Ducati Monster Forum

This was about to start as a thread-jack here http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=52760.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=52760.0) (Got cutoff and dragged by a prius) but I'm an attention whore so I decided to start my own thread and if you try to jack it I'll come bite you in the knees! [laugh]

I commute through DC and while most drivers are courteous and careful some aren't (at least not both things at the same time). I've had more than a few close calls on the bike and also a couple car accidents where I've had to deal with dishonest people. I've seen people swerve between lanes, run lights and nearly hit pedestrians while talking, texting, eating, and reading. I obviously do not expect the helmet camera to help save my life, that's what ATGATT is for. But I think $200 is a good investment into something that might help deal with the aftermath of an accident (Insurance, Lawyers and $$$). If there are no witnesses to the actual accident other than me and the other person, then it's pretty much my version against theirs... and I'm a biker so I'm already at a disadvantage (thanks to crotch/rice rockets and harleys of course  [evil])!

Another positive part of riding with a helmet cam is that it serves as further motivation to respect the laws. If there is an accident then all my riding will be under scrutiny (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch) and can be used against me.

Anyway here's a couple videos that I thought I would share:

1. The lady driving this car decided to just plunge into my lane without looking. I'm pretty sure she had no clue at all that I was there because she seemed genuinely shocked afterwards.
distracted driver (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6LzGKY9RaA#)

2. And this here is Connecticut Ave. which I generally avoid due to its changing traffic pattern during the day.
Drunkards On Connecticut (http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=B6nhQf4dbPc#)

BTW, this is the jacket I wear (not me in the pic) and I ride with my high beams on.... so I still feel entitled to a WTF when people don't see me.
(http://image.dirtrider.com/f/14911418/141_0902_01_z+product_of_the_week_scorpion_exo_jacket+pete_peterson.jpg)

This one of the videos that really motivated me to get a helmet cam: cager pulls a 180 into the biker's lane
TLC-That's Gotta Hurt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xZtetIzIW4#)

NOW GO GET A HELMET CAM.

On video 2 is that a reversible lane you're in?

I'll ask...

Explain that center lane setup you riding on Connecticut Ave. We don't have things like that in the PNW.

i have one (sort of since its on long term borrow use...)

and it PEEVES me out when i see people cut in lanes and then freak out but CONTINUE to do commit into their lane like their so horrified they dont know what else to do. and then when you speed up and flip them off, the cuss you out.


AHHHHH It just pissess me off right now thinking about it. the audacity they have. SERIOUSLY, youre about to run my ass over and god knows if i couldnt brake in time you CONTINUE TO merge into a lane you shouldnt have.


great now im going to be in a bad mood for the next few hours until i find that prius and throw a whole pizza on her windsheild. [evil]

and that centerlane thing is so retarded. the dashed yellow switches so in the morning you have more lanes to go a certain way. smart, but terribly dangerous if you have idiots on the road.

There's a number of areas in DC that have reversible  lanes - that's one of them. Common set up is 5 lanes, The outer two in each direction are one way, always, and the center changes direction based on time of day. There are sings that like up and tell you what's what... but it's not uncommon to see stuff like that video shows where you get someone who's confused or inattentive going to wrong way.

As part of my commute this morning I saw a Volvo wagon nearly smash a fellow on a Harley- twice. The HD rider was even in a high viz vest but that didn't help the volvo driver. After being in a position where they (in theory) could see the HD the volvo driver pulled up a bit, but not enough to clear, flicked on their signal (at least they did that) and started over into the space occupied by the HD. They got a bit of the horn for  that and lurched back to the right, mostly into their lane. But in his frantic craning about to look over his shoulder, the Volvo driver swung further into the lane of the HD rider who had smartly backed off and cleared the space.

Volvo driver in their own little world and a crappy driver once they rejoined ours.

It's a combat commute in DC. I thought I might get a job downtown again and was looking over used DRZ650s as my commute mule and abuse taker.

The section of Connecticut Avenue I'm on has 6 lanes total. During the morning rush hour 4 lanes head downtown and 2 lanes outward, during the afternoon rush hour the situation is inverted with 2 lanes heading in and 4 out. 3 in and 3 out the rest of the time and you can park.

