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Sharing the Road
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Highway safety isn't always the easiest topic to write about. When folks see the word "safety", a gloss goes over the eyes and they'll click to the next article. Motorcycle riders especially know the importance of keeping safe on the roads so they scan through this type of article to perhaps learn something new.
This past weekend was beautiful for a cool fall ride in the Omaha/Western Iowa area. I ended up on a loess hills road named Bluff Rd heading north out of Hamburg Iowa. The picture above was taken near Thurman Iowa. A blacktop like this one encourages a slower speed to watch the scenery but also the reduced site lines around the curves. And today, there were many other motorcycle riders, even a group of 8 big bikes with the token "crotch rocket", maybe he was waiting to pass the group.
A safety note arose when I caught up to a few riders on two bikes. When I plan to overtake on a blacktop, I'll head over to the left side of the road and a wait a few beats to make sure they know I'm coming by. There was no oncoming traffic so there was no hurry to get by them. The second bike in trail, a trike, wanted to hug the center of the road, maybe afraid to hook a wheel in a pothole on the edge of the road. So I waited a few seconds more but then I made my way by. I don't want other riders to be unnerved by my blasting by, but as a way of sharing the road.
I was reminded of the previous year with my wife as passenger and a brand-new Suzuki Boulevard. I was still getting used to being on a motorcycle the first time in 30 years. I was going the speed limit (I always do, scouts honor!). I noticed a couple headlights in the mirror, then three more. There was a batch of riders doing a poker run in the area so I hugged the right side of my lane as they all blew by me. I wasn't concerned too much by them, but we were heading over a hill and coming to an S-curve. I watched the horizon for on-coming traffic until all the bikes got by us.
So make sure you "share the road" when you're being overtaken and overtaking someone.
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