Driving and Cellphones

I think that the new mandatory hands free use for cellphones while driving law will probably be a good thing. Now, before I get attacked for being a anti-cellphone nutcase, I do own a cellphone, and I do talk on it while I'm driving. So, No I'm not a nutcase, I'm a hypocrite! I honestly think that this could be a good law.

In my travels on my motorcycle about 4000 miles, I was able to learn some very important lessons to keep myself alive.

1. Always expect the other drivers to not see you, and assume that they are trying to run you over.
2. Always look for the person on a cellphone; people on cellphones rarely turn their head to look before changing lanes. They do a really quick mirror check, and then the gun it into the other lane!
3. Know drivers blind spots.

There are a few more, but these are sufficient for this rant.



Sure, many devices take the focus of a driver off the road: phones, gps, radio, tv.. so on, but I would say that in my observation, more than 80% of the drivers that accidentally cut me off while I was riding my motorcycle, were on the phone.

I was cruising up I-25 in the left lane keeping up with the fast lane traffic. (the slow lane is usually more dangerous to a biker because of all the merging) Just after I passed I-70 I noticed a car in my left mirror that was making erratic maneuvers. I kept my eye on the car, and noticed that the driver was in a very animated conversation on a cellphone. She was flailing her arms, and pounding on the steering wheel... and getting closer.. She was in the lane next to me, and I kept myself out of her blind spots. Suddenly, seconds later, I see her blinker on, and she is changing lanes very slowly. AH! She was trying to change into my lane with me in the way! She had come almost even with me, and her front wheel was even with my rear wheel. I looked at her in horror, knowing that she was going to pin between the wall and her car very soon.. I quickly shifted into a lower gear and gunned the bike, while waving at her with my free hand, Finally our eyes locked and the look of shock and sheer surprise covered her face.

Saved. Whew.

I saw her hang up, and then while I was still on the highway, I saw her with both of her hands on the wheel.

My dad uses the phone all the time in his trips, but here are the differences; he very rarely changes lanes while he is on the phone, he almost always uses a hands free device, and if it is an important conversation where he will have to pay full attention to the caller, he will pull over.

I think that cellphones are a great tool, but once it distracts the driver from their first job (being safe on the road) then this law is warranted. I think that this law could save some lives. Giving up freedom for safety.. huh.. I'll have to think long and hard about this one.

Anniversary!!

One year! I made it one whole year and I still have the motorcycle, so I figured I'd better celebrate my anniversary

Selling My Motorcycle!

Well, it's been a great run..
A few reasons why it's been a good run; I haven't been pulled over, I haven't wrecked, and, as an added bonus for me, I'm still alive!


(ode to my motorcycle)
Oh, motorcycle, you were so fun.
I'm ready to sell you, 'cause I'm done.
We had our moments, it was a blast.
Some really close calls, but no road rasht. (save it beth)
Yes, it's really over, as you can see.
All under the guise of saving Mo'nee.

More Motorcycle

Here's the reason I don't have any time anymore..
Five hours and Five hundred bucks down the drain, all in the name of saving gas..
If you plan to buy a motorcycle to save money, forget it.. Owning a motorcycle is a hobby, and not much more.
Just finished up the engine transplant and here are the pictures!
Motorcycle engine replacement

Overdue Post

Well, with the trip coming up, we have been a little bit busy.

Both Beth and I bought burdensome flash memory. Beth looks at it, and ponders, “I wonder how many picture I can fit on 8GB?”

Next I’ve been riding my motorcycle (Big Blundering Blue Ole’ Bertha) around a lot more, and I’m really liking the cost of fuel.

So much so, that I decided to ride up Lookout Mtn. for fun.

Next on the list of stuff was working on the van. This was not an easy task because it’s a Dodge.

More fun, was rebuilding the carburetor of Bertha. She got sick of me making her take me everywhere, and so she died. The Carbs however, didn’t want to be repaired and broke. I had to buy a new set at a junkyard.

Once the seat is off, all the guts are available to rip out.

Guts.

Well, that’s it for now, so I’ll end with a really bad joke.

Q. Where is a pirates favorite place to eat?

A. ARRRRRRRBY’S

Time for new tires!

What does that mean, you ask? It means BURNOUT!
I had to get new tires, so it seemed a shame to let the rest of the old ones to go to waste.

My older brother filmed and I was on the bike.



If you can't watch the vid, you can download here

Here the bike hangs without wheels from the rafters of our garage.

Here's a horrid camera phone picture of the wheels.

Helmet

Yes, I actually do have one. I bought it from RPM Motorsports. These things are too expensive.

After I bought it, I was informed that bright colors are much better, so you are better seen on a motorcycle.

I started with a solid black helmet, as seen on the right.

Then I added reflective tape.

I used my brothers sweet x-acto knife set to cut out the designs.

I somehow ended up with a few goldfish type stickers.

As pictured here, the reflective tape really helps.

ABATE and MOST

I just finished my motorcycle training done by ABATE Colorado. (A Brotherhood Active Towards Education (Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST)))

It was a 3 day program designed to allow the participant to learn how to ride their motorcycle safely on the street. Riding a motorcycle has more risk associated with it, but with proper training and skills, the risks diminish. The course was very well administrated. The two days of riding is physically straining, but the strain is all worth it.

I would highly suggest this class to anyone that wants to ride a motorcycle, but I would also suggest it to drivers. The reason I would suggest to drivers, is, now that I have taken the course I have seen an improvement in my driving skills and accident avoidance ability. I know, I can hear it now, "dude, any improvement would, at the most, bump you up to a bad driver"

CLEAR THE SIDEWALK!

Midlife crisis

Looks like I'm going to be buying a motorcycle.
I figured since I'm 24, and almost halfway through my life, I better get a move on.
This is a picture of the bike and style I've been looking at.

I have to say too, that the 55+ Miles Per Gallon, was enticing too