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Axiom2000
Moderator
1761 Posts
[Mentor]
Georgetown, Delaware
USA
BMW
F 800 GT
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 5:34 AM

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Poll Question:
Which of these highway hazards do you consider the most dangerous for a motorcyclist
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Results: |
Deer Overpopulation |
 [29%] |
29 votes |
Truck Tire Carcasses on Roadway |
 [7%] |
7 votes |
Unsecured Loads on Vehicles |
 [14%] |
14 votes |
Highway Barriers |
 [5%] |
5 votes |
Center Line Rumble strips |
 [1%] |
1 votes |
Edge Breaks (2 lanes of unequal height) |
 [12%] |
12 votes |
Construction Scraping Texture |
 [1%] |
1 votes |
Painted or other surfaces that become slippery when wet. |
 [18%] |
18 votes |
Other |
 [13%] |
13 votes |
= Guests |
(67
votes) |
Poll Status:
Closed »» |
Total Votes: 100 counted »» |
Last Vote:
02/26/2009 12:37 PM |
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Indiana Randy
Moderator
2118 Posts
[Mentor]
Fort Wayne, Indiana
USA
Honda
2000 Magna V4 750
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 7:42 AM
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If it were available, I would have selected 'All of the Above'. While all CAN be a hazard, I selected Deer since their movement is something we have no control over. |
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rioguy Ex-Member
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 8:30 AM
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I selected other. My choice is lapses in attention. |
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aidanspa
Advanced Member
1740 Posts
[Mentor]
Omaha, NE
USA
Harley-Davidson
Road King
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 8:33 AM
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I too would have selected "All Above". I chose "Other" because potholes are a huge problem in states with winter freeze/thaw cycles. They are difficult to see, can be deadly if encountered and in my experience are more prevalent than deer, at least in the upper Midwest. |
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scottrnelson
Advanced Member
6947 Posts
[Mentor]
Meridian, ID
USA
Honda
XR650L, 790 Adv R
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 9:22 AM
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I chose edge breaks because even though they're rare around here, it's one of the few things that really makes me nervous while riding. There is a section of I-680 north of here where there is a one inch height difference between the fast lane and the other lanes. I prefer to ride in a combination of the #1 and #2 lanes, but lane changes there feel a bit dangerous to me. I'm curious if any unaware motorcyclists have ever crashed because of the edge.
Other things, like deer, we can't really do anything about. An edge break could actually be fixed permanently - or shouldn't have been allowed to exist in the first place. |
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Night Train
Advanced Member
1668 Posts
[Mentor]
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Canada
Kawasaki
2006 VN900
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 9:34 AM
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Although all items listed are dangerous, I selected unsecured loads on vehicles simply because it is the one I encounter most frequently. The frequency of the encounter increases the level of risk. |
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gymnast
Moderator
4260 Posts
[Mentor]
Meridian, Idaho
USA
Harley-Davidson
Sportster Sport
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 9:46 AM
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I also chose edge breaks. When I have encountered them, frequently during the warm months when road work is done, the edges have been as high as three inches, and there seems to be a total disregard for motorcycles when one is forced by signage and barriers to transition across the edges at the various points along the paving and repaving areas.
Not mentioned, but becoming more common locally are raised (6-8") traffic channelization cubings in the center of the roads and at urban intersections. From the amount of black tire marks, it is obvious that the cars and such are running into and over these channelization curbing's. These curbing's will easily knock an inattentive motorcyclist down with the additional hazard of the fall taking place in a moving traffic stream. |
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LoveableJunkie
Junior Member
29 Posts
King's Lynn, Norfolk
United Kingdom
(Unknown - Other)
Skyteam ST50-3TR
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 11:22 AM
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I chose other - I'd agree with rioguy. Inattentiveness . |
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Jim B
Senior Member
491 Posts
Newark, Delaware
USA
Honda
CMX250 & CB750
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 11:46 AM
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While all of them are dangerous, I chose Deer as the most dangerous, as they jump out of hidden places and leave you very little choice of what to do.
The others can be seen and dealt with as long as you have that '2 second rule' and abide by it.
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D R
Advanced Member
1053 Posts
[Mentor]
Northern, Virginia
USA
BMW
R1200RT
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 1:51 PM
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I thought about deer at first because the can do unexpected and unpredictable things. As I thought about it, other drivers / riders can likewise do unexpected and unpredictable things.
While we might encounter a deer, we are guaranteed to encounter other motorist, and there are far more motorist on the road than deer in the adjacent woods.
As such I selected other - I feel the greatest hazard to be encountered on the road is my fellow motorist. |
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Axiom2000
Moderator
1761 Posts
[Mentor]
Georgetown, Delaware
USA
BMW
F 800 GT
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 6:58 PM
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Larry Cardo ask me to put this poll up, he is still in the process of gathering volunteers and I believe he is making some progress in that area. DR you are right other highway users seems to be our biggest issue of concern add to them all these and other hazards one could think of it a wonder we don't have more accidents than we do. |
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(Deleted or Lost)
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Posted - 02/07/2009 : 8:02 PM
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I voted Deer as there is very little defense available. Even riding slower in deer infested area poses other significant hazards.
But I wanted to vote for several, and rank them...
Deer Overpopulation #1 for the reasons above.
Highway Barriers #2 A secondary danger. When things go bad, they can make things go fatal.
Unsecured Loads on Vehicles #3 Hard to defend against (not usually impossible, but sometimes they can be).
Painted or other surfaces that become slippery when wet. #4 for sheer prevalence, and the fact that they are most dangerous when vision is poor (in heavy rain).
The others can be managed reasonably with training and experience... |
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cooldadof4
Junior Member
42 Posts
Houston, Texas
USA
Honda
1994 GL1500 SE
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Posted - 06/19/2009 : 12:45 PM
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Riding Houston highways, I go for the unsecured loads, especially the Lawn Maintenance trailers. I search them out and get from behind them pronto. |
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Blacksheep
New Member
17 Posts
Tallahassee, Florida
USA
Harley-Davidson
FLHTCU
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Posted - 04/25/2010 : 6:58 AM
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Its a rainy morning here in Florida and I am just now reading strings that I have never read before, so I am going to respond to this even though the polls are closed.
Pavement edge height differences kill motorcyclists every year here in the sunshine state. The Florida DOT even has a specification that limits the maximum height between lanes at 1.5 inches. Most of the cases I get involved with have a difference of 2 - 3 inches (amazingly, contractors don't always follow the specification).
The problem with this situation is that people don't have the necessary depth perception to determine the edge height difference and the next thing you know, they are tripped and flat out on the road. Be careful out there my two-wheel friends, work zones are especially dangerous to us. |
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