Posted by Michael Bechler on July 19, 2001 at 18:36:28:
I've just started to ride again after 10 years, and
the first thing I noticed (once I got used to being
on 2 wheels again) is that motorcyclists are a lot
more agressive about about passing stopped or slow
moving cars in the spaces between lanes.
I'm interested in finding out what's polite and what's
rude. I know that when I'm in a car stuck in traffic
and a motorcycle passes me in the space between the
lanes, I don't mind. But if there are three or four
cars at a light and a motorcycle uses the space to
pass them, I'm not so sure -- it feels like someone
has cut in the line, even though the cycle will probably
blast ahead and no one will ever see him again.
The other day on a mountain road a motorcycle passed
in the gap between me (in my car) and an oncoming
car, risking his own neck and scaring both of us
(and especially my passenger). I don't mind a guy
risking his own neck, but manners are still manners,
and people who treat people rudely give motorcycles
a bad name.
I was quite happy to find out that motorcyclists still
nod at each other, stop to help if you're stuck (I
was out of gas and the reserve position saved me),
and signal if there's a policeman up ahead (a downward
motion of the hand).
Mike