passing

[superjohn]

double yellows alone...pass.

lots of places and driveways for the car you're passing to turn left...don't pass.

It's all about the environment and conditions, not the paint on the road.

That's a damn good summarization counselor 

[aglanixp]

I was driving in WV this weekend and I passed a truck (number 1) on a very long (2 mile or so) straight.  There was a truck (number 2) coming down the road towards us at the other end of the road (so at the other end of the 2 mile stretch).  Long after I passed truck #1 and was back in my lane the 2nd truck (#2 coming towards me) crossed the line into my lane about 200 yards in front of me.  For no reason at all.  Just for a second but it freaked me out.

[sbrguy]

Wow! What a timely post. I was out riding today and had the SAME exact thoughts. I knew there would be opinions on both sides.

I saw a guy in front of me on a bike today, and he just went ahead and passed the cars on the double yellow line. He did it quickly and safely (in my opinion). But some might think he was driving like an asshole. I typically don't pass in those conditions unless someone is going under the limit, or talking on their phones, swerving around, just acting like an idiot. Actually, that happens a lot, so I do end up passing quite a bit. Especially when out for an actual ride, as apposed to just doing an errand around town, or going somewhere close to my house.  But I have no problem if another rider does it as long as they aren't freaking people out. In other countries, riders seem to do whatever they can to safely get around cars and it seems to work out OK.

You must be careful though. If you pass and it pisses the wrong person off, then you have to stop in a few miles to get gas, it could get ugly. I'm 6'4" and had an angry, short, fat soccer mom get out of her SUV at a stop light a few years ago, and slap my helmet because she was pissed at me (long story and I never saw it coming). That's better than some nut job with a gun though.

you should have totally pimp slapped that lady for touching you.  nobody, i don't care how old or frail or female thy are has no right in touching someone unless they are fully prepared to have a fist fight right then and there.

[DCXCV]

Figure as long as I'm not making anyone brake or swerve then I've got enough room to pass regardless of what the lines say.  Otherwise I'm being a bad rider (again, regardless of what the lines say).  There are few enough curvy roads here.  There's usually a lot of places on those roads to pull over.  If they don't take the opportunity to let me in front, I'll use my opportunity to get there.

[DrDesmo]

you should have totally pimp slapped that lady for touching you.  nobody, i don't care how old or frail or female thy are has no right in touching someone unless they are fully prepared to have a fist fight right then and there.

Yeah, it's generally pretty intelligent to walk up to a stranger and hit them because they cut you off.  Because no one ever hits back (or has a gun) 

Adam

[MTBryan]

you should have totally pimp slapped that lady for touching you.  nobody, i don't care how old or frail or female thy are has no right in touching someone unless they are fully prepared to have a fist fight right then and there.

You know, normally I would have NO tolerance for that behavior. But it completely caught me off guard.
I was driving home one evening. I was going through one of those areas where the speed limit is 55, but the people driving can never seem to go more than about 35 to 40. I always called it a 'stupid stretch'. So, rather than fight for my speed like I normally do, I was pretty much taking it easy in the right lane. But this gal was going about 60 to 65, and for some unknown reason of human consideration that I have rarely experienced, the traffic opened up for her since she was obviously in a hurry. So, I figured HEY, count me in on the increased speed.

So, I followed her for a mile or so going 65 (not that much over the limit, but a lot faster than the dummy's going 40). She weaved, and I weaved, and people got out of her way.
So, I was enjoying the pace, and yelling, "You go girl!".

We got to a point where it was time for her to weave around another vehicle, but for some reason she slowed down. I have no idea why. She slowed to about 50mph right behind the vehicle.

So, now that I was in the mood for more speed, and since this was the last vehicle in the line, and it was clear sailing from that point on, I went ahead and changed lanes, into the left lane, and put on a pass.

Well, right as I turned into that left lane, she decided she WAS going to pass that truck, and she pulling right in front of me. Well, actually, on top of me. But no worries, I am always prepared for that from drivers. Instead of slowing down, I made the quick decision to punch it, and get around her. And, I used a little of the narrow left median in doing so. But really, it was no big deal and I knew exactly what I was doing, and that I could pull it off.

