When overtaking

[_Sheffjs_]

When overtaking

Ok is it me or does this perception happen to others?  Riding down a nicely paved slightly curvy, slightly hilly two lane country road and a closing fast on a large truck. Having no other turns and clear vision for miles of empty road, I opt for no brake and over take the truck. The 1800c quickly turns the landscape into a blur and at 117mph I finally back off. But why is this truck not miles behind me? Why does it seem that one can close in on someone at 10-15 over their speed faster than loosing them at 67 over their speed. It is like the truck hit the after burners. 

[Karen]

I've noticed on the highway when I am passing someone, they often speed up. I just continue to accelerate, and eventually they seem to drop back to their original speed. I believe it's just a psychological response to being passed...

[RDAbull]

"Objects appear closer than they really are"
Quit looking in the mirror, that's all behind you.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I've noticed on the highway when I am passing someone, they often speed up. I just continue to accelerate, and eventually they seem to drop back to their original speed. I believe it's just a psychological response to being passed...

I agree. Seems they are in a trance till you pass them. Then it`s GAME ON 

[Jess from VA]

I think passing folks on a good looking new bike may cause male drivers to speed up to get a better look.  I personally have had a good number of older gentlemen drivers maneuver to take longer/better looks of my bikes over the years.  I'm now an official member of the older gentleman's club (or is it profile?), but they are older than me and don't look like they ride (maybe anymore), but they want a better look. 

I think passing folks at like 35+ over their speed on a two lane (often) is maybe a bad idea.  People suddenly seeing a big headlight rocketing up in their mirrors, or blasting by can drive goofy and unpredictably.  (Maybe you didn't say that, maybe you made 100+ after you passed)

As I move back and forth in my lane for various reasons, when I am overtaking cars and (especially big) trucks I want to see me coming, I tend to shift over to the right side of the lane (aiming my headlights in their side view mirrors).  Then drift toward center as I pass beside them.

I suppose it could be that when you hit warp drive, you are creating enough vacuum to pull them into your vapor trail.         (I like to go fast too)

At 117, you don't really want to be looking in the mirrors much.  (just listen for the siren  )

[old2soon]

Had folks TRY that with a Peterbilt I used to drive years back. A driver before me had gotten a ticket- high peed driving award-for 123 M P H in the Pete.   People most generally lose their cajones when they realize a big truck's over the ton! On the Phatt Ghurl I just keep twistin her tail-BUT AGAIN-loss of cajones when cage driver finds out HOW fast they are proceeding. BUT more times than I care too count people have sped up while I'm passing them-2 lane 4 lane 6 lane-hell-pick a lane amount.   My favorite   are those dim bulbs that when you start around suddenly realize that because they were eating/texting/on the computer/jerkinoff/just generally NOT paying attention are now 15 M P H below the posted limit and-O M G horror of horrors SOMEONE ANYONE is attempting to pass them and their inner self CAN NOT allow that to happen!   RIDE SAFE.

[TallRider]

When overtaking

Ok is it me or does this perception happen to others?  Riding down a nicely paved slightly curvy, slightly hilly two lane country road and a closing fast on a large truck. Having no other turns and clear vision for miles of empty road, I opt for no brake and over take the truck. The 1800c quickly turns the landscape into a blur and at 117mph I finally back off. But why is this truck not miles behind me? Why does it seem that one can close in on someone at 10-15 over their speed faster than loosing them at 67 over their speed. It is like the truck hit the after burners. 

First time I passed a car with this new bike on 31 headed to Arcadia I came up on a car at 60 twisted the throttle full on as I glanced over at his front bumper I looked back and down at the speedometer was hitting the century mark was amazed at the speed I reached before I even passed him. The bike will decelerate very quickly if you back off the throttle  when back in the lane you may not get as far ahead as you think you should be . I have turned into a speed junkie with this bike. Its not as fast as the sports bikes but wants to be. I can now see why those with the hot bikes can't keep off the throttle. You can really notice the effect of someone accelerating when passing while driving a car on the freeway. This happens all the time. Is quite noticeable with a slower accelerating vehicle you are driving.

[J.Mencalice]

"Don't look back.  Something might be gaining on you."
-Satchel Paige

[cookiedough]

I get that almost all the time passing people.  If going under 55mph in a 55mph zone, I will pass them doing 60-65 mph even sometimes on cruise control if clear up ahead. 

