Well gas prices are forcing me to park the old F-150 I drive at least 2-3 days a week. Kinda late in the season I know, I will be going very early and leaving before to bad of rush hour. Anyone else also commute to work daily? I will be going from Littleton to the Denver Tech Center. 19 miles one way.
Any tips for morning comute with reckless cagers? Becides just being alert, and careful?
Just think of it as a technical obstacle course with pop-up morons and you'll be fine.
Gary
08 CBR1000rr - Candy Dark Red/Metallic Silver
Not daily, but I try to ride 3-4 times a week if I don't have to drop the kids off, etc. I live in HR and work in the tech center - approx 12 miles.
If I take county line (from colorado) to Yosemite, N to the tech center, it takes me a few minutes longer, but is way more relaxing than 470 and 25. Leaving early is good for traffic, but the sun is awful low, and I wonder how many drivers actually see me in front of them. Coming home, I've found S on Quebec to 470 works best... keeps some air flowing in the afternoon heat.
I was thinking of driving to avoid the c-470 if at all possible. Hwy+morning+tired cagers scares me. I was thinking of taking bellview to I-70. what do you think?
If you have to ride east/west, try to avoid times when the sun is right in the drivers' eyes; sometimes even 10 minutes make a difference. Set spidey senses on maximum alert, high beams all the time. And it may be dorky but one of those Icon milspec vests in hi-viz yellow may help.
When life throws you curves, aim for the apex
Current stable: 09 Thruxton \ 09 FZ6S2 Sold List: 97 Ninja500R, 03 SV650K3, 01 Ducati 750Sport, 73 CB350/4, 03 F650GSA, 08 Gixxer600, 03 Gixxer600, 91 VFR750F, 09 KLX250, 06 Thruxton 900, 02 VFR800, 08 Spyder RS, 12 Street TripleR, 09 KLX250S, 16 KTMRC390, 10 F650GS
my Facebook, SpeedShotsOriginally Posted by salsashark
Awww damn dude. How about the feelings of us poor military that are REQUIRED to wear those things? Although mine is Hardley Orange and not yellow.
John
I commute every day. 1.8 miles each way, so I have very little to offer. In fact, I'm almost uselessAlthough, I do almost get hit, nearly everyday, because of stupid ass boulder drivers drinking there double nonfat, low cal, hypermochafrappachino while talking on there vegan friendly blackberries.
Assume everyone is out to kill you and you should be fine.
Words to LIVE by.
Did the 34mi. trip into the People's Republick of Boulder for 8 years and the above quote is my mantra when riding anytime.
Is this why you were slow in the corners ar R2SL?lol just keeding
2006 DRZ SM
2003 RIZLA GSX-R 1000 (sold)
2008 R6
Are you going to post this one every motorcycle forum?
Yep - I commute ~30mi to work one way on teh bike. Only time I won't ride is if I know the weather is gonna suck or if I have to haul things/people.
Chris
There's nothing that will ever replace the warm feeling of a perfectly blipped 6th-to-4th downshift, that drops right lane traffic like 1st first semester chem-lab.
Another daily commuter here, also about 30 miles each way. I do have an advantage in that I live in the country east of town so the sun is at my back and I dont have to deal with traffic until I am closer than Parker. A lot of good advice has been given, just be very observant of all the idiots on the road.
This summer I managed to go 2 1/2 months without commuting once in the truck, if it wasn't for the rain last week that streak would still be going...
Parker to Boulder, daily (with the rare exception, of course).
Ya, be alert and just watch people - if you can't already, you'll soon develop a sense of what their about to do... do this when you're driving your cage too... pretty soon you'll be amazed at this new psychic ability you've developed.
If you're commuting early (around sunrise), don't forget - when your shadow is long & in front of you, oncoming traffic will be blinded by the sun and won't be able to see you... same is true for people turning onto the street you're on (either direction).
Ride safe.
PS: Moving to Technique forum
Bob <------ Asshole Nazi devil moderator out to get each and every one of you
- 2002 Yamaha R1 (92K+ miles... bought new) ---------------------------------------->
- 2015 Yamaha Bolt C-Spec (Cafe Racer)
- 2004 Yamaha R6 (racebike)
- 2006 Yamaha R1 (racebike)R.I.P. 502 ~ Everything works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it isn't the end.
trying to see how much money I will be saving. I may have to think of less sporty tires, I need tires to last longer for sure.. WHat tires you all using?
