Ok, I am just healing up from earlier this year, when some old lady pulled out in front of me and totaled my hayabusa, and broke my collarbone and fractured/punctured ribs lungs etc .. I am lucky to be alive, so I go out yesterday around my neighborhood to test somethings out on my new zx14, and this old man almost takes me out ! came right into my lane, and I have two brothers exhaust, so he should have at least heard me ! these people need to quit driving, they are going to kill somebody, if they havent already ! sorry to vent, but I had to tell some one !

* Last updated by: carabuser on 10/14/2012 @ 4:08 PM *

sounds like maybe you live in florida? i do and its like a suicide mission just to ride through the city here. i guess thats why they call florida "heavens waiting room" so freakin true, be carefull out there!

* Last updated by: speedyme on 10/14/2012 @ 4:03 PM *

Live in So. CA. just as bad as Florida I think ?

might be even worse there, i think there are more people in cali, and the weather is better which means more old people

Please see the thread on the "oldest person to buy/ride a 14"; It isn't a matter of age as much as it is a matter of lost attention/ inadequate skills.

You have a high population of old people who lose attention due to age related issues that they are unable or unwilling to overcome; and yes, they may likely be too impaired to drive. They shouldn't be driving.

But, areas of high populations of phone users, texters, or often young drivers with too many friends as passengers and/or too much stereo volume are also impairing their ability to drive safely and they also are often unable or unwilling to correct these impairments. They shouldn't be driving, either.

Here in Illinois, we had a motorcyclist killed because a middle-age woman was working on her manicure while 'driving" her car and didn't stop for the red light where a cyclist was waiting for the light to change. Distracted driving for whatever reason is more and more being recognized as a primary factor in most so-called accidents.

Craziest case of distracted driving I know of: the young woman who set her "big hair" on fire as she lit a ciggie driving down the interstate. She had good reason to be distracted, but a no excuse for culpability in causing her own distraction.

Gotta ride like they are all out to get you. BTW, "loud" pipes have never been shown to be an effective accident avoidance accessory. There are good scientific reasons why "loud" pipes cannot act as an alarm in most scenarios.

* Last updated by: PaulAB on 10/15/2012 @ 9:59 PM *

FL traffic is horrible just a month ago there was a 47 car pileup on I-75 on a clear day with very light rain on a straight road!!!! And I agree with PaulAB its not only the old that you have to worry about I get cut off by all ages!!!!

To the guy that says loud pipes don't savr lives. I've been in the situation many times were if not for my loud pipes (that I had to rev up) I would have been ran off the road.

I think I'll keep my stock cans....kinda nice not having to wear earplugs everywhere...plus...ya get that nice 'turbo' sound comin from yer motor.....music baby!Hell...the wind noise on the helmet makes more noise than those stock exhausts!LOL!

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 10/16/2012 @ 9:08 AM *

I couldn't stand the stock cans, had to do something LOL ! but really, of course the loud pipes are not going to save you every time, as I can attest too, but there have been MANY times when I see the cars move out of the way when they hear me coming, many more cars hear me than the ones that don't, the accident I had this year, was the first one in over 30 + years of street riding, it was bound to happen sooner or later ....

Riding in the city is like the game pac man and your it

First, I am a "damn old people" but I don't ever crowd or cause danger to motorcyclists. Though I scared one recently because the idiot came up and stayed in my blind spot.

Some things the bikers bring on themselves because the majority of riders are poorly trained.

Having said that, I too get "threatened" by old people quite often. Like granny in her tuna boat coming out a country lane and not even looking left as she turns right.

But like I said, if I didn't ride MSF smart it might be a real problem, but its not. And since I don't go 30+ mph over the speed limit (much) I have time to react.

Regarding stock cans, I don't like the potato launcher on my 2012 C14, but until I find something just as quiet its going to stay on there. I play XM stereo over a wire into my Schuberth C3 helmet, and the quieter my bike is, the better the sound quality.

And since I don't need more horsepower, I don't care that much about what the muffler looks like.

I'm probably considered one of those damn old people too LOL !
BUT I will take myself off the road, if I get to the point where I start doing some of those things that they are doing to me ! I can excuse the " I didn't see him " too a point, (but I have never NOT seen a motorcyclist) but they really should be able to hear me if I am that close to them.

If not for my 35 year of riding experience, I probably would have been killed or probably had a spinal cord injury, as it was I got a really bad broken collarbone,shoulder, (that will probably never be the same) fractured ribs, and a punctured lung. So I think I have a reason to be upset ..... Oh I was going the speed limit, when this lady AT THE STOP SIGN, just suddenly pulled out if front of me !

Take care all, and ride safe !

* Last updated by: carabuser on 10/18/2012 @ 9:56 AM *

Ya....'assuming' can get ya racked up real fast....like 'assuming' I can make this turn without having to stay focused!LOL!!!Geez.....knucklehead.....I'm a knucklehead!

