Nomad in the City

[revmrq]

I rode my Nomad into Springfield, Mo. today. It was quite the experience, between cars pulling out in front of me and people seeing how close they can get to my back fender at a stop light. I have taken my last bike into Springfield before, but don't remember such bad drivers. Is it me just being paranoid with my new Nomad or are people getting worse at driving.

On a good note the ride to and from was great. I took 2 lane back roads in and a 4 lane back. The Nomad handled great. and was a joy to ride. I really liked the security i felt on the Nomad in traffic and on the open road around the big trucks.

Looking forward to my next trip. :)

[oldbikers]

Glad to hear you are enjoying your new nomad

[audiogooroo]

Good on ya! Enjoy the ride and take care.
I always keep my idiot detector on high alert! :)

I commute cross-town on a Nomad here, every day.

I don't know about Springfield, but in Fresno someone tries to kill me with a minivan at least once a day. After nearly 5 years you get used to it, but I still curse loudly and shake my fist and make rude gestures.

[pirate]

I would definitely say that drivers have gotten worse about driving around motorcycles around here. One time a person whom I know that had pulled out in front of me while traveling on the highway told me that he saw me coming, and he knew I was on a motorcycle, but his mind told him I was on a pedal bike, so he didn't think I was traveling that fast. I think that is probably what happens to many people: they see two wheels coming and assume that it's a slow moving pedal bike. Scary stuff.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by prairie cruiser

I would definitely say that drivers have gotten worse about driving around motorcycles around here. One time a person whom I know that had pulled out in front of me while traveling on the highway told me that he saw me coming, and he knew I was on a motorcycle, but his mind told him I was on a pedal bike, so he didn't think I was traveling that fast. I think that is probably what happens to many people: they see two wheels coming and assume that it's a slow moving pedal bike. Scary stuff.

Excuse the crude reference here, but I can't help myself.

This is proof that retards shouldn't be issued drivers licenses.

[ringadingh]

I go through that sort of driving almost everyday. I have a 26 mile ride to work, and the town I work in is primarily chinese people. Most of them have no idea how to drive a car. I get cut off about three times a week on average. If anything it has made me a much more defensive driver.
One time on my last bike before the Nomad I was waiting at a red light, I seen a car flying up behind me rather fast. I jumped the bike up on the sidewalk and the guy stopped about 3 feet behind the car that I was originally behind. I got lucky that day as Im not sure that I would be able to do that with the Nomad.

IMO, they (retards) must be the largest growing group of new drivers.

What kills me (nearly) is the A-H's that start to pull into you, and then finally look in their mirror when you make enough noise to get their attention, see you there, and just keep coming!

Some D.H. did this to me just last light. I dropped back and too the left, then behind him and forward. When we go to the next red light I was half a car ahead of him and one lane right.

I gave him "the look", and he just pretended not to see me. So did his wife.

I made a pistol out of my hand like a 6 year old, pointed it at him and pulled the trigger *BANG*.

His head never moved a milimeter. It was like he was glued on a post.

[cactusjack]

When I used to work at our corporate building next to Sky Harbor Airport, I had 21 miles of I-10 to negotiate before the airport exit. Out by where I live, I-10 is rural, so I'd have 3-4 miles of 75 MPH before it dropped to 65. Then, I had another 5-6 miles before the HOV lane began. Up to this point, it's 2 lane interstate with heavy semi truck traffic. Once I hit the HOV lane, I had about 11 miles of that, then had to cross 6 lanes of bumper to bumper traffic in about 1/4 mile to make my exit. Anyone familiar with Phoenix knows what I mean when I say Broadway Curve.

Fortunately, I haven't worked in that building for a year, so my commute now is a lot easier. I have a 16 mile commute now, about half of it it freeway, but I usually take surface streets because the freeway has a daily bottleneck and I'm worried about getting sandwiched between the rear of the car in front of me and the A-H behind me on his/her cellphone.

[csguru]

It's the ^$*#@ cage drivers that don't care about anything but sowing down that Big Mac or calling home to tell wifey / hubby their on the way home, or ultimately a combination of both. All comes under the guise of......

FELONY STUPIDITY

[scott2007nomad]

I always try to have an "out" in case someone trys to share the lane with me.
Happens often around Houston.