Last weekend we made a trip around Lake Michigan and 90% of the ride was great. We started in Elkhart, IN which is only about an hour from the lake. We went up the east coast, across the Mackinac Bridge into the Upper Peninsula and rode the coast back down the western side. On I94 south into Chicago, traffic was thick but fast. Cruising around 70 mph with a friend, also on a SG, in front of me. This is an 8 lane highway and people were constantly changing lanes. If I gave my friend much more than a car length, then a car would jump in between us. I was fine until a large white SUV didn't see my friend and moved right into his lane - he did the only thing he could and bailed into the lane beside him almost hitting another car. When the driver realized what she had done she quickly moved back over. He said she was on her phone and that when he laid on his horn she jumped. After witnessing all of this, I went from very alert to feeling a lot of anxiety. We finally pulled over on the Indiana toll road and I was literally exhausted. I've never felt this way on a bike before and I've been riding for 20 years. I really love to ride and have a ton of confidence in my abilities, but that Chicago traffic was no fun. Has anyone else felt a lot of anxiety in high traffic areas or is this just something I need to get over?
Riding in Traffic
- Thread starter tcuzz
- Start date
I feel your pain and I ride pretty relaxed most of the time in the rural areas. When I'm in or around cities I get very defensive and yes it can be very stressful. I ride kind of like everybody is trying to run over you and kill you and it's worked pretty good so far. Almost got it the other day but avoided it because I was watching the other driver.
I used to ride to our data center every morning. Office moved to Westlake. Tx. With the 10 feeder rodes into the highway, it's maddening, and I don't ride there. I've seen one guy at a stop sign, with the cars bumper stuck under his rear fender. Another with his flashers on all the way in.. pretty good idea.
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Having been a victim of a car/motorcycle crash, I can tell you that you probably will never get over that feeling, completely. It will subside/lessen over time, as confidence returns..... but it's always there.
Confidence in your ability is one thing, confidence in others is a little tougher....especially with all the distracted drivers on the road.
Situational awareness, thumb on horn button, a finger or two on the brake lever and having an exit plan instills some confidence that can let you enjoy your next ride..... but it does detract from the enjoyment.
Ride safe.
Confidence in your ability is one thing, confidence in others is a little tougher....especially with all the distracted drivers on the road.
Situational awareness, thumb on horn button, a finger or two on the brake lever and having an exit plan instills some confidence that can let you enjoy your next ride..... but it does detract from the enjoyment.
Ride safe.
I ride mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area- to get the hell out of Dodge, so we lane split, or ‘lane sharing’ as it’s legally called. I hate it, but I do it when necessary. I’m usually in 2nd gear, going slowly, flashers on (I have CD Dynamics rings & they are much brighter than OEM), high beam on, right foot resting on the rear brake, two fingers on the front brake, left hand on the clutch, and head on a constant swivel. It is truly amazing the high percentage of cars that move over to extend the room between cars. I have only commuted half dozen times on my bike- that’s not why I bought it. With my office in San Jose- some 75 miles from my home, there have been a couple of times when I had to split lanes for over 25 miles- crazy, white knuckle riding. Just this week I had to commute (daughter had my car), and traffic was nearly stopped on west bound Highway 4 at 5:30 AM-It was still dark outside. I Rode a couple of miles splitting lanes and came up on 2 of the 4 lanes were closed. There was a crotch rocket, and pieces of it, layed down in the number 4 lane with the rider layed out on the pavement about 20 feet from the bike. He must have been getting on the on ramp when something bad happened. This occurred probably less than 2 minutes before I approached. Definitely got me puckered.
Like most of us, we are very aware riders and I ride anticipating that the cars don’t see me and are unaware of me. I also don’t ride like a dick (mostly). 90% of the accident scenes I see involve crotch rockets. But just last Friday, 5 of us were riding up I-80 to Reno, and a semi was going uphill, had momentum and was coming up on another slower moving semi and decided he was going to change lanes to maintain momentum. My bro in front of me got pushed over onto the left shoulder- travelling about 70 mph, and throttled hard to get past the truck. Luckily no debris was on the shoulder. A few miles up the road near Truckee, CA, another bro was next to a small white car and that driver just moved over into his lane- when my bro was travelling right next to him. That small white car had Federal plates on it- what a dick!
I accelerate past cars on the freeway to minimize time spent next to them. I keep in mind the blind spots and move to the far left side of the lane in case they start to maneuver into my lane. Oh yeah texting is a huge problem, and a lot of people like to smoke weed and drive. They will usually start drifting into your lane and then realize they are operating a vehicle. I will and do go far out of my way to take a back road to avoid freeways. Last weekend I had my daughter on the back and went 2 hours out of the way to avoid I-80 and have 85% two lane through the Sierras.
Be aware out there man.
Like most of us, we are very aware riders and I ride anticipating that the cars don’t see me and are unaware of me. I also don’t ride like a dick (mostly). 90% of the accident scenes I see involve crotch rockets. But just last Friday, 5 of us were riding up I-80 to Reno, and a semi was going uphill, had momentum and was coming up on another slower moving semi and decided he was going to change lanes to maintain momentum. My bro in front of me got pushed over onto the left shoulder- travelling about 70 mph, and throttled hard to get past the truck. Luckily no debris was on the shoulder. A few miles up the road near Truckee, CA, another bro was next to a small white car and that driver just moved over into his lane- when my bro was travelling right next to him. That small white car had Federal plates on it- what a dick!
I accelerate past cars on the freeway to minimize time spent next to them. I keep in mind the blind spots and move to the far left side of the lane in case they start to maneuver into my lane. Oh yeah texting is a huge problem, and a lot of people like to smoke weed and drive. They will usually start drifting into your lane and then realize they are operating a vehicle. I will and do go far out of my way to take a back road to avoid freeways. Last weekend I had my daughter on the back and went 2 hours out of the way to avoid I-80 and have 85% two lane through the Sierras.
Be aware out there man.
I agree with always have an exit plan. When I am on multi lane roads, I never ride or pace with traffic if possible. I like to ride as if I'm always exiting and traveling faster than traffic. I know most HD drivers tend to stay right lane at the speed limit for the most part. I get anxious when I am blocked in and unable to maneuver.
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White knuckle riding at its best....I live in SoCal and traffic is hectic most of the time. I have had to "lane-split" on the 101 from the 405 to Ventura, about 50 miles and by the time I get to my destination, I am dead-tired. I have also had people cut me off while lane-splitting, yelling at me, giving me the California "howdy".... I have also had people getting on the freeway and zipping right thru my lane, cutting me off....its a dangerous world out there on the freeways.
