25 January 2012
Peccadilloes & Torture Testing a Glock (video)

Peccadillo pec.ca.dil.lo (Pek'a dil'o) n., pl. -loes, -los [Sp. pecadilo, dim, pecado; peccatum, a sin m peccare, to sin] a minor or petty sin; slight fault.

Human beings are all full of little peccadilloes; some are rather odd to observers, others create laughter and some could be considered self destructive. In most cases it is just our peccadilloes that are an inseparable part of us. Peccadilloes are those strange little habits we have. To us it's just a normal response to the stimuli of life to others they seem odd or different.

Some of us know folks who can't let the different portions of food touch or mix on the plate. Peas can't invade the space reserved for carrots nor may either of them mix it up with the mashed potatoes. Everything has to be segregated and eaten one at a time. Some of us mix it all up and could care less if the flavors mix together.

Everyone knows someone who constantly talks out loud to themselves, not only talks but answer him or herself too. They just seem to enjoy a conversation all to themselves. These are just a few examples of peccadilloes…

Organizations suffer from their own peccadilloes too. The larger the organization, sometimes the stranger the peccadilloes are. Of course they are developed over a long time and by the people in charge of the organization. They filter down to the rank and file who then modify them to suit… Governments aren't immune to peccadilloes either…

A peccadillo of the Commonwealth of Virginia's lawmakers has been to make laws designed to protect us from ourselves. We have laws which attempt to mandate common sense, but they always seem to fall short of their intended goal. Riding side by side is against the law in Virginia

§ 46.2-857. Driving two abreast in a single lane.

A person shall be guilty of reckless driving who drives any motor vehicle, including any motorcycle, so as to be abreast of another vehicle in a lane designed for one vehicle, or drives any motor vehicle, including any motorcycle, so as to travel abreast of any other vehicle traveling in a lane designed for one vehicle. However, this section shall not apply to (i) any validly authorized parade, motorcade, or motorcycle escort, or law-enforcement officers driving motorcycles while on official duty; (ii) a motor vehicle traveling in the same lane of traffic as a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or moped; nor shall it apply to (iii) any vehicle w

hen lawfully overtaking and passing one or more vehicles traveling in the same direction in a separate lane. (Code 1950, §§ 46-209, 46-209.1; 1950, p. 880; 1952, c. 671; 1954, cc. 225, 401, 458; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-190; 1960, c. 510; 1964, c. 266; 1966, c. 694; 1968, c. 575; 1970, c. 521; 1974, cc. 222, 455; 1975, c. 633; 1978, c. 27; 1979, c. 86; 1981, cc. 333, 585; 1985, c. 148; 1989, c. 727; 2001, c. 834; 2002, c. 254; 2010, cc. 52, 110.)

This week Virginia's motorcyclists have pulled ahead with modifying that law, with the successful movement of House Bill 97 (Motorcycles Two Abreast) passing out of sub-committee on a 5-2 vote; next the bill moves on to the full committee.

Ok so what difference does it make if two motorcycles can ride side by side? It makes a lot of difference; first it removes one more vague law that can be used as an excuse to pull motorcyclist over by law enforcement. It also clarifies the states intention when it enacted § 46.2-857. Obviously it was intended to keep automobiles from sharing lanes; although it's beyond me how anyone would think two cars could both fit in the same lane at the same time. But then the commonwealth was only repeating Aristotle's observation that two objects cannot occupy the same space.

I don't think they even thought about motorcycles at all when § 46.2-857 was originally made law. I don't think that motorcyclists trying to communicate or for other reasons pulling up and riding alongside of one another in the same lane was even an issue back then.

This is a pretty typical scenario for any group of motorcyclists. The group pulls up to a red light and stops. As the group is coming to a stop, they shift from the staggered riding formation into a side by side formation while waiting for the light to turn green. When the light turns green they begin to pull away. In the couple of yards it takes to reform back into the staggered formation, they're violating the law, and can be ticketed and charged with reckless driving.

Closing up at the light was intended to make the group smaller and less intrusive. It's also an opportunity to pass messages or information back and forth in the group.

However they have violated § 46.2-857, and now police officers depending on their attitude or moods, can issue the ticket; or just allow the violation because they can see that the law isn't actually being broken, maybe just bent a little. The officer has to use common sense in applying the law but he may not always be able to do that, or he may not be willing to. However it does give the officer an excuse to pull the motorcycles over and now fully look for other violations; it's just one more excuse to harass.

"Two or three feet is such a small space," said Lt. Danny Glick of the State Police. "Space gives you options. Putting another vehicle that close in the lane is taking away your options." From the Virginia Pilots' Va. House bill would let motorcyclists ride side by side.

Lt Glick is right; he must have studied under Aristotle too. I don't think anyone would intentionally or deliberately put themselves or anyone else at risk. Riding a motorcycle has enough risk attached to it. Increasing the risk does happen, none of us are perfect and we are all subject to lapses of good judgment; the same as the rest of the human race.

Having a motorcycle alongside in the same traffic lane does change the risk factors. But traffic flow or the physical layout of the streets and roads or construction could force us into areas with restricted maneuvering space. Having another motorcycle alongside in the same lane does reduce your space cushion and it will require you to be even more vigilant in sensing the other motorcycle's movements as well as road conditions and other traffic.

However riding side by side could actually be helpful, in heavy stop and go traffic, the second motorcycle riding alongside in the same lane would help prevent lane sharing with cars and trucks; there are a lot of drivers out there not acquainted with Aristotle… it would also help to make us more visible to other traffic. And it would allow us to communicate with one another.

However there are times and situations when we shouldn't ride side by side. New riders should never ride side by side. Passing another motorcycle or car in the same lane is an invitation to disaster. Cornering a motorcycle on the street requires as much room as you can get. Although the racers pass each other in the corner, their circumstances are different, they know the track surface is free of debris; the other rider is as good as they are and this corner is the same as it was previously and the track provides a safe run off if they make a mistake.

For us on the street we don't know what we will find in the corner until we get there. With that motorcycle alongside we cannot change our cornering line (alter our path through the corner) or take other evasive action because of the motorcycle alongside has drastically reduced our options. Think of it like this if you're in trouble, the other guy is now in trouble too. In this case it insures you'll have company for the crash.

Aristotle figured this out before the invention of any motorized vehicles. Horses and donkey carts were the rage in his day…490 BC, but just as Aristotle couldn't stand two goats in the same spot without help from Star Trek's transporter device it's true today and will be true tomorrow too.

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