I'm A Cranky Old Lone Wolf

[johnf514_imp]

I'm with Flyrider. Nothing wrong with a fellow rider hanging on my six, just keep some distance in the twisties.

[Nortoon_imp]

Keeping a comfortable distance was the problem. He rode like we were in a cruiser flock.

If I encounter a biker, I follow about 300 feet back for both his comfort and mine. If he is riding slower than me I pass him when it is safe. Easy to do with a 1140cc motor.

If I encounter a cruiser flock, I find a place to pull over for a rest stop.

I am retired, so I ride on weekdays when there is little traffic on the back roads. The clubs and wannabe racers are usually out on the weekends along with the boat trailers and RVs.

Promised myself I would ride twice a week this summer, but it rained from mid-April to the last week in July. So if someone spoils my day ride I get crankier than normal.

[johnf514_imp]

Nothing wrong with that at all, Nortoon. Solo riding is freedom at it's finest.

[ClassicVW_imp]

I'm similar to Nortoon's way of thinking. But I'm a little worse because I'm retired LEO, so I'm suspicious of anyone that suddenly appears too close. And being here in Joisey, there's lots of attitude out there that I'm quite capable of meeting head on, but at this point in life, I'm not looking for a fight and I'd just rather avoid sticky situations.

[the Ferret]

Keeping a comfortable distance was the problem. He rode like we were in a cruiser flock.

If I encounter a biker, I follow about 300 feet back for both his comfort and mine. If he is riding slower than me I pass him when it is safe. Easy to do with a 1140cc motor.

If I encounter a cruiser flock, I find a place to pull over for a rest stop.

I am retired, so I ride on weekdays when there is little traffic on the back roads. The clubs and wannabe racers are usually out on the weekends along with the boat trailers and RVs.

Promised myself I would ride twice a week this summer, but it rained from mid-April to the last week in July. So if someone spoils my day ride I get crankier than normal.

[PowerDubs_imp]

Keeping a comfortable distance was the problem. He rode like we were in a cruiser flock.

If I encounter a biker, I follow about 300 feet back for both his comfort and mine. If he is riding slower than me I pass him when it is safe. Easy to do with a 1140cc motor.

If I encounter a cruiser flock, I find a place to pull over for a rest stop.

I am retired, so I ride on weekdays when there is little traffic on the back roads. The clubs and wannabe racers are usually out on the weekends along with the boat trailers and RVs.

Promised myself I would ride twice a week this summer, but it rained from mid-April to the last week in July. So if someone spoils my day ride I get crankier than normal.

300 feet? Did I read that right?

Come to NJ and hop on Rt 78 or Rt 80- lucky to get 10 feet. Anything more than that and somebody will pull in front of you. Back off the new guy more than 10 feet and somebody else is pulling in.

Oh- and this is while everybody is doing 80mph+ while drinking coffee and texting.

[Tezza_imp]

Many years ago I was riding my Z1 from Melbourne to Woolongong. It was winter time and I was all rugged up in my thermals, leathers and a RAAF flying suit over the top. Somewhere north of Albury I could see a lone tail light way ahead of me. It was about 9pm and the ride had been pretty lonely so i thought I would catch up to this fellow motorcyclist. Cranking up the speed didn't seem to be making much headway and I thought this guy must be moving at a fast pace. Finally I crested a rise and there he was. By then I had nearly reached escape velocity and I shot past him as he was only traveling at the speed limit. Since I was already comfortable with my faster speed I decided to keep going and watched him slowly disappearing behind me. I stopped in Gundagai at a roadhouse and filled up,took a leak and grabbed a coffee. Just as i pulled out on to the highway i saw him turn into the roadhouse so I gave a wave and pressed on. Getting pretty cold now and was below 0c not including the chill factor. Finally I arrived in Goulburn to thaw out at another roadhouse as they had a nice open fireplace. Just as I got off the bike in comes the same guy again. He was riding a 650 Yamaha.He was wearing a pair of slacks,shoes and socks and a thin vinyl jacket and gloves. Poor bugger was almost frozen and all he wanted to do was to catch up and ride with someone. He was in the army and was travelling to Sydney. Unfortunately I had to tell him I was turning off the highway just a little way up the road and I left him sitting in front of the fireplace trying to warm up.

[Townie_imp]

Coming down from Ompah on a quiet twisty road I had a young lad on a cruiser glue himself to my tail. Probably a pack animal from one of the local cruiser clubs. I slow on the straights hoping he will get bored and pass. No luck.

I move to the line when he does, but he just moves to edge of the lane. I move the edge of the lane and he moves to the line. Well trained pack animal I think to myself. But I'm a lone wolf a really don't like someone this close.

So now its time to get ugly. I scream through every corner I can throwing caution to the wind hoping his low riding cruiser will scrap up a few sparks and back him off. He does slow down, but quickly makes it up in the straits. This guys worse that a deer fly.

And then it happens. I just passed the turn for South Lavant Road I was searching for. I turn the right signal light on and slow to a stop on the shoulder of the road. He stops behind me. I signal left and pull a U-turn. He continues on his way. Thank God, now I can enjoy my ride again.

LOL, that was good imagery......

[dave]

I do not enjoy people riding close to me on the road, especially people I do not know. What especially irritates me is when some clown passes me on the RH side of my lane (I ride to the LH side of the lane). Had some Hell's Angels clowns do this to me about 10 years ago when I was riding my VFR on the back roads, east of San Diego. The first clown roared by me unexpectedly, about 12 inches off to my side, and scared the crap out of me. When I saw the second clown making his move I shook my right foot out to let him know that I did not appreciate that, and he spit as me as he passed (he missed). I followed them for several miles, at a safe distance, up until we came to a red light. They had stopped several seconds before I rolled up behind them and the second clown pulled a blackjack out from beneath his jacket and turned and looked right at me. I decided it was a good idea to keep going straight (they were turning left, the way I wanted to go), so I signaled to him that he was number one and sped off just as the light changed. The roads were very twisty, and they didn't even bother to follow me, and I never saw them again.

[Stichill_imp]

I will hang back from a group ahead and will not crowd a lone rider on the open road. However at a stop light I have no problem riding up alongside another rider. Most of the time riders are slightly surprised / amused but not put off. Once in a while a rider will look over at me like, "Why are you here?"

Sorry, but if you're such a snowflake that another rider pulling up beside you at a stoplight triggers your personal space reflex...too bad! I'm not going to indulge that level of unsociability from another rider. Two bikes can occupy a lane at a light. It's goofy to stop behind a single bike ahead.