Riding On the Freeway Is No Fun

[Lannis]

Yes you do Lannis, die and pay taxes 🤣😂😂🤣👍👍

True enough, but violating the tax thing would be an even more extreme case of "don't have to", but I'm only talking about stuff that I'M willing to do and have actually done .... !   

Lannis

[jim_W]

For 25 years I took I-17 from North Phoenix about 25 miles to work downtown. The first couple weeks I was constantly  in fear as I stayed in the right lane dodged traffic getting on and off the freeway. A motor officer friend of mine suggested I get on and go directly to the far left (carpool) lane and catch up with traffic and stay there until it was time to get off. This means riding 80 to 90 miles per hour in a 65 mph zone but it's much safer than riding in the right lane. Only real hazards are getting on and getting off. Make sure other drivers see you before changing lanes and accelerating into the next lane is always safer than braking while changing lanes. Nothing relaxing about the ride to work but much quicker than driving the pickup as I can use the carpool lane on the bike. I'm retired now but I still use the carpool lane whenever I am on the freeway as I feel much safer there.  Be safe.

[JeffOlson]

For 25 years I took I-17 from North Phoenix about 25 miles to work downtown. The first couple weeks I was constantly  in fear as I stayed in the right lane dodged traffic getting on and off the freeway. A motor officer friend of mine suggested I get on and go directly to the far left (carpool) lane and catch up with traffic and stay there until it was time to get off. This means riding 80 to 90 miles per hour in a 65 mph zone but it's much safer than riding in the right lane. Only real hazards are getting on and getting off. Make sure other drivers see you before changing lanes and accelerating into the next lane is always safer than braking while changing lanes. Nothing relaxing about the ride to work but much quicker than driving the pickup as I can use the carpool lane on the bike. I'm retired now but I still use the carpool lane whenever I am on the freeway as I feel much safer there.  Be safe.

Generally, I feel safer in the "fast" lane to avoid traffic getting on and off the freeway and to lessen the risk of blind lane-changers to just the right-hand side.

In Portland, the "car pool" lane on I-5 north seems to be reserved for driver-only semis (they are everywhere!) and driver-only pickup trucks. No LEOs in sight (except for the time one stopped a lone motorcyclist for driving on the right shoulder to avoid Portland's grid-lock).

[Texas Turnip]

Read the post by Lannis and then read it again and again. You do not have to live in the big city making the big bucks and die young unless you want to.
 I did a SaddleSore1000 (1,216 miles) in Jan in Texas and never used an Interstate.

Tex

[Lannis]

Read the post by Lannis and then read it again and again. You do not have to live in the big city making the big bucks and die young unless you want to.
 I did a SaddleSore1000 (1,216 miles) in Jan in Texas and never used an Interstate.

Tex

I learned how to retire from YOU in 2001 ... and it worked out just like you said it would.   Thanks again!   Life is what you make of it.

Picked two gallons of blackberries, half a bushel of squash, a couple dozen tomatoes, a dozen cucumbers, and finished pulling the beets and carrots tonight.   I won't need to go back to the grocery store for a week ... !!

Lannis

[Tom]

 

[s1120]

Generally, I feel safer in the "fast" lane to avoid traffic getting on and off the freeway and to lessen the risk of blind lane-changers to just the right-hand side.

In Portland, the "car pool" lane on I-5 north seems to be reserved for driver-only semis (they are everywhere!) and driver-only pickup trucks. No LEOs in sight (except for the time one stopped a lone motorcyclist for driving on the right shoulder to avoid Portland's grid-lock).

I have found the center lane to be the worst..  [out of 3..]  the people going slow in the right feel some huge burning disire to move into it all the time... mosly after entering the highway.... and you get the fast people flying up to the slow left lane drivers, and they fly to the center without warning or and sign of change..  I find myself more in control there, and use it mostly... like its ment to be,

[John Ulrich]

Don’t forget the helmet buffeting along with blurred vision.

[Craigo]

I commute to Portland from the west bout 20 miles in the early AM, and I feel like a target.
On the way home at 4:30 in the afternoon I feel like a freakin bullet. I think it really is about the light.

[TheHungarian]

This topic brings up something I’ve been thinking about lately. It’s impossible to program a custom route on one of the NAV apps like WAZE, for instance. Sure, you can select “avoid toll roads and freeways”, but what if you want to map out a specific route of choice roads to get from A to B?  Can’t do that.
Is anyone aware of an app that I can use on my iPhone to do something like this? Seems like a gaping hole of opportunity for some software developer.

Best,
Mike

[Perazzimx14]

I've never particularly found highway driving/riding a great thrill. It more a necessary evil.

I have no problem burning up stab to or coming from good riding. The faster I get there the more time I can spending riding good stuff. Or the faster I can get home the longer I can stay riding the good stuff.

[Tom]

More of an escape route for me too,  Option A vs. option B.

[LowRyter]

This topic brings up something I’ve been thinking about lately. It’s impossible to program a custom route on one of the NAV apps like WAZE, for instance. Sure, you can select “avoid toll roads and freeways”, but what if you want to map out a specific route of choice roads to get from A to B?  Can’t do that.
Is anyone aware of an app that I can use on my iPhone to do something like this? Seems like a gaping hole of opportunity for some software developer.

Best,
Mike

Google maps allows you to customize a route by dragging the cursor.  OTOH, it's cumbersome.   I found this Beeline app that allows "way points" to on their map programs.  It's a little easier but blow up the image to make sure you don't point to a place slightly off the intended route.

https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=106760.msg1691404#msg1691404

[ozarquebus]

I didn't plan it, but what Lannis did by sagacious planning, I did accidentally by default!