Pull Over

[MidlifeMotor]

You guys will like this, but first a disclaimer. This is not a bash of another bike, just a fun little poke at the stereotype of the BMW crowd.

I was running LIDAR ( laser "radar") yesterday morning and had a motorcycle at 56 in a 45. While that's not crime of the century, it's enough for a stop. As he passed, I could see he was on a brand new BMW GS800. I pulled up behind him and turned on my red and blues. Nothing, he kept riding. By his body posture and the way he was riding, I could tell he just didn't know I was behind him. I ended up about two feet behind him, offset a little so he could see me in his left rear view mirror. Nothing still, he kept riding.

We stopped at a red light in the left turn lane. I am now about a foot behind him with my LED red and blues flashing. Nothing. Green arrow comes and we make the turn. I know where he is going. Yep, sure enough he pulls into the Starbucks parking lot. Slow riding through the lot and still nothing. All the Starbucks patrons sitting at the outside tables are watching him ride through the lot with me behind him. He pulls into a parking spot, takes off his helmet, and turns to walk in. THEN he notices me. Of course by now I am standing next to him, so it was hard to miss. He asks me, " How long have you been behind me?" I told him it was a good thing he was coming to Starbucks or we might still be riding down the road. I gave him some advice about the importance of checking the mirrors and being aware of what was behind him at all times.

I rarely cite motorcycle riders if they have safety gear and a proper endorsement, so he got just a warning and my standard speech of watching out for old people turning left. We had a good laugh about it and I recommended he take a safety course (his turns really sucked too).

 

[klunsford]

This is awesome! a brings back lot's of memories of some stops that I had made. ::025:: where the riders were oblivious to what was around them (or behind them).

 

[avc8130]

So did he buy you a double mocha chi latte light?

 

[JJ Moto Addict]

Those mirror doohickey thingamajigers are a novel concept.

But why didn't you turn on the siren?
Seems you just wanted to see how long before the proud BMW owner noticed you.

Great training video!
Maybe if you had an LED screen, he would have noticed. :

 

[iridemotorbikes]

Comedy.... lol

It's amazing how many people don't pay attention. Hopefully he will have a little more situational awareness when riding now.

 

[greg the pole]

a GS at starbuck?
I'm shocked, shocked! ::015::

 

[num]

I was on an unlit road once doing about 60 in a 50 and a cop who was probably sitting in the trees come up behind me with no lights on (I didn't notice him as the dark road was swallowing up my headlight beam) then when he is about a foot off my rear wheel turns on all lights and sirens and in my panic I went off the road. Didn't drop the bike but I twisted my ankle keeping it up. I thought I was about to get rear ended and he was speeding up, while that wasn't he case he didn't play it by the book either.


Thank god for cameras.

Got a nice settlement out of that one.

This was on my Honda Magna

 

[BUGKILLER]

Dosen't everyone ignore you on that Kawasaki. I should have put those Yamaha stickers on your fairing that day in Mesa. Maybe you'd get more respect. ::024:: :'(

 

[MojoToot]

You really should have waited til after he left the Starbucks...then tried again after he was caffeinated.
::013::

 

[MidlifeMotor]

Yes, I admit I didn't use my siren because I wanted to see how far we could ride together. I had a feeling from the get go he was going to Starbucks. It was evident he wasn't the best as a rider, so I didn't need him wrecking if I scared him. A better tactic I use is too just pull up along side and wave them over. I have had several inexperienced motorcycle riders drop their bikes as soon as they stop because they get so nervous. I do feel a sense of obligation to do everything I can to prevent them from doing this.

 

[MidlifeMotor]

I was on an unlit road once doing about 60 in a 50 and a cop who was probably sitting in the trees come up behind me with no lights on (I didn't notice him as the dark road was swallowing up my headlight beam) then when he is about a foot off my rear wheel turns on all lights and sirens and in my panic I went off the road. Didn't drop the bike but I twisted my ankle keeping it up. I thought I was about to get rear ended and he was speeding up, while that wasn't he case he didn't play it by the book either.


Thank god for cameras.

Got a nice settlement out of that one.

This was on my Honda Magna

And you deserved a settlement based on what you wrote. Not cool on his part.

