Bonneville America Forums Forums Rider Safety Forums Riding Technique put yer foot down...

I do a lot of riding in small towns and rural areas. One practice I've adopted is putting a foot down when I come to a stop sign. This may sound like a no-brainer, but I have seen a lot of riders come to a stop sign, slow down, and just keep going if the coast is clear. I watched 2 HD riders in front of me do this today, and a van coming from the left (who had the right of way, actually..) pulled out in front of them....
Putting a foot down serves a few purposes. It lets other drivers (and the police!) know for sure that you have stopped. And it gives you a few seconds to make absolutely sure the intersection is clear.
Again, it may seem like a stupid thing to post about, but I have seen enough riders "drift" through stop signs that I thought I'd mention it on here.

BTW, the 2 HD riders almost hit the van, then almost hit each other as they swerved and dabbed.

Real good advice grump! I have lately picked up the habit of not coming to a full stop. I almost came to grief doing this by not seeing a car and narrowly missing it by pulling onto the shoulder. Such a simple thing to do, put a foot down. thanks.

That's a habit that I am working on myself. I'm about 60% and improving. We all should be doing that.

Grump, Sometimes I have to put both feet down. Look in the mirrors. Adjust my helmet. Gawk around. Then my riding partner in a Beige Kawasaki finally comes moseying up to the stop sign with me. El Presidente of the "Geezers" riding club likes to hang back and wave to the crowd.

Jerry

Jerry, he's just lurking ... makes him look tough =P


Ben

Jerry,
We better not tell him why there's a crowd in the first place... it ain't for a beige Kawasaki!!

When I took the 1 day experienced rider course last year, under the philosophy that lotsa miles w/out an accident doesn't mean anything, they had us practise coming to a full stop while (whilst) keeping your feet on the pegs. Reminded me of the guy who always fell off the park bench in the old "Laugh In" series. I do that quasi rolling stop at a few lightly travelled intersections (with full visibility in all directions), but also believe it can become a dangerous habit.

In retrospect, they weren't encouraging rolling stops so much as trying to instruct;

1 "keep your head up & eyes on the horizon"
2 "getting used to friction zones"
3 "slow speed balance techniques"
4 "who can pop a wheelie"

& the ever popular,

5 "who has the best sounding pipes"

.....keeping my feet on the ground, mostly...at least one, sometimes two.

Which reminds me, what do you guys & gals think of those hubcaps that keep on spinning after stopping. The first one I saw nearly caused me to swerve into biker heaven.

freedom, the spinnners are actually made illegal in a few states

i hate the ****** things


Ben

Now they got the "never spinners" so you can't tell when they go.

OK,


If I understand correctly, when one kind spins the car is stopped, while when others are stationary the car is moving. Whatever happened to fuzzy dice? If they were swinging only one of two choices were possible and generally not simultaneously.

I have dice in my jeep:) And on my bike...

Yeah, I know I should. It is just pure laziness not doing it. In the suburban areas I end up riding in there are just so freaking many of the dang things. Thinking about it, the only place I usually do put my foot down is at major interesections and thoroughfares. Your right about the boys in blue though. If the foot was on the ground hard to argue that you weren't stopped.