MUST tell this story!

[twistdchick]

OK - I FINALLY decided to tell this story of what happened last summer .

I passed a Desmosedici on a double yellow.

It's true. My husband was there to verify. (sorry, no pics!)

We were on a ride here in NY State, going across the Bear Mountain Bridge at a "T" intersection. 
There was a Ducati coming down the hill from the right, which is a known FUN motorcycle road with tight twisties along the Hudson River.
Behind the Ducati was a HUGE line of cars which made it obvious that the Ducati was holding up traffic.
He stopped at the intersection and pulled over to the side , and the cars proceeded to file by, so there was quite a wait.
We looked at him and gave him the "thumbs up" sign, asking him if he was OK.  No response.  Again. No response.
When the cars finally started leaving some room, we went to make the left, and he took off, going straight, right in front of us.

Let me just say this - I DO feel a kinship with those that ride Ducati's, and like seeing and waving to them on the road.

As we sat behind him on a 40 mph speed limit road, (straight and clear) I was wondering to myself why he had been pulled over, and figured that maybe he
was over-heating or something, that's why he had stopped.

We went a ways down the road, and he had his speedometer STUCK on 40 mph.  In a 40.
Now I ride my bike like I drive my car - between 5-10 mph over the speed limit.  If I get stuck behind a slow vehicle (not a bike) I can mostly relax and enjoy the ride, look at the scenery, sing a song in my head, etc.
 
BUT... I don't know how all you feel, but if I get "stuck" behind a bike, it makes me COMPLETELY MENTAL!!!!!!!!  (Usually it's a Harley!)
I think it's common courtesy as a biker, to move a little to the right, and wave someone by if they want to pass.   I do that when I feel I'm holding someone back from enjoying the "open" road.  At least ride in the right "lane" of the right lane!  Am I WRONG?!

THIS guy stays RIGHT at 40, and I'm following my husband.  My husband gets close to the beautiful red Ducati and SITS THERE!  I don't know WHAT'S going on, as I'm expecting him to pass him if he won't go ANY faster!  He's in the left side of the lane, and just taking his time, and I'm really starting to get ANNOYED!!
I'm actually embarrassed  for him, on his fully faired red Ducati, as now I see why he was holding back all those cars!  He maybe is new and doesn't know a lot of bike etiquette, or have many riding skills.  So move over!!!!!!!!!!!!  Actually one thing did bother me that he did. He actually took his left hand off the bars and put it on his hip. Too "cool"?  Too bored?   MOVE OVER!!!!!!!!!!   Go faster...... SOMETHING!!!!!!!

So.... now we're sitting RIGHT on his ass, and I'm now starting to foam at the mouth, as I don't understand WHY my husband doesn't PASS this guy!!!
By now I'm blaring my horn constantly (and I have an AIR horn) and I'm screaming in my helmet to "JUST PASS HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

FINALLY my husband passes him, and now my stomach is in a knot!  WTF?
When we finally stop later, my husband said that the guy was on a Desmo and he was sitting close "just to hear it!"
Now, I got even ANGRIER, thinking what a total disgrace it was to see such a magnificent machine ridden like a Prius.  If he WAS a newbie, WHAT IS HE DOING ON A DESMO???!!!
In hindsight, if I KNEW at the time it was a Desmo, I KNOW I would have given him the one-finger salute as I passed!  I was so angry!
Am I WRONG???!!!  The ultimate Ducati ridden by the "ultimate TOOL"?

In a way, I'm a goody-two-shoes when it comes to passing in a no-passing zone. I never do it in a car.
BUT when I'm on a bike, passing a bike, I look ahead and see "nothing but lots of room and road" and do it a lot. - (There are a lot of Harleys around here!)
Keep in mind, I don't fly by people like a lunatic like some crotch-rockets do to me.  I try to be as courteous as possible, while not crazily exceeding the speed limit, and only when I feel it's safe to do so.

So... what would you have done and felt being "held back" by a Desmosedici?
(If it's any of you guys... sorry for YOU!)


 

[zarn02]

So on a D16 40mph is what... first gear, second?

That is pretty nuts, though. I guess if he wanted folks to remember him, they do. The downside is that he's remembered as a total knob.

I'm not sure how I'd have responded if I'd been there. How do you non-verbally communicate "Really... Really!?"

[Timmy Tucker]

How do you non-verbally communicate "Really... Really!?"

Kick him over when you pass him.

[Drunken Monkey]

Kick him over when you pass him.

And take his bike.