 

[MidlifeMotor]

Dosen't everyone ignore you on that Kawasaki. ::024:: :'(

For some reason everyone asks if it's a BMW. Go figure. I swear one guy asked me if I was sure my motor wasn't a BMW. I pointed to the Kawasaki sticker and told him I was pretty sure it wasn't.

 

[GrahamD]

For some reason everyone asks if it's a BMW. Go figure. I swear one guy asked me if I was sure my motor wasn't a BMW. I pointed to the Kawasaki sticker and told him I was pretty sure it wasn't.

I really think the average punter is only aware of two bikes. These are the ones they seem to see on TV all the time.

Holiday channel.
"Win a Harley motorbike tour on these fabulous bla bla bla..."
"Escape on your choice of a Harley or BMW from bla bla"
"Adventure bike trail rides on a BMW GS as seen on Long way bla bla""

So that ends up with me on a Strom.

Average punter sees jacked up silver bike...
Punter "Nice BMW".
Me "no it's a Suzuki"
Punter - head explodes

On the last tour on the S10 with panniers...
Punter -"I saw you pass me back there, the bike sounds nice and smooth, Those BMW's...bla bla bla"
Me "No it's a YAMAHA Ten er ray"
Punter "A what?"
Me "YAMAHA Ten er ray"
Punter - "A Teenaree"
Me - "Yeah it's like a BMW but it doesn't break as often"
Punter - "Those BMW last forever bla bla..I've only got an old postie bike I've had for 10 years..."
Me "Posties are best adventure bike out there.."
Punter - Head explodes.

[For people that don't live in Australia a "Punter" is someone who is the average wage earner, although people are trying to redefine it to mean anyone on 250,000 a year or less". The term Battler is now replacing Punter for average wage earners. No one seems to want to mention the real "Battlers" any more. The actual poor.

 

[klunsford]

GrahamD, I do like the comment that it's like a BMW but doesn't break as often. ::008::

 

[MeefZah]

. It was evident he wasn't the best as a rider, so I didn't need him wrecking if I scared him. A better tactic I use is too just pull up along side and wave them over. I have had several inexperienced motorcycle riders drop their bikes as soon as they stop because they get so nervous. I do feel a sense of obligation to do everything I can to prevent them from doing this.

You know, just the other day, I stopped a motorcyclist for general recklessness, over revving of his engine at a red light, and no mirrors. It was as you described - I had to get slightly ahead of and next to him, and blip the siren, to get his attention... 'cause he had no mirrors. He freaked out and very nearly went off the side of the road. He was able to stop without dropping the bike, and then sat on it shaking for several minutes. His pillion, who was a younger girl, told me that he was just back from Afghanistan and was having some major coping issues, fear of loud noises and unexpected events, that sort of thing. This, of course, made me feel like a total tool. Once he calmed down we actually had a nice talk, and once I verified his military ID I cut him loose with a warning.

But yeah, I can see how nervous some people in cars are when they get stopped, so with a similarly nervous inexperienced rider I bet quite a few would fail to set their sidestand and go over.

 

[Kevhunts]

...His pillion, who was a younger girl, told me that he was just back from Afghanistan and was having some major coping issues, fear of loud noises and unexpected events, that sort of thing....

Perhaps riding a motorcycle is not the best therapy for him right now?

 

[MeefZah]

Perhaps riding a motorcycle is not the best therapy for him right now?

Yeah, agreed; common sense is sadly not something I can enforce...

 

[JJ Moto Addict]

...common sense is sadly not something I can enforce...

A race for a cure is needed!
Lack of common sense is an epidemic? ::010::

Police given green light to enforce.

PS: Only one of each needed. ::025::

 

[muddysoles]

::025::

The motorcycle mounted police here (Oman) ride Honda CBX 750s. They decided to replace the ageing fleet with BMWs, and after a couple of weeks on the BMWs, they went back to their trusted old steeds - the Hondas. Wonder why ::002::

 

[twinrider]

Me "No it's a YAMAHA Ten er ray"
Punter "A what?"
Me "YAMAHA Ten er ray"

I reckon he would have understood straight off if you had pronounced it like this. http://www.forvo.com/word/t%C3%A9n%C3%A9r%C3%A9/
::024::

Now repeat this five times as fast as you can: Today is a good day to die. ::025::