# The Left Seat Passenger. (Or, "Johnny L.A. nearly gets creamed.") **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 17, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807 "2003-05-17T01:02:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/21 "2003-05-18T05:34:31Z")
Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Just comparing the stances of the participants this thread and the safety thread. Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Publicly advocating speeding? And other illegal activities while being oh so safety conscious … Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Oh and RT, I bet they are just a bunch of old men so why don’t you just crowd in on them and MAKE them get out of your oh so important way… Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha Bawahahahahahahahahha ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/22 "2003-05-18T06:28:09Z")
What’s to be learned from this little tale is to _stay away from the freakin 405_. Lemme explain for those who aren’t from around here – the 405 only moonlights as a freeway. Its day job is Parking Lot. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kakkerlak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bb73d2/32.png) [@Kakkerlak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kakkerlak)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/23 "2003-05-18T07:10:36Z")
Maybe I’m an old lady, but I keep the speed down to 40 or so in the carpool lane when the other three or four lanes are stopped. That adjacent lane is just a big lineup of temptation for the folks who decide they want to risk a ticket to get around traffic. I pull in if I’m delaying braver folks in their Tahoes and Expeditions, then pull back out after they’ve passed. Of course, I’m riding a surplus police bike so the last one in line usually does a quick conscience check when they see my fairing in their rearview. Really, how hard can you complain when you’re beating the 405 by 40 MPH ? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/24 "2003-05-18T14:33:59Z")
**GusNSpot** : Maybe it’s that I haven’t had any caffeine this morning, but I seem to be a bit humour-impared. > [@](#): > > Just comparing the stances of the participants this thread and the safety thread. I wonder what, specifically, you are comparing? In this thread I said, “Eh. It’s all part of the game. We try to be safe. We watch out for the car drivers. But sometimes you have to rely on your reflexes, experience, and the machine.” In the [other thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=183052) I said that it’s up to the motorcyclists to assess the risks. I don’t see a contradiction. > [@](#): > > Publicly advocating speeding? And other illegal activities while being oh so safety conscious … I don’t think I’ve ever said that speeding is unsafe. As **Coldfire** pointed out, it is safer on a motorcycle to ride faster than the nearby traffic. Are you suggesting that splitting lanes is illegal? [It’s not (third FAQ down)](http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/answers.html). **Kakkerlak** : In my experience on the 405 there is no reason to go slow in the carpool lane. Traffic in it is nearly always light, and people tend not to use it illegally. While it does happen occasionally, it is, in my observation, rare. I ride a 600cc standard-class bike, so it’s most comfortable around 75-80 mph. If someone is coming up behind me in the carpool lane on a bike, I’ll move left or right (depending on other traffic) to let them get around. If a car is coming up behind me and I can safely get into the normal lanes, I’ll let them around. 40 mph? Can’t do it. Under 4,000 rpm (about 60 mph) I don’t have the throttle response I need for safety and this particular model of motorcycle has an annoying “buzz”. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/25 "2003-05-18T14:38:40Z")
My passengers are always in the left seat. ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/26 "2003-05-18T14:53:46Z")
yes, but **jjimm** , I’ll bet you have your share of RSP’s over there, too. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/27 "2003-05-18T15:05:59Z")
> [@](#): > > My passengers are always in the left seat. What **TVGuy** said. 😉 (Of course, _my_ passengers are always in the left seat as well… When I’m flying a helicopter.) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/28 "2003-05-18T15:07:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TVGuy \* > \*\*yes, but **jjimm** , I’ll bet you have your share of RSP’s over there, too. 😃 \*\* Not to mention BSDs… ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/29 "2003-05-18T15:22:45Z")
- would have sucked mightily to put scratches on the new exhaust, the new riding jacket and that DAMN NICE new helmet of yours. (Oh, and of course, breaking bones etc. would’ve been annoying too. But at least they heal on their own.) I concur, the nice thing about a bike is that you can get the hell out of Dodge when the cage operators around you are busy attaching plush toys with suction cups to their windows instead of watching where they’re going. If that means tweaking the speed limits, so be it. And of course, the 405 deserves every bit of scorn that can be heaped on it. Just wanted to make that clear. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/30 "2003-05-18T18:49:31Z")
