Just because you're paranoid...

[Ludolf]

Yep, the same phenomenon happens to me every now and then, both with a car and motorcycle. Whenever I tried to fight it (meaning to push by force my right) it only added oil to the fire, bringing me closer to even more dangerous situation, one after another within minutes if not seconds.

Learned my lesson and now, when I receive a first sign of it, I just pull back, slow down and often take a different road, longer but with less traffic. And if this happens on a long ride, well then it is time for a coffee
Better arriving late then in a coffin. Heard a story once about father who took his son, after getting his driving certificate, to a local cemetery. He took him to a tombstone on which was written "here lies the one who had a right of passage"
Mighty strong lesson...

 

[2wheels4fun]

I notice the same things but it seems to run in cycles for me. I could have days to weeks with just minor idiots mistakes and then wham, one day everybody is out to get me. Sometimes I think I might put myself in bad spots, but after thinking about it over the next few days, I think I was not in bad spots, just really bad drivers.

 

[deedub]

I think the current car design trends are making things worse. Smaller and smaller windows, higher and higher beltlines, until everyone is driving a bunker on wheels and no one can see where they're going.

 

[The Tourist]

Well, I know what you mean.
Some people really don't look. There minds are wondering. They do stupid things.
I work on the FASTRAK on all the bridges here in the san Francisco bay area and everytime I walk out into a lane, I make sure I look at least 3 times and always looking for on coming cars. You just never know. Last thing that I want is to get crushed or killed.

Always be cautious. Wear HI-VIS if you can. My helmet is Hi-Vis and also wear a Hi-vis vest. I know, I am overly cautious.

Be safe,
Ken

Is it me or do you find more people let you go when you wearing high viz helmet?

 

[Jimmy_Pop]

If you stay out of Houston.

Honestly, it's not that bad here. I'm a new rider, less than a year, and have never had any issues on the Houston highways. Of course, I do not weave in and out of traffic like a bloody idiot, I am very cautious. There are HOV lanes all over that motorcycles can get on to escape the traffic. Houston is huge with lots of backroads and alternate routes you can take.

 

[Chestnut]

Deedub- I think the 'advancements' in car design have a lot to do with the quality of driving. And not just that the design of the car makes it more difficult to operate safely (most of the new cars I've driven feel like rocket ships, the front windshield somewhere out there, beyond reach, and the rear aaaaallllllll the way back there, more a porthole than anything, with only shadows between), but the car does so much for you, you're less driving and more vaguely pointing it in some direction. I think it started with the automatic transmission. (No offense to those of you on a DCT, we're all in this two wheeled adventure together) But every year some new feature (blind spot monitoring, parking assistance, automatic braking?!) dumbs down cars just a little bit more, and dumbs down drivers with it. Then they add 'infotainment' systems, so instead of using muscle memory to reach over and twist the volume, or hit a different station's preset, you're scrolling through menus even to switch between trip and odometer. How does this sound like a good idea?

 

[Dejenn]

I just did a 2500 mile trip to New Orleans and back and had less issues in 7 days of riding that in a single daily commute. And I live in Omaha, NE for Pete's sake.

I have noticed that since I got a HIVIS jacket more people seem to see me better.

I do operate under the DAD principle. All other drivers are as "Dumb As Dirt". Now I am not sure I like the acronym, but so far the principle has been working for me during my 8 years of motorcycle riding.

 

[Chestnut]

Maybe it's the rat race that makes everyone so crazy. We should all boycott it and go for a ride instead...

 

[pahondafan]

I just did a 2500 mile trip to New Orleans and back and had less issues in 7 days of riding that in a single daily commute. And I live in Omaha, NE for Pete's sake.

I have noticed that since I got a HIVIS jacket more people seem to see me better.

I also wear a hi-viz vest and a yellow helmet. Yes, I look super dorky on my silver bike but people seem to see me.

I would hate to lose any of the people I have met on this forum.

 

[Chestnut]

I have a white helmet and a black jacket. My next jacket will probably be silver or some hiviz color (if I can find one that fits - big if), my next helmet will probably be white, as I suspect I'll be adopting my mom's instead of buying a new one. I really should wear my safety vest...