There's illuminated street signs that indicate the number of lanes you can use every few blocks so there really isn't a valid reason for people not to know unless they are not paying attention. For what it's worth, I usually avoid Conn. during rush hour just to avoid finding myself dealing with this issue.

I wasn't really angry at the lady in the Prius since it really looked like she had not seen me, tho it also looked like she didn't really bother to check, and she was really apologetic. The point I'm trying to make is that she could have hit me and sent me flying in the other lane against incoming traffic and just drove away. Not implying that she would have, just hypothesizing a worst case scenario.

So me @30 mph against oncoming traffic @30 == hitting a wall @60. Once I'm out of the equation (pun intended) then what? I don't expect the folks from CSI (or Bones, or NCIS -- not that they could give a shit) to figure out what really happened. "Biker lost control of his bike and flew into oncoming traffic", case closed, let's have some beers and watch the game... Maybe a few people noticed what could have been an impact with another vehicle in the bikers lane, and maybe there's some marks on the bike that suggest that. Any other proof? Evidence? No? OK, case closed, let's have some beers and watch the game...

I'm not saying (typing) this because I'm bitter against the justice system or the popo (yea, I am under the impression that the system is more about closure than actual justice -- but I will not get started about that). What I want is to have a witness on my side that can show that the accident wasn't caused by my riding like a sh!t head, which coincidentally helps keep me from driving like one ;D.

me too. I especially love it when it's someone who's sitting through a left turn green arrow - who then flips you off for giving them a little beep-beep and dashes through the intersection on the yellow arrow.

Had that happen one time and it wasn't even me who honked. In that instance I ended up catching the offending young lady just due to the tides of traffic and she just did the eyes locked front and pretended I was not sitting next to her in beltway gridlock

i remember this. the rider was a poster on local motorcycle forum i used to frequent.  [thumbsup]

I had a Corolla nearly kill me on the DC Beltway in gridlock. Changed lanes and nearly pinned me against the semi in the lane next to me, I was left with maybe a foot of space total to my sides. I rolled up next to them once traffic was completely stopped and gave a rev. They refused to look over so I knocked gently on their window. The girl flipped me off but refused to turn her head.

I was proud of myself for not punching off her mirror.

I might start wearing my cam for my commute. If nothing else it would make for an entertaining thread watching the dance of the Baltimorons on 95 every day.

I like how you pass the Prius driver, look at her and shake your head.  lol

You need a louder horn.  The stock horn is ok, but something louder.   When my stereo is on in my car,  I can barely hear anything.

We've got a couple reversible lanes here in Indy... I stay the heck out of the one that changes directions 'cuz I've always thought, "Someday someone is gonna forget..." And there's the video to confirm it.

You can't see it on cam, but she was really trying her best to apologize. Good point about the horn, been thinking of a Stebel (Nautilus) or something similar. That and putting on the old cored-out loud-as-hell mufflers.

Another thing that shocked me about this video was that the driver clamed that somehow it was the biker's fault... WTF?!? You just pulled a 180, and it's her fault!?!

Here's another video where things could have gone either way if the rider had not had a camera. "He must have lost control, proabaly going too fast!"
Motorcycle Crash Lane Splitting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GH8D2EqDZs#)

Im thoroughly convinced. Im Shopping for 1 riht now.

Lane splitting and reversible lanes just seem too risky on a bike.  Granted they're legal and you have the right of way.  But you'll always lose the physical battle if something goes wrong.

+1.  It doen't do you any good if you are right but dead.

+2 Right. Who gives a shit if you were in the right if your are dead? [bang] I could care less if they ever pass a lane splitting law in my home state. I ain't doin' it! Way too many stupid, drunk, distracted cage drivers as it is. Toss that weirdness at them and all mayhem will break loose. No thanks!

Anyway, this thread is proof why so many police officers love their dash cams. [thumbsup] [popcorn] Videos don't often lie.