> [@](#): > > and that DAMN NICE new helmet of yours. It would be a shame to mess it up. I haven’t even decorated it yet! (I’ll be more subtle than I was on the other one.) > [@](#): > > And of course, the 405 deserves every bit of scorn that can be heaped on it. Just wanted to make that clear. It’s better than I5 from downtown to Orange County. The lanes on the 5 are narrower than on the 405, making lane-splitting more nerve-wracking. Plus, there are _a lot_ more articulated lorries on it. Not only does this reduce space even more, they slow traffic. Worse, they’ve really torn up the road over the years. The ruts are a pain. I could actually cut two miles off of my commute if I took the 5, but the hassles just aren’t worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/31 "2003-05-18T23:31:52Z")
Well, Gus. What can I say, I’m human. I do speed at times. Especially on the bike: the temptation gets the best of me at times. Still, I don’t know how dangerous I am travelling down a non-crowded 120 km/h highway while doing 140 km/h: probably not very much. Especially when taking that other factor into account: travelling just a wee bit faster than other traffic, keeping the danger ahead of you, in sight. You have some odd opinions on safety, man. You’d prefer not to use a helmet, but you think it’s dangerous when a rider speeds a little? I’m probably a hell of a lot safer at 150 km/h than you are at 90 km/h. That’s just my opinion, though - feel free to disregard it. Maybe you’d think differently if your bike actually COULD speed. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/32 "2003-05-19T07:25:55Z")
Well, that’s true ::::: sigh ::::: You might out to start a petition to get a law passed… ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/33 "2003-05-19T07:46:16Z")
> [@](#): > > You have some odd opinions on safety, man. You’d prefer not to use a helmet, but you think it’s dangerous when a rider speeds a little?\<-- coldfire I did not say that. Why do you get to say that ? (oh moderator huh?) I did not say that I ADVOCATED no helmet use, I said that I did not think YOU ( or anybody else) had the right to make me wear one. I also pointed to the things that “I” thought indicated that helmets are not the be all end all of safety equipment. ( Ask Dale E) You can twist it in this thread and make me look bad and stupid, you do that so well. :: shrug :: I AM impressed… I am not all upset that you speed, I just find it silly that you BRAG on it as a safety issue. CITE please. One stating that breaking the law is a safer way to ride. That will be a neat ‘cite’. ::: cool::::: Oh, why do I bring it up, because IMO it is hypocritical and should be pointed out to you. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807/34 "2003-05-19T10:24:05Z")
**Gus** , I’m not trying to make you look bad, or twist your words. To be quite honest, your way of expressing yourself is… well, unique I guess, but not exactly all that clear all the time. In any case, you can stop the allegations of misrepresentation and moderator power abuse, if you please. You come into this thread, and add nothing except the remark that you feel people in this thread are being hypocrites, when taking their remarks in the Helmet Law thread in GD into account. To which both Johnny LA and me say, “HUH?”. To address your points:[ul][_]I misunderstood your position on helmet laws: you are against laws, but not against wearing a helmet per se. Fine, we’ve got that straightened out.[_]FWIW, I don’t think a helmet is the be-all end-all of safety either. The best safety equipment on a motorbike is an alert and well-rested rider. No amount of padding, helmets, or kevlar can change that.I’m not bragging about speeding, at all. I said _travelling faster than other traffic_ is safer for a rider, as he keeps traffic movements that might affect him ahead of him that way. Travelling faster than other traffic could mean speeding in some circumstances, but the two are by no means the same: in my experience, I find myself riding at the speed limit or only slightly over it (less than 10 km/h). So, I’m not saying _“breaking the law is a safer way to ride”_, I’m saying _“travelling faster than other traffic is a safer way to ride, even if it means breaking the law because you end up speeding a bit”_. Although, as stated, travelling faster than other traffic does NOT automatically mean speeding like a maniac.[/ul]No cite forthcoming, of course, as I never claimed “breaking the law is a safer way to ride”. Gee, **Gus** , exactly who is twisting words here? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-left-seat-passenger-or-johnny-l-a-nearly-gets-creamed/175807.md?page=1)