RSS
Home
Scootering pet peeves
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Here are my top five scootering pet peeves. Each of these was encountered on Woodward Ave. from Royal Oak to downtown Detroit. I ride at the speed limit or just above, and I'm usually in the command position at the left hand side of the leftmost lane. I ride heads up and always wear my ultra-bright Fieldsheer "On-Base" visibility vest. Thank goodness, as it turns out.
5) Aimless wandering - Have you ever ridden behind someone who apparently has no place to go and is in no hurry to get there? These darlings clog the roadway and feel free to take it all in while going ten miles under the speed limit, head on a swivel, just having a good time. Sometimes they appear to be of retirement age, but often they are of working age, and of a equal mix of females and males. They drive slow, and other than causing fellow cagers to make dramatic maneuvers to get by them, generally drive safely. Hint to these gentle souls: Get out of our way, the bus is cheap and the views are free.
4) On-the-brakes-for-no-reason - Closely related to the "Aimless," these drivers are extra careful and just to make sure, will repeatedly "test" their brakes for no apparent reason. There's no kid on the sidewalk, no oncoming traffic, no crazy October squirrel. They just tap the brakes to make sure that they are still there. I try not to tailgate, so I don't think that it's a brake-check for too close following. One memorable morning I got to ride my 10-mile commute behind one of these folks and the braking was often, inconsistent and ineffective (very light braking). I was so impressed that I proudly announced that I was quitting my job and opening an automotive brake repair shop, simply due to the vast untapped and lucrative market for worn-out brake pad replacement. These zombies are among us and are both wearing out their brake pads and wasting gas on their meandering, discs-hot staccato journeys. Hint: Brakes are for stopping; keep your foot off unless you want to stop.
3) Gotta-get-by - We've all seen this one, a cager who just has to get by you for some reason. They try and try, get close and finally make a lunge into oncoming traffic or on the right. They finally get by and lo and behold, once past, they inexplicably slow down! It defies explanation and causes some aggravation on the scooterists part. I've heard people say that it's because we are scooterists and therefore perceived as "slow," but they really have to take some chances when I'm driving at or just above speed limit. And then they slow down, now making you the "bad guy" for the rest of the cages stacking up behind. Scooterist coping hint: If they really want by, let them. Make it easy for them by signaling and getting out of their way. You'll pass them sooner or later, probably when they stop for gas.
2) Yellow flashing light stopper - I admit that this was a new one for me. I was rolling down the avenue in traffic, flashing yellow ahead, just like every other day. Suddenly everyone jams on their brakes and stops. I brake hard and pull into the turning lane to avoid the daydreaming cager following too closely behind. Three cars ahead, some nut job has stopped for the flashing yellow! Honks from the cagers closer to the clog got them moving in a few seconds. Hint to the clogs: Learn the laws before you drive. Maybe wake up, too.
1) Idiot pedestrians - This one isn't really a surprise for people who have driven Woodward. At any point, one should expect individuals or small groups to calmly stroll into the street and attempt to cross even in sporadic, fast-moving traffic and often in the middle of a block. It doesn't help that the low visibility of the front of the scooter isn't picked out by the casual glances afforded to oncoming traffic. These "peds" walk through oncoming traffic to get to the turning lane, pause a moment, then glance up and step into the roadway probably 50 feet in front of my 35 mph scooter. I grab a bunch of brakes, anticipate the crunch from the onrushing cage right behind and give the ped a toot of the horn as I prepare to take evasive action. Of course, the ped looks at you like it's your fault for being on the road. It got so bad over the summer that I contemplated snatching the hat off one of these inattentive folks, just to make a point. The point being that if I hit them on the scooter, we are both going to get seriously injured. I didn't ever snatch a hat, but I honestly wish that people would consider crossing a busy eight-lane road at the crosswalks, for their safety and mine. Hint: Ride heads-up because what you don't anticipate will probably happen.
And a bonus mention of the "one tail light is out" folks. Just a friendly reminder that any law enforcement officer can and most likely will pull you over for a tail lamp or brake lamp out. Perhaps it's from overuse by the "on-the-brakes" folks?
Ride safe out there.
What's next: Cold weather riding gear for scooterists... and scooters
Related Articles:
Comments
