Topic: What would you have done?

[sangyo soichiro]

So I'm out today on the cafe, ditty-bopping along, and a Harley guy comes in behind me.  He's a ways back as I'm coming to a stop light.  I'm waiting at the stop light and I hear the Harley come up to what sounds like pretty damn close.  I don't take my eyes off the light and the cross traffic because the light should turn green any moment.

A split second before the light turns I hear him say something.  I couldn't quite make it out, but whatever it was wasn't said with an attitude - I even think I heard the word "please."

Anyway, the light turned and I was more concerned with traffic than with whatever it was he said, and whatever he said, he said it just as the light turned, so my mind was on traffic and I took off and he stayed at the light (not sure why he sat through a green light...). 

I went slow, and later pulled over at a pub in case he was trying to ask me something about my bike (plus, I was thinking about getting a beer), but he eventually just rode by and we gave each other that 'howdy-doo' motorcycle nod and that was that.


As best as I can make out what he said, I think it was "Can you move up please?"  I'm confused as hell why he would want me to move up, because I was right where I should have been - behind the white line.  And you shouldn't pull up close to anyone and then ask them to move.   


So what should I have done?

[Inkscars]

Snubbed him because he rides a harley, and offer him a 1 handed knifefight for rights to the white line at the next light. 

It was just a misunderstanding, sometimes it's better to do what you did vs. turn around and possibly stir the pot.

Of course.....I prolly woulda been like "HUH" and turned around and flipped my bike over.

[Ecosse]

i've been in a similar, non-bike, situation. inks is right about misunderstanding. i figure if someone gets their panties in a twist because you didn't respond in some way, well tough nuts. it's just life; sometimes we're just on different wave lengths.

but the mutual nod sounds to me like he had no hard feelings. and sounds to me you're not a cold mofo if you've given this some consideration.

[Inkscars]

Plus one!


(although you did just burn some of your street cred.)   

[GoatBaSS]

Two motorcycle engines running, traffic, concentration on the task @ hand and you want me to listen! Let it go. He could have said "I had me one of those" or anything else under the sun. You did right for the time. On a bike it is all about you.

[fuzzybutt]

now, i have a pretty nasty attitude lots of days. i'd have told hiim to stick it up his ass.

[Do0ki3 PWNS]

i think he may have wanted to pull up next to you?... lol

who knows, i would have done the same just kept my mind on the traffic light.

[myhondas]

Somebody throw some kitty treats @ fuzzy... You should have done exactly what you said you did with one additional item.... You should have had one extra beer for him in case he was asking you something nice and two extra beers in case he said something in the negative.....

[333]

Why would you need to pull up any?  I assume you know enough to not be in the center of the lane where the grease slick is, and I also assume that your cafe isn't attached to a sidecar.  And by the rest of the story, you weren't blocking a "right turn on red".  I must conclude that you didn't hear what he said.  He may have been commenting on the weather.


Or maybe he was waiting for the conveyor belt to start rolling.

[mystic_1]

What I would have done would have been to not be so concerned about the green light.  I'd have looked back and said "I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said" or something to that effect.  After all, what he was saying may have been important in some way.  Maybe not, but that's what I would have done.


mystic_1

[sangyo soichiro]

Yeah, I feel bad for just taking off like I did.  I have no idea what he said and whether it was important.  Now if I had heard the words 'conveyor,' or 'hammer,' I'd have went hell bent for leather and would never give it a second thought.   

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I probably would have pointed to my ear and shrugged my shoulders to try to indicate I couldn't hear him. Then go about my business.

[bill440cars]

       Might have been wanting a "pull start"!   You said that he sat out the green light, right? Just posting a Guess. Sure makes you wonder just what he said, seemed to be quite corgial, when he did pass.

       There's a saying that I used to use in Junior High School (and later on, at times)

       Mind Over Matter,  I don't mind    AND he don't matter!

      I'd have done what you did, if it matters.

                             Later on, Bill 

[tramp]

my first thought was to say ingore him
but thats what harley guys do
so maybe you should of asked what he said
or just let it go

[fuzzybutt]

i would only say something like that if i knew for sure he was telling me to move. not if i wasnt sure what he was saying 

[OldSkool]

I would have thrown a trident at him.

[seaweb11]

My guess is that he knows that particular light and it won't click green until some more weight goes on the widget under the road to tell it there is a car waiting.  There are a couple in Nanaimo that If I am 1st, I need to pull way forward and gesture a car to come closer to the line or the light never changes

I'll bet that's what happened

[mystic_1]

Those sensors work via induction, not by weight.  They create a magnetic field that is disturbed by the metal in a vehicle sitting above them.  Motorcycles often don't contain enough ferrous material to trip the sensor.  Other forum members have had luck strapping neodymium magnets to the bottom of their bikes.

OTOH, longer red lights gives you the chance to converse with the Harley rider that pulls up behind you

mystic_1

[seaweb11]

weight, magnetics, same story

[fuzzybutt]

i have one glued to the bottom edge of my front fender, hope it works

[Ecosse]

several years ago a buddy of mine was followed home  from the gym. all the time he didn't know who it was, but knew he clearly was being followed. finally he stopped and was ready for a brawl, but then the other car pulled up next to his, and my friend recognized it was a flamboyantly gay guy from the gym. he said he was following him because he "juuuust had to tell him he was gorgeous."

friend changed gyms the next day.

maybe you have an admirer?  

[rhos1355]

Soichiro, you sound like a nice bloke. But waaaaaayyyy too sensitive to what people might think.

[andy750]

Soichiro, you sound like a nice bloke. But waaaaaayyyy too sensitive to what people might think.

+ 1, that was my impression....who gives a f$#k what he said or didnt say...wave and move on...  

[Caaveman82]

What he said was "I wish my bike was as cool as that, can we be friends please?"

The reason he stayed through the green light was because he was so shocked that you didn't respond. No hard feelings, no problem.

[myhondas]

My guess is that he knows that particular light and it won't click green until some more weight goes on the widget under the road to tell it there is a car waiting.  There are a couple in Nanaimo that If I am 1st, I need to pull way forward and gesture a car to come closer to the line or the light never changes

I'll bet that's what happened

What is it that makes everyone think that there is a WEIGHT sensor buried in the road Those little wires that they put in the road are insulated copper wire. What in the world makes a intelligent person believe that it is going to measure weight. Hello.....it is a variable capacitance loop that sees your metal bike, car, truck, etc. as added capacitance and makes a circuit.