toddv@copper.UUCP (Todd Vierheller) (02/13/86)
{EAT THIS!} Cross posting because discussion pertains to both groups
(I read net.cycle).
I commute daily on a motorcycle. When traffic backs up for two miles on the
freeway, I drive between 0 and 5 miles per hour like everybody else. I don't
cut down the shoulder or between lanes. (Lane splitters have a death wish.)
While I am prone to the same errors in judgment as everyone else, I don't go
out of my way to be a jerk. I wear bright (BRIGHT) orange when I ride to
increase my visibility in traffic. Still. . .
When riding my motorcycle to and from work every day, I have noticed a
common theme amongst the knotheads of life who:
* Come around curves from the other direction in my lane. (And make no
attempt to get out of my lane when they see me.)
* "Punch it" to pull along side of me just as the road narrows from two
lanes into one. (Attempt to force me off the road.) This works
particularly well if there is a car in front of me. (I can't accelerate
ahead of the slime.)
* Ride right on my rear tire in the slow lane, then just before the exit
from the highway, change lanes as if to pass, and then squeeze into the
1.5 car length (too small anyway) distance between me and the car ahead
of me with a quick lane change. (This is hard to describe, but is
is a typical bonehead maneuver and quite dangerous.)
* Run red lights in an effort to squash my motorcycle.
* Attempt to force their way into my lane (through me) because their lane
is closed and they didn't want to wait in line. "The motorcyclist
won't stand up to a truck will he?" [I refuse to move an inch; so far
none of the slugs have gotten close enough for me to kick their
vehicles. You might question my sanity at this point. I do.]
* Drive the wrong way down WELL MARKED one-way streets when I am visible
and coming the other way. (I most often observe this in corporate
parking lots and in shopping centers with *divided* lanes.)
The single recurring similarity in the vast majority of incidents is that the
idiot in the four wheeled vehicle just happens to be driving a pickup truck.
From this I have concluded that if someone is slightly sub-human, a first
class jerk, and heavily insecure, that person is more likely to buy a pickup
truck than any other vehicle. I guess it has something to do with being
unsure of their own manhood. (Not to be sexist, but I've yet to have a woman
in a pickup pull one of these Neanderthal stunts.)
IMPORTANT: I am not saying everyone who drives a pickup is an emasculated,
insecure, sub-human jerk. I am saying that such a person seems more than
likely to be driving a pickup truck. The difference is important. This type
of cowardly pinhead reflects poorly on all drivers of pickups just as certain
kamikaze kids reflect poorly on all bikers.
Any comments netters? Has anyone else experienced this? I would have expected
the sub-human jerks to drive a variety of vehicles. (Pickups stand out as
those who seem to go out of their way to do these things on purpose.)
Send flames, etc.; hate mail is the most interesting kind.
Todd Vierheller
Tektronix Inc.
PS. I own a car too. It's the lowly Ford Escort SS. Not too fast, not too
pretty, but eminently practical. [And payed for. :-) ]brown@aero.ARPA (Leonard Brown) (02/19/86)
In article <182@copper.UUCP> toddv@copper.UUCP (Todd Vierheller) writes: > >When riding my motorcycle to and from work every day, I have noticed a >common theme amongst the knotheads of life who: > List of extremely familiar infantily behavior here > > >The single recurring similarity in the vast majority of incidents is that the >idiot in the four wheeled vehicle just happens to be driving a pickup truck. >From this I have concluded that if someone is slightly sub-human, a first >class jerk, and heavily insecure, that person is more likely to buy a pickup >truck than any other vehicle. I guess it has something to do with being >unsure of his own manhood. I also notice this behavior on the part of pickup drivers, especially the small Japanese pickups that never seem to be carrying any type of load that would justify their existence. Men buy these things to look "cool" even though they seem to have no real reason to have a pickup instead of a car. Trucks with obviously used toolboxes, or trucks carrying loads, or trucks with the name of a building contractor on the side are less likely to behave in this irrational way. Two other classes of vehicles that annoy me: Pseudo sports cars (300ZX, XR-7, Fiero) that pull into the right third of the lane that I am in the center of, waiting for a signal light, who then try to drag race me across the intersection (they always lose). Automobiles with Jesus-type stickers. Maybe these drivers aren't any more obnoxious than the run of the mill cage driver, but having a sticker on the back bumper claiming the driver's superiority because he believes in St. Paul's mythical Jesus makes it very noticeable when he/she acts in a most un-Christian manner. -- Leonard Brown: brown@aerospace.ARPA brown@aero.UUCP {seismo!hao|tektronix}!hplabs!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!trwrb!trwrba!aero!brown
struve@calma.UUCP (Dimetry Struve) (02/20/86)
I drive a pickup truck (4 wheel drive, no less). I own four motorcycles. I split lanes regularly. I try not to ride in a way that lets cars (or trucks) bother me. Speed up or get out of the slow lane, and people won't tailgate you. Stop wearing that bright orange vest, and they won't aim at you. Seriously, I ignored your posting originally on net.auto, where I expect this kind of narrow-minded attitude, but please keep it off net.cycle.
