Thoughts on freeway driving

But that is just speculation. Is there any proof to what you observed? Any studies, research? It is a known fact that ABS increases braking distances compared to what an expert can achieve. Using ABS compared to slamming on the brakes and skidding? I don't know.
Here's a study published by the NHTSA in 1999 regarding stopping distance with ABS versus without. From the paper:

For most maneuvers, on most surfaces, ABS-assisted stops yielded distances shorter than those made with the ABS disabled. The one exception was on loose gravel where stopping distances increased by an average of 27.2 percent overall. Additionally, the vehicular stability observed during testing was almost always superior with ABS.

Keep in mind, the last comprehensive study was 25 years ago, prior to the addition of stability control and traction control being standard. That's 25 years of improvement in the mechanics and computers, so the one spot where stopping distance with ABS was further than without has likely improved.

(If you want an idea of the testing methodology, the NHTSA utilized a test driver with 17 years of professional test driving experience, had the driver do six runs with each of nine cars in nine scenarios empty and loaded to the max weight rating, and performed ABS runs without any manual brake pumping at all.)
 
This is just my observations.....
Our multiple safety devices, practices, warning labels, regulations, etc. have permitted the stupid to thrive. Just a hundred years back, natural selection minimized the problem for us.
Unfortunately, the stupid have a higher tendency of killing others than themselves. When a drunk driver is in a crash, they're seven times more likely to survive than those they hit.
 
Unfortunately, the stupid have a higher tendency of killing others than themselves. When a drunk driver is in a crash, they're seven times more likely to survive than those they hit.
I've read that is because they are totally relaxed and bounce. Sober people tense up or freeze and the impact tears muscles and breaks bones.
 
Just a hundred years back, natural selection minimized the problem for us.
The issue is lack of actual consequences...

The ignorant fella/brat running a red light/stop sign is flipping everyone off for honking and braking in anger, seeing not to be killed by that idiot...
Back in the 80ies he/she would have been punched at the next stop, so that they bounce off the passenger seat... and no one gave a §h!t... a lesson that sunk in...
Try such these days and find yourself tackled by a SWAT team... whilst the actual offender keeps on...
 
I've read that is because they are totally relaxed and bounce. Sober people tense up or freeze and the impact tears muscles and breaks bones.
I wonder if this is true. I have read that this is urban myth and that injuries suffered by drunks statistically differ insignificantly from sober people.

Unscientific anecdote. The drunk who hit and seriously screwed me up didn't fair any better than I did. When I last saw her in the hospital she couldn't walk. I believe that both of her legs were broken but I don't know that to be the case as I didn't bother to find out. I had no sympathy for her as, because of her, I couldn't walk either.
 
I almost died again yesterday. No this one was the worst this year category.

not on the freeway, I pulled up to a corner in a small town for a right turn. Car coming from the right so I wait. Car starts the turn to where I am sitting 150 feet early and is coming right at me. I have nowhere to go ad I’m all the way right and it’s uphill behind me. I guess I was in its “blind spot” because it just kept coming right at me. Finally at about 15 feet the car jerks out of the way and barely misses me with inches to spare.

Just another day on the great open road HAHAHA
 
The issue is lack of actual consequences...

The ignorant fella/brat running a red light/stop sign is flipping everyone off for honking and braking in anger, seeing not to be killed by that idiot...
Back in the 80ies he/she would have been punched at the next stop, so that they bounce off the passenger seat... and no one gave a §h!t... a lesson that sunk in...
Try such these days and find yourself tackled by a SWAT team... whilst the actual offender keeps on...

Early '70's.....I was riding my bike to classes. Part of the route included a three lane highway with a wide median. I was in the left lane when a woman in the middle lane matched speeds with me. I saw both her hands shoot to the 12 oclock position on her steering wheel and knew exactly what was coming next so I hit the shoulder just as the yanked her car hard left. She sped off and I was quite a way behind her when I caught a break and got back onto the road. A cop went after her but was caught by traffic some six vehicles behind. Another bike rider in the far right lane had witnessed the incident, got off his bike, walked up to her door and kicked it in while shouting words at her loud enough that I could hear. He went back to his bike and rode off when traffic cleared. Cop turned off his light and siren.
I imagine that today, that would have gotten the four of us into some court of personal feelings.
 
How many full 100% braking panic stops have I had on my non abs ST1100 or abs Tracer in 20+ years of riding? Exactly zero, none.

The retired cop said it best. 80% of MC crash investigations show the rider never braked at all, or used only the rear brake, which provides minimal braking effect. Abs is not of much use if you never touch the brakes, or use just the rear brake in an accident scenario.

