Model Citizenship

So, let’s get this out front so it is not said that I am being unjustifibly judgemental - I ride a motorcycle. With that said, I now want to voice my “distaste” for an incident that occurred in the carpool lane of the northbound 405 freeway in Orange County, CA. Motorcycles in the carpool lane are quite common - passing to the right of traffic in the carpool lane just as common…Passing with patience (giving the driver of the vehicle in front of you time to spot you) is tolerable - expecting an open entitlement to pass at will - not so much.

Time: Approximately 8:00 AM - Rush hour traffic

So, the incident involved a guy on a sportbike and myself in a pick-up truck. I was doing about 60 mph with about a 3-second interval between me and the car in front of me. There was a car behind me with a little less space…Suddenly, doing approximately 80 mph, a motorcycle passed me using the space betwen the pair of double yellow lines that separates the carpool lane from the rest of the lanes.

At the precise moment he passed (I never saw him until he was at my front fender) - I was more toward the right side of the carpool lane.

As he passed, he proceeded to salute me with the standard middle finger display of his IQ. I guess he was unhappy I did not yield the entire lane, eh? So, if I had the chance to talk to this brainiac, I would ask why he feels it is my job to watch for motorcylces passing to my right over the double yellow? Maybe he figures I have nothing else to do during my commute??? Let’s list the things I am “NOT” doing while in the carpool lane:

1. Watching for brake lights in the carpool lane in front of me (sudden stops in car pool lanes never happen, right?)
2. Watching for debris in the lane ahead of me (because freeway crap never gravitates toward the shoulders, eh?)
3. Watching for cars to dart into the carpool lane across the double yellow from a dead stand still (cause they Never do that, right?)
4. Checking the rearview mirror to ensure that the car behind me is allowing for enough space in the event of a sudden stop (see #1)

So, now I have been assigned the task of watching for motorcyclists who decide that they are entitled to use the carpool lane in whatever fashion they like….Motorcyclists often complain that motorists do not look for motorcylces - that they don’t see motorcycles…

I want to give this motorcyclist some advice:

1. Drop the hot-dogging on the freeway - dead motorcyclists are never impressive!
2. If you want people to see you, you have to make yourself seen!
3. Keep the rubber side down!

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