hodges@ucla-cs.UUCP (02/22/86)
You guys are driving me crazy with laughter, why don't you post to net.jokes as well. >Two other classes of vehicles that annoy me: >Pseudo sports cars (300ZX, XR-7, Fiero) .... > >...Automobiles with Jesus-type stickers. Perhaps some of these comments are useful, but personally I need a little background in order to decide whether you guys are insane or tongue-in-cheek. Please state what state that you ride in, what type of bike that you ride, and how much of the side wall is burned off when you post.
coffin@mot.UUCP (Dracula) (02/24/86)
> * Attempt to force their way into my lane (through me) because their lane > is closed and they didn't want to wait in line. "The motorcyclist > won't stand up to a truck will he?" [I refuse to move an inch; so far > none of the slugs have gotten close enough for me to kick their > vehicles. You might question my sanity at this point. I do.] > > > IMPORTANT: I am not saying everyone who drives a pickup is an emasculated, > insecure, sub-human jerk. I am saying that such a person seems more than > likely to be driving a pickup truck. The difference is important. This type > of cowardly pinhead reflects poorly on all drivers of pickups just as certain > kamikaze kids reflect poorly on all bikers. > I *HAVE* had occasion to kick a vehicle that was forcing it's way into my lane. What I really want for my bike is a browning twin .50 machine gun loaded with paint shells. (like used in the survival game) Then I could turn some of these jerks paint jobs bright orange! so other riders on the road would know that they are out to get them.
laura@hoptoad.uucp (Laura Creighton) (02/25/86)
In article <273@aero.ARPA> brown@aero.UUCP (Leonard Brown) writes: > >I also notice this behavior on the part of pickup drivers, especially the >small Japanese pickups that never seem to be carrying any type of load >that would justify their existence. Men buy these things to look "cool" >even though they seem to have no real reason to have a pickup instead of >a car. I own one motorcycle and no cars or trucks. But the next vehicle I buy is going to be a truck -- probably a small Japanese pickup. Every month I need a truck at least once to carry a load I would like to pick up. I have done without more firewood this winter than I can imagine because I didn't have a handy vehicle. And I like to sit above the traffic rather that down in it. Aside from gas milage, or because you want a sports car, or because you need a family car -- I can't see why you would want a car rather than a truck. But then I have never owned a truck. Anybody care to enlighten me? -- Laura Creighton ihnp4!hoptoad!laura laura@lll-crg.arpa
mth@druhi.UUCP (HamiltonM) (03/04/86)
In response to Laura; For the most part, I agree with your statements. My truck doesn't get used as a truck very often, but it comes in real handy on occasion. I haul firewood once a year. I manage to get asked to help a friend move once or twice a year. And picking up lumber or lawn-mowers or air compressors, etc. is a breeze. Mine is a full-size Ford (and 4X4, which is also real convenient at times). So I can also haul 3 friends easily. That might be tough in a small-size truck - something you might want to consider. Mark Hamilton Denver