Just a month or so ago I passed a jerk off in a older Jeep Cherokee putzing 50-55 mph tops.  I passed him on my 249cc scooter doing 70 mph.  I normally do not look in my rearview side mirrors on that scooter since my wide bodied shoulders cuts out most of rearview mirror vision without leaning my head to the side somewhat.  Well,  the a-hole was on my ass doing 65 mph when I slowed down a tad frm 70 to near 65 mph, and I mean ON MY butt 1 car length behind me.  I sped up doing 70 mph and still riding my butt. 

whatcha going to do?  Speed up flooring my scooter near 80 mph or get rear ended or pull over in hopes he stops also so I can give him a head butt with my helmet on?  If I was in a SAFER vehicle like my truck,  I'd slow down to 45 mph after passing just to piss him off back, but on 2 wheels we always will loose. 

I also regularly get a slower vehicle in front where I drive and goes to 2 lanes in same direction.  What always happens is that person gets over in the slower right lane and speeds UP to say 10 mph over the posted speed limit (say 65 mph) and then on top of the hill when becomes one lane again the idiot slows back down to 55 mph.   How hard is it to keep a constant speed?   

It's like people take offense to passing them?  I could care less,  if I am doing 63 mph in a 55 and they want to pass me, go for it, but do not expect me to NOT laugh when they get a speeding ticket as has happened a few times being pulled over when they pass me up the road aways.  I also will not slow down if I set the cruise at 63 mph and they want to pass, they best hurry up for I will not slow down in order for someone to pass me. 

[97valk]

People here in NC are the same , no matter how fast you are riding there's always a cager that has to see if they can outrun you. People in cars that don't RIDE, don't understand.
Ride like the world is out to run you over, always be on the defensive side. Ride safe.

[indybobm]

I think a lot of people speed up when you are passing them without realizing that they are. I too, have noticed the same thing about passing. Catch up quickly to the car in front, takes a long time to get past them but once past, they fall back quickly.

[Robert]

Had my share of troubles on all kinds of roads, so if I pass I look well beyond the car, if clear, I go the speed needed to put some distance between us. I also if I can don't tail gate or if I am I just drop back and then use the throttle to just achieve what I want. When you pass in the blink of an eye and put some distance between you its really hard for them to complain. I heard one trick of coins thrown up in the air with the car behind you. Sure makes an impression when they bounce off the car windshield and the body of the car when someone is out for blood. Not that I have ever done it just heard stories. 

I must say that what I have noticed is speed saves lives, if you show an overwhelming advantage in the area of speed when passing most will not have a second thought. Kind of like the sport bike riders.

[Master Blaster]

Seems like there is vast numbers out there that don't realize that there is such a thing as cruise control.  If they did, it would make it much easier for them to do their cell phone texting, and face booking.  I see it all of the time, and then there is the ones that Podunk until they notice you coming up on them and speed up just enough to keep you from passing.  I really love the ones that zoom by you and then slow down below the speed limit as soon as they are back in front of you.  But as to the passing and not seeming able to pull away, I don't get that so much.

[DarkSideR]

I drive a lot of highway miles, and in my boredom I have done some experiments. I have gotten next to people on the highway, matched their speed, and at small increments slow down. Typically the car next to me will also slow down. I have played this game up to 10mph below the speed limit. The next experiment I have done was similar but this time I would incrementally speed up. The results were the same. Lesson learned? People don't pay attention to their own speed, they simply match the vehicles around them. So yes as you pass someone the will typically speed up.

My pet peeve is this. You are in the fast lane doing 7mph over the posted speed limit. There are two cars 1 mile ahead of you in the slow lane doing the speed limit. Nothing changes in the minutes it takes you to catch them. As you approach (9 times out of 10) the car 2nd in order in all of a sudden pull into the fast lane slowing you down, very slowly pass the 1st car in the slow lane, get back over, and resume their original speed.   WHY DO THEY DO THIS!?

[TallRider]

Best example of this phynominum is when you are on cruise control in your car. You catch up to someone on highway move over to pass and all of a sudden they are going faster than you. You end up hitting the gas till you pass and run 4-5 car lengths ahead and get back in right lane and next thing they are leap frogging you. This issue is really irritating on long trips when using your cruise control on the car.

[MarkT]

Seems to me a whole lot of cagers are "joiners" or "followers".  I pass and now suddenly I have an adoptee who is using me as their cruise control. In a Lexus. Idiots.  Pretty much all cages come standard with cruise control, why the F can't they use it instead of using me? Really annoying because I'm safer without some texter on my ass.  Or since I'm doing typically 15 over, after I accept them being in my rearview they might drop off and now instead, when I wasn't looking, it's a state trooper pacing me.  I keep an eye on everything around me and these bimbos are giving me something extra to watch.  Annoying.

