Bikers are so absurd sometimes. No wonder cagers hate em.

[ajcadoo]

Traveling south on I-15 in Temecula. It is around 8pm so traffic has lightened up and it is dark. I am in my Scion xB in the far right lane with my cruise control set at 55MPH. Yes it is slow, but this is how I always drive on freeways, cruise set at 55. I average 48MPG by doing this compared to the EPA HWY 34MPG.

Anyway, a barrage of single-headlight vehicles approach rapidly in my rear-view. I count about 5-7 bikes. And they are riding my tail. They stay behind me for a good minute and a half, even though the three lanes to our left were wide open.

So eventually, one of the bikes in the back of the pack gun it past and cut in front of me. It was a black Honda CBR 1000RR ridden by a male with a leather vest signifying his belonging to a bike gang.

He gets in the right part of the lane and rapidly slows to around 30MPH. He doesn't brake, just downshifts rapidly. I brake hard nearly taking out the rest of the gang behind me. Plus, the Prius behind them almost sandwiched the entire gang.

Luckily though, the rest of the sport bikes gun it around me and speed off.

This, in short, is the reason why bikers have such a bad reputation on the road. They do stupid ish like this and cause incredible amounts of havoc and frustration. It's understandable if I did something 'cager-like', but the acts of what occurred were completely uncalled for.

Please don't be a douche on your bikes guys, it isn't right. You make it worse for all the other bikers who want to actually be SAFE around cagers.

[psych0hans]

That was quiet idiotic what those guys did, I'm glad you kept your cool though.

Personal rant to follow...

[rant] You should see the bikers in India... It'll give you a whole new dimension to irresponsible, careless and undisciplined. Sure, the entire traffic scenario in my country can be covered by those three words, but bikers more so. There is an unfortunate mentality in my country that the big guy is always at fault. If you're a biker and you bang into a pedestrian, it's your fault. If you're a cager and you bang into a biker/pedestrian, it HAS to be your fault. The "smaller" person could never possibly be responsible. That said, Bikers in India are THE MOST IRRESPONSIBLE bikers out there. You should see them zipping in and out of traffic cutting in front of pretty much everybody, overtaking from the wrong side, squeezing into the tiniest of spaces and sometimes even when there is no space. They have a tendency to pretty much leave their safety up to you, like it's your job to save them and not their own. [/rant]

[GreenNinja]

I can't exactly say I would try to save an idiot that is REALLY trying to die. You are a better man than me. All gangs in general just need to disappear.

[loz944]

much the same here in Thailand they give me the sh1ts

[subxero]

i tend to favor the transportation method i am using at the time lol i am such a hypocrite.

If i am on my pedal bike, all pedestrians and motor vehicles are A-holes!
If i am walking, all pedal bikes and motor vehicles are A-holes!
If i am in my car or truck, all pedal bikes, motorcycles, and pedestrians are A-holes!
If i am on my motorcycle.... you get the picture

At least i am aware of this odd thinking of mine and do experience all the good and the bad of each fairly regularly so it does broaden my perspective of each a bit

[psych0hans]

Originally Posted by GreenNinja

I can't exactly say I would try to save an idiot that is REALLY trying to die. You are a better man than me. All gangs in general just need to disappear.

It isn't really that simple my friend, in most such cases the blame is generally put on the person at the back... My friend was once in a 5 car pileup and the entire blam went on him(insurance wise) because his car was the last...

[choneofakind]

Those guys on the bikes should have just left you alone. There was no reason to harass you.

But 55 on the highway? Last time I was in CA, I was in LA with my family, and those highways were moving like 75+ and packed. 55 seems kinda unsafe. Screw some of the mileage, at least peg the cruise at 65 to close the speed gap a little bit.

[Panda]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

But 55 on the highway? Last time I was in CA, I was in LA with my family, and those highways were moving like 75+ and packed. 55 seems kinda unsafe. Screw some of the mileage, at least peg the cruise at 65 to close the speed gap a little bit.

[ninjaone]

Whether you are riding your motorcycle or driving your car, you kind of always have to remember that 1/8 people is likely a raging sociopath who wouldn't think twice about doing you bodily harm. You aren't going to change these people, and the best thing to do is avoid them at any cost.

[subxero]

Originally Posted by ninjaone

Whether you are riding your motorcycle or driving your car, you kind of always have to remember that 1/8 people is likely a raging sociopath who wouldn't think twice about doing you bodily harm. You aren't going to change these people, and the best thing to do is avoid them at any cost.

^ very well put,

I stress this to my wife, and can't believe how p***ed off some tiny women drives get over stupid stuff. And not just pointing the finger a males as potentially being psycho but some crazy guy in a truck or even car, and little lady wants to rage at him?. What if he follows you, wrecks you, who knows

Just not worth it

And getting P***y on a bike at a car is just plain dumb, the upper hand is almost always on the cagers side, only thing you got going for you is splitting traffic ect... to make a get away where they can't follow.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Those guys on the bikes should have just left you alone. There was no reason to harass you.

