It was a fleeting moment that passed only a few feet from me, so there was absolutely no time for a photo. Let me draw you a picture.
It’s a beautiful November day. The 70 degrees is unusual, but perfect for running errands on the motorcycle. Color is still on the trees, but fading. The sky is a gorgeous blue, the kind of sky that begs outside activities.
I motorcycle through Loveland, and decide to go straight east on Obannonville Road, which turns into Dallasburg Road so that I can catch one of my favorite two laners, Grog Run Road. Generally, there is little traffic, the road is narrow with quick twists and turns and hills—perfect for the motorcycle.
Just after running down the hill, and crossing the creek and roughest set of railroad tracks in the area, the road narrows just a little. There is no centerline and the twists prevent you from looking down the road very far.
Suddenly, around the curve, heading in the opposite direction, comes another motorcyclist. He’s riding a Harley, not wearing a helmet, and he has his left hand up to the side of his face.
OH MY GOD! He’s talking on the phone! This guy is speeding through the twists with one hand on the throttle and one hand on his phone! I can’t believe it! How stupid is that?
We could spend time talking about riding with or without helmets. We could also discuss ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time). But, I don’t think we should really have to have a serious discussion about riding a motorcycle while talking on the phone.
I wonder if this guy complains about stupid cagers talking on the phone when he’s near them on his motorcycle? I bet he does.
See you on the highway.
Brent
Brent:
I would at least have Bluetooth helmet speakers.
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Bob, I have another friend who also uses Bluetooth to use his phone while motorcycling. At least it’s a hands-free operation. My Rule #2 of motorcycling is never, never ever answer the cell phone while riding. That’s what voice mail and text messages are for. The message will be there when I stop. No phone call is so important that I should endanger myself or others to answer the phone while motorcycling.
Brent
So, was he yelling into the phone at the top of his voice because his “loud pipes save lives” exhaust pipes precluded a more sedate tone of voice? : )
dom
Redleg’s Rides
Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner
You see people doing some pretty stupid things. I’m an atgatt guy and I can remember riding fully geared up on a learners permit passing a guy in shorts, no shirt wearing flip flops with his barefoot girlfriend on the back in a bikini. My thought was “who should really be holding a learner’s permit?”. Let’s hope he never drops it, but if he does he is in for one case of full body road rash.
Dom, his pipes were not that loud, but his speed would have been a factor in “wind noise.” He passed me so quickly, I couldn’t tell if he was talking, listening, or about to panic as that terrible railroad crossing was coming up!
Brent
There is no accounting for dumb. I have bluetooth as well IN MY HELMET. I don’t answer while riding, and frankly the only reason I have blue tooth is so I can use my GPS from my phone. I do use that from time to time while I’m doing a “LOST RIDE”. Sometimes (ok a lot of times…I get down to fumes on the gas tank and I’m desperate for a gas station.) Karma will get that guy…you can count on it. Twists+phone+one handed operation+lack of safety equipment for himself = bad karma >>>>> or worse.
What a loon!
Why screw up a perfectly good ride with a cell phone call? I’ve had radios on bikes and even those stay switched off. For me, riding is about solitude. Unless one is an 0n-call surgeon or something, what’s so important that checking the phone can’t wait until the next break?