Cops Like Loud Pipes?
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,618
Likes: 3
From: Tucson, AZ
I would rather they knew I was there too but if you think for a moment it's loud pipes that let them know you are there you're mistaken. My Harley is louder but not obnoxious while my crotch rocket is very quiet. I have found one is no better than the other for letting people know I am there. Rather, it's where I ride and how I ride that allows the cager to know I am there. For me, If I can't see that cagers face in their own mirror, I am out of position and literally in the blind. At that point it's my fault when things go wrong and not that of the cager, cell phone or not.
I don't think for a minute MCRider intended us to believe he never finds himself in a blind spot. Rather, he, like many of us don't stay there at all. Maskedstranger says his pipes are his horn. That's great and absolutely worthless because the pipes won't be heard until you are close enough to get hit in the first place and especially at any highway speed or if the cager has the window up with the stereo on. I would rather rely on focus and skill to save my hide.
I don't think for a minute MCRider intended us to believe he never finds himself in a blind spot. Rather, he, like many of us don't stay there at all. Maskedstranger says his pipes are his horn. That's great and absolutely worthless because the pipes won't be heard until you are close enough to get hit in the first place and especially at any highway speed or if the cager has the window up with the stereo on. I would rather rely on focus and skill to save my hide.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 866
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
What I found interesting in the article was that the federal standard was fine for civilians, but the police felt the louder pipes are safer.
I have noticed that I'm given a wider berth in traffic with the louder pipes. People either follow or pass. They don't drive next to me for any length of time. This seems safer to me and I'm glad that the police feel the same way.
I have noticed that I'm given a wider berth in traffic with the louder pipes. People either follow or pass. They don't drive next to me for any length of time. This seems safer to me and I'm glad that the police feel the same way.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,615
Likes: 9
From: Escondido, CA
So you can't blip the throttle and evade at the same time? Stay off the phone when you're in your car. Blip the throttle and slow down? Blip the throttle and move over? What's so hard? Or did you want to speed up to evade thus pulling in the clutch to blip the throttle doesn't work for you? I don't get your reasoning.
Stage III
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Enough!
Okay, okay, okay! Here's the situation: I was riding in the center lane, she was on my RIGHT, my HORN is on my LEFT. Had I hit my horn at 70+ mph she wouldn't have heard it. Besides her window was up and, as I said she was yackin' on her cell. I accelerated and got the f*&# out of there. As I twisted the throttle I was about at her left passenger door and she looked over her shoulder just as I got even with her, eyes about the size of silver dollars (hers not mine). Co-workers were behind me and say it was pretty close. I know citizens complain about pipes all the time. I used to complain, to myself, every time they ran engines on the C-5 aircraft I worked on when I was in the Air Force, especially at 3:00 a.m. But I do think the noise is a necessary nuisance. Some of you guys are absolutely right, rider safety courses can save your life - EVERYBODY should be required to take them, if only to sit through the classroom part. Rider awareness is invaluable.
Last edited by mfaitak; Mar 13, 2009 at 06:23 AM.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,438
Likes: 6
From: Gulf Coast of Mississippi
In saying that, I would also like to add that as a matter of survival, your point is well taken...
Charlie D.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,892
Likes: 2
From: DUNDALK,MARYLAND
I ride that I-95 to DC couple times a week. I see people doing all the things as they drive. Things like reading the news paper driving 80 mph on the cell phone, smoking and eating all at the same time. I use my air horn with long blast a lot. If I going to pass a truck I will blast the air horns the whole time pass the truck. This is a way that they know you are there and they are looking for something bigger. And if you are going down the highway your pipes are not that loud. Your pipes are louder in the city traffic then any highway. On the highway throttling your pipe is not going to help you very much.
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From:
Sometimes, hittin the gas is an evasive action. Recently I came off a red light into an intersection where the right lane has to yield into the left. It's about the most ignored yield sign in the world. I was first off the light with traffic behind me. An old lady completely ignores the yield & we would have met. Now I know that people starting from a stop light, are not used to stopping, so if I hit my brake I could have been run into from behind. Or I could pour on the coal & beat her thru the intersection. Seemed like a no brainer to me. I hoped she was incontinent so when I blasted by her maybe she peed alittle in her pants
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
My .02
Loud Pipes can alert a cage to your presence. being seen/heard=visibility... visibility on a bike is a good thing.
HOWEVER. You have to factor in those who would seek to do you harm because they percieve you as a Nuisance.
There are 2 sides to the loud pipe debate. Both equally valid.
That being said, my pipes are definately loud, but thats because I am compensating for something probably hahahaha
Loud Pipes can alert a cage to your presence. being seen/heard=visibility... visibility on a bike is a good thing.
HOWEVER. You have to factor in those who would seek to do you harm because they percieve you as a Nuisance.
There are 2 sides to the loud pipe debate. Both equally valid.
That being said, my pipes are definately loud, but thats because I am compensating for something probably hahahaha