Onejack, If you see my name on a reply you allready know it's going to be off the wall. Learned a long time ago to check 3 locations before changing lanes. 1-rear view mirror, 2-side mirror, & 3-turn your head left or right to quickly check that blind spot. When you least expect it, they'll be there. As for the bike in your blind spot, if you'd done #3 you would have seen him.
As for my second opinion. That loud pipes thing is just total bull. All it does is to make us motorcyclist's look like total uncaring jerks around the neighborhood. I like the sound myself, not to the extremes, but I "do" like the sound. After all, I have thunderbike exhaust on my america but I am very careful when starting it up in the morning and feathering the throttle around town until I hit the four lane. We need to be more condiderate of our neighbors "and" the neighborhood. Firm believer, be considerate to people and they will return the favor. Maybe not at once, but sooner or later they will catch on.
Jerry
