| Author | Message | ||
     86129squids |
OK friends, I must vent and share. Went to work today. Normal commute, 25ish miles north to West Knoxville. Alcoa highway, which locals call AllKillYa Highway. For obvious reasons if you're familiar with it. Transfer to Pellissippi Parkway, TN I-140 which is really not an interstate, go figure. Then I get to West Knoxville, where moron drivers multiply. Early on, on time for work, I pass the airport, I approach the mayhem of Alcoa's "Motor Mile". But it's Sunday. Just after 3PM. Minor mayhem is what I expect... Eyes up, back, swivel head. 25 miles, every day to/from work, normal routine. I look back, notice 5 bikers coming up. They weren't there seconds ago. Looked back again, noticed a late model drab grey Road Glide passing on the shoulder. He did that at least three times. One of the bikes was a chopper, probably a Big Dog, dude had a passenger. They were passing on this section of Alcoa Highway at 70+, all lanes, dotted line too. The last guy, on a Roadglide/ oops, Streetglide, who must've had his last shred of sanity, didn't pass me until the cloverleaf onto Pellissipi. When I first noticed them, I was surprised. When I saw how they were riding, I called 911. They were bat out of hell Morons. "Blount County 911, what's your emergency?" I conveyed to dispatch what I was witnessing. They heard the morons passing me. I informed them exactly where they were headed. When Pellissippi crosses the river, it becomes Knox county. "Oh, I'll have to transfer you to Knox county, please hold." So, apparently one can outrun the Motorola nowadays. I had to repeat what I'd told Blount county... in the meantime, those morons became smaller in my vision. I'd told first dispatch EXACTLY where they were headed, and the points where they could be intercepted. I managed to keep speed to not lose sight of them, until my exit. Nada. No blue lights. Pathetic. What I witnessed puts all we serious motorcycle riders in a very poor light. Just like the morons who think "think???" it's a good idea to "walk" a Gixxer or whatever down the highway on the rear wheel, through traffic. I've seen lots of idiots in my time, now I've got to categorize a new species of squid as of today. I told one of my backwaiters of this. He responded "Why would you call the law on a biker?" He's young, knows how to ride, only knows big bore IL4's. Hasn't died yet. He couldn't follow my reason, but I think he listened to me. A bit. I'd call the law on my own child had I seen them ride like that. I'll work on making this kid know this. Geez, that was a good venting. Thanks for reading. (Message edited by 86129squids on November 11, 2019) | ||
| H0gwash |
Maybe the cops chose to let Darwinism do its thing rather than try to chase or block these guys and make traffic worse for everyone else? | ||
| Shoggin |
While I agree with you 100.1%, If I called the law on every oblivious, dangerous, idiot I see daily around here, I'd be on the phone a LOT.  | ||
| 86129squids |
You gotta know Alcoa Highway. The whole thing is a death trap between Maryville and Knoxville. Coincidentally, it is a continuation of TN129. These a$$hats were riding like they were re-enacting Mad Max or Hell Ride. Shoggin, a BIG YEPPERS to that. | ||
| Etennuly |
Hope you were hands free on your phone when you called it in!  | ||
| 86129squids |
No, dangit and for Fk's sake I was painfully aware of that! I had to use my dang handheld idiot phone. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Live and let live - they want to make poor choices, it's on them. I quit sticking my nose in other people's business a long time ago. | ||
| 86129squids |
Joe, I'm generally with ya, but these dipshits could've easily panicked someone into my lane. That's MY business. Not to mention the sportbike aisshats who think it's cool to "walk" their Gixxer down the interstate. They give you and I, all of us a bad image. Lord knows many of you have ridden with me several times, several places, WFO hair on fire. I'd like to think we as a group ride responsibly and respectfully around the "normals", the regular cagers. At any rate, trust me, "you had to be there". | ||
| Ratbuell |
I still don't stick my nose in it. I might dial 9-1 and wait for the crash...but, having been dead once already now, perspectives have definitely changed. You're not going to change their minds. Cops aren't going to change their minds. Sadly the only thing that will stop them...is that big final stop at the end. All we can do is hope they don't take someone else with them. I don't wear a badge; it's not my place to tell folks what to do or not do on the roadways. So...I don't. | ||
| Aesquire |
That's the fine line between None of my business & civic duty. It's a judgement call each time & I won't criticize. I've called in drunk drivers & once late at night I'm driving the expressway, 5 lanes wide at that point near an interchange, when I see an oncoming car in my lane. I move over. It does too, head on. I move 2 more lanes, and it does one, I'm about to hit the shoulder as it whizzes by with a combined speed over 140.. And mutter "what an as... Hey!" As I belatedly realize it's going the wrong way. I called that one in. And got real awake. I was cruising on autopilot with collision avoidance on But higher brain function elsewhere. Nice blivit of adrenalin will focus you! | ||
| Ourdee |
I had the wrong way drunk coming at me in my lane. He did a lot of damage that night running people off the road and side swiping a few. I turned around and caught him at a light. Jumped out of my vehicle as he hit another car. I turned his car off as he was trying to get going again. then held onto him the keys and kept him in his car till I turned him over to the law. While holding him I had to protect him from those that were chasing him. I had to go to court as I was the chain of custody. I don't have much leeway for drunk drivers. | ||
| 86129squids |
