Re: tailgaters, motorcycles, brake lights, CC

[Huw Powell <human@nh.ultranet.com>]

-- [ From: Huw Powell * EMC.Ver #3.1a ] --

Wouldn't you know while we were on this subject...

Last night going into Portsmouth, which is a 2 lane "highway" drive with
descending speed limits (55-45-35, with no passing zones) I was behind
someone only going 5 over.  Oh well, I usually use the cruise and go ten
over so I wasn't dying.  Until two motorsickles caught up with me, that is. 
One with its high beams on, they proceeded to tailgate me - like I had
somewhere to go.  Slowing down, brake tapping (just lights, no sudden
slowing) yielded  NO results.  My definition of tailgating at night is when
I can see the shadow of my car cast by their lights better than my own 80
watt low beams.

In the 35 zone I was really tiring of their driving up my butt, weaving and
blinding me.  So I actually braked, slow then hard.  Mr. High beams decided
it was a good time to pass me (on a curve, just before a bridge,
construction zone, double yellow line...where are those friendly search
officers?), and went on to tailgate the guy ahead of me.  So I slowed and
pulled over a little (construction had created some extra lane room to my
right) and his buddy went by.  Damn those bikes were LOUD as well.

So we get to the real highway where everyone gets to assert their rightful
position in god's traffic universe.  BBBRRRaaap they go by the other guy
louder than thunder.  I get into the left lane and set the cruise at 65. 
Two minutes later - I'm passing them of course, they've forgotten they are
driving fast.  Not anymore.  Now they both have their high beams on (did I
mention MR. High Beams 1 had for some reason a pair of bright amber lights
facing rear?) and Mr High Beams 2 passes my on the right, close and loud. 
But then he forgets why and drops back with his buddy.

This makes me nervous about having a recognizable license plate!

May I add that this style of driving is *very* uncommon around here in 'bike
riders?  More typical of, what do they call us, "cagers" (always thought
that meant basketball players)

Anyway, here's a litttttle Audi (remember them?) content to escape the
Friday afternoon heat...  In all this "brake tapping" one does sometimes
think "do my brake lights even work?" especially since mine have become a
bit finicky of late.  I developed the highly unscientific opinion recently,
working on my recalcitrant cruise control, that if both brake lights are out
it won't work.  The circuit diagram does have a path that *could* be used to
bleed a tiny bit of current out to the brake light bulbs from the CC module
- does anyone know about this?

I have had a few opportunities to test this theory and it appears to be
holding up.

slightly sorry for the verbosity...

Huw Powell
HUMAN Speakers
http://www.thebook.com/human-speakers