In my estimation, passing is potentially one of the most dangerous manuvers in motorcycling. An encounter with another motorcyclist today kinda spurred me to create this thread.
So, I see this guy come up behind me on some kind of naked (I never did see what kind of bike), so I wrung the gixxer a bit for some fun and he eventually catches up, its all good. Then we come up on a slower bike ahead, and we were blocked in by double yellow and blind curves, so I was just gonna wait per my standard method, until it was safe to pass. Well, this guy just rides in the oncoming lane past both of us (a pretty long time in the oncoming lane to pass both), despite it being a blind curve, double yellow, and hills.
So, yeah sure, nothing happened, it's all good right? He had complete control. Well, I caught up to him a stretch later, and he was boxed in by a car, and does the same thing with the same blind pass. Well, here is my point, you can do this a hundred times and statistically nothing will happen, maybe even a slow car comes head on and you swerve back into your own lane (rude and dangerous, but everyone lives). Now, how about another sportbike comes along at a hot pace leaned over, and this guy is coming head on in the wrong lane on a blind curve. Again, statistically this may be a low probability encounter, but it does happen, and it usually doesn't end well.
So, here are my quick thoughts on passing:
1) double yellows are double for a reason, if you have a real slow vehicle, and a good line of site, then yeah pass, but passing more than one is never a good idea
2) double yellows even on straights with no blind hills are sometimes double due to cross traffic ahead, look for cars up the way waiting to pull out
3) passing slowing vehicles is always dangerous, a lot of these country folk just don't use blinkers and slow and turn without warning, no brakes, no blinker, they just coast to their ranch road and swerve onto it at the last minute, possibly crossing you as you attempt to pass
4) passing more than one vehicle is also dangerous due to longer time in oncoming lane, and possibility the lead vehicle is preparing to turn.
5) I like to make myself known behind the vehicle I am going to pass, use blinker, then move into oncoming lane, then accelerate past, giving them as much information on my intent as possible.
6) watch out for slowing large trucks (dump trucks, etc), they may signal turning right, but then at the last minute they go left practically using up the entire oncoming lane to do a big wide right turn.
The head on collision is the obvious danger, but the slowing vehicles preparing to turn are the really dangerous ones to me, if they turn in front of you just as you are accelerating, there may literally be no way out or time to stop, you are in a trap and you will collide or crash. At least with a head on, you can swerve back into your lane possibly at the last minute.
Most of you may already know about these gotchas, and they apply mostly to these little 2 lane back roads, which is primarily where I ride. My philosophy on passing is when I get boxed in, I just chill and wait for a safe time to pass, even if it is on the best curves; and when the roads are clear, I get to haul ass, it's just part of the game, you take the good with the bad. But, to pass every car anytime you want, as if nothing bad could ever happen, well you simply haven't given enough thought to the what if's. Maybe I am overly cautious, but I really see passing as a potential for disaster, but one that we have some control over. Be safe out there.
So, I see this guy come up behind me on some kind of naked (I never did see what kind of bike), so I wrung the gixxer a bit for some fun and he eventually catches up, its all good. Then we come up on a slower bike ahead, and we were blocked in by double yellow and blind curves, so I was just gonna wait per my standard method, until it was safe to pass. Well, this guy just rides in the oncoming lane past both of us (a pretty long time in the oncoming lane to pass both), despite it being a blind curve, double yellow, and hills.
So, yeah sure, nothing happened, it's all good right? He had complete control. Well, I caught up to him a stretch later, and he was boxed in by a car, and does the same thing with the same blind pass. Well, here is my point, you can do this a hundred times and statistically nothing will happen, maybe even a slow car comes head on and you swerve back into your own lane (rude and dangerous, but everyone lives). Now, how about another sportbike comes along at a hot pace leaned over, and this guy is coming head on in the wrong lane on a blind curve. Again, statistically this may be a low probability encounter, but it does happen, and it usually doesn't end well.
So, here are my quick thoughts on passing:
1) double yellows are double for a reason, if you have a real slow vehicle, and a good line of site, then yeah pass, but passing more than one is never a good idea
2) double yellows even on straights with no blind hills are sometimes double due to cross traffic ahead, look for cars up the way waiting to pull out
3) passing slowing vehicles is always dangerous, a lot of these country folk just don't use blinkers and slow and turn without warning, no brakes, no blinker, they just coast to their ranch road and swerve onto it at the last minute, possibly crossing you as you attempt to pass
4) passing more than one vehicle is also dangerous due to longer time in oncoming lane, and possibility the lead vehicle is preparing to turn.
5) I like to make myself known behind the vehicle I am going to pass, use blinker, then move into oncoming lane, then accelerate past, giving them as much information on my intent as possible.
6) watch out for slowing large trucks (dump trucks, etc), they may signal turning right, but then at the last minute they go left practically using up the entire oncoming lane to do a big wide right turn.
The head on collision is the obvious danger, but the slowing vehicles preparing to turn are the really dangerous ones to me, if they turn in front of you just as you are accelerating, there may literally be no way out or time to stop, you are in a trap and you will collide or crash. At least with a head on, you can swerve back into your lane possibly at the last minute.
Most of you may already know about these gotchas, and they apply mostly to these little 2 lane back roads, which is primarily where I ride. My philosophy on passing is when I get boxed in, I just chill and wait for a safe time to pass, even if it is on the best curves; and when the roads are clear, I get to haul ass, it's just part of the game, you take the good with the bad. But, to pass every car anytime you want, as if nothing bad could ever happen, well you simply haven't given enough thought to the what if's. Maybe I am overly cautious, but I really see passing as a potential for disaster, but one that we have some control over. Be safe out there.
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