If someone wants to play by chasing me for whatever warped reason, there's always traffic I can use to dispose of them.  They can't manouver in traffic like I can - I'll do an illegal pass if necessary and they quickly give up on chasing me.  Even on a 4/6 lane.

As far as lights -  On Jade I now have three Cyclops H4 LED headlights in addition to a pair of Vizor bullet 50w halogens. These Cyclops put out 12400 lumens in sum, ten times the stock headlight.  Even brighter than the A/C landing lights and 130/90 main on Deerslayer.  When I approach someone from the rear - they can't tell what I am or how fast I'm moving - I'm riding behind a blinding sun.  Might be a train.  I generally blow past them at least 20 faster than them - with such an obvious speed / power advantage, they generally don't even attempt to catch up or use me as their cruise control.  My problem with the latter happens when I'm on a 4 lane and their speed is close to mine - then they pick it up to my pace and there they are for 50 miles or more if I don't pull off or speed way up so they adopt someone else.

[cookiedough]

I drive a lot of highway miles, and in my boredom I have done some experiments. I have gotten next to people on the highway, matched their speed, and at small increments slow down. Typically the car next to me will also slow down. I have played this game up to 10mph below the speed limit. The next experiment I have done was similar but this time I would incrementally speed up. The results were the same. Lesson learn? People don't pay attention to their own speed, they simply match the vehicles around them. So yes as you pass someone the will typically speed up.

My pet peeve is this. You are in the fast lane doing 7mph over the posted speed limit. There are two cars 1 mile ahead of you in the slow lane doing the speed limit. Nothing changes in the minutes it takes you to catch them. As you approach (9 times out of 10) the car 2nd in order in all of a sudden pull into the fast lane slowing you down, very slowly pass the 1st car in the slow lane, get back over, and resume their original speed.  WHY DO THEY DO THIS!?

Probably out of boredom following the car in front of them.  I sometimes follow a car doing say 70 mph on interstate and finally decide I should go around them  doing 73 mph and then get over in slow/right lane again.    I prefer to NOT follow cars and for sure rarely tailgate since that is dangerous since you never know when he/she might slam on the brakes or road debris gets kicked up and you get a rock chip in your windshield.

QUESTION:  Is it a good idea to carry a small amount in say a sandwich bag of pea gravel in your pocket just in case I get again a driver who gets upset that I passed him and speeds up from 55 mph to near 70 mph tailgating me VERY closely for miles?    I can see some people literally trying to run me over.  Obviously,  at least for me,  I wouldn't want to go say over 85 mph to see if the irate tailgater once passed him/her falls back since don't want to get a speeding ticket much greater than that speed.  The pea gravel might put him/her over the edge and really run you over?  

The best thing I do and am pretty darn good at it with years of practice is I try to space myself well away from others while driving to be all alone since most of my driving is rural roads until of course I meet traffic in town that cannot be avoided.  

[DarkSideR]

I drive a lot of highway miles, and in my boredom I have done some experiments. I have gotten next to people on the highway, matched their speed, and at small increments slow down. Typically the car next to me will also slow down. I have played this game up to 10mph below the speed limit. The next experiment I have done was similar but this time I would incrementally speed up. The results were the same. Lesson learn? People don't pay attention to their own speed, they simply match the vehicles around them. So yes as you pass someone the will typically speed up.

My pet peeve is this. You are in the fast lane doing 7mph over the posted speed limit. There are two cars 1 mile ahead of you in the slow lane doing the speed limit. Nothing changes in the minutes it takes you to catch them. As you approach (9 times out of 10) the car 2nd in order in all of a sudden pull into the fast lane slowing you down, very slowly pass the 1st car in the slow lane, get back over, and resume their original speed.  WHY DO THEY DO THIS!?

Probably out of boredom following the car in front of them.  I sometimes follow a car doing say 70 mph on interstate and finally decide I should go around them  doing 73 mph and then get over in slow/right lane again.    I prefer to NOT follow cars and for sure rarely tailgate since that is dangerous since you never know when he/she might slam on the brakes or road debris gets kicked up and you get a rock chip in your windshield.

