swordfish

when I was in college, the roads around my school were all twisty mountain roads. at the time I was riding a 92 yamaha seca II (diversion). hardly a "bullet" bike. but I'll be honest I was passing people on the double yellow all the time. but like all things this requires a degree of common sense. something that too many riders don't have. you do it where its safe. not around a blind corner, the places I passed people were places that could have used a passing zone. and I wasn't usually pushing any limits. people on those roads were more often than not sight seeing tourists puttering along at a snails pace. something I think might be a factor in the brazen passing in that clip. even a lazy cruising speen for a bike on those roads is gonna be quit a bit faster than a car(with the occupants staring out the windows). lets be honest guys none of us is content to sit on the bottom of 2nd gear steadily through twisty roads. the hawk must fly! just pick you moves carefully. telling riders to obey the speed limit on roads like that is like telling a teenager to practice abstinence. . . ain't gonna happen.

Hawkrider

Please post the link for tomorrow nights follow-up story. I'd like to see it.

Swordfish, I agree with you for the most part. I am an MSF instructor, and although I enjoy riding and ride safely, I also like to have fun. You know, most of the complaints come from the folks who get passed by high revving 600s with loud pipes. Now, not that I'm against loud pipes, but you have to have some courtesy here and pass in a gear higher or something as to not scare and annoy the **** out of folks. If what it takes is 2nd gear at 12000 rpm to make it safe, then is it really safe? Why not try 3rd gear at 7000 or even 4th at 4500? Yes, the 600s are at a disadvantage there because they're anemic down that low. That's what I like about the literbikes and twins.

gambrjl

I ride :The Loop" pretty much every weekend during the spring, summer and fall. As the folks interveiwed in the story said, the vast majority of riders really are riding safe. It's a few folks who think that they need to ride as fast as possible and nothing is going to slow them down.

killer5280

I quit riding those roads on weekends years ago. (I prefer to ride The Loop counterclockwise, by the way.) The combination of idiot squids with no respect for the locals, ticket-happy cops and scenery gawking drivers made it unbearable for me. I go during the week and it's much more pleasant, although rapid growth of the area has made overall traffic heavier.
I had this nightmare vision a few years ago where they put "traffic calming" speed humps at the apexes of all the turns. I hope it doesn't happen, but with RFID equipped license plates on the horizon anyway, the future doesn't look too good. Big Brother will solve this problem.

superhawk22

I saw this on another forum I'm on in GA. They have 18 pages of debate over this story starting a couple of weeks ago when she was getting footage. Anyway, I would have no problem with the story if They would give both sides of it and show the cagers that try to run bikes off the road and drive WAY to fast and cross the yellow lines. Then it would be fair and balanced like news IS supposed to be.

vitter

haha, fair and responsible news journalism?
you must still believe in the easter bunny, santa claus and honest lawyers and politicians.

the news wants to put the most sensational story they can, to compete with other news stations. They don't care about truth.

killer5280

This is about 90% hit piece. I have to laugh when SUV drivers talk about motorcyclists "running them off the roads." The most afraid I have ever been up there is when I came around a turn and a car was in my lane coming straight at me. Major pucker time.
I did crash up there in 1993 on an RZ350. The DOT had been spreading loose asphalt on the shoulders in the middle of turns. I went into a corner and the road was covered with loose asphalt. I had nowhere to go, lowsided and snapped my collarbone. The sheriff came to visit me in the hospital and I told him what had happened, which was a big mistake. When I went back later that night to retrieve my bike, the road had mysteriously been swept clean. No loose asphalt anywhere. The DOT boys had covered their asses.

superhawk22

Typical

superhawk22

Yeah I know, I was just waxing nostalgic I guess.

Randman

Str8away Hater

Yeppers, I'm looking forward to seeing the speeds actually recorded. I doubt there are that many, if any, going 100 mph. A sportbike looks fast even while moving slow. I think it is easy for people to misjudge actual speed.

I'm not a saint of a rider, but I'm by no means dangerous, careless, and I hope I'm not obnoxious. I will occasionally pass on a double yellow if there is plenty of line of sit distance, and I'm familiar with the road. I usually give the cars a little wave once I'm past them. It may not do much, but hopefully it will get them thinking about the wave, and not the fact they were just passed.

There are just way too many people in that whole area, sportbikes, Harleys, cars, bicycles, whatever. I hate going to Deals Gap on a weekend for that reason. I much prefere riding in the week. Winter is approaching so the majority of the problem people will pack up for the winter. I can't wait to get more open road in front of me...

HRCVTR1000