dm_johnson@xanadu.DEC (02/21/86)
>I have noticed that when a rider like Todd is very cautious and wears >orange .... that >automobile driver tend to intimidate them or try to intimidate them. > >On the other hand is the rider in full, black leathers ..... >Noone ever rides his tail or cuts him off ... Funny you should mention that. For several years I rode a honda 350 and then a 550. I had this green open face helmet and I wore various rather light weight jackets. Since it was a big city I rode *extremely* defensively. But I always had cars trying to take my hole to swing from the left lane across 3 lanes to the exit ramp, etc. Even though I was rubbernecking traffic and trying to make eye contact and all the good recommendations. I added a leather jacket (black was all they had at this shop) because I was beginning to feel paranoid but it never really seemed to change anything. But my current bike is black. I really wanted another color but black was all they had. And it has a full cafe fairing and comes across looking something like the bike in the tv show Street Hawk. Because of various reasons I went looking for a new helmet 9 months later. I wanted a full coverage helmet and the only thing I could find in my size was ... black. I don't ride any differently defensive wise. But you know.... People don't try to brush me anymore. When people tailgate me I slow a little bit and look over my shoulder at them and I don't have a problem anymore. I'm not macho. I eat quiche. I'm fairly sensitive. And when I think about all the ramifications I could get upset. But the overall package, even though I never set out to do it, seems to intimidate people. I also strip the jacket as soon as I get off the bike. People seem to be more comfortable with me that way. Just thoughts Ride on Dennis Johnson
vix@well.UUCP (Paul Andrew Vixie) (02/25/86)
Time to add my story... I rode a Honda 550 for several years (got a BMW R100 now though!), and during those years I first added then later removed a complex array of saddlebags, racks, backrests and bumpers. The day I removed it all, i.e., went back to a "stock" rear-end, five (5.0) people tried to kill me on the San Francisco Bay Bridge (which I had commuted daily for a year). No change in my driving habits; people just zoomed up from behind me and changed lanes at the last minute, or crossed behind me with only inches to spare... This continued (at a lesser pace: I was learning (again) how to drive so as not to give people the opportunity to take my life) for a week. Finally I put the junk back on. The nastiness ceased immediately. Sooooo, "get a big bike, or make your small one look bigger with some luggage". Paul Vixie {dual hplabs lll-crg}!well!vix