Lane splitting is actually safer than not, provided it isn't done recklessly. This month's MCN has a great article on the accident rates in states (basically CA) and european countries where it is allowed. The statistical analysis shows accident rates for motorcycles are lower where lane splitting is allowed, and the accidents that do occur are usually less severe (i.e. being hit from the side vs rear ended). Hard to argue with that, and there's a reason why the CHP continually defends the practice.

I was stuck in a traffic jam in CA leaving the GP race this year (although the traffic wasn't due to the GP race). The group I was with had all agreed not to split since we'd never done it before, but after seeing a ton of motos pass by us, we eventually joined in. It was fantastic! We were probably only going 20 mph or less, but it didn't feel unsafe in the least bit and 99% of the drivers actually moved over for us.  [thumbsup]

Of course this assumes that the lane splitting doesn't piss off the drivers so they try to hit you. However, if they're used to it they realize it isn't a big deal and are cooperative for the most part. If WA ever allowed it I'd probably hold off for a few months until the drivers got acclimated, but then I'd be all over it.

Everyone can rip on CA, but riding a moto there is fantastic since a lot of the drivers are very courteous to moto riders.  [thumbsup] Not to mention the weather and nice roads.

If I had a helmet cam and used it all the time I'd have a stockpile of videos of people trying to change lanes on top of me. 

to provide closure for my family & friends and to help protect my family from legal issues (suppose the accident involved other people and the insurance can't or will not cover it entirely).

As for lane splitting (or sharing), I'm pretty much in favor. There is a huge caveat here tho, and it's that both bikers and cagers need to be responsible. I used to lane split all the time in Italy (everyone does it there), but 99% of it happens in the cities in stop and go traffic. So even if there is an accident, it's likely to happen at 5 - 15 mph. When you're stuck in traffic with cars, trucks, buses you're breathing in their exhausts while your man-(or lady)-parts are not in the happiest of places. And from my point of view, it just does not make sense.

This sh!t on the other hand is ridiculous! I don't understand how this guy wasn't taken in for reckless driving:
High Speed Lane Splitting Caught By Cop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHAI3ca2X8k#)

^^^^^^Seriously STOOPID mother effers there.

Triple J, I am sure you are right about lane splitting when it's done correctly and the cage drivers are aware that it's allowed and legal. But you are talking about intelligent, some what courteous California cage drivers not troglodyte, mouth breathing, cave dwellers with heavy brow ridges that we have in TX driving cars. There is a reason why we have concealed carry licenses. Some folks just need killing. [cheeky]

I thought you might be talking about Colorado drivers for a minute.  There should be an Intelligence and Common Sense test to get a drivers license.

Yeah, if there was there would only be me, you and a couple of others that would pass. [laugh]

Watching that lane splitting video just pissed me off. Hell, I've been a bike rider for 47+ years and the video made me want to "door" him! >:( What a dickhead. Crap like that reflects poorly on all riders. We all get dumped in the same barrel when some yahoo rides like that in heavy traffic. Wonder how much skin they would leave on the tarmac in a wreck all "geared up" like that in shorts, etc... [roll] Jerks. 

I am debating on either the DriftHD or ContourRoam....Any FHE or reviews?

Regarding that lane-slitting video:

Made me cringe a bit. What a pair of douchebags.

My ContourGPS was utter junk. the video was bad, the mounts were loose and vibrated (enhancing the junk video with junk audio), it frequently crashed, and every video had vertical pink lines in it randomly from sunglare. I've known folks that liked their products, but me personally? I'd go GoPro and never look back.

RE: Changeable roads- they have roads like that in Rio, but it all just seems to work out.  Of course the cars are significantly smaller and drivers are even more aggressive, but not angry.  Alertness and horn use are the norm. For moving a lot of people one direction at different times of the day in limited spaces, I guess it's all you can do.

I've hardly used my contour 1080p but the record switch on the top is really finicky.  Not a fan of contour either.  Honestly i'd buy a waterproof model from a real digital camera maker before buying a go pro/drift hd/ contour.  As long as it has a tripod mount,one should be able to figure out a mounting solution (1/4" bolt = the common tripod thread).

