Was it simply recklessness, or Russian Roulette via motorcycle?

[ohiorider]

Yesterday, like so many lately here in NE Ohio. was beautiful.  I didn't get out as early as I wanted, so decided to do a much shorter ride closer to home.  Valley Parkway is a lovely road (though with way too many cross streets) from the Cuyahoga  Valley National Park north almost to Lake Erie, and incidentally, to Cleveland Moto's original shop.

I rode to Phil's place, looked over the lovely stock of everything from V7II to a lovely new California, along with several neat Royal Enfields on the showroom floor.

I decided to return home via the same Valley Parkway road, though it is a slow but beautiful slog.

At one of the cross streets, with stop signs posted with "cross traffic does not stop" warnings, I waited for cross traffic to clear.  In the meantime, I notice (hear) a bike coming toward me from the opposite direction at a high rate of speed.  The machine came into view, and I started thinking that I was about to witness a spectacular 'stoppie.' 

Hardly!  The bike was probably running in excess of 60mph in a 30mph zone, and didn't attempt to stop, much less slow down for the stop sign.  Just blew through it.

Thinking I may have witnessed a rider who was thinking 'if I make it, ok .... if I don't, well that's ok, too'

If this crazy bastard would have t-boned another vehicle, it would have been a disaster for the rider as well as occupants of whatever he'd hit ..... car or bike.

Appalling!

Bob

[drums4money]

". . . there are old pilots, and there are bold pilots - but there are no old, bold pilots."

[Sasquatch Jim]

     When I lived in Cleveland, The standard rule at traffic lights was when the light goes red three more cars are permitted to go through the intersection.  I have even seen it when one of them was a police cruiser not on an emergency mission.  I have seen a police cruiser in front of the stopped traffic watch as three more went through after the light went red and took no interest at all in the flagrant violations.  In Cleveland there was no such thing as a used car for sale that had not been in a collision unless it was brought in from out of state.  In short, that place had the most impolite, insane traffic of any place I have lived.

[Triple Jim]

I bet he never saw the stop sign.  I my early days of driving I missed a stop sign or two and got lucky.  All you have to do is not pay attention.

[ohiorider]

I bet he never saw the stop sign.  I my early days of driving I missed a stop sign or two and got lucky.  All you have to do is not pay attention.

Jim, maybe ..... but the fact that he (or she) was traveling at 2x or more the posted speed limit makes me thing this rider was a scofflaw, not just a careless rider.  Just happy there was no collision.  It would have been spectacular, and hopefully would not have involved me in the field of scattering car and bike pieces and parts.

[rodekyll]

I was at a HD shop trying to get a regulator for an on-the-road fix.  The counter lady was being helpful and insisted on calling a shop along my route that had stock to arrange for my purchase.  This took a little time.  The big, burly bullet-head in line behind me seemed really impatient, but when I suggested to the parts lady that she take a break and help him, she said no, even bullies have to wait their turn.

So I get to the parking lot and I'm making a sandwich when the bullet-head comes out.  He stares at me the entire time he's walking to his bike, gets on it, backs up to within an inch of mine and starts the open-piped low rider.  He treats me to the musica for about 15 sec, and then, still staring me down, roars across the parking lot, leans it hard to make a right, and plants it in the grille of the SUV that was going the correct way on the one-way street.  I just sat on my bike and ate the sandwich.

[SteveAZ]

I saw a rider on a very new Duc 1198 blow a stop sign once in Los Angeles under almost the same conditions and I thought the same thing, "crazy". Didn't even look for cross traffic or touch the brakes. I was so dumbfounded that I just sat there and watched him go by. As there was no traffic in the area other than the two of us. The difference in my story was after clearing the intersection, he slammed on the rear brake and pulled over as he made the sign of the cross across his chest, stopped and shut the bike down. 

Nothing like a little fear based self examination. I gave him a wave, he waved back. I'm positive he wrecked his underwear. 

Just glad the incident ended that way....