I use and 100% recommend the Pilot Road 2. It uses the 2CT technology of the Power except with a sport compound on the sides and a tour? compound in the center. I got 12000 miles out of a rear that was 99% commuting. I have taken them in the canyons and been satisfied but I have to qualify that with saying I am one of those that believes knee down, peg dragging belongs on the track. To give you an idea of how hard I push my tires usually have a 1/4" or so left on the sides untouched.
I'm using some of my old race tires... Bridgestone BT-002's. Soft compound front, hard compound rear... riding em til their bald. I just put a "new" rear on 2 weeks ago, after putting 3000 miles on it since July 1st. I doubt it had 1000 miles on it before that.
- 2002 Yamaha R1 (92K+ miles... bought new) ---------------------------------------->
- 2015 Yamaha Bolt C-Spec (Cafe Racer)
- 2004 Yamaha R6 (racebike)
- 2006 Yamaha R1 (racebike)R.I.P. 502 ~ Everything works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it isn't the end.
I commute on the bike about 3 times a week. From Highlands Ranch to Littleton. Other days are for chores/business meetings, and picking stuff up that I can't carry on the bike.
But for the most part, I have felt pretty comfortable on C-470. I know it just takes one in a crowd to ruin your riding moment, but maybe I have been lucky so far.
The C-470 people, seem to me, to be WAY nicer then the asshats on Santa Fe during rush hour coming home at night. My Santa Fe ride in the morning is great. It's the evening rush hour that has freaked me out. Stupid women drivers.
But, my take on it, is that I suppose it makes me a better overall rider to contend with it even though I get a lil nervous from time to time.
Silver lining is that maybe I will get to wave at you one day without knowing that it's you. And you have to admit that the nice cold air in the morning is kinda nice. Whoo hoo!
Safe riding.
Terri
"Keep that "what if" thought in the back of your mind; it's the angel on your shoulder balancing the devil in your right hand."
"There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart...pursue those."
2005 SV650S Street
Keep it in gear at red lights.
Stay out of cager's blind spots.
Stay in the far left or right of the lane at long stops to facilitate escape from pile-ups.
Last edited by PharmerKyle; Fri Aug 22nd, 2008 at 07:39 AM. Reason: I edit all o' my posts just to be annoying
Proud pilot of the one and only 1994 Kaw EX500 "Failstrom" adventure-mo-dealie!
IBA# 20672
A couple of more thoughts I had during this morning's commute:
- Ride with your high-beams on during the day!!!
- Assume that people merging from an on-ramp will be coming straight over to the far left lane. Be pleasantly surprised when they don't.
- The same is true if you're not on a highway and somebody turns off a side street to go the same direction as you.
- If you're in the right lane and somebody is waiting to turns off a side street, don't assume that they're going to wait for you to pass... be prepared to slow down or change lanes to accomdate them, then honk at them and give them the "you're #1" salute.
- On 3-lane roads/highways, be wary of people jumping from one outside lane to another (from slow lane to fast lane, or vice-versa).
I don't do this (not saying you should or shouldn't... it does have it's merits, such as a quick getaway from somebody who doesn't realize they're supposed to stop), I know it may not be the smartest, but I'm wary of the fact, usually keep an eye on my mirrors, and only relax once a car is stopped behind me.
Definitely! I've told people "I never ride beside a cage (which risks putting me in their blind spot)... I'm either behind them, or passing them". As you start to pass them, take a quick look at the driver... sometimes you'll see their hand reaching for the signal, or they're doing a quick shoulder check before changing lanes (and don't expect that they'll see you). It's difficult to do this when the car has tinted front windows tho.
Not sure how far over you're meaning. I'm usually where one of the car tires would be, and leave enough room in front of me that I can maneuver around if I need to. When I'm in stop-and-go traffic, I'm usually right near the edge of the lane, so I can jump into the other lane if it's going faster (I hate sitting in traffic anyway, but when you have a 50 mile commute, every little bit helps).
- 2002 Yamaha R1 (92K+ miles... bought new) ---------------------------------------->
- 2015 Yamaha Bolt C-Spec (Cafe Racer)
- 2004 Yamaha R6 (racebike)
- 2006 Yamaha R1 (racebike)R.I.P. 502 ~ Everything works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it isn't the end.
A couple of more thoughts I had during this morning's commute:
I don't do this (not saying you should or shouldn't... it does have it's merits, such as a quick getaway from somebody who doesn't realize they're supposed to stop), I know it may not be the smartest, but I'm wary of the fact, usually keep an eye on my mirrors, and only relax once a car is stopped behind me.
