nklr defensive driving techniques

[monahanwb@yahoo.com]

> Put yourself where they can't hit you. > I'm not so sure that the Freeway is all that safe anymore. There

are many more distractions for the modern driver; cell phones for instance. When commuting, I'd always ride the interstate, but now, I find myself preferring to take my chances on the side road. I have to second that one, Gino..it's a lot more agressive and crowded nowadays, and as for Conall's take on it, I live in the same part of California as he does (roughly) and have to drive on the five- laners sometimes; however, Seattle and other cities have equally bad if not worse traffic.....but they were bad twenty-five years ago....like 680, 580 or 880 through east Oakland...it's always been an extremely dangerous place to ride a motorcycle. Where Conall lives there aren't many back roads to take you where you want to go...and if there are, they are harboring the frequent overspeeding car driver who is also interested in avoiding the crush of the "freeway". Nowadays, I split lanes about 100% of the time, and acknowledge the danger..but it's safer than following cars in a nose- to-tail fashion. It's do that or give up and drive a car....I have a feeling I'll die before doing that. I'm not that interested in making it to the old folks home, I guess. Maybe it's better to go the way McQuide did, although I think he was a little premature...I believe he was about 36 or so. Everybody has to go sometime, and there is no pretty or nice way to do it, as far as I can tell.