I have nothing against bikers and I believe they have as much right to use what they paid for with their tax dollars as well (the streets). But we also have to look at the safety side that has been mentioned multiple times here. What constitutes the borders of safety for drivers and bikers alike? No offense to anyone but you damn sure wont catch me riding on the street with moving metal at high speeds and crazy impatient people behind the wheels. I don't know them and I don't trust them with my life. Its not sane or safe.

As for the smoke issue, I think it is a neat part of the diesel truck. I would gladly walk through a black cloud of diesel or roll down my windows just to get a nice whiff of it. I love the stuff, just hope I don't kill too many brain cells . But I also agree with the others. It can be unsafe to other drivers including yourself, and even though I like to do it once in a while, its a matter of self discipline and doing it without putting another person in danger. Yes your truck can black out a 5 lane highway but when it even puts a small percent on someone having an accident or endangering their lives, thats too much of a risk already. Im not taking sides here on "to smoke" or "not to smoke" but just saying maybe we should "smoke responsibly".

 

maybe u should learn more about these things before you go rant about it.

 

You would not believe how many people swerve out the way or slam on thier brakes to avoid the cloud of smoke, you probably dont notice this much because your on the other end of the cloud, but people driving dont have a clue what that is and end up causing accidents.

 

Just because you want to walk thru it doesnt mean that everyone else does. Ive ridden with many people that will roll up their windows and turn the recirculation on after seeing a diesel roal coal. Its the Minority the screws up the majority

 

NCDOT Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation
NCDOT Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/42/41996.pdf

laws in my state require a headlight... but not that it matters.. they still do what they want... i imagine its a bit more difficult to ticket a biker for a violation than car with a license plate.. im just saying... if they want to "use" the road, and "share" the road, they need to abide by the rules, which they clearly dont.. least when i see them..

but wheather it be diesle smoke or bikers... diesel smoke is relativley harmless compared to a biker on the street not abiding by the laws...

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well said... to each their own i guess.. ricers have loud exhausts that can be dangerous.. wont hear an emergency vehicle coming.. loud soundsystems fall unde rthe same category. peopel doing burnouts or racing, it just so happens its the diesles with their smoke that are getting the bad rap here.

but look how this is stated, def. sounds like somone out to get the industry...
does that sounds like every diesel owner to you? clearly not on this board with the posts stated. but when i think of diesels, yes i think of black smoke, but i also think about economy/industry with ups, school busses, semis. also think about towing, construction, power, torque, and staight up tools. these trucks really are "tools" and without them, it woudl be alot different. so yet again, its just some people that hate the littl bit of smoke that give it a bad rap. hell, il call myself out, im giving about the whole bicyclist community a bad rap b/c ive witnessed some dumb *** bikers... goes both ways.. and to be completley honest, if a biker hits me b/c they didnt stop at a stop sign, the cops better hurry and get there b/c i wont be to happy... not at all

 

haha that last parts pretty good. i saw where it said bikers own the road NO bikers share the road.

and very well put on how you see diesels as tools because they really are. without diesel alot of things in the world would not be here.

 

I'm speaking from a motorcyclist point. You know how crappy it is to be at light behind a diesel and the jackass in front of you smokes you out because he thinks its funny... Well I do and I'm sure the other motorcylist here have expierenced something similiar! Its freaking unpleasent and it sucks because not only do I get to breathe it in but I can't just speed off to escape it... You know why people don't make a big stink about bicyclist riding 4 wide to congress, because they aren't doing stupid stuff like the diesel community is doing!

Yes bicyclist should obey the law, but lets face it, alot of them don't, and don't say you are a perfect law abiding citizen when your driving. Its almost the same thing with someone who is J Walking. Even though they were crossing the street in a no cross, its still your fault if you hit someone. I went through a smoke phase right before the gas hike last year and after spending a 150 to fill my tank made me realize how irresponsible it is just because you think its funny when the car behind you swerves to miss your cloud. I'm proud to say, that I can take my 97 on the street and the most smoke you'll see out of it is a haze. Now at the track its a different story, but its in a controlled enviroment.

