Is it bad to benefit from obnoxious riders?

[RVFRick]

I mooched off two Harleys today. This afternoon I unexpectedly had to ride to a supplier's shop during rush hour traffic - Mountain View to Fremont on 237 at 3:00 is ugly. I was going easy in the HOV lane and coming up on stopped traffic. For some reason I didn't consider splitting at that point but along came a irate on an obnoxiously loud Harley. T-shirt and skull cap guy roared past me and lane split at a 30-35 delta.

Like Moses parting the Red Sea. He'd just rev bomb his engine and cagers made a wide swath for him. So I joined the party like a duckling following momma. Traffic crawling at 20-25mph, were were doing 55-65. I was outside my comfort zone for sure yet willingly rode the coat tails of the devil :flame. I rationalized my uncharacteristic behavior it by reasoning Mr. point man was taking the majority of the risk. I followed at a safe distance, watched for gaps and covered my brakes. For some reason I think it was more intense for me than HD guy. He obviously rides like this all the time. Practice makes perfect. :applause

Soon enough it was a party arty as we caught yet another Harley wide as hell and flashers on he was also splitting faster than I ever would alone. I caboosed that bullet train all the way to 880: two bosses on American iron with me scampering to bring up the rear. Not certain loud mufflers save lives but they DO save time. Thanks HD dudes! :wave

Oh and cheers to the cagers for making way and being considerate to the inconsiderate Harleys :thumbup

 

[HadesOmega]

I do that all the time. But I will usually split at my own pace, I don't go over 50. But the way I see it is they act as a buffer for you and announce the arrival of motos . It's kind of like if your in a group ride the lead had to worry about everything in front and the followers just follow the lead.

I also enjoy watching them split lanes, it quite amazing watching them go through traffic on those hogs.

 

[Butch]

I think that reduces the risk of the high delta split, but doesn't eliminate it. If someone changed lanes and took out your leader it could be a pretty ugly pile up.

Sure saves time. Unless it doesn't.

 

[ctwo]

They're taking their chances same as anyone. More often than not, when I see a moto on its side around 1 & 2 in traffic, it's a hog.

 

[WWWobble]

A 35mph delta would put me outside my comfort zone too.

Comfort zones are sort of relative things... being outside comfort learning new things at a track day, a controlled environment with instructors and safety equipment is one thing.

Being outside comfort surrounded by heavy metal driven by distracted tired and maybe angry drivers, I dunno about that..... Call me a "chicken." I'd let the Harleys go, give them quite a bit of space, and then split at my own level.

 

[Matty D]

Nothing wrong with it, but it can sort of trade one set of dangers for another. It's easy to be tempted to go faster than you would otherwise in that situation. Also, don't assume that once the leader goes through, drivers will continue to hold a wider line. I often see people move back toward the line once passed, not expecting more motos to come through.

You'd think that a splitting moto would raise awareness that maybe more are coming, but that's just not always the case.

 

[SlideSF]

They must have been pretty experienced Harley riders. Most HDs I encounter splitting can barely keep their bikes upright, weaving between cars at barely over traffic speed. Not only that, they either are not aware of me behind them or else they refuse to pull into a lane and let me pass. I give them a wide berth when I see one up ahead.

 

[GAJ]

Yeah, I never split above my comfort zone and those guys are probably double my comfort zone.

They actually believe that their loud pipes will ALWAYS alert vehicles of their magnificent oncoming presence and all will make way.

And why not, 99 percent of the time it's probably true.

 

[cheez]

I was splitting on 580 on the way home one afternoon and I saw a cruiser coming up behind me QUICK... I yielded to him and it was a HA guy... splitting at 55-70 through traffic doing 5-15... no way was I going to try and keep up, even though the traffic was parting like the red sea for him.

 

[budman]

Yeah, I never split above my comfort zone and those guys are probably double my comfort zone.

They actually believe that their loud pipes will ALWAYS alert vehicles of their magnificent oncoming presence and all will make way.

And why not, 99 percent of the time it's probably true.

+1

 

[Marcoose]

Sorry, OP, my parrot had a pedicure appointment, and they charge extra if he's late. I really had to rush. :laughing

Nah, I let these guys go. Don't want to be associated with or caught-up in a melee if somebody wants to teach them a lesson.

 

[Whammy]

Whammy will follow a hog rider but not go outside his comfort zone.
We have spitting guidelines to follow from the CHP.:thumbup:teeth

 

[thepretender]

If the delta between you and the object you hit is more than 25 mph no matter what gear you have on death will be the outcome. Wave and wish them luck next time. Just not worth the risk.

 

[moto-rama]

Hmmm

Coming home from B.C. in the LandSmasher we followed a Harley Dude on I-5 north of Seattle. I tucked El Kabong behind him in traffic to keep tailgaters off him as we crawled through afternoon commute traffic.

As much as I love Washington State, riders there are at a tremendous disadvantage in heavy traffic. Without lane-sharing they are fair game for all the asshole drivers that live there. Add to that all the rain in the Winter and it wouldn't be fun to commute there at all.

 

[Pking]

I rode the tail of a couple of bike cops splitting one time. Cagers can get frustrated when bikers are splitting, but when they see a cop in their mirror creeping up on them it's like they go "Oh sh#t!" and move over quick. That was nice smooth & long split that day.