But 55 on the highway? Last time I was in CA, I was in LA with my family, and those highways were moving like 75+ and packed. 55 seems kinda unsafe. Screw some of the mileage, at least peg the cruise at 65 to close the speed gap a little bit.

california highways operate similar to the autobahn. slowest traffic to one end, each lane in toward the center of the highway is 10mph faster than the lane before it. no speed limit. 55 is about the slowest you can go without a cop pulling you over for thinking you're stoned off your ass.
most trucks run at about 60mph. 55 isn't that bad for a 4-lane highway.

[ninjaone]

Originally Posted by subxero

^ very well put,

I stress this to my wife, and can't believe how p***ed off some tiny women drives get over stupid stuff. And not just pointing the finger a males as potentially being psycho but some crazy guy in a truck or even car, and little lady wants to rage at him?. What if he follows you, wrecks you, who knows

Just not worth it

And getting P***y on a bike at a car is just plain dumb, the upper hand is almost always on the cagers side, only thing you got going for you is splitting traffic ect... to make a get away where they can't follow.

It's pretty amazing how ballsy people get just because they are in a car. If you were walking down the street, and some unhinged individual was being annoying, would you confront them and put yourself in their way and try to reason them back to sanity? Probably not, so why do it while driving? The fact is there are insane people who are driving cars, and there isn't much you can do about it. You need to operate with this as a basic assumption otherwise you are going to have a bad time.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by alex.s

california highways operate similar to the autobahn. slowest traffic to one end, each lane in toward the center of the highway is 10mph faster than the lane before it. no speed limit. 55 is about the slowest you can go without a cop pulling you over for thinking you're stoned off your ass.
most trucks run at about 60mph. 55 isn't that bad for a 4-lane highway.

Isn't that how they're all supposed to work? Slower on the right, faster on the left.

But idk, there's a lot of idiots who ignore that. I wouldn't feel comfortable with going 15-20mph slower than the flow of traffic.

[alex.s]

tourists always drive 70-75 in the fast lane. **** pisses me off

[lgk]

last time i saw person do that cutoff and brake maneuver it was someone getting pulled out of a vehicle, and jumped...

i probably would have just ran him over.

[Whiskey]

Originally Posted by alex.s

california highways operate similar to the autobahn. slowest traffic to one end, each lane in toward the center of the highway is 10mph faster than the lane before it. no speed limit. 55 is about the slowest you can go without a cop pulling you over for thinking you're stoned off your ass.
most trucks run at about 60mph. 55 isn't that bad for a 4-lane highway.

Is that no speed limit within reason, or feel free to wind it on to 150+mph if there's a suitable stretch.

[alex.s]

almost all american made cars are limited to 104mph here. in the middle of the night (3am) on a 5lane it's not uncommon to see expensive euro cars doing 120+. the police are looking for drunks so generally if you slow down when they make themselves visible they won't bother too much, but if you react too slowly or anything like that or are just cruising in the fast lane doing 85 they will pull you over to check you out at least. (if you can't tell, we have a little drunk driving problem over here)

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by alex.s

almost all american made cars are limited to 104mph here.

They are?

[alex.s]

i think its a law in the US for street production cars built in the US to be limited at 106 but most limit it just under it

[ChaoSS]

CA Highways are limited to 70 mph. CHP usually has a little bit of leeway, but you certainly can get pulled over at 75.

Trucks are limited to 55mph. Many of them go faster, but cruising 55 will put you right with a whole bunch of the trucks, and it's not unsafe.

[beazy411]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i think its a law in the US for street production cars built in the US to be limited at 106 but most limit it just under it

I can tell you from personal experience on the 15 south from Vegas to SD and from Escondidio to SD that cars in America are not required to have a limiter at 106. I had my tC doing ~120mph for about 30 min and had my buddies Jetta at 140mph till I got passed by a Corvette doing at least 150mph. I've even gotte my dad's 1990 Cherokee to 115mph for about 5 miles before we exited. None of these cars had been modified from stock to go any faster.

[EsrTek]

Maybe a Cali thing Alex... you guys/gals have to put up w some crazy **** at times. (example off top my head is the smog stuff and the cali size gas tanks for the ninja 250s).

I rent cars weekly and sure I just had a 2013 Impala and a few weeks ago a Ford Taurus (probably 2011-2012) and I had both doing well over 104 at times on the interstate.

[akima]

Originally Posted by EsrTek

Maybe a Cali thing Alex... you guys/gals have to put up w some crazy **** at times. (example off top my head is the smog stuff and the cali size gas tanks for the ninja 250s).