[sbrguy]

you are totally wrong.

sure the guy was going the speed limit you don't know his story.  maybe he already has 3-4 speeding tickets and didn't want to speed on a road that is known for maybe having   on it since its known as a biker place.

if the guy was going 35-39mph in a 40mph zone, then maybe he was wrong, but you said it was pinned at 40mph in a 40mph zone, WTF? you are mad for smoeone actually following the rules.

i can understand your frustration, heck we have all been there,  but you were the one honestly being a tool, what you could have done if you didn't like it is just pass over the middle and risk your life, nobody is stopping you.

yes i agree its a shame that you someone riding a beautiful what is race bike at pit lane speeds but he isn't on the race track so he should be abiding by the speed limit lest he risk his license.

[pcv57]

If you're riding a Desmo, they'd have to catch you to give you the ticket 

[booger]

So what's the big story here. You're probably making a bigger deal out of it than he did. It likely has something to do with him being on a D16 and you not being on one. Maybe he just wanted to ride his bike 40mph in a 40mph zone. So what. It's called abiding the law, and it's not a crime. What's it to you anyway? Because he got in the way of you riding too fast? Or is it that you think anytime somebody swings a leg over one they gotta go a bazillion miles per hour no matter what or where? If he's doing the legal limit, does that mean he has to let you pass so that you may exceed it? He certainly has no legal obligation to do so. The usual scenario when someone is trying to be a douche on a bike like that is that they go way too fast.

The mature thing for you to do would have been to pull over and take a break which would allow him to get ahead. Zen and the art of ignoring other people. You could then have resumed your spirited ride through the mountains unimpeded. It's not like you own the place. Sounds to me like you care too much about what and how others are riding. Envy much?

I'm pretty certain the guy wasn't doing anything intentional and he certainly wasn't harassing you in any way. You probably have convinced yourself he was, because maybe you're a type A who thinks everything is about you when it's not. What you don't want to be doing is harrassing somebody else on the road. A lot of people out there carry firearms. Those on $75,000 bikes are likely candidates. And some people out there just live to stomp additional holes in the asses of people like you. I'm serious, the world is just like that. Live and let live, and you'll live longer.

Flame on, flame on....

[DukeDenver]

in situations like this I always find it best to just pass if you can (easy on a bike) or just pull over if you can and have a quick stretch or gaze at my beautiful monster!

Getting worked up over something like that is just bad karma, life's too short! and good moto days are even shorter!  Why let someone else ruin your day of basking in the sun and  [moto] around twisties.

I'm on your side with the whole people doing dead on the speed limit/just under.  Only due to the fact it makes other people go totally loco and do stupid things that put others lives at risk.

I could go on but all this talk about the desmo has got me wanting to youtube that baby and listen to it purr  [moto] [moto]

[jc.cyberdemon]

id be more pissed at your husband for being an ass and getting in your way,if you were alone you would have just passed the guy and that would have been the end of it. I dont think you are wrong for being annoyed though.btw love your bike

[Timmy Tucker]

The only time I don't get bent out of shape with slow drivers is when I'm on the bike. I could ride behind someone doing 55 in a 65 all day. Weird, huh?

However, if I'm in my truck and you aren't going at least 5 over, I'm right behind you plotting a swift and violent end to the entire universe.

[ab]

If he was not endangering you, then i see no problem.  I mean he is riding his ride. 

I know I simply just pass him and wish that I was riding that bike.

No big deal here.   

[justinrhenry]

slow drivers piss me off, but if there was room to go by i would have just blown by and never looked back.  i've noticed, in cars, people with the most expensive sports cars are also the slowest drivers.  some things in the universe just don't make sense.   

[xcaptainxbloodx]

So I was riding my Desmo the other day and while taking a break from my 100mph+ adventures I decided to go a bit slower so that I dont kill my tires and start blowing lines. all of a sudden  two squids show up ON MY ASS, well I can either speed up and have them catch me later or go the speed limit and wait for a safe passing area (as I had done just a moment before) I decide to go the speed limit and this pregnant dog starts honking her horn and eventually they passed me in the oncoming lane WTF?!

in all seriousness, you need to relax. getting that worked up over someone who did NOTHING to you is not a healthy way to ride and WILL get you killed.

[bmonty72]

If I could ever afford to buy a $72,000 bike, I'd ride it any damn way I pleased.  But I do agree, it would have been courteous for him to move to the right.

[Punx Clever]

If I could ever afford to buy a $72,000 bike, I'd ride it any damn way I pleased.  But I do agree, it would have been courteous for him to move to the right.

I think I would even ride a Ninja 250 any way I pleased.  Getting pissed because someone is doing the speed-limit is like getting pissed at a cop when you go over... they aren't the problem, you are.