Dayum, RD, and Patrick. I had the same scenario, heading home after work. As I approached the crossing of the Tennessee river from Knox to Blount county on TN140, I'd been watching a sheriff's car watching an old Ford pickup in the right lane. On the long left curve, I noticed some unusual lights. Oncoming, a vehicle northbound in my southbound lane. I bailed to the shoulder, idiot passed, sheriff hit his lights. I made it home. A week or two later, I read of a wrong way fatality on the same road, two others critically injured. I'll always wonder if it was the same POS. Dang, Joe. So, if you see a squad of f*cktards riding like a$$hats, you just don't care, would'nt even give a shit? Do nothing? (Message edited by 86129squids on November 12, 2019) | ||
| 86129squids |
RD- I've always appreciated and respected you. More so now. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
I'm with Joe. I'm not a cop. And I'm not a snitch. I might chase someone down and beat the shit out of them, but call the police? No. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I didnt say I wouldn't care. But no, (and here's the key) - **it's not my place**. People do dumb shit all the time. I'm not da mama. I'm not the cops. And neither are you, Brad, unless you took an oath of service I'm not aware of. Where do you draw the line? Left lane squatters? No turn signal? Speeding? California stops? All break the law - are you going to play Nanny and stick your nose in all of them? If someone threatens me directly, I defend myself appropriately. If someone just wants to be a moron...go for it. Natural selection at work, in a free country. I'm no saint. YOU'RE no saint. None of us are. And theres always someone who could call out something you or I do - so where does it stop? Thats why we have cops, and a legal system. | ||
| Rick_a |
Yeah. I don't play cop and don't expect others to, either. If they're not endangering me or others, it's fine. If it's a legitimate nuisance such as a blatantly drunk or impaired driver it's a different story. | ||
| Oldfartnbuell |
welcome to phoenix, the wrong way driver capitol of the U.S.! One about every three or four days. Many with deaths. | ||
| Hootowl |
"Where do you draw the line? Left lane squatters? No turn signal? Speeding? California stops?" I'd say when that person becomes an imminent danger to others, they've crossed the line, and I have a civic duty to do something. Up until that point, it's none of my business. | ||
| 86129squids |
Yeppers. 5 riders posing an imminent danger to myself and others. That's NOT "sticking my nose into other's business". That's self-preservation, that's giving a shit. The more f#cks that ride like that in public we see, the more negative image we all get as bikers. It's more likely gonna be some sportbike gang than HD riders, yes, but obviously idiocy comes in all flavors. I'm surprised to be arguing over this at all. What if these same idiots happened to take a trip down to your mom's town in Florida? I know you to be highly principled and passionate about riding and self preservation, Joe. Live and let live, yes. Giving a shit about things, yes. C'mon man. | ||
| Ratbuell |
the more negative image we all get as bikers That comment right there tells me it wasn't a safety concern for you, it was a principal-concern. Which, while I understand...I don't really worry about because I just do the best I can when I ride, to do well and counter the "biker dude" stigma. The bikers passed you - you're safe. Let it go. You reacted well enough to not get hurt; others on the road reacted well enough. This is NOT a drive-wrong-way-while-drunk situation, this is just •••••••-ness. If they keep it up, they'll get caught eventually. Or get hurt. And that is just physics - if my mom got popped by a biker, while driving her Chrysler...she'd be fine. If you get hit by one in your car, you'll have to fix a dent or three but you'll be fine. Not sticking my nose in things doesn't mean I don't care. What it does mean is, I know my place - as discussed above. You don't want people coming into your kitchen and telling you how to cook or what spices to use. I don't want people telling me I run my bands too loud at concerts. And assholes don't want people telling them how to ride. Leave it to the cops, or the paramedics. Sooner or later, riders like that will meet one, or the other. Until then? Not my problem. | ||
| 86129squids |
It was #1, safety for myself, #2, the others on the road with me, and yes, #3, a principal thing. I'd have been highly aggravated at the least to have one of them wipe out or crash someone ahead of me and make me late for work. I appreciate you, Joe. I hope we can ride again someday, friend. | ||
| 86129squids |
Oh wait, just re-read that- I'm an •••••••? Easy, man. | ||
| Hootowl |
The other riders were, not you. | ||
| Shoggin |
You're all good Squids, Sometimes things just get in yer craw and need to be spit out!  | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
All the moto-morons I have had to deal with around here are sportbike clowns. Getting close to you and doing idiotic stunts. It's bad enough sometimes so that if I see a group of sportbike guys catching up, I tend to pull off for gas or a snack. Cops tend to catch a group at a time at a choke point. Guilt by association<>Innocence by Disassociation? | ||
| Tpehak |
I always ride and drive under speed limit, turn nice, slow and carefully, take my time to check if there are approaching pedestrians on intersection before turning, drive slower on wet and snow. Drivers hate it, they constantly honk on me, demonstrate flipping birds, etc, motorcyclists passes me in my lane. Am I moron? (Message edited by Tpehak on November 14, 2019) | ||
| 86129squids |
LOL! No, buddy, just a slowpoke. Aggravating, maybe, but not infuriating/frightening/threatening as a driver. I'll say the best takeaway from my story is just keep your head on a swivel, no matter what vehicle. And that saying which has become ubiquitous for other reasons: "If you see something, say something." Remember how Peter Parker lost his uncle. |
