I was going to just bitch about how no one uses blinkers,how it is rude to other drivers,blah blah blah...then I thought I would point out a good saftey reason why you should instead :-) When cars hit bikers they almost always say they didn't see them...so if those same drivers had used their blinker instead of just changing lanes for instances, than at least the biker they don't see will know they are coming which might give him/her an extra second to react which could be the difference between being mad and being hurt. Just something to think about.Thanks for leting me vent...no one uses the friggin things here except me and Malissa I think!

Yep I have noticed here in the south Blinkers and Red lights are sugestions not safety issues. It's like useing their head lights in the rain when your wipers are going your lights must be on. ( Yes it is a state law) But as my dad says (As a Firefighter) Job security. The sad part is they think "It's ok I can see them that is all that matters"
So yes that is a sore subject with me.

personally, I use em both on the bike and in the cage. I think that if you catch someone not useing them (even changing lanes) you should be able to walk up to the car with a hammer and bash the thing out. Even to the Highway patrol officer that passed me on the highway this AM at 80 MPH... No lights, no sirens, not going after anyone, just rides up my butt, swerves left, then swerves right, right in front of me making me jam on the breaks because otherwise he would have taken off the bumper.... And when I called the SGT...."The trooper that has that car is not even working... He's out sick today"....WTF!

I think anything that will make me more visible to the idiots in the cars is good. I always try to use my signals bi=oth in the car and on my bike. Like they say...when you get hit...I didn't see them...Can you see me now???

I always use them when needed, if I'm the only one on a road I won't.

ok let me get on my soap box. Why is it the first thing someone will say is "I dident see them". What did the biker have on his cloak of inivisibilty. No its just a way of trying to place the blame on someone else. I had an old lady do a left right in front of me and had to dump the bike to avoid hitting her. The first thing she tells the cop "I dident see him" Let me tell ya I chewed her a new one right in front of the cop. She dident see me caus SHE wasent looking. SHE dident see me caus SHE wasent paying attention. SHE dident see me caus getting to her bingo game was more important to her than my life. OK Ill get off my box now just remember to leave your cloak of invisibility at home when you ride

I followed a bitch home that pulled out in front of me. Over a mile. Stopped the Electra-Glide Ultra Classic with three big lights on the front, so close to her door she couldn't open it, leaned over and told her the next time she cuts me off, I'll drag her outta the car and beat her ass! Don't care if she was probably 65!!! No excuse for that.... Bright RED Bike with THREE bright lights on the front! Didn't see me my ass...

Hey Moose don't worry about getting on your soap box on this site.........hell I have mine attached to one of my belt loops, and drag it around all day long...LOL

Dragon

Always use them and frequently display my disapproval for others not using them verbally most often accompanied by a hand gesture.

Hey Moose, You are a very intelligent man. I know this because you almost always say the same thing I wanna say. I have long believed that "I didn't see" was a cop-out. Maybe back in the day when bikes didn't always have their lights on it could have been true but I seriously doubt it today. BTW I have a spare soapbox and I can ship one to ya.

Sometimes people see things that just don't register w/ them.
Whatever I am piloting I try to actually look @ the eyes of other drivers, especially @ 4 way stops to see if they see me.
Had 2 buds that did the same, both of them were involved in crashes & in both cases they told me they were certain the other driver looked straight @ them then pulled in front.

Twice on the bike and twice in car and pick-up....Didn't see you----once from behind on the bike at a traffic light?????
Lookout for cell phone use-----and reclining drivers seat-asleep at the wheel' Least amount of problems is the Professional Drivers--18 wheelers with a Wave I Thank-You for you consideration even when passing to know you are ready for the front wind change

   

Dragon,looks like you can have your soap box back! We might need to share! Dont get me started on the I didnt see him thing either Moose or well well be here all night pissing and moaning bout crappy drivers lol! Be careful out there my friends!

I always use the blinkers....now back to Moose's soapbox. I left work one day and it was raining....not a good start, but I have a bright red bike with a lot of lights. Like Savage was saying, I too, look at the eyes of other motorists. Well, this particuliar motorist was on the left side of a 4 lane, plus a turn lane road about to pull into traffic in my direction. I couldn't see her eyes because she had her cell phone and hand covering her face....obviously not seeing anything. Well, she pulled out, and crossed the turn lane and the next lane and came right into my lane. I locked it up in a slide and somehow maintained the bike after bouncing off the curb. I managed to catch up with the lady, or idiot, at the stop light. I honked the horn and she actually lowered the window, of course, still on the cell phone and you could hear me a mile away yelling at this lady. A cycle cop was at the convenience store watching, or listening to me much like everyone else around. It surprised me, but he gave me a thumbs up!

at least 2 or 3 times a summer i will have to chase down someone and let them know just how i feel about there driving and i dont care how big, old, young,man or woman they are if they have the balls to try to kill me than they will have to get the balls to face my anger

Just a word on making eye contact...I have done and still do that, and have been sure they looked right at me and they go anyway! So I will say it again, be careful out there!

I have been through many Emergency Vehicle operation classes...That is the primary stressed idea. If you can't see them looking at you--EYE-TO-EYE, You don't exist anywhere..RED LIGHTS AND DUAL PHASE SIREN..

Every time i set out on the bike, i treat every other vehicle on the road as the enemy. Cars Vans Trucks pedestrians and even the odd donkey and cart, they are to be avoided at all costs, i ride agressively or defensively depending on the situation, I do not care if they can see me, as long as i can see them. I honestly reckon the more measures you find to protect yourself, the more counter-measures they find to wipe you out. So my motto is keep it simple, mind yourself not others, and with 30 years riding an average of 30,000 miles a year without serious injury...I may not be right, but I am alive.

Ya I always am looking for others and what is ahead of them and in front of them, along with sides, and with kids kids around I normally go slower then the speed limit is in housing and schools (the thought of hitting some one is bad, let alone a child) and with the Semi-truck driving class and learning how to do city busses around children made me even more anal around them after raising my future exwifes two boys.