So, after I accelerated and drove on the inside shoulder, she swerved HARD back into the right lane as if to suggest she didn't know I was passing. I suppose that is possible. 

Whatever.

At the next light is when she slapped my helmet and started yelling at me.

Normally, I would have put up the kick stand and slapped her back. However the irony of sitting calmly at a traffic light, looking at the clouds on a nice day while waiting for the light to change, then having some short, fat soccer mom with a bright red angry face slap my helmet, with her SUV door wide open at a left turn signal, COMPLETELY cracked me up. The only thing I could muster up in my laughter was something to the effect of, "Lady, you need to go on a diet and take some anger management classes".

HAHAHAHAHAHA! My wife about died when I told her what happened, and what I said.

One of those experiences where you just walk away with a unique life experience.

Sorry to hijack this thread.

[lauramonster]

Funny story!!  Thanks for the hijack.

Give them time to accelerate or pull over.  If neither, pass at the next safe opportunity.  Double beep as I start to accelerate. 

Pull in the clutch when passing Amish (or any horses).  Quiets the duc and keeps the horses happy.  Always smile at the Amish - wave if they smile back. 

[jdubbs32584]

<snip>

Pull in the clutch when passing Amish (or any horses).  Quiets the duc and keeps the horses happy.  Always smile at the Amish - wave if they smile back. 

Thank you for mentioning this!! Guys, when passing horses, especially with dry clutches or really loud bikes, please pull in the clutch and try to take it easy. I'm a rider and I see this all the time in rural NC. It seriously spooks the horses when you haul ass going by us.

[bucky]

Great topic and questions.  I came from Wisconsin, with alot of country roads and I rarely passed on double yellows.  Just had to sit back and suck it up alot of times until a passing zone came up.

Well I live near the mountains (Denver), and ride with total Hooligan's now!!! JK  But the group out here has shown me the mountain riding and how common place double yellow passing is even among the cagers.

Interestingly enough you get all three types of cager/motorcycle interaction.  You get many of the local mountain dwellers or motorcycle friendly driver's who don't care that you pass and usually pull over to accommodate your passing.  You get the totally oblivious, who never know you are there -no matter what speed they are going.  Lastly you get the angry mountain man in a jacked up truck, soccer mom in anything, sporty/sports car type that doesn't want to be passed.  In this last group I have seen the "mountain man jacked up truck" try to stop our group from passing and then purposely pull out into the lane to prevent passing and trying to ram into the side of a rider passing!!!!!!!  ......  since I was last in the group I thought long and hard before eventually waiting for a legal passing zone before I cautiously approached passing him, which I did do, still maybe not my best choice-but by then he may have realized what an @## he was.

Anyway, now that I am a more skilled and experienced rider, I take into account the enviorment and riding area to determine passing.  In the mountains, double line or not I pass when it is safe----and the absence of  ---- riding in more pedestrian area's I rarely pass on double yellow's.

The only thing beside the mountain man driver that get's me is the rolling roadblock Harley cruiser groups....

My .02 at today's exchange rates ~0.0012653

[CairnsDuc]

We have a slight issue with  over here (Australia) that he finds a spot up on the mountain ranges where he can see down over the lower sections of the range and he waits for you to get up to where he is and gives you a fine for crossing the double lines.

Doesn't happen very often (from what I have been told) maybe it's a bit of an urban myth.

We have a really bad issue with people trying to slow everyone else down, you can be in a 100KPH zone and people do 80 to make everyone else slow down, and then the suicide drivers come out trying to get past the slow drivers, The Guv ment over here has bashed the speed kills line into the population so much that everyone is scared to even drive at the speed limit. We are over policed for speeding, but not enough for poor driving, unroadworthy cars/bikes/trucks, poor roads with pot holes you could lose your house in!

But as long as your not speeding, you'll be fine!

make the beast with two backsheads