Is Riding More Dangerous Than Used To Be??
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 11,210
Likes: 3,040
From: St.Louis Mo.
iv'e been riding over forty years now and with the invent of cell phones things have gotten bad. no one uses blinkers anymore and everyones in a hurry nowdays. more older people on the road(including me) as the baby boomers generation age. i think driving skills of the general population has gone down hill for years. people change lanes without even looking. it's to late AFTER you kill someone, can't turn the clock back. at least that's the way it is around the St.Louis area.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,275
Likes: 149
From: High in the Colorado Rockies
On the plus side:
Cars & bikes are much better made; drunk drivers has dropped precipitously; roads are overall in better shape.
On the negative side: too many cell phones & distracted drivers; more cars on the roads; more "clueless" lazy drivers (no turn signals, etc); and more elderly drivers.
Overall, I would say slightly more dangerous today. However, the large drop in drunk drivers is a big positive in the past 30 or so years. SJ Ron
Cars & bikes are much better made; drunk drivers has dropped precipitously; roads are overall in better shape.
On the negative side: too many cell phones & distracted drivers; more cars on the roads; more "clueless" lazy drivers (no turn signals, etc); and more elderly drivers.
Overall, I would say slightly more dangerous today. However, the large drop in drunk drivers is a big positive in the past 30 or so years. SJ Ron
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,020
Likes: 69
From: Twin Cities, MN
In just three years I have gone from commuting daily to work from April to October (I live in MN) to not commuting on the bike at all.
In that time period the volume of vehicle has increased, and the distracted driving has gone through the roof! I miss the ride, but not the crazy danger of a metro commute in 2014.
In that time period the volume of vehicle has increased, and the distracted driving has gone through the roof! I miss the ride, but not the crazy danger of a metro commute in 2014.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 335
Likes: 5
From: Vermont
Out riding Sunday I had to avoid two idiots. An old man in Johnson was in my lane as he was leaving a gas station, guess he forgot which side of the road to drive on. Then on 89 a flatlander was drifting into my lane as I was passing him. That one caught my wife's attention who screamed.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Livingston, La.
I started riding in 1961 on a Cushman Road King while throwing my paper route. I had my close calls for several years after moving up to the bigger bikes. The cause that hurt me more than any other at that time was the left handers, I was able to make contact with two of them. I've had a bad right leg ever since. Here in Louisiana, I have to say that our biggest problems are people using modern forms of communications and then a huge increase in drivers from other countries. They did not learn to drive within the law and they show that on our roads. Our newspaper has posted notice of so many each day that are here illegally and are driving with no insurance. We have to pay for uninsured drivers to protect ourselves.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,486
Likes: 695
From: Huntington Beach, CA
One of the big positives over the last 20-30 years at least here in California is that there is a LOT less drunk driving than there used to be. Nothing more dangerous to a rider than a drunk in a car or truck.
On the other hand, we have cellphones and texting which we did not used to have. But IMO this is much less common and dangerous than drunk drivers used to be.
On the other hand, we have cellphones and texting which we did not used to have. But IMO this is much less common and dangerous than drunk drivers used to be.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 322,622
Likes: 3,077
From: .....
One of the big positives over the last 20-30 years at least here in California is that there is a LOT less drunk driving than there used to be. Nothing more dangerous to a rider than a drunk in a car or truck.
On the other hand, we have cellphones and texting which we did not used to have. But IMO this is much less common and dangerous than drunk drivers used to be.
On the other hand, we have cellphones and texting which we did not used to have. But IMO this is much less common and dangerous than drunk drivers used to be.
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