- Ride with your high-beams on during the day!!!
- Assume that people merging from an on-ramp will be coming straight over to the far left lane. Be pleasantly surprised when they don't.
- The same is true if you're not on a highway and somebody turns off a side street to go the same direction as you.
- If you're in the right lane and somebody is waiting to turns off a side street, don't assume that they're going to wait for you to pass... be prepared to slow down or change lanes to accomdate them, then honk at them and give them the "you're #1" salute.
- On 3-lane roads/highways, be wary of people jumping from one outside lane to another (from slow lane to fast lane, or vice-versa).
Definitely! I've told people "I never ride beside a cage (which risks putting me in their blind spot)... I'm either behind them, or passing them". As you start to pass them, take a quick look at the driver... sometimes you'll see their hand reaching for the signal, or they're doing a quick shoulder check before changing lanes (and don't expect that they'll see you). It's difficult to do this when the car has tinted front windows tho.
Not sure how far over you're meaning. I'm usually where one of the car tires would be, and leave enough room in front of me that I can maneuver around if I need to. When I'm in stop-and-go traffic, I'm usually right near the edge of the lane, so I can jump into the other lane if it's going faster (I hate sitting in traffic anyway, but when you have a 50 mile commute, every little bit helps
This is all good stuff and thank you everyone for posting on this. I am actually going to start commuting next week from Thornton to Englewood, so definitely some great pointers...keep em coming...hopefully I make it through next week!
Uno mas.
I commute from Fort Fun to Del Camino (Longmont exit) on I-25, 32 miles each way, most days that the weather is decent. Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see one of the most important, IMO, safety tips mentioned. Leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front - a 2 second gap preferably. I admit I don't always maintain this much, but 1 second (which still looks like a lot) is my minimum safe following distance. When traffic gets heavy and people are tailgating, I move over to the right and open up a large gap in front of me. I find people don't tailgate me when I do this. I think it's because even though I am keeping up with traffic, riding in the right lane with a big gap in front of me gives the perception that I am going slow, and nobody wants to be behind a slow vehicle. I bide my time there until the left lane clears up then use it to pass and make up time when I can do so safely. Even in Denver, this works. I have no fear of riding any of the interstates in and around Denver because I can create my own little zone of sanity.
As for tires? I just got a set of Pirelli Diablo Stradas this year and I am very pleased with them. That is their high-mileage sport-touring tire.
I have ridden in pouring rain on twisty mountain roads and on C470 without fear and in the dry they have proven to be great canyon carvers, at least for my modest abilities.
Ciao
Forgot to mention, I also have a brake light flasher kit (goes on for 3 seconds, then flashes 3 times fast, then starts over). Hopefully that's eye-catching enought.I don't do this...
- 2002 Yamaha R1 (92K+ miles... bought new) ---------------------------------------->
- 2015 Yamaha Bolt C-Spec (Cafe Racer)
- 2004 Yamaha R6 (racebike)
- 2006 Yamaha R1 (racebike)R.I.P. 502 ~ Everything works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it isn't the end.
All very sound advise in the above.
I try and filter about 5 miles per hour or so quicker
than the surrounding flow of traffic.
People tend to see me better than just
being static.
Peace Bash
* Bash, Bashasaurus, Ms Bash, his neighbors or friends are not responsible for any incidents, accidents, or accusations, that might result from you being squidish, squid like, squirting ink, or waving your non-covered tentacles about in a squidy fashion. Nor is he or his associates responsible for any citations as a result of you hanging with SoCo. Any attempt to coerce, blame, question, or pin your loser-riffic behavior on any of us, or those who are considered us for the night, as well as people we like, to include Salma Hayek and Nicky Hayden, among others, will result in a profanity stricken series of post that mock and taunt you incessantly, as well as many of us adding such insults to our signature lines. Avoid taking SoCo before bedtime. Do not use if you experience faintness, dizziness, inverness, difficulty urinating or blotchy skin. If I steal a line, quote, avatar or image from a post you make on the internet, you're not getting credit.*
I ride 100%. Sold my cars to do this.
Head on a swivel
Stay in gear when stopped
Don't leave intersections first, let the vehicle next to you block red light runners
Get a loud fucking horn
I recommend the Metzler ME Z6 for your tires. Google some reviews on them, you will see why.
First rule of the internet: *bleep* you and everything you stand for. Second rule of the internet: FKZOR U AND RRYTHING U STND FR!
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