QUESTION:  Is it a good idea to carry a small amount in say a sandwich bag of pea gravel in your pocket just in case I get again a driver who gets upset that I passed him and speeds up from 55 mph to near 70 mph tailgating me VERY closely for miles?    I can see some people literally trying to run me over.  Obviously,  at least for me,  I wouldn't want to go say over 85 mph to see if the irate tailgater once passed him/her falls back since don't want to get a speeding ticket much greater than that speed.  The pea gravel might put him/her over the edge and really run you over?  

The best thing I do and am pretty darn good at it with years of practice is I try to space myself well away from others while driving to be all alone since most of my driving is rural roads until of course I meet traffic in town that cannot be avoided.  

I guess I should have added typically there are no cars behind me so why can't the vehicle wait for me to pass then make his slow pass? Something mental there, and very frustrating.

No pocket of pea gravel but marbles sure help them back off real quick.

[Robert]

Ok I  have one for you guys and this happened this morning. I was going along and this bike rider with headphones on and he is on the right, sort of. The street has no curbs and no sidewalk and is kind of a back street that is free from lights and stops. But we are coming up to one of the few stop signs at the end and he is still  a bit off. So I see this guy in the distance and got that uncomfortable feeling about passing. I'm doing 40 hes doing 4 so I tap the horn and get no change in behavior. So I slow and beep again no change, so I move into on coming lanes and try to pass. He moves closer, so do I pass and risk a possible collision with this guy or do I slow to a crawl and wait a minute or so since we are coming up to the stop sign? So I slow and now just before the stop sign he is now is in the middle of the lane and finally he comes to a stop at the sign and I am almost next to him. So I lay on the horn and he jumps. Screams and wants to fight, I advise him to take off the headphones so he can hear and that its against the law to ride with full headphones with music blasting. I also say that I have beeped the horn several times at sofe distances that he has not heard and in fact that he pulled in front of me, didn't seem to change his thinking to much. I am always like so many who ride aware of the attitudes and behaviors around me. Its just frustrating with so many jerks on the roads these days. Like someone doing under the speed limit in the HOV lane on a weekend thinking its ok. This is about passing since I tried several times to pass and just knew there would be a problem. People are in their own little world most times and don't conscientiously drive. To them it just something they do to get from point a to point b and the thought is let me do something productive with my time. To the dismay of many around them

So be careful and drive for everyone around you.

[old2soon]

Another one from my truck drivin days. On U S 63 south out of Rolla Mo headin fer my place. At that time we didn't have the passing lanes that are there now. I'm in a 475 H P Cat powered International castrated to 76 M P H.   I'm behind a pickup hauling a travel trailer at 52-53 M P H. I'm also loaded rather light with about 20000 pounds in the box. Come to this downhill that is also a good place to pass-blip the air horn into the oncoming traffic lane which is clear mash on the fast pedal get up to 76 M P H look in right mirror and the blankety blank blank S O B has the nose of his pickup at the tractor duals on the right side!   Now mind you I have been following this turd for 10 12 miles and he NEVER once exceeded 54 M P H!   Sez to myself-self-DO NOT git mad.   Put on right turn indicator and start shrinking the gap on my right side. He started honking his horn flashing his lights and then the sumbitch FINALY duz the right thing-he gets on his binders. And after I get back in the proper lane the S O B drops WAY off behind me. 10 12 miles of never exceeding 54 M P H and then he wants to race when I start to go around!   RIDE SAFE.

[Sorcerer]

Throwing/ dropping objects from a motor vehicle is generally felony assault with a motor vehicle. The Valk has a lot of motor and is not nueterd like my F6B. We had a guy on our group ride on Saturday that kept passing bikes in there lane. He passed me 3 times on my right. The group got split at a stop sign. The third time he passed me and the bike in front of me in one shot, on our right.I'd had enough. As he passed the bike ahead of me on the right I lit the wick on my F6B. I was catching the back of the lead pack at what I thought was a little over 110 mph. Upon reveiwing the GPS it was 114 mph. He tried but the Harly was just getting smaller.

[DarkSideR]

Throwing/ dropping objects from a motor vehicle is generally felony assault with a motor vehicle. The Valk has a lot of motor and is not nueterd like my F6B. We had a guy on our group ride on Saturday that kept passing bikes in there lane. He passed me 3 times on my right. The group got split at a stop sign. The third time he passed me and the bike in front of me in one shot, on our right.I'd had enough. As he passed the bike ahead of me on the right I lit the wick on my F6B. I was catching the back of the lead pack at what I thought was a little over 110 mph. Upon reveiwing the GPS it was 114 mph. He tried but the Harly was just getting smaller.

