Not a good leason to teach my daughter

[tcoop]

This morning my daughter and I went to a breakfast for out riding group. Everything started out good, we geared up and got on our bikes and left the house. She was on the XJ750 and I road my XS1100. We headed down the back roads to the gas station. While pumping we talked about which way to ride to get to the breakfast and decided on the freeway. I just finished rebuilding the head on the 1100 about a week ago. I have only gotten it up to 50 mph (taking it easy to make sure I did not mess things up) and the freeway seemed like a good idea to test it a little.

We got on I84 and with in a mile the two lanes merged into one lane just before merging with I15. As the two lanes became one, a car passed us on the left. This action by the cage pissed me off. I saluted him with the bird, then tried to tell myself to calm down. As we merged onto I15, the cage that cut us off went into next lane left. I started to speed up to get out of the group of cars that we were in, but before I past that guy he cut back into my lane. We were pretty much boxed in. I could feel my blood pressure rising by the second. I a lane open between two trucks, so I shifted down and hit the throttle. Before I could say WHOOH NELLY, I shot through there and was out in front of the pack at over 100 mph (bike responded better than I expected)…


Then with in milliseconds I realized my daughter was still back there in the pack. I quickly slowed down to the speed limit glancing in the side view mirror, but could not see her. She actually remembered some the things I taught her, stay calm, be patient and not to dart around in traffic. She waited for the traffic to thin out in front of her then moved to get in ahead of the pack. It seemed like an eternity before I saw her but it was only a few seconds.


We made it to the breakfast and enjoyed the company of other riders. Afterward I talked to my daughter. I told her if I ever do something foolish like that again, too not try and copy me. She said she had already made that decision.

All I could think about was to show that cage up or to get even with him. In doing so, I not only risked my live but the life of other around me especially my daughters. I am ashamed of the way I reacted. Riding is a privilege and I need to start acting like it more. Ride safe.








P.S. My daughter is 18 but has only been riding for about 6 months.

[cmyers]

wow tcoop, I can fully sympathize with the feelings of frustration and anger at cagers that act like that. I can also say that you should be very proud that your daughter has such a cool and level head.

[chromy]

Sounds like you did a great job rasing your daughter!   

Maybe some time in front of a miror will help fix that impatience/temper issue.     

Great feedback, I too struggle with exercising patience while riding the NH.

[happycommuter]

Ignoring the morality, ethics, etc, it is important to note that the lead rider has the advantage of an element of surprise that following riders will not have.  Bad idea to follow aggressive anti-social riders.

You really need to learn to not take road hazards personally.  A deer, a scrap of tire tread, a car changing lanes into me - they're all just minor obstacles in the games.  No point in getting emotional about the stuff*

* My problem is slow drivers.  I see no reason for their slowness besides malicious selfishness.  I hate them and wish they'd die.   But the guy that cuts me off and speeds off is okay in my book.

[Bumblebee]

* My problem is slow drivers.  I see no reason for their slowness besides malicious selfishness.  I hate them and wish they'd die.   But the guy that cuts me off and speeds off is okay in my book.

Some of us drive slower for legitimate reasons. Typically to avoid hurting ourselves and others. And secondarily to avoid smushing squishables who insist they own the universe and have the right to attempt to run everyone else off the road.

[green427]

The moral of this thread is, don't flip anyone the bird unless you have a death wish. If you can't read this, you are an old geezer and need bifocals now.

[tcoop]

The moral of this thread is, don't flip anyone the bird unless you have a death wish. If you can't read this, you are an old geezer and need bifocals now.

I have reading glasses and I still had a hard time reading it

[tcoop]

wow tcoop, I can fully sympathize with the feelings of frustration and anger at cagers that act like that. I can also say that you should be very proud that your daughter has such a cool and level head.

Thanks. She is a good kid in spite of me. (She must get that from her mom ) I just wish in that instance I could have been a better example.

[detdrbuzzard]

well tcoop i had a guy do that to me today i guess 75mph was just too slow for him, he was driving a gmc trailblazer pulling a jetski. i didn't loose my cool though and i was riding by myself but i knew i would catch back up with him and pass him. once i realized i was headed in the wrong direction and came up with plan " b " i got up to cursing speed passed him about five minutes later ( if that ) and went on my way. my agenda was more important that flipping him off for what he did earlier

[ariwhiteboy]

Naughty, Naughty...   Glad nothing bad happened, make sure you explain to her that was a demonstration of how NOT to ride! 

[tcoop]

Naughty, Naughty...   Glad nothing bad happened, make sure you explain to her that was a demonstration of how NOT to ride! 

Yeah, that's it! It was an demonstration...yeah a demonstration of what not...ah who am I kidding. It was just plain dumb riding. It was my day to ride like a squid.  Now the trick is to NOT DO IT AGAIN! That's what I need to tell my self.

[Burgi]

Good for you. That you were willing to explain your mistake to her says much about your character. You turned what could have been a big negative into a good lesson. 

[ariwhiteboy]

Now the trick is to NOT DO IT AGAIN! That's what I need to tell my self.

Yeah...now that you know a little about what that 1100 is capable of you are just thinking about when you will be able to stretch her legs away on some empty section of back road. 

[tcoop]

Now the trick is to NOT DO IT AGAIN! That's what I need to tell my self.

Yeah...now that you know a little about what that 1100 is capable of you are just thinking about when you will be able to stretch her legs away on some empty section of back road. 

I would have to admit the feel of the acceleration I liked (Just don't tell any one  ) but I will need to do as you suggest; on a back road with no one around. (but still with in reason and control  )