Modern Buddy

The other day some guy zipped by me in a Vespa, standing up while riding, also dramatically swerving from side to side just for the hell of it. Traffic was heavy and he did this even making a left on Sunset and Vine. Wondering what showboating antics you all have witnessed?

It's fairly common here on, let's say, less-than-quality scoots. I haven't seen people standing, but lots of back and forth swerving, and it seems to be super popular to ride with the feet not on the floorboard... just bobbling out to either side of the scoot.

Usually with no shirt (or a tank top), shorts, flipflops, etc. You know, just to increase safety.

47909Rider wrote: Usually with no shirt (or a tank top), shorts, flipflops, etc. You know, just to increase safety.

Sounds like the typical Ruckus rider around here.

We had a club member who used to like to ride in the "superman" position: laid out flat on the seat with legs extended straight back. He also had the annoying habit of announcing his stops by breaking hard at the last possible second, locking up, and scaring the crap out of everyone else in the pack.

These stunts got him "exiled" to Siberia. Months later, it eventually caught up with him when he dumped at speed. Cost him a few weeks in the hospital and a totalled Vespa.

(I like this thread. Keep'em coming!)

It wasn't a scooter, but a crotch rocket doing probably 90mph+, guy wearing NO safety gear, doing a wheelie, and lane splitting on the interstate during rush hour's congested traffic.

Scared the Bee Geesus out of me!

Yeah, there's a weekend here in STL where >1000 sportbikers show up and terrorize the Interstates all weekend. Packs of wheelie lanesplitters, complete with the video chase SUVs.

Haven't seen such high-speed jackassery on a scooter, just the usual dumbass no-gear talking with the cell phone held to the ear, riding with the other hand.

I've seen no scooters misbehavin. I saw a scooter crash in Cinco Ranch but no hotdogging involved.
It's pretty much limited to those NAFOD sport bike riders around here.

I haven't seen that either....

I have only ever seen one jackass pulling a wheelie [edit] on the local interstate-sized roads [/edit]. Don't get it myself, it seems like looking for trouble (oh, I guess I get it now).

Whimscootie wrote:It wasn't a scooter, but a crotch rocket doing probably 90mph+, guy wearing NO safety gear, doing a wheelie, and lane splitting on the interstate during rush hour's congested traffic.

Scared the Bee Geesus out of me!

Squids. Sigh.

Had a guy do that last night - we were on US231/US52, doing 5 over (60 MPH) on our 2-up bike, guy blew past us doing 90+ (in first gear, so REALLY DAMN LOUD). Shorts, t-shirt or tank top, girl on back (barely dressed). No gear at all on either of them. Then had to test his bike's brakes real quick as normal speed traffic was up ahead.

Fools.

Last week was the 75th Myrtle Beach Bike Week/Harley Spring Rally here, this week it is Black Bikers Week/Bikefest up in Atlantic Beach (North Myrtle). I did not hear about any fatalities this past week, though that would be uncommon - last year IIRC 6 people died just during the Harley rally, and I think another 3 or 4 during Bikefest. This coming week the riders tend to be younger and wilder, lots from inner city areas of the NE, almost all of them SQUID's, and there is usually a correspondingly higher number of accidents and deaths. Fingers crossed, we'll have a deathless year. I now live far enough south that only a few of either group make it down this way, but when I used to live up north a ways, it was horrible, especially BBW. Besides the speeding wheelies and the NoGAT riders, it's just lots of traffic and congestion and general ugliness, to the point that many people who live in this 'resort area' use these weeks as their vacation time, just to avoid it all.

Wow that's carazy! I've noticed guys on those electric bikes acting daredevil dumb too. I think they almost wanna crash.

I'm not uber on top of gear I admit. I often go the tank, shorts and yes even flip flop route. Especially when bopping around the beach and anything more than a bikini feels overbearing.
(I do wear boots and riding jacket on longer, higher speed more contested routes )

I have no problem with these guys doing stunts in a closed parking lot or drive. I guess it's more fun in front of an incidental audience for them.

I could rant on this for days.

LOTS of new, mostly off-brand scoots around with riders in sunglasses/shorts. They are scary! Not that I was born riding well, but I never treated any vehicle as a toy.

Sportbike yahoos that sound like swarms of angry bees down the highway all night. I often hear sirens after. These are also a scourge downtown. Why would you ride something that hyper where there are red lights every block?

Cruiser riders that probably put on 100 miles a year, in brand new leather outfits, no helmets, blowing stop signs and giving us the bird on our scoots, and even the MC.

Everyone is a doofus sometime, but there are definitely those that stand out. Popping wheelies, etc.

Showboating... or "stuntin" is becoming an epidemic in Baltimore and the east side of Washington.


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I've seen a few people around here on cheep Chinese scoots riding in shorts/ t-shirts and no helmet.I find it surprising because you can get a hefty ticket for not wearing a helmet on anything with wheels here. even roller blades.

My friend learned his lesson the other day. After having his honda spree for a week his confidence had grown more then his skill, he was standing on his floorboard weaving around like an absolute jackass and hit a patch of mud and hit the pavement hard. Learned his lesson and its no longer a Pita to ride with him.

BBW/Bikefest having come and gone, I am not sure about the numbers for bike-related fatalities & accidents, because the media accounts have primarily been concerned with the 6 people who died from being shot by other people...

Related to this thread, though, and illustrative of the point I made above, of plain curiosity I went to one of the FB pages for this weekend to see how many people were SQUID's, vs how many were wearing what looked to possibly be ANSI/Snell helmets & other riding gear. I could only find helmets - I saw no evidence of riding clothing/suits.

Counting the still pics only, I went until I had counted 100 bikers. Of that 100, only *3* had "real" helmets. I saw perhaps a half dozen 'brain bucket' style headgears, and the rest - nothing, with the riders also usually in shorts, t's, and minimal footwear. How sadly ironic might be the scarf worn by the one in the pic below?

SMH at the SQUID's...

Wow that video is flippin terrifying!

during rallies? seen a lot. standing while riding, standing on the seat while doing a ballerina pose, wheelies, horn tricks . . .

(not calling out anyone in the Atlanta scooter community though. nooo, never!)

i will occasionally stand for a sec after taking a speed bump (to avoid the seat-slam). and i do sometimes ride in "Tebo" stance.

Tebow stance! I think I've done that one on a longer ride or three...