Topic: Packs of motorcycles swarming St. Louis area highways

[rickl]

Drivers have reported huge packs of motorcycles swarming the highways around St. Louis, with the bikers pulling stunts, making hand gestures and forcing cars off the roadway.

There has been no official word yet from the state highway patrol or other public safety officials.

The reports started coming in around 2 p.m. from various spots on I-270 and I-70, most recently in the north St. Louis county area. Some claimed to see as many as 800 to 1,000 motorcycles in a pack.

There has been at least one major accident, which resulted in serious injuries and forced the closure of I-270 near New Halls Ferry Road. The injured were flown to an area hospital, according to the state highway patrol. No further details are known at this time.

Brian Johnson of St. Louis said he was heading on I-170 north to Lambert International Airport with his wife when he saw the pack of motorcycles on the other side of the highway.

"There was a good half mile stretch where it was 20 bikes wide the whole highway," he said. "It was hundreds after hundreds after hundreds of bikes."

Johnson said the bikers were not your typical Harley Davidson types; most were wearing racing suits and riding speed bikes like you would see in stunt shows.

He said the first group of bikers were pumping their fists; the second group created a ringlike formation and had bikers riding down the middle doing wheelies.

Johnson said cars were forced over to the shoulder of the road and trying to get off. There were also traffic tie-ups on his side of the highway as drivers slowed to gawk at the spectacle.

"When they were out around the other cars it was dangerous," he said. "When they took over the entire highway it was like being in a motorcycle show."

Link

Glenn Reynolds said it best:

Forcing? If you’re on a motorcycle, and I’m in a car — much less an SUV — you are — quite literally, should you be foolish enough to press the point — chopped liver. You may think the motorcycle makes you look cool and dangerous, but a Honda Odyssey minivan full of empty juiceboxes is a Destroying Angel Of Death by comparison.

[ttomm46]

Remember the end of Easy Rider?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMc-T6z0YyM

[charlesoakwood]

The bikers think these people are afraid of them, the reality is that it is easier to stand aside (park) than going through the ordeal of accidental homicide or whatever the officer filing the report chooses to call it.  

The day people decide that bicker(s) is more trouble than legal and bureaucratic hoops  they will drive those Odysseys straight through those bikes.

[Libertas]

Crotch rocket monkeys give the rest of us scooter drivers a bad name!

 

[Alphabet Soup]

I was a bad boy.

It was a long time ago (I'm thinking statute of limitations here).

I was on the freeway, minding my own damned business when a crotch-rocket came on, veered across three lanes of traffic and cut me off. I flashed my lights at him to show disapproval. That's what precipitated the incident. I flashed my lights at him.

He brake-checked me (which is pretty absurd when you think about it!) and then accelerated away from me. I thought that was the end of it but he wasn't done yet. He moved over a lane or two (I lost track of him for a mile or so) and pretty soon he was right beside me and I became aware of him when I heard the "chunk!" as he threw something at my car.

That pissed me off and as he took off I followed. I pulled in behind him and trailed him by about 2 or 3 feet. He bumped it to 70 and I stuck right on his tailpipe. He ran it to 80 and I was right there behind him. I knew that he was quicker than me but I also knew that my Firebird could match him stroke for stroke for speed.

At 90 he was freaked. He started wobbling as he kept looking back at me. At 100 he was in full panic and now realized that I held his life in my hands. He was at full acceleration and slowly pulling away from me but the Firebird was in its prime and at 120 I was still only a dozen feet off his rear tire.

That was where he surrendered. He hit his flashers and tried signaling me with his hands (obviously didn't want to take both hands off the handlebars). He let off the throttle and started coasting. I slowed up and gave him some distance. At about 80 he took off again and took an exit to escape from me.

I never saw him again, but I bet to this day he still remembers our meeting and I bet he still remembers me.

[Alphabet Soup]

BTW: I too am a rider. I have never pulled any pranks on anyone while riding. When I ride I act as if my very life depended on it.

[Pandora]

BTW: I too am a rider. I have never pulled any pranks on anyone while riding. When I ride I act as if my very life depended on it.

Because it does.

I'm very careful around bikers, giving them a wide berth, especially if they're acting hinky.

These St. Louis a-holes, though, deserve a fendering right off the road.

[Libertas]

Back when I was much younger (and much more foolish) I was on my first bike and a clown cut me off.  Being as I was then I naturally sped up and pulled right next to this clowns open window and began lecturing this fool about what an ass he is.  He lips off at me and my temper flared in a nanosecond and I had my right arm extended into his car grabbing his neck (fortunately I was in neutral!).  I never saw that idiot again.  Ahh, to be young and foolish!

For several years now I am much more behaved and much more interested in swiveling my head around to plan my way around the fools before I get too close to them.

Still, a finger flies up now and again as an asshat bounces a cigarette butt off my chest or worse yet flings spit-covered sunflower seed shells out their fricken window!

[AlanS]

Crotch rocket monkeys give the rest of us scooter drivers a bad name!

 

Their a pain in the ass. Scooter tramps of America, unite!