Street Safety ?

[KKM]

I was going back and forth about saying something but I believe this needs to be talked about. On our last ride coming back the rider in front of me missed his line and drifted over the center by 3-4 feet. No problem because there was no cars. Lucky him. Next was what I thought was a very questionable pass. Speed 60-70 passing one car with another coming at us. All three were even as the rider was passing the car on the right. I am about 75' behind and if anything bad happened I would have been in it to. Let me know if this is the place to discuss this.
Kevin

[dub]

What exactly is it you would like to discuss?  Is your goal of this thread to educate or ostracize?

Every rider has to make his/her own decisions about how to ride on the street.  If you don't like someone else's decision you have three choices, as I see it.  Talk to the person to see if they want to change their behavior (which is kind of what you have done here, I guess), leave the ride or just keep your distance and let the cards fall where they may.

I was on the ride and I don't know who you are talking about (could be me).

[n10sive]

 

[KKM]

I believe one goal should be to become a better rider by learning from people that are better than I am. If during this time a person endangers himself and possibly the riders around him than I think something needs to be said. I am hoping that by just starting this thread that it will be enough.
Kevin

[dub]

OK, so education it is.

Crossing the center line -
In my short riding career I have definitely been guilty of this on more than one occasion.  When riding the twisties, I consider crossing the center line a cardinal sin and tantamount to a crash.  The two skills to be applied in order to avoid crossing the yellow line are setting entry speed and looking through the corner.  If you come in to a corner hot, you may have no choice but to run wide.  If you find yourself drifting to the outside, remember to continue to look through the corner.  As soon as your gaze shifts across the line to the other lane, that's where you are going. 

Passing -
I use a very simple piece of advice given to me by Jerome on my first SSA ride:  Don't think you can make the pass, KNOW you can make the pass.

[GreenMachine]

KKM,  I think typically you can just ask the rider in a Private Message what they were doing and inform them that you felt endangered.   I've ridden with many experienced riders who have reputations for 'mad skilz.'  Most really do have exceptional abilities to control whatever is thrown at them, but on occasion I've seen them make a mistake or two.   A few of these riders may have exception skilz on the track, but their street skilz are lacking, in my opinion. I chalk it up to experience for them and myself.  Even the best rider makes mistakes or questionable judgements every now and then.  On the street, the road surface (sand, gravel, branches, pot holes, etc), may contribute to someone overshooting a corner or riding in a way they wouldn't normally.

Try to find riders you feel comfortable riding with, of equal or better talent and whom you have an understanding with...in that, they will not knowingly put you in an uncomfortable situation.  Some riders pass slow, some fast, some only if they're absolutely sure there's a clear road for a mile, and others not so much.  Whomever it is, you might want to fall to the back of the pack and later make the excuse you were needed back home, departing the ride. 

Having fun, comradery, learning new roads, and improving one's riding skills are what makes group rides rewarding.  Unfortunately, we cannot always control the actions of others or the circumstantial situations that present themselves.  I'd ask any rider to make whatever judgement they feel they need to make that reduces the danger to themselves and others.

p.s. I can say that I've only spoken privately to other riders whom I know, about an overshot corner or their bike getting very happy under them.  The few that I didn't feel comfortable with on the road I never reported to them my perception of their odd riding behavior.  Instead, if they showed up for a ride, I just wouldn't ride around them. 

 

[Team Gorgonzola]

Kevin, this IS the right place. I am glad you are talking about it. I have made mistakes as well and was lucky enough not to pay the price. I have gotten better and safer with years passing. My approach have always been "positive criticism", you know; cast the first stone kinda deal. If I see such behavior I make the point to find the person and talk to them about being safer, group minded and even recount a story about me holding someone's leg, that look like hamburger from the knee down, because of a low-side (riding too fast for the skill level) resulting in a yellow line crossing and consequent running over by a medium size truck. Let's not forget that a crash in a group ride also mean a ruined ride, a huge hassle for the other riders in the group and weeks of worries if not worse. Passing should be "gentle",NOT wide open gas and screaming engine, and a salute to the driver that have just been passed. Let's be safe and save the "performance riding" for the racetrack

[Team Gorgonzola]

I was on the ride and I don't know who you are talking about (could be me).

Dammit Dub...I can't leave you alone one minute and you're getting in trouble.....

[GreenMachine]

I was on the ride and I don't know who you are talking about (could be me).

Dammit Dub...I can't leave you alone one minute and you're getting in trouble.....

Who said it was Dub?  I don't think it has been established yet who the rider was.  It could have been me.  If it was, I better lay off the meth.   

[22SLOW]

could have been me going thru those sharp apexed turns GM was talking about, but I didn't pass unless there was plenty of open road ahead.....I'm a chicken that way.  Don't like seeing the front of oncoming traffic heading straight at me.  I passed every car on the left...I didn't pass on the right side of a car....if I am reading your post correctly about the passing of the slower traffic.

[wtw1ster]

I think I know who the rider was and being familiar with that person I'm pretty sure I can explain their reasoning. This guy was approximately 75 feet in front of KKM at one point. There was a corner in the road and seeing no cars he purposely decided to "cut the corner", drifting over the line no more than 24 inches and knowing full well the associated risk and reaction time it would have taken to avert a disaster. I believe there was another point at which this rider was following KKM. KKM went to make a pass and he followed without hesitation, despite the oncoming vehicle. This person felt very confident in their tight passing maneuver due to having made similar passes frequently in the past. Riders that have ridden in LA have to quickly become accustomed to safe lane sharing and are very familiar with passing on the double yellow with oncoming and/or tight traffic. In both circumstances this guy probably felt very confident in his ability to appropriately mitigate the risk;however, probably didn't think much of what the other rider thought due to performing very similar moves time and time again with an old clan. He's not the type of guy to be a smart ass about things and I'm sure he didn't mean to offend anyone, that said, those moves were considered appropriate and acceptable in past clans. Everyone enjoys a safe ride with no accidents, but some people will push their boundaries further than others.

[n10sive]

so, no more than 24" is better than, say...36"? 

[GreenMachine]

Damn city slickers!