What Do You Do At Stoplights??

[Doorag]

I almost always sit between the lanes if there are more than one, and on the far inside (away from the curb) of a single lane. Once there, I usually cover the rear brake and have my left foot on the ground. I relax my hands and arms to have a bit of a rest. Sometimes I'll cross my arms and rest on the tank.

 

[Bikebiz]

Great technique here, I'm impressed! I learnt the hard way. Was sitting in neutral with both feet on the ground after slowing for an orange light. Learner driver behind me had seen the orange and her first thought was to gas it to make it. I heard the brake lockup noise but sounded like it was far far away so looked across the road, the left street, the right street, saw nothing then BANG!

Luckily flew well clear of the bike, landed well and had zero injuries. Had atgatt on . SV1000s was written off.

So yeahhhhhh, I keep a very watchful eye in my mirrors obviously!

 

[Humperdinkel]

Sit in 1st gear until there are 3 or more cars behind me :thumbup: And watch my mirrors because you never know when you are going to have to move in a hurry :thumbup:

 

[Geoff]

Aside from all the safe stuff, I am generally just looking at the scenery (while glancing at the light), playing with the clutch (scooting back and forth), and looking at the reading license plates.

 

[nextfriday]

i'm always looking around and checking my mirrors anticipating someone is going to crunch me from behind. I hate sitting at lights.

 

[Jblk9695]

I usually put it in neutral, put the side stand down, get off and kick the tires:BLAA:
Seriously I leave it in first and check my 6, if someone is coming up behind I flash the brake lights with the front brake and then when they have stopped I'll put the bike in neutral and kick back but stay alert to what is going on around me.

Jerry

 

[Kazza]

I was taught to keep it in first, check the mirrors and get ready for evasive action!

So far so good. Hope it stays that way

 

[Goop]

Uh interesting this came up. This morning I was at an intersection and moved to the center of the two lanes. Good thing I did, two cars behind a guy rear-ended the car in front of him. The car lurched forward hard. Could have been me he lurched into! Screw that! I filter to the front whenever I can. Then a nice fellow on the freeway in his fancy Benz nearly took me out changing lanes. Did a nice swerve to avoid that one, resisted urge to gesture at him and moved on.. I need a coffee.

 

[agp]

First I evaluate dangers. If safe I put it in neutral, stand up, adjust gloves jacket, etc if needed.

 

[Bram]

Uh interesting this came up. This morning I was at an intersection and moved to the center of the two lanes. Good thing I did, two cars behind a guy rear-ended the car in front of him. The car lurched forward hard. Could have been me he lurched into! Screw that! I filter to the front whenever I can. Then a nice fellow on the freeway in his fancy Benz nearly took me out changing lanes. Did a nice swerve to avoid that one, resisted urge to gesture at him and moved on.. I need a coffee.

people get rear ended often in the USA? So much that most of the bikers always keep it in first gear at a red light? How is that possible? a lot of hills, bad weather or bad drivers?

I never keer it in gear at a stoplight. allways neutral and behind a car. Lane splitting to the front when I'm in a hurry. but I use the bike for fun only, so I have all the time in the world

here in belgium, I never heard that a biker was rear ended at a stoplight.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that there are no real hills here...

strange thing....

 

[Goop]

people get rear ended often in the USA? So much that most of the bikers always keep it in first gear at a red light? How is that possible? a lot of hills, bad weather or bad drivers?

I never keer it in gear at a stoplight. allways neutral and behind a car. Lane splitting to the front when I'm in a hurry. but I use the bike for fun only, so I have all the time in the world

here in belgium, I never heard that a biker was rear ended at a stoplight.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that there are no real hills here...

strange thing....

Bad, distracted or speeding drivers. And lots of them. It's a fact of life in California.

 

[J-Speed Inc.]

I keep the bike in gear until I see a car or two behind me. Also, if I'm the first one to go through the green light after it changes, I wait a few seconds for those idiots who blow through the light even after it's red, this saved my butt more than a few times!

