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This is a sore spot with me. While driving down the 4 lane westbound. New Jersey barriers separating the eastbound lanes. I am in the right hand lane a little left of the center oil spot. I see them coming in my left hand mirror. Some jerk in a car 12 inches over the line in my lane. There is something about those New Jersey barriers with some car drivers. They "have" to be as far away from them as possible. Even if they have to brush the mink oil off my leather jacket to do it? Nooooo they cannot drive in the right hand lane either. Than havvvve to be in the left lane for the 30 miles or so they are driving. Tell me now. WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THESE PEOPLE????? The last 2 times this happened at the last minute I waved my left hand from right to left to try to get them to move over into their lane. I stayed right where I was & they came close. After calling them every name in the book and grumbling to myself for 10 minutes afterwords. Any ideas or comments would be appreciated. Please leave the marbles at home.

Jerry

Well obviously get out of the way if you think it's to the point of being dangerous, but other than that it's a similar thing to the tailgating. Wacing an arm franticly is good. The middle finger is nice:) A bright brake light helps too... I dunno man, but I feel your pain with the NJ drivers. Come to long island sometime:)

I feel better when I yell at them, "Didn't your mother tell you about the lines painted on the road?"

Hi Jerry,
Paintballs - lots of paintballs. The driver'll do something, pull over-stop - they'll do something.
Dennis

jerry,

What 4 lane were you on? It wasn't the Parkway, was it? They need a sign at every entrance ramp on the Parkway - "Abandon Ye Hope - All Who Enter Here"...

There is no good solution to your situation. If you favor the left - they will try to brush you over. If you stay in the middle - you get to ride in all the juice and you get to feel the full effect of each expansion joint. If you ride to the right - they will try to merge into the lane like you aren't even there.

I avoid the slabs around here like the plague, unless I have absolutely no other route.

As for paint balls, marbles, bricks, and various condiments, it just isn't a good idea. With cel phones and camera phones in nearly every vehicle today, you wouldn't stand a chance.

All you can do is use the whole lane, keep your wits about you, and get off the slab as soon as possible...

I agree with Grump on the projectiles... I'd worry that someone would overreact and swerve into me!! I know the way my mom yelps every time something happens in the car, I imagine there are plenty more like her out there...

Grump, My complaint was about route 70 between New Stanton and Charleroi bridge. Of which you are probably the only one who would know the stretch as I do.

Jerry

Brrrrr....! I avoid Rt. 70 at all costs...! The truck traffic alone is enough to give me the fitzwillies!
They fly on that highway and they don't much care who else might be on the road.
But I understand your story much better now, those Jersey barriers make that slab even more dangerous.... Ever notice how scraped up they are??? The wife and I came home that way from Wheeling last summer in her Blazer - I was never so glad to get off a highway in my life. You fly or you die...

Saw a guy drifting towards the barrier over and over again the other day till he finally nicked it and somehow kept going. His rear wheel started to climb it!!!

Yeah, there are some real Mensa candidates out there on the road. Best thing to do...stay the heck outta their way. In today's climate of road rage, stupidity, etc., any other course of action could cost you dearly. I'd rather be irritated than eliminated.

Hi Jerry, I feel for ya. Not much you can do other than be a defensive driver WITH compound eyes to boot. Rode over 3000 this month, with only 200 miles on the slabs until the return trip. Then it was a 650 mile slab run home from Fancy Gap, VA on I77, I26 then I95. B...ToTheWall too. Gotta love the creative drivers in cages. Yet I was lucky as I did not encounter any Darwin award candidates the whole trip! Well maybe one or two.

Jerry,
Know the stretch well - mid 20th century design / 21st century speeds. But you have to admit, they layed down some sweet asphalt the last time. Its tight, but its smooooooth. As Grump mentioned, take a spin on 79 toward the airport and then the parkway - Now there's where they'll give ya a scare. I spent what seemed an eternity on that stretch one day. Took the back way to Beaver Co., the into WVA. Coming back I thought I'd take a short cut - NO MORE. One trip on that stretch and Rt. 70 is quite roomy.

I am not sure what a New Jersey barrier is (Is that a euphimism for badly designed barriers? ). But other than ejecting nails or flares at the cagers, the best solution would be to ride in the left most lane until youre ready to get off. Of course you have to be riding at some reasonable pace so you dont get "tailgaitors" [sic].

I ride NJ parkways and thruways all the time. My rule of thumb is stay in the leftmost lane.

Dude, Jersey barriers!! They are those slightly slanted, sometimes removable, large concrete "guard rails" in between lanes of traffic, or around construction zones, etc. Dunno where they got the name, but maybe you guys in NJ call them "fences" or somethin? hehe. I agree with you on the lane choice. One thing my MSF instructor told me about riding on the highway was, if you're not ready to get up and run with the big dogs in the left lane, don't even get on the highway. NOT being an obstacle is key.

By the way, IMok, I'll be in Parsippany on the 11th, hopefully connecting with that other guy in NJ looking at bikes to kick tires, maybe grab a bite. If the weather is good I'll bring the bike. Wanna hang?

Sure. Let's touch bases a day or two before. Whats in Parsippany?

Well I have to go there for work, but I've met one of my other riding buddies at the Applebees right on 46 just off I80, I think there's a McD's right there as a landmark too. Still dunno what the weather will be, etc, if I can even bring the bike, ya know?

Crowding the line.

Reminds me of the quote, "Over the line" from the Big Lebowski.

Excuse an Englishman's ignorance, but what's a New Jersey barrier when it's at home then .... ?

Maybe a curb?

Here's more info than you ever wanted to know.......

Jersey barrier

Gotta love Google....