I rent cars weekly and sure I just had a 2013 Impala and a few weeks ago a Ford Taurus (probably 2011-2012) and I had both doing well over 104 at times on the interstate.

What do they do to the ninjette gas tanks in California?

[02337]

I always expect whether driving my cage or bike that if someone is in my way, ill go around them. No reason why someone else should get over when I'm the one speeding, now when I'm on the bike and people think its better to just get out of my way bothers me, I always have a route if passing then if they get over I have to switch to plan b quickly.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by akima

What do they do to the ninjette gas tanks in California?

Extra stuff for venting the tanks and emissions crap.

[Lychee]

55 mph is like a pebble in a stream.

[n4mwd]

Regarding the OP, no telling what the deal was with those guys. They could have been on a ride together and were trying not to get split up. The guy that slowed down may have been having bike trouble. He could have been on a Harley.

I wouldn't read too much in to leather jackets. They were probably on cruisers and that is what you wear when you are on those. Usually, motorcycle clubs put all their club names on patches on the jackets. Sometimes you see logos or colors rather than names. You can be a member of multiple clubs.

Originally Posted by psych0hans

[rant] You should see the bikers in India... It'll give you a whole new dimension to irresponsible, careless and undisciplined. Sure, the entire traffic scenario in my country can be covered by those three words, but bikers more so. There is an unfortunate mentality in my country that the big guy is always at fault. If you're a biker and you bang into a pedestrian, it's your fault. If you're a cager and you bang into a biker/pedestrian, it HAS to be your fault. The "smaller" person could never possibly be responsible. That said, Bikers in India are THE MOST IRRESPONSIBLE bikers out there. You should see them zipping in and out of traffic cutting in front of pretty much everybody, overtaking from the wrong side, squeezing into the tiniest of spaces and sometimes even when there is no space. They have a tendency to pretty much leave their safety up to you, like it's your job to save them and not their own. [/rant]

Wow, it must be really nice there. I would fit right in. Also, no traffic lights right? What about stop signs and speed limits?

Originally Posted by alex.s

almost all american made cars are limited to 104mph here.

Are you sure that isn't just a California thing? Its hard to imagine a Corvette limited to 106.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by n4mwd

Are you sure that isn't just a California thing? Its hard to imagine a Corvette limited to 106.

They're not. Road & Track tests cars, and consistently posts numbers higher than 106 in the quarter mile test. It's either a CA thing, or alex is just crazy.

[SemperFudge]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i think its a law in the US for street production cars built in the US to be limited at 106 but most limit it just under it

Yeah that's not true, I've broken that multiple times in my Benz haha. The speed limiters are set at 155.

I would always jokingly brag to people saying that my car goes so fast they had to electronically limit it to 155 haha.

Haha here's the sticker I see on some cars

[ajcadoo]

Originally Posted by n4mwd

Regarding the OP, no telling what the deal was with those guys. They could have been on a ride together and were trying not to get split up. The guy that slowed down may have been having bike trouble. He could have been on a Harley.

I wouldn't read too much in to leather jackets. They were probably on cruisers and that is what you wear when you are on those. Usually, motorcycle clubs put all their club names on patches on the jackets. Sometimes you see logos or colors rather than names. You can be a member of multiple clubs.

I must've not made it clear. They were all on street bikes. No Harleys or cruisers. All street bikes.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by alex.s

i think its a law in the US for street production cars built in the US to be limited at 106 but most limit it just under it

Nope. No such law in CA or anywhere else in the US. Manufacturers do put speed limiters on cars, primarily to make sure that the car can't do a speed that is greater than the speed ratings of the tires that might be installed on it (including the all-weather, non-performance oriented ones). Many Audi's are limited to 130, but not the S versions. Mercedes has different limits on their cars, from 130, to 155, to 174, etc., depending on the powertrain and option pack. Some cars have no speed limiters, other than hitting redline in top gear. (including my Mazdaspeed3).

[beazy411]

Wow, even motorcycles that get damned good fuel mileage get screwed by CARB bs.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Chubbs032]

No offense but you both sound like retarded drivers...55 on 4 lane highway regardless of what lane is too slow and a safety hazard.

[psych0hans]

Originally Posted by n4mwd

Wow, it must be really nice there. I would fit right in. Also, no traffic lights right? What about stop signs and speed limits?

Honestly speed limits are generally tossed out the window, but the limits are set so low, you would really get no where trying to adhere to them. As far as traffic signals are concerned, it depends on where you are and what time of the day it is. No one adheres to traffic signals at night here, in fact most of them are shut off past 11:00pm. There is a general lack of regard for civility while driving.

[Bassman]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Those guys on the bikes should have just left you alone. There was no reason to harass you.

But 55 on the highway?

