As gas price goes up every week, more & more motorcyclist hit the road.  New license plate and feet-dragger rider (dragging their feet on the ground while taking off for hundred feet, scary!)  which I don't care as long as they do hit me.  But the parkings are gone!  It is almost impossible to find a spot in financial district after 10 AM.  I've done more illegally parking lately and someday those 3 wheels monster will target me (or us). 

     

More people are on the bike car of Caltrain, too. I have to remind myself that it is a good thing that so many more people are riding the train. I think it is a good thing in the long run that there are more moto riders. There will be some growing pains (and some real pain from newbie crashes), but the general attitude towards moto riders should improve.

Yeah lots of stupid crash threads coming up on BARF. The riders don't seem to want to do anything different either. They think some divine intervention is what caused them to crash not the fact that they've been only riding for 4 months and are piss poor riders.

It's very sad, but I think this is going to be an awful summer filled with many many many more crashes then in the past.

Quote from: ducati_tim on May 28, 2008, 07:30:58 AM
More people are on the bike car of Caltrain, too. I have to remind myself that it is a good thing that so many more people are riding the train. I think it is a good thing in the long run that there are more moto riders. There will be some growing pains (and some real pain from newbie crashes), but the general attitude towards moto riders should improve.

Attitudes and amenities. America needs to fall out of love with the automobile in a bad way. In Italy 2 wheeled vehicle's out number cars 10 to 1 in a lot of places. Its way safer to ride in traffic and there are tons of places to park. + 2 wheeled vehicles get there own streets in some places that are closed to cars! Imagine that!

We've got a LONG ways to go. At least we're starting.

EDIT: Gas has been $8.00 a gallon there for at least a decade. Its never been cheap there.

PS I got 60MPGallon the other day crusing at low rpm's on the highway. yes!

Quote from: Desmostro on May 28, 2008, 10:19:30 AM
Attitudes and amenities. America needs to fall out of love with the automobile in a bad way. In Italy 2 wheeled vehicle's out number cars 10 to 1 in a lot of places. Its way safer to ride in traffic and there are tons of places to park. + 2 wheeled vehicles get there own streets in some places that are closed to cars! Imagine that!

We've got a LONG ways to go. At least we're starting.

It seems to me we need to organize and really push the idea of two-wheeled vehicles as basic transportation, to replace cars for most purposes. I think we need to ally ourselves with organizations that advocate bicycles as transportation too. I'm sure few people are going to agree with me, but I'd like to see one lane of every multi-lane street split between bicycles and motorcyles/scooters, no cars allowed except to make turns.

Quote from: baadaaboo on May 28, 2008, 07:24:01 AM
As gas price goes up every week, more & more motorcyclist hit the road.  New license plate and feet-dragger rider (dragging their feet on the ground while taking off for hundred feet, scary!)  which I don't care as long as they do hit me.  But the parkings are gone!  It is almost impossible to find a spot in financial district after 10 AM.  I've done more illegally parking lately and someday those 3 wheels monster will target me (or us). 

     

Early bird gets the worm!

Quote from: Desmostro on May 28, 2008, 10:19:30 AM
Attitudes and amenities. America needs to fall out of love with the automobile in a bad way. In Italy 2 wheeled vehicle's out number cars 10 to 1 in a lot of places. Its way safer to ride in traffic and there are tons of places to park. + 2 wheeled vehicles get there own streets in some places that are closed to cars! Imagine that!

We've got a LONG ways to go. At least we're starting.

EDIT: Gas has been $8.00 a gallon there for at least a decade. Its never been cheap there.

PS I got 60MPGallon the other day crusing at low rpm's on the highway. yes!

Oh many American still had no fear of gas price!  I blog on BMW forum and they still wants 5 liter V8, twin turbo and such.  Many still have SUV as a second car too.  These people need a lot to learn... very sad.

Which of your bike gets 60mpg?  your 848 or monster?

Quote from: ducati_tim on May 28, 2008, 07:30:58 AM
More people are on the bike car of Caltrain, too. I have to remind myself that it is a good thing that so many more people are riding the train.

Folding bike FTW!

Quote from: msincredible on May 28, 2008, 07:28:30 PM
Folding bike FTW!

Folding bike For The Wankers?

Sounds about right.

I recall seeing bike lanes for the first time during a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark. That was 16 YEARS AGO! The US is atrociously slow to implement these otherwise logical devices.

Need more BART too.

I currently reside in Chicago and we have public transportation.  However, my gf has to take it sometimes and it takes well over an hour for her to travel 5 simple miles.  She has a scooter, but there is no parking downtown she can take advantage of.  It's not just a matter of saying "accommodate 2-wheeled transportation."  It's systemic. 

Also, I've lived in Maine where you have *maybe* 3 months of good riding and the distances are large enough to make a bike impractical.  You want a Big Mac?  45 minute drive, longer if you're stuck behind an RV. 

But as long as we're wishlisting, can we outlaw cellphones and soccer moms in minivans?

riding like a BOH i still get about the same mpg's on my 695 as i do in my prius. >38mpg ea

ps... 03 prius, with access stickers possibly for sale offers? seriously, i'm thinking about selling it...

Quote from: baadaaboo on May 28, 2008, 06:27:00 PM
Oh many American still had no fear of gas price!  I blog on BMW forum and they still wants 5 liter V8, twin turbo and such.  Many still have SUV as a second car too.  These people need a lot to learn... very sad.

Which of your bike gets 60mpg?  your 848 or monster?

848 !

Quote from: ro-monster on May 28, 2008, 02:34:15 PM
... but I'd like to see one lane of every multi-lane street split between bicycles and motorcyles/scooters, no cars allowed except to make turns.

In China they do have bikes only lanes on the freeway.

Quote from: sugarcrook on May 29, 2008, 11:57:41 AM
...
But as long as we're wishlisting, can we outlaw cellphones and soccer moms in minivans?

They did. Effective July 1st, 2008
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/cellularphonelaws/


...err that still leaves soccer mom's in SUV's. 

Quote from: sugarcrook on May 29, 2008, 11:57:41 AM
I currently reside in Chicago and we have public transportation.  However, my gf has to take it sometimes and it takes well over an hour for her to travel 5 simple miles.  She has a scooter, but there is no parking downtown she can take advantage of.  It's not just a matter of saying "accommodate 2-wheeled transportation."  It's systemic. 

I grew up in Chicago and commuted 5 miles each way to middle school and high school every day on the CTA...the buses sucked, the subway was far more reliable (although generally required a lot more walking).