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From: hood@thehut.DEC (Desperately seeking old Coke)
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: If not for the cars...
Message-ID: <2892@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 25-Jun-85 13:36:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.2892
Posted: Tue Jun 25 13:36:39 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Jun-85 06:10:11 EDT
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 19

I read Sean Byrne's and Darryl Richman's grizzly stories and rules with 
interest.  After years of motorcycling in New England (home of some of the
worst drivers in the western world), I've got two rules of my own.

(1)  WATCH THE FACES OF THE OTHER DRIVERS.  *Every* other driver who isn't
directly behind you. If they're looking at you, chances are they won't try
to kill you.  The key to staying alive on a motorcycle seems to be assuming
EVERYONE on the road is going to do the worst possible thing at the worst
possible moment. If they're looking elsewhere  (or if they're under 18 or
over 70) assume they don't see you. Beep your horn BEFORE they do
something.  In fact, go out today and get a set of extra loud horns. For
less than $40, you can get 110dB's of attention.  I don't like to think of 
this as paranoia, but it seems to work.

(2)  DON'T DRIVE A MOTORCYCLE ANYWHERE YOU DON'T LIKE TO DRIVE A CAR.  
Boston is a nice example.  When car drivers get within 10 miles of that
city, they start pretending there are no other vehicles on the road. 
I've lived about 25 miles northwest of Boston all my life, but I've never 
driven a bike in Boston.  I like my life.