I miss your dunce cap, lol. The only reason for those bikers actions was to be Aholes. They should have left you alone. 55 in the slow lane is reasonable. The speed LIMIT for tractor trailers is 55, so maintaining 55in the slow lane should be fine.

<rant> They are enforcing the speed limits harshly in my area. On an 8 mile drive to work I'll see 3 cars/bikes pulled over almost daily. I drive the speed limit period. IMO California law enforcement is trying to relieve the state’s debt by enforcing piss ant laws. Within the last month I got a ticket for my truck sticking out 12" past my driveway into the sidewalk, my son got another for parking 18" away from the curb, and my RV got one for not moving every 72 hrs. We live at the top of a hill with no thru traffic and only 10 houses. I've talked to each of my neighbors and they are fine with my RV, which I use regularly. I doubt I was causing any real traffic issues. A warning would have been fine. I'll adjust my vehicles if they are such a nuisance.</rant>

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

... or alex is just crazy.

Possibly. I hear he has been hanging out with Kevin. That would make anyone crazy.

Originally Posted by ajcadoo

I must've not made it clear. They were all on street bikes. No Harleys or cruisers. All street bikes.

Well Harley's ARE street bikes, but you did say "Honda CBR 1000RR" which I missed on the first read. I think you meant sport bikes. But in any case, I still wouldn't read too much into their wardrobe. Not everyone wears the same gear.

As far as why he slowed down in the rightmost part of the slow lane, I'm thinking engine problems or a lack of fuel.

[ChaoSS]

Originally Posted by Bassman

<rant> They are enforcing the speed limits harshly in my area. On an 8 mile drive to work I'll see 3 cars/bikes pulled over almost daily. I drive the speed limit period. IMO California law enforcement is trying to relieve the state’s debt by enforcing piss ant laws.

While I don't disagree with the last part there, you do live right on the grapevine, don't you?

IMO, they need to enforce the laws more there, I hate driving there and seeing the jackasses who think their quarter or half ton truck should be pulling a massive toy hauler or RV trailer getting pushed down the vine at 80 mph in a death swerve, and it's something I see almost every time I run the vine.

[ninjaone]

Originally Posted by ChaoSS

While I don't disagree with the last part there, you do live right on the grapevine, don't you?

IMO, they need to enforce the laws more there, I hate driving there and seeing the jackasses who think their quarter or half ton truck should be pulling a massive toy hauler or RV trailer getting pushed down the vine at 80 mph in a death swerve, and it's something I see almost every time I run the vine.

Yeah exactly. The thing about speed limits is everyone trusts themselves to gleefully break them by double digits numbers, but do you really trust all the half paying attention distracted drivers texting on their cell phone and putting on make up to be able to safely drive that fast?

I actually welcome more strict enforcement of speeding limits, cause I just generally don't trust the selfish stupid masses to drive that fast.

[ajcadoo]

Originally Posted by ChaoSS

While I don't disagree with the last part there, you do live right on the grapevine, don't you?

IMO, they need to enforce the laws more there, I hate driving there and seeing the jackasses who think their quarter or half ton truck should be pulling a massive toy hauler or RV trailer getting pushed down the vine at 80 mph in a death swerve, and it's something I see almost every time I run the vine.

Fantastic point. CHP doesnt patrol the grapevine as much as I think they should. People get some insane speeds on the declines. They trust their vehicles too much.

[HKr1]

Originally Posted by ajcadoo

Traveling south on I-15 in Temecula. It is around 8pm so traffic has lightened up and it is dark. I am in my Scion xB in the far right lane with my cruise control set at 55MPH. Yes it is slow, but this is how I always drive on freeways, cruise set at 55. I average 48MPG by doing this compared to the EPA HWY 34MPG.

Anyway, a barrage of single-headlight vehicles approach rapidly in my rear-view. I count about 5-7 bikes. And they are riding my tail. They stay behind me for a good minute and a half, even though the three lanes to our left were wide open.
So eventually, one of the bikes in the back of the pack gun it past and cut in front of me. It was a black Honda CBR 1000RR ridden by a male with a leather vest signifying his belonging to a bike gang.

He gets in the right part of the lane and rapidly slows to around 30MPH. He doesn't brake, just downshifts rapidly. I brake hard nearly taking out the rest of the gang behind me. Plus, the Prius behind them almost sandwiched the entire gang.

Luckily though, the rest of the sport bikes gun it around me and speed off.

This, in short, is the reason why bikers have such a bad reputation on the road. They do stupid ish like this and cause incredible amounts of havoc and frustration. It's understandable if I did something 'cager-like', but the acts of what occurred were completely uncalled for.

Please don't be a douche on your bikes guys, it isn't right. You make it worse for all the other bikers who want to actually be SAFE around cagers.

Why didnt you just move over one lane without slowing down? you said they were open. I wouldnt of slowed down behind that A-hole....