Going double/triple the speed limit is generally grounds to suspend your license. 

[_Sheffjs_]

Going double/triple the speed limit is generally grounds to suspend your license. 

I know, one day-----soon, there will police drones chasing me way out in the country GPS-ing my triple speed taking a picture of my tag and sending the suspension in the mail! 

[scooperhsd]

Speaking of throwing things at other vehicles -

A coworker who rides a Hayabusa was cruising down the road, when a jerk in car threw a battery (a C or D cell) out at him. Fortunately, coworker rides with a GoPro camera and caught the tag number as well as what happened, and stopped to call a LEO. The LEO took a look at the video, and said that he will take care of it, and went off with blue lights.

[Romeo]

What's in my rear view mirror is of no consequence.

[Crackerborn]

What's in my rear view mirror is of no consequence.

Wrong answer!!!!

You have never been making a left with oncoming traffic and have some turd behind not see you? Lucky you because being launched by a one plus ton object will leave a lasting impression.

In case you don't get it, you are invisible when on two wheels!

[Kirb]

Speed does creep up fast on these bikes when you grab a handful of grunt. Common for me to get in the 90's when accelerating past someone. But yea to that point they do seem to speed up. lol

[art]

I drive a lot of highway miles, and in my boredom I have done some experiments. I have gotten next to people on the highway, matched their speed, and at small increments slow down. Typically the car next to me will also slow down. I have played this game up to 10mph below the speed limit. The next experiment I have done was similar but this time I would incrementally speed up. The results were the same. Lesson learn? People don't pay attention to their own speed, they simply match the vehicles around them. So yes as you pass someone the will typically speed up.

My pet peeve is this. You are in the fast lane doing 7mph over the posted speed limit. There are two cars 1 mile ahead of you in the slow lane doing the speed limit. Nothing changes in the minutes it takes you to catch them. As you approach (9 times out of 10) the car 2nd in order in all of a sudden pull into the fast lane slowing you down, very slowly pass the 1st car in the slow lane, get back over, and resume their original speed.  WHY DO THEY DO THIS!?

Probably out of boredom following the car in front of them.  I sometimes follow a car doing say 70 mph on interstate and finally decide I should go around them  doing 73 mph and then get over in slow/right lane again.    I prefer to NOT follow cars and for sure rarely tailgate since that is dangerous since you never know when he/she might slam on the brakes or road debris gets kicked up and you get a rock chip in your windshield.

QUESTION:  Is it a good idea to carry a small amount in say a sandwich bag of pea gravel in your pocket just in case I get again a driver who gets upset that I passed him and speeds up from 55 mph to near 70 mph tailgating me VERY closely for miles?    I can see some people literally trying to run me over.  Obviously,  at least for me,  I wouldn't want to go say over 85 mph to see if the irate tailgater once passed him/her falls back since don't want to get a speeding ticket much greater than that speed.  The pea gravel might put him/her over the edge and really run you over?  

The best thing I do and am pretty darn good at it with years of practice is I try to space myself well away from others while driving to be all alone since most of my driving is rural roads until of course I meet traffic in town that cannot be avoided.  

Spacing your self out and trying to ride your own speed is ok except for one thing. Ten years ago while living in Prescott Az. I was doing just that and feeling safe. I had a nice 66 mustang an was enjoying the ride when out of nowhere an elderly man pulled a left in front of me from the opposing traffic lane. I damn near t-boned him but avoided hitting him and ran into the end of the right side guard rail. It stopped me from going off the embankment and rolling over. Staying in your own safety zone is ok as long as you still pay attention and don't daydream.

[J.Mencalice]

"Don't look back.  Something might be gaining on you."
-Satchel Paige

#2:  "Discretion is the better part of valor."
-Willie Shakespeare

[BradValk48237]

I pass any car I can regardless of speed..... BECAUSE:

1. I hate looking at the back end of a Car/Truck/SUV/Semi etc..... I ride to see the world.

2. ITS FUN !!!!!!!!!!

B

[Moonshot_1]

Was maybe a little more than a year ago. Riding up in NW Iowa to the town of Everly. Zippin up the county road. Up ahead about a mile is a white SUV.  Catch up and passing it I read C L A Y  C O U N T Y  S H E R I F F  on the side of it.

He caught up with me to have a chat and give me an award! Then we bashed Obama on the side of the road for the next 20 min. Thoroughly enjoyable time even with the award.