The reason I'd still go GoPro over that option is the ruggedness of the polycarbonate case and that it is cheap to replace. You can launch that thing through traffic and the camera will almost definitely be protected. The video quality is top notch, and the wide angle lens captures more around you, especially handy for this use. Doesn't do you much good if the car that nails you is out of frame.

For the folks saying what's the point if you're dead - I think more than a few folks here have had non-fatal offs which could be real handy when your not-dead self goes to court.

Drift...

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-video-camera-reviews/drift-hd/ (http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-video-camera-reviews/drift-hd/)

and something other than the Drift or the Contour or the GoPro...

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-video-camera-reviews/replay-xd-1080/ (http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-video-camera-reviews/replay-xd-1080/)

Finally found the time to upload some more videos, so here goes:

mini driving in the wrong lane (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ5Ri2Bf5ek#)

lady fails to check her mirrors (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NQWyozN84Q#)

idiots (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IactFb3vpjA#)

Ride safe and keep your eyes open. [thumbsup]

I like the camera, a member on another forum caught a crash that way (cager's fault).

I've never had issues with the reversible lane really and def no issues splitting - that's safer than not splitting if done correctly imho (I've ridden in CA a lot), but def don't do it if you don't feel comfortable with it.

SP, search for a DR650SE - you'll have more luck (suzuki hasn't invented a DRZ650 yet).

Last week a lady in some girly SUV decided to go from an I395 entry ramp (the one just south of the pentagon on the southbound side), across 3 lanes and into my lane without checking traffic at all.  Honking and highbeams didn't catch her attention so I gave her window a good smack and that got her attention (I had room to get out of the way if that hadn't worked, but I figured it might be an educational experience for her [roll]).

Overall I've found CA drivers  (esp. SoCal) to the best for moto-awareness, its a pleasure riding there.  Boston is surprisingly ok too.  The DC metro area is the worst I've seen in the states by a significant margin - not only do drivers pay less attention, they are also slow and rude (I've ridden pretty much everywhere in the states except for AK, HI and WA state).  In boston they are sort of rude, but pay attention and GTFO.  In DC they dwaddle about clogging up the works.  I love riding in Mexico too 'cause you can just twist and go - I think its against their religion to give a moto a ticket (in baja)  [Dolph]

Unless the signs are really noticeable, the reversible lanes might have thrown me if say I had just flown in and rented a car.  That's the first time I've seen that.  Usually a solid yellow double line means it's the dividing line between traffic flow and no passing.  Different states, different laws.

Also, I like the way you check out the cop at the end of the vid "idiots".

I think this comes from bikes being more common on the streets (and lanesharing too) than in other states. It often surprises people when I tell them that I feel safer riding in Italy despite what looks like chaotic diving there. I think it comes from the awareness that your son/father/grandfather (really!) is out there riding and you should watch for riders the same way you want drivers to watch for your family members.

Those weren't reversible lanes in the Mini video. That is a two lane road at all times and (as far as I know) drivers must always stay on the right of a solid double yellow. The only point where you cross over to the 'other' lane is near the end, but some people are just lazy and don't care.

I was wondering if they had noticed and didn't care or if they were just curious as to what is a radioactive ballon doing on a black slug...  [laugh]

What camera do you use?

I split lanes every day at the busiest time of day on the busiest part of one of America's busiest highways. IMHO that dude was splitting too fast. That minivan was wrong. But I'd rather be alive/ uninjured than in the right and picking up pieces of my bike/ body. Now get off my lawn you damn kids!

Thanks for the post. I've been thinking about doing what you are doing and I think you're post is the final push in that direction. I've been involved in accidents where people say the most miraculous things and without witnesses it's he said she said.

I've also been contemplating the bright green jacket but my cool gene will not give up the black leather.

Thanks

Contour HD 1080P

I bought it on eBay for about $170 almost-new-in-box. I chose it over the GoPro because I didn't like to have something silly looking sitting on my helmet. The only advantage to the GoPro would have been the waterproof casing it often comes with. The contour by itself is water resistant, so I open it up and dry it every time it gets wet.



