On 11/8/10 12:07 PM, Larry C. Lyons wrote: > > Knowing what drivers are like on I-66 I wouldn't be surprised.
No offense but everybody says this about just about everywhere. We all think we live with the worst drivers. :) > I drive a MIni and in this area I have to be very alert to all those > over-sized SUVs whose drivers are usually talking on their cell > phones, eating breakfast, putting on makeup etc. A few weeks ago I had > to replace a rim and tire after being forced off the pavement because > of an SUV driver not paying attention. This is why (whether in a car or on a bike), I stay away from clumps of traffic. It's just inviting disaster, but even moreso on a bike. People will notice you if you give them a reason to notice you. Staying near them in traffic at the same speed is akin to having a cloaking device, no matter how many lights you might have on. Also no offense, but if you think you're alert in your car, try riding a motorcycle. Stuff that would just piss you off would kill us, so we learn very quickly to predict what other cars are going to do before they do it, and avoid it. > While this can be a nice area to live and work, the DC/MD/NoVA area > has about the most congested traffic in the country, just behind the > LA region. Yeah I think LA is probably the worst in congestion, which is why lane splitting works so well. I think the concept can be successfully introduced to any area. It can be easily billed as "pro-green" because motorcycles get easily double the gas mileage of a car (3x that of an SUV). They're smaller, easier to park, as of the last few years, they have the same emissions controls as cars so they're clean-burning too. But with a proper "introduction" to the public... i.e. pass the law legalizing it, but don't "activate" it for a month or so, and then let the local TV news and newspapers advertise it. Make it known that the cops aren't going to tolerate cars messing with bikes, but at the same time, they expect riders to be equally courteous of cars. I'm actively working with a local state rep here in Oregon to get lane splitting legalized in 2011. If there's any way to make it happen, I'm going to make it happen. Rob ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-jobs-talk/message.cfm/messageid:4370 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-jobs-talk/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-jobs-talk/unsubscribe.cfm
