Patrick2005 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Those HID lights are ridiculously bright, they say right on the package "DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY INTO BEAM" or something along those lines. All they are is an electric arc no different than a welder and can potentially blind you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Yeah, what is the deal with that? Is there some sort of unwritten law that says if you're on a motorcycle and you're sitting at a light, you have to constantly rev the engine over and over while you're waiting for the green? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 that's to keep them running i think for alot of those guys it's all about being seen and heard, making that statement, whatever it is. Dave The only "statement" they make to me when they do that is "hey, look at me, look at me! I'm so cool because I'm on a bike and you're not"... It's kind of like guys who drive around with their car stereos blasting so loud that you can hear it a block away. Hey, hot shot, guess what? You're not as cool as you think, because my car radio has a volume control too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfhess Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 How can laws be enforced when the police ignore them? Ever see or hear of a cop getting a ticket for anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDO Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 But don't tell anyone. Seriously- I HATE lifted trucks. I can't stand looking into their headlights when I'm driving my car. I wish LEOs would enforce a headlight height law. Some are lifted so high as to be a hazard WRT to forward visibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I've run into some issues with the police pulling me over in CA for a "safety inspection" and also to see if I've done modifications to the car. I drive a Subaru WRX and it is box stock. The funny thing is the cops who pull you over don't know anything about the cars. I've had one say that my inner cooler was illegal and I've had another one saying that my turbo was illegal. The funny thing was the guy actually tried to touch the turbo and I kind of reminded him that I'd been driving for over 8 hours straight and wanted to be sure if he wanted to touch something that was probably well over 800 degrees and it was glowing. If they're going to try to enforce certain laws they need to know what the laws are that need to be enforced. I do know of some instances where people are buying cars in Oregon and saying that they're a resident of Oregon (registering the car with their family who live here). And then going back to CA where they actually live, especially in the Bay Area. Oregon doesn't have a sales tax and the registration fees are pretty cheap. It was especially true when CA did a heavy increase on registration of cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-hermit Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 (edited) here's a really stupid question: Why on earth do motorcycle riders fight & fight & Fight to not wear helmets or any safety gear whatsoever, while I, inside what what is essentially a rolling safety cage filled with cream puff airbags, have to also wear my seatbelt? I really feel the rebellious " I do what i want " attitude of some cycle riders is unwarranted & quite frankly, dangerous to both them & me. If the citizens at large would get off their butts and "fight" against some of the ridiculous laws maybe you wouldn't be inside "what is essentially a rolling safety cage filled with cream puff airbags, and have to also wear my seatbelt". Might cure some of the other problems were facing now too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Edited September 28, 2009 by old-hermit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 If the citizens at large would get off their butts and "fight" against some of the ridiculous laws maybe you wouldn't be inside "what is essentially a rolling safety cage filled with cream puff airbags, and have to also wear my seatbelt". Might cure some of the other problems were facing now too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't explain the motorcycle helmet law (or lack thereof), but as far as the citizens rising up and demanding change on seat belt/airbag laws, it ain't ever gonna happen. It's a proven fact that seat belts and airbag save lives and reduce injury. Whether you're "for" them or "against" them, there's no denying it, it's just a simple fact that deaths and injuries in crashes have decreased dramatically since seat belts and airbags have been required. Even if every single licensed driver in the country signed a "We don't want seat belts and airbags" petition, the government would never go back to the way it used to be and rescind those standards. Seat belts and airbags work, plain and simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-hermit Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I know Harry, I just hate to hear people complain about something knowing that is all most of them do without actually DOING anything to change it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 (edited) One of the biggest problems I have is when police choose which laws to enforce. When I lived in Illinois the tow truck drivers NEVER used lights on the cars they were towing. In Illinois the law is that they are supposed to have aux. lights on ALL vehicles they are towing. It's not only stupid and LAZY, on the tow truck drivers side, it's also dangerous, as sometimes the angle and vehicle they tow blocks the lights on the truck at night. The cops in my area are big on that- don't run the auxillary lights and you're asking for a roadside chat with one of central Michigan's finest. But they do seem to pick and choose what laws to enforce. I always wonder where the cops are when idiots use the left-turn lane as an on-ramp. It's stupid, and I've