Rant: Ever Wonder If…

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com

Ever wonder if you’ve ticked off another rider(s) by your own actions? Riding home from Litchfield on Saturday afternoon, I came up behind two motorcyclists who were plodding along on cruisers. The speed limit was 50 mph but they were doing only 40-45 mph, causing traffic to back up. They were also riding single file and too close together, creating a hazardous situation. 

There are reasons why a staggered formation – one rider in the right tire track and the next in the left (or vice versa) – and separation based on “one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three” are advised. This gives multiple riders space to maneuver and the time needed to react properly should something happen to a rider in front.

After riding behind the duo for a mile or so, I found a safe (and legal) place to pass, and did so as quickly as I could. I couldn’t help but wonder later if they thought I was the jerk for blasting around them, but with a car on my tail and slowpokes ahead, I simply wanted to find some “open air” with fewer potential dangers. 

Reducing the risk when riding should always be on a rider’s mind. Prior to this episode, I had stopped at The Village restaurant in Litchfield to make a dinner reservation. On my way out through the bar, I was stopped by another rider who asked about the yellow reflective vest that I always wear over my armored jacket when riding. I told him that I’d rather look like a geek and be visible when riding than cool and maybe dead because of a driver who didn’t see me coming on my motorcycle.