I 'get' the 'loud pipe' deal...but seriously.....when you're approaching a vehicle....do you really think they can hear you with your exhaust pointing backwards?I know....side by side...hell yeah.But ya gotta get there first.Most newer cars today have surround sound...and the interiors are much more sophisticated about blocking outside noises.I think you'de have to be acellerating pretty good to make enough noise to get a driver's attention as you approach from behind.By that time.....if he's turning into your lane....IDK......methinks yer gonna be in worse shape tryin to dodge while speeding up?Who knows...I don't.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 10/18/2012 @ 10:17 AM *

Yea, that's what got me so pissed this last time, the guy was right next to me in the other lane ! Oh and I forgot to mention this other lady, she suddenly stopped in the middle of the intersection, for no reason ! NO cars to be seen anywhere, no dogs or cats or any other animals of people crossing, no stop lights or stop signs, she wasnt turning right or left ! Geeeez !

I agree with you, lots of old people only focus on what's in front of them, forgetting about the sides etc.

They drive FREAKIN slow, and just have no freakin clue of what's happening in their surroundings.

Ofcourse, it's not all old people - But they should get a Exam every 5 years checking if they are still able to look next to them without twitching their neck!!!!

When I'm in traffic, I try to keep the mindset of a defensive dogfight engagement, where the cages have the advantage and are constantly trying to shoot me. I don't really feel that being loud or bright provides much survival insurance. The only way to win the fight long-term is to always build jink-space to avoid their (often geriatric) shots with my superior performance advantages (and hopefully, .... cunning).

Then I try to ride where there is no traffic. I take my cage to work, and ride the back roads on my bike. Here, my greatest fear is freakin Bambi, jumping unobservered into my face - with me tripling the speed limit - a whole nuther discussion.

I grew up in Florida and vacation frequently in California. I'm not really sure how you can control your destiny in some of these congested places except for really, really, slowing down and being completely alert and defensive. God Speed.

Suedez, just curious, what kind of jet did you fly ? what a rush that must be ! Oh and thank you for your service, my brother was a lifer in the Air Force

I feel the same way.I don't ride in town I survive,It's like adog fight.Always looking never starring one thing down like an NFL quarterback reading the defense.I like looking at peoples eyes in the other lane.Just survive to get to my 10000 RPM's road.
Craig

I'm one of the old people brigade, and with luck you will be too, so before making statements like we should be tested every 5 yrs think before you write, while I know where you are coming from, over here we have more problems with liberated blondes on their mobile phones going as if they are on a race track, white van man texting, there are more new drivers cause accident than old buggers.
B-A

+1

The real danger in town is the soccer mom (30-something) after dropping kids off at school, yacking on her cell phone, and she spaces traffic out a second and runs over into your lane, or rear ends you. Or the 20 year old kid driving daddy's BMW and trying to text his girlfriend, and he runs a red light and t-bones you.

"But I didn't see him!"

No, you f*#king idiot, you didn't see him. You were too busy being a phone puke.

"Suedez, just curious, what kind of jet did you fly ? what a rush that must be !"

I was really fortunate to fly A-10s, F-16s and T-38s from 1984 - 2007. Better rides than I probably deserved. They were extreme rushes, but to tell the truth - a ZX-14R is right there with them - incredible adrenaline machine!!

And at $15K and maybe 2 gallons/hour vs 10s of millions$ apiece and just horrific fuel flow rates, these bikes are almost too good to be true. They just need a good ejection seat!

Truly Anyone in a "CAGE" that Doesent Ride A Bike is a Danger to anyone on a Bike...When Im in My Tahoe I always keep an extra eye out for bikes but I think thats only because I ride.

I Ride in New York City Traffic all the time and your head has to be on full swivel....if the cagers arn't on the phone or texting then there adjusting there GPS or they are just smoking a joint and are to high to notice you. I cannot tell you how many times I hit the road and find myself behind someone smoking weed...its a daily pass time!

When my buddys taught me how to ride they gave me a couple of rules to live by...and they were so Right!

When on your bike You are invisable don't assume that the driver of that car sees you because they probably don't.

When You ride dont hesitate, Hesitation will get you KilleD.

Just My .02

Ride Safe, Ride Well My Friends!
Snuffy

"Hesitation will get you KilleD"....yep...I think so also.

Up riding in the canyons two years ago....van in front(I followed him a good mile)began to slow.Then he started pulling off to the right shoulder.OK I'm thinking,"he wants me to pass"....happens all the time here....so I go to pass...70ish,suddenly,instead of him pulling off all the way on the shoulder...no signals mind you,he U-turns.Only by God's grace did I miss the frontend of his cage as he was pulling into the lane...JUST MISSED IT...got on the gas just before he made his turn.Had I slowed.....it would have been REALLY UGLY.THAT was the closest for me....I could have reached over and touched his hood...that's how close THAT was.His eyes were as big as saucers as I went by...I remember that.NO clue...he had NO clue...even with my HID's on Bright while behind him.

I mean...how in the hell do you NOT see a guy behind you in your rearview with HID's blastin!Sheesh!

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 10/20/2012 @ 10:31 AM *

I've been run over... twice.

First was a 68 year old woman in a Grand Cherokee. We were in opposing lanes and she made a left turn in front of me.

Second was a 16 year old girl waiting to pull into traffic from a side street. Opposing traffic stopped to let her out but she never bother to check both lanes. Knocked me right down.