The state of CO promotes unsafe driving. Actual question from the written test I took about 5 years ago:

When is it legal to use your cell phone while driving?
A)Never
B)Only when stopped
C)*I can't remember what C was
D)Anytime

The (technically) correct answer is D, but you'd think they'd be asking questions that actually promote safe driving....

There was another question where they asked if it was legal to overtake/pass motorcycles on the right. The "correct" answer was yes, but they never stated it should only be done when there are at least two lanes.

 

Road with a group of bikes 200 miles yesterday heading into Southeast Ohio and the respect for bikes is 180 degree opposite of the city. Drivers will stop to make sure the group stays together at lights, give right of way in situations just to be courteous, stay off your a$$ and will slow down so the group can pass plus hand signals of hand jestures of the road is clear. What a difference!

Makes me appreciate the country style upbringing and people respecting others more and more after the back road town tour. Riding in the simple times and people who's roots are different than status brings therapy compared to the deathwish city garbage. I'll get back in my 4x4 truck Monday and go into battle mode. lol

 

Was ridding out west with my brother last year. Did 3500 miles over 12days. We were 50 miles from completing our trip in Wyoming. I was in lead and came upon a flatbed F250 dong 15 MPH on a 70 MPH two lane road. We were doing between 60 and 65 it was in a passing zone and no oncoming traffic. I signal and go around about time I reach the guys Tailgate area left turn signal comes on. Again doing 60 to 65 and he is doing 15 and that is his statement to police not just my words. So no time for me or my brother to do anything but hope that maybe the guys is signaling for us to go around. I get by and look back to see the guy turning left and my brother all the way to edge of the road trying to miss the guy. Well bike cleared, trailer he was towing didn't. Him and wife were in ICU for 7 days and another 7 in Hospital and months of rehab later they are doing well and plan to ride again soon. Fortunately for them they don't remember any of it. My wife and I do and we think about it often. It has made us even more aware of the dangers but Our love of riding still out weighs the dangers for us and I guess thats the scale we all have to weigh on every day when we decide to ride. I did however do a lot of upgrading this winter to improve safety. I added LED lights all the way around and added Brake and Headlight Modulators as well. People on here and other places will debate the Headlight modulators effectiveness but after just doing 3000 mile trip in the northeast, I am convinced it does make a difference. I mean you will still have the ******** that see you and still pull out infront of you just like they would if you where in a cage. Its not those people I worry about, its the one that just flat out don't see you that I do. If that makes any sense. I saw at least 10 drive start to go and then stop while on my trip. It may be aggravating to some but so what if it saves my life. New and better helmets. All of this may not help but it does ease my mind a little and the OL quite a bit. Well I guess that's my $1.50 worth on the subject.

 

I do that. Particularly if the angle of approach doesn't show any movement against the background. If I look at the stopped car, and he doesn't appear to be moving relative to the background, then that's how I look to him. Even an alert driver can miss you in those circumstances. In traffic I tend to ride WITH a group of cars rather than try to ride ahead of them, or lag very far behind. 5 cars is hard to miss....

Good info here, if you can understand the accents...... Sorry, Graham. ;-)

 

I have titanium in my left foot, leg, hand, and arm from cagers being distracted... two different accidents. It's real in the field.

 

I do that a lot to try to be noticed. A lot of drivers see a single headlight as a car in the distance, not a motorcycle.

 

That is exactly how Rossmeyer died........ in Wyoming!

 

My response to the lady who did the "left cross" to me was, "Lady, that`s got to be the stupidest question of the year!" Her husband/b.f. standing next to her started snickering.......

 

I'll be upstate just before the Rhinebeck meet-up and man I can't wait... There is absolutely nothing like the country......

 

I had an old bitch stop at a three way in front of me on the right. She looked up the road on her right, looked down the road to her left....right through me and pulled out. Luckily I had enough time to react and swerve behind her. She freakin looked right through me like I didn't exist! I only wish I had a grenade launcher...*s