GolfHos

Executive summary: as soon as I pat myself on the back, I sprain my arm.

I have a motorcycle, and I ride whenever I can.  That means I basically ride all the time.  Anyway, it will come as a surprise to some of you, but I am what they call "anal retentive".  Knowing the bike is more dangerous than a car (because I've researched it, of course), I do lots of things to mitigate that increased risk.  My bike is red, and I wear this helmet and this one-piece riding suit:

(http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/8428/sprintstdz4.jpg)(http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/3244/aoyamali7.jpg)(http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2985/redblackpn4.jpg)

The helmet is especially visible (the optic yellow and its height, as my head is taller than minivan roofs when riding).

As if all that weren't enough, I have a modulator gizmo rigged inline with one of my dual low-beam bulbs, which device flashes the beam four times per second.  There's actually some debate among motorcyclists regarding modulators.  Those who hate them (largely because they look dorky, I suspect) claim that those who run them get complacent and lazy, relying on gadgetry to protect them instead of staying alert and keeping their riding skills sharp.

So I'm thinking about the modulator as I ride in to work this morning, and how I have not had a single vehicle pull across my path since installing it several months ago.  That reminds me of the naysayers, and I quickly assess my approach to riding over those months, decide I have not slacked off, but nonetheless remind myself to be ever watchful for the brain-dead.  Then I return to thinking about how effective that little electronic device has been for me.

Not 30 seconds later, a full-size pickup pulls out in front of me at close range.  Nothing blocking his view of me, his head had been pointed my way moments before he pulled out, but ... he apparently never saw me in all my red-with-flashing-halogen-light glory.

Our story ends happily.  Having just reminded myself to be careful, I saw him waiting to make his left, slowed a little and covered the brake lever, and then nailed the brakes when he did pull out.  He never stopped or even slowed.  Fortunately, I've also been practicing the quick middle finger extension, which technique I employed with martial crispness.

Do the asschaps fit over that cute jumpsuit?

Oh yeah, and be careful out there, I don't know if people refuse to see motorcycles or they just assume you're more maneuverable so they don't have to give you the same berth.

Wow!  Glad to hear you're ok!  As an ex-rider, I try to be vigilant for bikes.

BTW, in respect to your middle finger extension "crispness" training, you spelled marital wrong.  Lost me on what that has to do with the story, but whatever.

Glad your okay. :)

Clive's Big Adventure

(http://www.seeing-stars.com/Museums/HHM/PeeWeeBike(small).jpg)

Be careful out there kids.  It's a dangerous world.

dude, I've been drinking and you lost me afer Executive.

BTW glad you're OK.

Yeah, that's Clive.  He always asks for "The Executive".

A sprained arm is just an excuse for sandbagging. [sm_devil]

No doubt a very heart thumping moment.  Can't say I don't blame you for the extension of the middle digit -- having the possibility of one's life snuffed due to the stupidity of others can do it. 

I picked up on of these the other day -- looks dorky but guess I'd also trying to be seen. 

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/rolandjpls/iconvest.jpg)

That is a flashy looking helmet though.

I am glad that you are okay!!! ;D ;D ;D

Yes you are a big manly man riding a red (they go faster!! ;D) motorbike!!! ;D

This does not explain why you have a picture of a man doing his ironing in your motel room for your avatar!!!!! :o :o :o ;D ;D ;D

yeah, alert every second is almost not enough. i am a little confused though. i don't know what the hell that thing is you are riding, a motorcycle looks like this.
 vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

or this
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/rolandjpls/pnw_toflhtcu_dom_c22_stw_w1024.jpg)

Clive,

Glad to hear that you didn't take a tumble.  I can relate to your situation.  I wasn't as lucky a couple of months back.

I've been on the other side of that equation.

Seventeen years old or so and driving my mother's car.  It was a sunny, early spring afternoon and I was on my way to pick her up from work.  I had to turn left off a main road into a neighborhood.  I was going east, no sun in my eyes, great visibility, traffic was light.   Nothing headed the other way at all.  So I swing into the turn lane and proceed to pull across the oncoming lane of traffic. 

BOOOOOOMMMM!!!

Dude on a motorcycle hits my right front fender, goes over the handlebars, bounces of the windscreen and tumbles 20 feet down the road off to my left.  I'd pulled right out in front of him.  Farked him up pretty good too even thought he was fully kitted out.

I swear that guy wasn't there.  I don't know if he pulled out fast from somewhere or what but I would have bet a week's wages he didn't come straight down the street.  I wasn't driving crazy.  I wasn't baked.  The circumstances were perfect as regards traffic, visibility, etc.  There's no reason I shouldn't have been able to spot this guy.  But I didn't.

Motorcycling is inherently dangerous even when the rider does everything right.  Sometimes *feces* just happens and when you're sitting loose on top of a few hundred pounds of cold, hard steel it can turn out bad. 

LMFAO!!!!!!  Brilliant!!!!

You guys must be thinking of this:

(http://www.lazboy.com/images/products/glamour/recliners/587_recliner.jpg)

And thanks for wiping up the oil slick before you took those pictures.

Never took you as the jealous type! ;D

Then don't make that mistake now.  :D

I test-rode a Magna years back, but I just didn't like the handling.  We had a Virago 250 as one of our teaching bikes; I rode it (along with all the other bikes in the class) and liked it.  But I prefer the sharper handling, lighter weight and more advanced technology of the sportbike/sport-touring genre.