 

[fzme]

Aside from all the safe stuff, I am generally just looking at the scenery (while glancing at the light), playing with the clutch (scooting back and forth), and looking at the reading license plates.

Funny stuff:BLAA:

 

[robaho]

people get rear ended often in the USA? So much that most of the bikers always keep it in first gear at a red light? How is that possible? a lot of hills, bad weather or bad drivers?

I never keer it in gear at a stoplight. allways neutral and behind a car. Lane splitting to the front when I'm in a hurry. but I use the bike for fun only, so I have all the time in the world

here in belgium, I never heard that a biker was rear ended at a stoplight.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that there are no real hills here...

strange thing....

Rear-end collisions are pretty common in the U.S. We have a lot of distracted drivers here(they are talking on their cell phones, doing their makeup, eating with both hands, reading the paper, etc etc). Scary stuff when you are sharing the road with 'em....
I usually keep it in first gear, and position myself to the left of the vehicle in front of me.

 

[robaho]

people get rear ended often in the USA? So much that most of the bikers always keep it in first gear at a red light? How is that possible? a lot of hills, bad weather or bad drivers?

I never keer it in gear at a stoplight. allways neutral and behind a car. Lane splitting to the front when I'm in a hurry. but I use the bike for fun only, so I have all the time in the world

here in belgium, I never heard that a biker was rear ended at a stoplight.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that there are no real hills here...

strange thing....

Rear-end collisions are pretty common in the U.S. We have a lot of distracted drivers here(they are talking on their cell phones, doing their makeup, eating with both hands, reading the paper, etc etc). Scary stuff when you are sharing the road with 'em....
I usually keep it in first gear, and position myself to the left of the vehicle in front of me.

 

[sxty8goats]

Like most here, If there is a car behind me and I have time, I'll often pop it into neutral to rest my hand. But until there is a car behind me at a full stop, I'm in 1st.

I also tend to get off to the left so that I have a straight shot around the car in front of me if someone comes up behind too quickly. I've only had to do that once. Pulled around a car as a truck behind me jumped on his breaks, tires screeming. The truck managed to stop before it hit the car but would have got me.

The funny bit was I ended up right next to the driver of the car that had been in front of me. (Cross traffic = Death too) and the lady in the car yelled to me "SLOW THE F@#$ DOWN!!" She never ever realized how close she came to getting rammed by the pick up... Thought all that noise was my CB750 coming to a hault.

 

[spine]

Wow. It seems the drivers in Britain are much better than in USA.
I tend to stop, keep in first gear, left foot down and right foot on back brake.
Sometime i'll put both feet down and if i'm gonna be there for a while, pop it into neutral.
I normally have a nosey whats going on around me, wave at kids in cars who wave through their car windows, and nod to other bikers who pass.
I always stay behind the car infront, normally in the middle, and i've never been shunted or felt i would be shunted by the car behind me.

 

[DaveOTZ]

Usually Neutral, keep a look around... Bang out Neil Peart's drum solo from Limelight with the plastic guard on my gloves on my gas tank...

 

[Debaser]

Just a curious question. What do you guys do while stuck at a traffic light with a little bit of down time?

I start humming a little tune until I realise that the cager I pulled up next to has his window wound down and is giving me odd looks.

Since being hit from behind whilst being a good boy and waiting in the traffic (in the UK), I always filter to the front of the queue where I am protected by the cages around me.

 

[Tailgate]

I start humming a little tune until I realise that the cager I pulled up next to has his window wound down and is giving me odd looks.

Since being hit from behind whilst being a good boy and waiting in the traffic (in the UK), I always filter to the front of the queue where I am protected by the cages around me.

Well, you probably already realize it, but in 49 (we have 50) US states it's ILLEGAL to do what you do in the UK. Can you believe it? Talk about dumb.... We also have to be 21 years old before we can drink.