Are riders who practice threshold braking all or part of the 20% who do brake and do use the front brake? We'll probably never know because many of these riders avoided an accident in the first place by braking properly and / or steering around an obstacle.

After my daughters took driver's ed and got their license I took them to a large parking lot after hours to practice braking in the Sienna. I told them to brake as hard as they could when I gave them the signal. We started off at 50 kph and I was very surprised at how tentative they were in using the brakes. Granted they were new drivers, but we came to a stop very slowly. We did this a few times and their braking distances were reduced as they got more comfortable. I asked them why they were not braking harder and also pumping the brakes. They indicated that they thought they were slowing down as fast as they could and the rate of deceleration alarmed them so they took their foot off the brake and then reapplied it.

I explained how the abs system worked, keeping the wheels moving, preventing a skid and maintaining the ability to turn and avoid an accident. I told them to slam the pedal to the floor, press hard and to hold it there until we stopped. We then repeated the "panic" stops starting at 50 and increasing to 80 after they became more comfortable. Needless to say the results were dramatically different from the first set of stops. We were slammed forward into our seatbelts and van came to a stop very quickly. They were initially alarmed at this and concerned they had damaged the van. After a few runs they became very comfortable braking to the max.

So.............. my overall take on this is that driver / rider training is critical, but the standards and process we currently use to license people are minimal, resulting in unprepared drivers / riders on the road who have minimal real understanding of their vehicle's capabilities. All we can do as riders is to commit to additional training or practice to improve our skills.
 
Sounds like you had a pleasant and safe trip compared to some of the highways around the Toronto area.

If poor driving, aggressive driving, distracted and angry people are a concern for you stay off the 400 series highways in and around the Toronto area, in particular the 401.

I've stopped riding on the 401 across Toronto, I use the 407 toll road instead. Expensive, but safe.

Yup - me too. I just put my transponder in my tank bag - works like a charm to lower costs.

One thing is for sure, there are a lot of twits out there and most of them seem to be behind, in front, or beside....ME!

Pete
 
One of the guys that works for me was hit last week. I just got the details on his condition and how it happened. He was riding behind his father, 35mph, same lane. Father was offset to the right, and he was offset to the left. The result was he was "covered" and invisible to a car pulling onto the road from the right. The car saw his dad, but not him. So as his dad passed the car just pulled out, and didn't look left again. Well, they ran straight into him. No time to even hit the brakes. He went airborne, smashed his helmet, broken tibia/fibia left leg, and crushed ankle/foot on the right. Lots of titanium rods, plates and screws. Jeans, t-shirt and sneakers. No other road rash. Not an atgatt guy, I'm thinking riding boots would likely have helped as the crushed foot was essentially an avulsion and the toes almost ripped off.

So what can be learned? Well, pay attention what might be in front of you, shadowing you from other drivers. I'm thinking conspicuity lighting is an even better idea than before. Wear protective gear. A riding boot with ankle armor, even a basic touring boot, is going to be much better than a sneaker. And low speed roads with opportunities for vehicles to come from ANY angle are deadly. I'll take the superslab and two-lanes with not much around.
 
One of the guys that works for me was hit last week. I just got the details on his condition and how it happened. He was riding behind his father, 35mph, same lane. Father was offset to the right, and he was offset to the left. The result was he was "covered" and invisible to a car pulling onto the road from the right. The car saw his dad, but not him. So as his dad passed the car just pulled out, and didn't look left again. Well, they ran straight into him. No time to even hit the brakes. ...

Sounds like a bad hit, Hope he recovers okay from that!

As a rider, you need to be aware of these types of situations!

It's just like being behind a truck, when the truck makes a right turn, on to a side street, and there is a vehicle waiting to make a left turn out of the same side street. I have saved my skin a number of times, because when I approach a side street and someone is blocking my view of the intersection, I slow down and watch closely for someone to be coming out, into my path.

We have one intersection in Cedar, where they have had several accidents for that very reason.
 
How many full 100% braking panic stops have I had on my non abs ST1100 or abs Tracer in 20+ years of riding? Exactly zero, none.

I've only done one...on the same CB750 my post mentioned. Lady pulled out in front of me at a signed intersection...on purpose, she watched me approach and jumped out, stopping across my lane. I came to an almost complete stop, upright less than a foot from her door. She looked disappointed.
 
I've only done one...on the same CB750 my post mentioned. Lady pulled out in front of me at a signed intersection...on purpose, she watched me approach and jumped out, stopping across my lane. I came to an almost complete stop, upright less than a foot from her door. She looked disappointed.
Here it's more the "apply brakes, blare horns, release brakes, swerve around (kick some doors/fenders), release horn button, ride on" routine...
 
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