Motorcycle Nation Podcast

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This episode starts off with a quick summary of my road trip to Cedar Springs, MI and then moves along to the loss of two very committed motorcyclists. One local, Mark Garback, a motorcycle safety instructor with ABATE of Indiana and the other Mike “Boz” Kerr, Vice President of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation.

Next up is an interview with Paul Holdsworth that you have to listen to. You will be floored by Paul’s experiences over his many years of motorcycling and he speaks of his role with IronWorks Magazine. Many thanks to Paul as he was patient with my screwed up schedule and waited many weeks to record this podcast. Thanks again Paul. You can find subscription info to IronWorks Magazine by following the link and you can enjoy the musings of Snakebit Sam at IWBlogger.

We close out the show with another Eclipse song, Green Fishing Line. Follow the link to their website and get your own CD if you have been enjoying the music we have been playing on the podcast.

Special thanks to my friend Dennis Tyger for taking the road trip with me. Better friends are hard to find. As always, we appreciate you, the listeners of the Motorcycle Nation Podcast, for taking the time out of your life to support and listen. Safe travels.

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Literally. Seeing red. How many times has this played out in your experiences? You pull up to a red light and bring your motorcycle to a smooth, safe stop. Cross traffic begins to thin and you prepare to proceed through the light to your destination. As the cross traffic begins to come to a stop, you begin to anticipate the changing of the light by easing your clutch into the friction zone and letting the motorcycle slowly start to edge forward. Just then it happens. The traffic traveling the opposite direction begins to proceed but your light does not change. You wait as the same scenario of thinning out takes place and then they come to a stop and cross traffic begins to move again. You begin to see red. Literally. In more ways than one.

This is a problem everywhere. The sensors buried in the pavement are supposed to detect the metal mass above them to trigger a light change. Most cities have the sensitivity set to detect automobiles which have far more mass to them than a motorcycle. So, you do not get detected sitting there and you see more and more red as the lights cycle. So, what options do we have when faced with this predicament? Wait for a car to pull up or run the light are about our only options outside of purchasing a “Green Light Trigger”, a device that proclaims the ability to trigger the sensors. I am somewhat skeptical of this, but if any of you readers have first hand knowledge, let us know.

California has taken measures to mandate that any new installations have sensitivity settings that will detect motorcycles and even bicycles. Other states have passed red-light laws. These laws allow you to safely proceed through the red light if the light is not being triggered. My experience has been that most occurrences happen in left turn lanes, but my research has shown that it often happens at throughways as well. Either way, it is a frustrating experience when your choice is to wait or illegally run the light.

The states that are allowing motorcycles to safely proceed through the light, legally, if it will not trigger have provided a simple approach to solving the problem without spending taxpayer money. Hats off to Minnesota for leading the charge to allowing this law back in 2003. Since then, Tennessee, Arkansas, Idaho, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and South Carolina have seen the light as well (no pun intended). There are currently proposed bills in Oklahoma, Georgia, and Missouri. I like this law. My only problem is that there are irresponsible motorcyclists out there that will not safely check for traffic and will lose their lives. When this happens, the cries will not cease to echo in the halls of the state legislatures. If you live in one of the states that allow this action, please be responsible and be safe. Let’s show the safetycrats that this can work and see if we can’t get it adopted in other states as well.

As always, I encourage your comments whether you agree with me or not!
Ride Safe
Steve & the MC Nation