Pet Peeves of Riding in Japan!

[Dana]

I'm usually a calm and collected guy , but it seems as of lately that drivers are actually trying to kill me! >

I know you guys all have your pet peeves while riding, and maybe I thought sharing a few would get this "they're all out to get me" bug out of my head.

Here we go in no particular order:

- cars trying to share a lane with me. It doesn't matter if I'm in the right part of the lane, left part, or riding smack down the middle (in the oily zone), cars seem to be riding two wide with me. I was taught never to ride down the center as it's usually oily and debris prone, but it seems like it's the only way any more.

- cars passing me in the same lane. You all know the traffic here...so how in the hell can the driver of any vehicle, yellow plate or big van, think they can pass me safely by using the same lane as me!

- pedestrians in crosswalks. I hate these people when in my car too. My favorite are the bicyclists who fly through out of nowhere or make the instant 90 degree turn into the crosswalk. I'm an avid cyclist and I can't understand for the life of me how someone could not at least look to make sure a car wasn't already on top of them before whipping out.

- trucks. Yep. Hate 'em all...especially the dump trucks. No directionals, run you off the road when they blindly change lanes, turn in front of you from the oncoming lane, parked everywhere on the side of the road napping.

- red light runners. We're not talking 'it turned yellow and they gunned it' red light runners. I'm talking about riding to work at 530am and the van full of construction workers blowing through every stop light they get to.

Did I mention I ride a YELLOW Ducati 996S, always with at least the low beam on, RED leather jacket, wearing a FLUORESCENT helmet and a BRIGHT ORANGE REFLECTIVE VEST. Dry clutch, open cover and the twin makes it LOUD too.

Whew. I think that's it, but tomorrow is another day.

Be safe!

Dana

[mihama01]

Bicycles... I really hate bicycles when they just pull out and ride like they have some invisible force field that is going to protect them.

[lilguns]

man i fell all of those but you forgot about the old ladies with their hand up..... you know the ones. but you know after being here so long and thinking about all the hazards put on us here i always remember riding in southern cali for all those years and going "yeah this is a really good place to ride" besides the whole bike culture out here is way better than any other place i have been to in the us.

just do what i do ride with an mp3 player listening to some calm (keyword calm) music and you will find not only do ride at or near the speed limit but that you also don't get so pissed about everyone doing some dumb stuff.

and hard knuckled gloves do wonders to side mirrors also... hhehehehehe >

[Dana]

Originally Posted by lilguns

...and hard knuckled gloves do wonders to side mirrors also... hhehehehehe >

Well, I had to do it. I stopped at a red light and this large truck (bigger than dump truck) decides to go around me and blow the red. Let's just say, he was so close, the leather/cloth rag that hangs above the front wheel to keep it clean slapped me good as he went by. The wind nearly pushed me over.

Caught him at the next light and my carbon fiber knuckled gloves did the talking to his door.

My first instinct was to drag him out of his truck and beat him within an inch of his life. He came up on me so fast, there wouldn't have been anything I could've done to get out of the way...and we're not talking a light rear ending...I would have been splattered.

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