seen a few accidents as a result. The center lane is for LEFT TURNS- NOT MERGING! And what part of "It's okay to turn on red, if traffic is clear and there's no sign posted that explicitly prohibits turning right on red" do people not seem to get? A touch off-topic, yes. That's just something I had to get off my chest. As for bikers not wanting to wear helmets, I say let 'em not wear helmets if that's what they choose. Ever heard of Darwinism? Hopefully it still applies! Edited September 28, 2009 by Chuck Most Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 ...as far as seat belts i can tell you as well from personal experience that having one on is to your benefit. i've been through the windshield of a Mustang and my sister-in-law died in an accident because she wasn't wearing hers. i choose to buckle-up regardless of the "law" Dave I used to be one of those people who thought that seat belt laws were "infringing on my liberty"... I never wore them, drove for years without using them. Then one day I was involved in a head-on crash that totaled my car. (crash was the other driver's fault, BTW, not mine)... anyway, as usual I was not wearing a seat belt. I'm pretty sure (given the condition my car was in after impact) that the airbag in the steering wheel saved my life, or at least prevented serious injury. Needless to say, I am now a big believer in airbags... and I wear my seat belt every time I get into a car. I think that what I used to see as government meddling in my personal choice possibly saved my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuel Coupe Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Here in Illinois you're supposed to have a front plate, but for some reason the cops all give Corvettes a pass. I swear, 95%+ of the Corvettes I see have no front plate. Its the same way here in TX. Most vettes, camaros and mustangs run without them at least here where I live. One good thing about having an old car here in TX is running antique plates. I have had several hot rods that I have ran antique plates on and have been able to get away with alot. No windshield wipers, cheater slicks, really low and loud. Ive been lucky or they just dont care..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Flowers Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I was told the reason for a front plate from the state patrol in Ohio is, that most accidents are from the front. There for in a case of hit and runs the plate will break off a lot of the time and be left at the scene . If you notice the front plates are mostly mounted on a plastic piece with only two mounting screws attached to the bumper or cover. When it comes to the loud bikes I would love to know why the get away with that myself? Every year they have a biker get together here and for two days that is all I hear day and night. If that were cars or trucks they would be writing tickets all day and night. Seat belts and helmets are like anything else. There is no guarantee they will save your life, but can not hurt to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FujimiLover Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 I don't understand the hole seatbelt/helmet deal. Both are required but nobody gets pulled over for not wearing a helmet. A motorcyclist without a helmet is in far more danger than a driver without a seatbelt. In a car, you have a lot more protecting you than when your out in the open on a bike. As for people thinking they are safer without a seatbelt, I think it's just luck. One can't really predict what will happen in an accident, and in my tiny little aluminum car, I think I'm safer wearing one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Seat belts and helmets are like anything else. There is no guarantee they will save your life, but can not hurt to use them. That's right, there is no absolute guarantee that a seat belt will save your life, but according to all the data and all the numbers and all the statistics, seat belts greatly increase your odds of coming out of a serious crash alive, or with fewer and more minor injuries than if you were not wearing one. That's undisputed fact. Yes, there is always that freak 1 in a million incident where someone who wasn't wearing a seat belt comes out ok, but you have to remember that for every lucky one of those people, there are thousands more people whose lives were saved by wearing a seat belt. The numbers back up seat belt use so incredibly obviously that I can't understand how anyone could possibly make a case for not wearing one. It's like saying I'm jumping out of a plane without a parachute because there's always a chance I'll land on a haystack, but the parachute lines could tangle and I'd die from the fall. Incredibly unrealistic logic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I don't understand the hole seatbelt/helmet deal. Both are required but nobody gets pulled over for not wearing a helmet. A motorcyclist without a helmet is in far more danger than a driver without a seatbelt. Not all states require a helmet. And some states only require people under a certain age to wear one. As if being an adult somehow magically protects your head! Here in Illinois there is no helmet law at all. Pretty stupid, if you ask me. Car drivers sit inside steel-reinforced crumple zones, protected by air bags and seat belts, but you can hop on your Harley and go down the interstate doing 70 mph, weaving between cars and semis, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and jeans! