can be interesting to say the least, but it is still the fastest way to most places. But you gotta be on your A game to live through the experience.

[adouglas]

Potholes/cracks etc don't bother me so much because you can usually unweight the seat and just ride over them (unless they're big enough to eat the bike, of course). A travel-direction crack can be easily avoided.

What scares the crap out of me is debris. Exploded truck tires, for example. A few years ago I was in my car when the guy in front of me ran over one and threw a fist-sized chunk of rubber and steel cord into my hood. Result: A fist-sized dent. That would have put me down at 70 mph had I been on the bike. To me, that's the biggest reason to leave adequate following distance.

This year I was riding through a construction zone and -- no lie -- there was a garden rake lying between the lanes of the parkway. Not a leaf rake... a garden rake, tines up. I'd changed lanes literally about a second before I spotted it. Given the speed and density of traffic at the time, hitting it WOULD have killed me.

Deer, too. They're out in force around here and I often see them grazing on the side of the road.

[adouglas]

Check this out. Mythbusters showed what will happen to you if a retread hits you at highway speeed. Gruesome (in a cool way, don't worry, no gore) stuff at about 4:30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqw4ZooBzLw

[csmith12]

Dump trucks with uncovered loads of gravel.

[Coolbpf]

Drafting. I get behind a tractor trailer or a horse trailer and boy, that pocket feels so nice (saves on gas too) but I just know that at any minute he's gonna slam on his breaks and final fantasy is going to become reality lol. But I always leave an escape route for myself, or get the heck out of there if there isn't one.