Glad to help! [thumbsup]

Regarding jackets, if you stick with leather make sure it has some reflective material to help make you more visible. As for the radioactive color: it helps, but only if people are looking.

plus, as a side benefit, if you're on a bmw, wearing hi viz, and in europe, everyone thinks you're a police officer so are ultra courteous. haha

in america, you have ride a harley, with short sleeves, raybans  and boots that go up to your knees.

I can tell you now that had I never seen that 2nd video with reversible lanes, I would never have known about that. Sure as shit I would be the idiot driving in that lane

Don't take this the wrong way, but alot of these videos are why I tend to ride on the offense. I make it a habit to either give them room or get ahead of them. If you allow cars to get into a position in which they don't see/don't care about bikes, they will more than likely do something stupid.

The road signs are clear. There are traffic lights as well. The lights show a big square red X in them if you are going the wrong way. My guess is that the people doing wrong in the video are locals trying to get away with using that lane. I see it all the time. The cops generally drive that lane at the time it turns over as well. They clear it for the change of flow.

This tread convinced me.  Picked up a ContourRoam for about $200.  Video is great, audio is a bit low but image is clear and steady.

I should write to Contour / GoPro / whoever to get a sponsorship! [laugh]

cameras should be built into bikes and should have the video erased through the dash.

But i agree about the comment on riding a certain way to stay alive.

Sometimes its fun riding like a hooligan, but if u ride like that all the time, chances are you will be bit hard one day. like the last video, you could of been very aggressive and taken that  lane, im sure you have the power to be that quick. the problem becomes some people commit to a very bad act....

namely they cut into your lane and if you are there they get very scared and end up BOLTING into your lane and if you chose to be aggressive you jsut got side swiped. if you were less hot headed you would of slowed down to let them figure out what they want to do and then kick their window afterwords.  [cheeky]

Im not saying to ride like a hooligan, but in the first(OP) vid, he is riding in the cagers blind spot. Then gets all bent out of shape when she cuts him off. I'm just saying, when I find myself in that situation, I either speed up or back off to get out of that situation. Clearly some of these other vids show poor diving by the autos. In my neck of the woods, we have alot of trucks that like to cross the yellow. I know this, so when I enter curves, I always expect a dumper to be hugging the center and ride accordingly.

When driving in the city it's hard for me not to be, at one point or another, in a driver's blind spot. I try not to find myself in a dangerous position, but I can't always avoid it. Gassing it might help in one situation, but if when sh!t happens, it can make things much worse...

Also keep in mind that I'm not posting all my riding videos, just occasional "oh, shi!t" moments, if you're interested I can post videos of me looking in my mirrors and moving my head around to double check; I just think those aren't as interesting.

Yep, can't avoid being in someone's blind spot, behind a truck or other hazardous positions in urban riding.

Rules to live by,   expect the unexpected, and never assume that someone sees you


PS  by no means am I criticizing your decisions. Just trying to give a little info from my experiences. Hind sight is always 20/20.

Not a problem, I didn't take it that way. Sharing experiences is what this place is all about.

That Mini just got confused and forgot that they aren't in England. Happens to me all the time. :P

I learned long ago at an advanced driving school that 90% of the area in a "normal" blind spot is there because you have your mirrors aimed too close to your car.  If the inside edge of your mirror's field of view runs right along the side of your car, anybody who leaves the mirror's view ends up in your peripheral view a tiny fraction of a second later.   Of course, I've also figured out that most people would rather be doing something else instead of driving (and often enough are, unfortunately), so I have developed better exit strategies for it.  Driving a Mini means that it's not uncommon to have some enormous SUV with the driver on their phone deciding that since my roof is only as tall as their mirrors means that I don't actually exist and thus they can merge into my space.  Riding my motorcycle reinforces that point, thus computing multiple exit paths has become a natural part of my driving process.

Thanks Pepe, I'm sold.  [thumbsup]
I commute in awesomely garish hi-viz gear, am generous with the decibels thanks to my loud can, use high beams when lane splitting (in California), and I ride like it's Black Friday and I'm the doorbuster...but it's time to get a helmet cam.

You've got balls of steel commuting in DC.  I hate even just riding in DC and avoid it like the plaque.  Drivers in this area are among the worst I've seen in the country.