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefheart22 Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Maybe the whole seat belt argument is part of the generation gap. I grew up wearing a seat belt all the time, so not wearing one feels like driving with my giblets hanging out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FujimiLover Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 (edited) I hated riding school buses because they didn't have seat-belts. Nowadays you see video of kids being bounced off the seats hitting their heads on the ceiling when school buses drive over bumps and what not. Only issue with helmets that I know of, is that while they may protect your head from hitting the pavement hard, they do not prevent your brain from getting damaged by the moment. Helmets should have some sort of mini air-bag inside to help cushion the blow. Two things I don't like about airbags. One, is you can still get pretty bruised up especially if wearing glasses from an airbag collision. Second, although a very minor reason not to like airbags, is you can't put in aftermarket steering wheels. Some really good aftermarket steering wheels like Momo and the likes are better than the factory steering wheels and can provide you with better grip. Better grip, better control. A lot of stock steering wheels are just too slippery. One thing I find funny about motorcyclists, is those that have the helmet on the back of the bike, but they don't wear one. What do they think there going to do? Instantly put it on when their falling down? Edited September 29, 2009 by FujimiLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-hermit Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 One last note and I'm outta here. The chemicals used in airbags are deadly if the bag ruptures. Inside the airbag is a gas generator containing a mixture of Sodium azid, Potassium nitrate and silicon dioxide. All used to create nitrogen gas. Sodium azide is often compared with cyanide, as poisoned individuals suffer from the same symptoms. Exposure to sodium azide has some or all of the following symptoms within minutes: rapid breathing, restlessness, dizziness, weakness, headache, nausea and vomiting, rapid heart rate, red eyes (gas or dust exposure), clear drainage from the nose (gas or dust exposure), cough (gas or dust exposure), skin burns and blisters (explosion or direct skin contact). Exposure to a large amount of sodium azide may cause these other health effects as well: convulsions, low blood pressure, low heart rate, loss of consciousness, and lung injury, respiratory failure leading to death.[7] Rapid release of nitrogen gas into an enclosed space can displace oxygen, and therefore represents an asphyxiation hazard. This may happen with few warning symptoms, since the human carotid body is a relatively slow and a poor low-oxygen (hypoxia) sensing system . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 ... you can still get pretty bruised up especially if wearing glasses from an airbag collision. If you think hitting your face on an airbag will bruise you, imagine what hitting that same face on the steering wheel would do. In my case, I was hit head on, I was doing approx. 45-50 mph. Not wearing a seatbelt (dumb!)... I bounced off the airbag. My car didn't survive the crash, but I did. Injuries to my face from hitting the airbag? A bloody nose that stopped in a few minutes. I imagine I would have gotten a lot more than a bloody nose if the airbag had not been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick F40 Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 (edited) citizen's arrest, citizen's arrest! Well, down in Ocean City Maryland over the weekend for this big VW/Audi show, some kids were being pulled over for the obvious but since Maryland ahs the awsome, no inspection and emmisions, so it's your problem, law, there were guys with open exhaust and such. Some were getting pulled over for europlates in the front, but I think it was for states that needed to have them in the front so I was fine. I was worried about my tinted tailights though Edited September 30, 2009 by Nick F40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pstreet Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 As far as motorcycle helmets go, I was told by an old biker once that him and his buddies didn't believe in wearing a helmet. Reason being, is that if they were involved in a crash of any significance, they would rather be dead men on their bikes rather than a vegetable for the rest of their life not able to ride again. Hardcore bikers, yes. I understand his point as it makes perfectly good sense to me. However, I was glad to be wearing a full carbon fiber helmet the day a guy made a left in front of me while i was cruising at about 60. Even with the helmet I fractured my c1 vertebrae to 2mm from the breaking point, suffered some nerve damage and burnt my leg up pretty bad. I am glad to still be alive and thank the helmet for it, but still I understand that old bikers point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 One thing Dad has pointed out about helmets is that depending on which one you're wearing, one that covers your entire head can cut down on your visibilty and affect how well you can hear what's going on around you. BTW, nobody in my Family rides either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 As far as motorcycle helmets go, I was told by an old biker once that him and his buddies didn't believe in wearing a helmet. Reason being, is that if they were involved in a crash of any significance, they would rather be dead men on their bikes rather than a vegetable for the rest of their life not able to ride again. That has to be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard! The whole point of wearing a helmet is to protect your head in a crash so you DON'T become a "vegetable" and you DO live to ride another day! It's when you don't wear a helmet that even a minor crash could turn you into a vegetable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pstreet Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 That has to be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard! Its 60's Hells Angels biker logic, don't know how else to explain it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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