And you know why programmer/chip manufactures make a smoke setting? Because they know every immature kid and immature adult will buy their product, even if they rack up the price, as long as it makes their truck smoke. I know alot of us went through the phase but theirs still quit a few who haven't gotten over it and believe because they have truck that they own the road. Because of that attitude, people looking down on us diesel owners because we can't act mature on the road.

 

In response to Midnite and 2500's posts, bicyclist share the same "status" as a "vehicle" in NC (and in all states I'm aware of), but are not "motor vehicles" by definition.

People seem to be confusing the two.

As a retired motor cop, I've worked far too many auto/pedcycle (the correct term BTW) crashes.

Each had it's own dynamics, but all shared one thing. The Bicyclilst and 2000lb + motor vehicle were in the same place at the same time. The physics of this NEVER worked out well for the cyclist.

In some cases, it was the drivers fault. In others, the cyclist.

It really made no difference. Either way, you still had injuries

As an old (and I mean old!) traffic safety commercial used to say, you can be right...dead right!

In most states that I'm familiar with, the statutes state that unless a bicycle lane or path is provided, bicyclist have the same right to the use of a public highway, except for controlled access/national defense highways (interstates) or those roadways where specifically prohibited, as a motor vehicle. They also share the same responsibilities for safety and obedience to traffic laws as they apply to them.

Riding 4 abreast is safer than single line riding due to the wider profile presented, allowing approaching drivers a better opportunity to more easily see them.

Most of us are atuned to looking for double tracked vehicles (cars and trucks-two headlights at night) and not so quick to pick up on a single track vehicle (bike or motorcycle), thus the high number of "I didn't see them officer" motorcycle crashes

Riding 4 abreast down a rural roadway is also more annoying to the drivers behind you and legal or otherwise, still has the same effect of slowing traffic, creating obstructions and agitating already road raging drivers.

In some areas where there are hills, blind curves, etc, even though the bicyclist may have the "Right of way", when a vehicle comes around that bend or tops that blind hill at 30 to 70 mph, they simply are not going to have sufficient time to see and react safely to a slow moving bicyclist

On the other hand, smoking out a bicyclist or anyone else who has to breathe in these potentially toxic vapors, and "purposely" (being the key word) setting up a smoke screen that obstructs the vision of the driver behind, is not only childish, wasteful and as previously stated illegal, but sends a negative message to the motoring public that lables all diesel owners with the same badge

Got a problem with bicyclist in your area? Go to your local lawmakers and petition them to make changes

IMO (professionally), a little common sense and courtesy, on both sides, would go a long way to making the roads safer, less stressful, and less congested, to keeping the lawmakers off the diesel owners backs and keeping the environmentalist at bay

Take it for what it's worth...it's free

 

where i live we have a pretty high population of mennonites. for people that may have never seen or heard of these people they ride bikes and ride around in horse and buggys. i have seen guys that will go past a line of guys on their bikes and smoke em out. which is bull **** they aint doin nothin just gettin place to place you know. the bike thing i completely understand we shouldn and cant be doin this stuff because that does give us a bad reputation.

 

I agree with sharing and bikes are a legitamate form of transportation. But I also agree that if both motorist and biker worked together things would be a lot better. As for smoke it comes down to responsibility. I know some people don't like the smell of smoke but I do. Like said before, to each his own. But I completely agree that safety come first and foremost whether it be the motorist or biker. There is nothing wrong with smoke or riding your bike as long as it's done safely and correctly. But don't be rude to the people on bikes and don't smoke them out because they chose a different mode of transportation. Be patient, you know you would be pissed of it was you they smoked out on your bike... If you ride one anyways. We have to work together to make sure we are all safe regardless of what we drive to work like our car or truck or ride for enjoyment such as bikes or motorcycles. I say I don't want someone to do it to me so I won't do it to them. Plain and simple.