Thursday Thirteen: #9–13 things I’d like car drivers to know

Aug 22, 2007

Thursday Thirteen: #9–13 things I’d like car drivers to know

Thirteen Things I’d like car drivers to know

When I lane-split past you, it’s not because I’m trying to annoy you or be a smartipants. It’s because while you have air conditioning, I do not. While you have heating, I do not. I am either freezing, or boiling. If I’m hot, I want the air to flow over me more quickly; if I’m cold, I want to get to where it’s warm that bit sooner.
Another reason is that my bikes is air-cooled, i.e. if I sit too long in traffic I’ll end up with an overheating, non-functioning bike.
If you talk on your phone or put your lipstick on while driving, you’re not safe. You are all over the road, you’re going to hit me or someone like me, and then you’ll be regretful until the end of your days.
Yes, my hair is a mess. It’s called helmet hair. It means I’m happy, not that I’m a thug. You can stop sidling away, now.
If you move your car to one side as I split, I will be sending grateful, appreciative vibes your way.
If you look over your shoulder just before you merge, you might see me before I honk at you.
Take notice of this ’70s motorcycle awareness campaign from the UK: Look once. Look twice. Think bike.
There are six million of us (in the USA), and we are not all the same.
Make friends with a biker (here’s one!) and you will see us everywhere, which is a Good Thing.
I only have two wheels. Therefore, I have less traction than you. If you cut sharply in front of me, you run the risk of my parking in your trunk. Neither of us would enjoy this.
Turn your brights off! If you blind me, I’ll just go slower.
Watch for my flashing brake lights; the traffic is slowing down ahead and I’m trying to signal that to you.
Please don’t come hurtling up to intersections behind us or hurtling up to exits from one side. You can slow down sooner, you know, and it makes me less nervous.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. Itâ€™s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Comments

20 Comments, Comment or Ping

burntofferings (2 comments.)

Rxactly!!!

I have not really ridden a bike since I had a back injury, but these are oh so true, well done!

Our list is up as well if you want to stop by and have a look. Happy TT!!!

Aug 22nd, 2007
Journeywoman (2 comments.)

I’ve never really thought about the airconditioning issue. Good list.

Aug 22nd, 2007
Luka (1 comments.)

Great List! My dad, and now my brother are both bikers and I’m always thinkin of them! :-) Happy TT’ing!

Aug 22nd, 2007
Marina (86 comments.)

As always, good advice that us four-wheelers need to have at the forefront of our minds while we’re out there with you.

I’m typing my T13 now…so don’t peek yet!

Aug 22nd, 2007
damozel (3 comments.)

Great advice—and an excellent post. Bikers get a raw deal (but they SHOULD WEAR HELMETS). Helmet hair is kind of windblown and sexy.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Robin (26 comments.)

I never would have thought of the whole air con / heat thing.

Thanks for sharing.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Rasmenia (8 comments.)

Excellent list - I have been out riding many, many times & it’s true that too often people out there with 4 wheels can make you a bit nervous.

…& I don’t see any reason why helmet hair can’t win the fashion show. :)

Aug 23rd, 2007
Kendra (1 comments.)

what a great TT! my husband has an R6 and he would appreciate this as well!! stay safe on your bike!!

Aug 23rd, 2007
Suprina (4 comments.)

Great List. I always try to be very careful around motorcycles because they frighten me.

My van has no air conditioning and it is rough I tell ya in 100+ degree weather.

Thanks so much for stopping by my TT!

Have a great week and weekend!

Happy T13!

Aug 23rd, 2007
J. Lynne (36 comments.)

I never considered the whole physics of the air/heat thing either.

I’m still always extra careful around motorcycles because too many of the riders don’t drive well and make me nervous. Heck, a pack of bicyclists pulled out in front of me a few months ago so I think it’s just everyone who doesn’t think about anyone but themselves on the road. (I’ve been hit twice since moving here.)

ANYWAY, I think #s 11 & 12 should be for any kind of vehicle. When someone turns their brights on behind me, it just blinds me. It does not encourage me to speed up. If I can’t see, I don’t want to hurtle my Jeep even faster while blind toward something unexpected. Duh!

And one of the times I was in an accident it was because the guy tried to pass me in the emergency lane because I had been slowing down due to traffic and had been hitting my brake light. He tried to sue me later claiming I caused the accident by slowing down. That’s what the brake lights were trying to tell him…Duh.

If he could hit my big old Jeep and another car, I can only imagine what could have happened if there’d been a little motorcycle out there too. This is why I like to drive something that protects me.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Susan Helene Gottfried (21 comments.)

You go, Raven! I think I’ve said before that the Tour Manager has a good friend who rides; we’ve learned a lot from him. (And now, it seems our favorite babysitter has a bike, too.)

Aug 23rd, 2007
Lori (4 comments.)

You know, I’ve always wondered how hot/cold it was to be on a bike. Stupidly, I figured that you might get enough wind to make you cooler in the summer but it seemed impossible to be warm enough in the winter. Good things to know, especially for non-biker muggles like myself.

I liked your post about neighbors. Now can you tell my neighbors? They all look at me funny when I welcome them to the neighborhood or offer to mow their grass when they’re down. :-)

Thanks for visiting!

Aug 25th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Bummer on the back injury, burntofferings! I’ll be over to look sometime this week. :)

Aug 25th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Journeywoman: It’s hard to know these things until you’re embroiled in them. :)

Luka: Cool!

Marina: Can I peek yet?

Robin: You’re welcome!

Kendra: Yay for BMWs! Wonderfully engineered bikes.

SHG: Awesome! :)

Aug 25th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Hmm Damozel…mostly helmet hair feels sticky, sweaty and hard to comb. ;)

I always wear a helmet…but I believe in the right of other humans to remove themselves from the gene pool, also. :-P I really honestly think that personal safety *for adults* should not be mandated. But it is, and even if it weren’t, I’d be wearing that full-face helmet.

Aug 25th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Suprina — ooh yes, that would be rough…a van without a/c.

Why do bikes frighten you?

Aug 25th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Lori: In the summer, as long as you’re moving, you’re fine. It’s when you stop in traffic that you get kinda hosed. In winter, you layer up (I started riding in January in England) and there are actually things like heated grips/heated jackets. I just don’t have them or think I will ever get them.

Aug 25th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

JL — yes, there is a kind of natural selection around motorcyclists, I’m afraid.

People can be stupid. I hate it in Scotland when people drive along with their huge brights–it’s totally blinding.

The flip side to a bike is this: you learn to always know what everyone is doing around you, and always have an out. You have enough time to take that out. Obviously, you have more options since you can fit between traffic. :)

Aug 25th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Lori: bummer about your neighbors!

Aug 25th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Only if it’s a helmet hair fashion show. ;)

Aug 25th, 2007