Home in one piece....

This was the view through the windshield on my way home yesterday (Sunday Jan 29th) - and this is what the good portion of the highway looked like - I felt safe enough to take one hand off of the wheel here to shoot a picture - I used my Drift Video Camera that was dash mounted and then took the photo from it, I never lined the shot up, just took it and hopedI which it did - the drive was horrendous to say the least. ( For those who are wondering, I used my new Drift HD 1080 camera, dash mounted to take this photo by using the remote that it comes with. I was unsure if the camera was still on at this point but hit the remote and low and behold the photo worked out! My hand was off the wheel for about 2 seconds, just long enough to push the button - I thought I was going to shoot video but apparently had it on camera mode!)

I had a ton of running around to do in Edmonton and area on Saturday and made it to Whitecourt and had something to eat and fuelled up the car - I was back on the highway at 6:30 pm...until then the roads were pretty decent but 5 KM out of Whitecourt it became horrendous with freezing rain and blowing snow. Travelling at 70 KPH I finally made it to Fox Creek - normally a 45 minute drive - it took two hours - no rooms there with the oil patch having gone crazy while I was away - so I tucked in behind a snow plow and arrived at a friends home in Little Smokey to wait it out for the night - the photo above was taken at around 11:30 AM on Sunday morning. It had taken a hour to travel from Little Smoky to Valleyview...

So why am I writing about bad winter weather driving in a motorcycle blog? Well you see the drivers that I encountered during this horrid weather are the reason I am writing about this experience because truly, these are probably the same people who are responsible for many of the near misses, crashes and fatalities experienced by many motorcyclists - these people lack any kind of empathy or common sense.

Passing on a double solid line, driving way too fast for road conditions, thinking they are invincible in there semis and their 4 x 4's...

I can not tell you the number of times I was buried in slush, blinded by blowing snow from vehicles passing and almost cut off by people cutting back in too fast for the road conditions. There was lots of room and really no need for cutting anyone off. At the speeds some of these people were travelling, one wrong move and many people had the potential to get hurt - I simply do not understand the wisdom...

I am beginning to really dislike many motorists - I have good Michelin Ice Tires on my Neon - but it is still a little car and gets pulled harshly by the slush and snow ridges - I tend to be a cautious driver and attempt to always be as courteous as possible by finding places to pull off and let others by and the like, however on a 2 and three lane highway and me being in the slow lane - there really was no reason for the antics I witnessed and in some cases experienced.

PEOPLE - you need to learn to slow down and be far more courteous out there for you see, many of the drivers who did pass me, ended up in the ditch farther on down the line, including three semis - what did your speed and rude behaviour really get you?

Oh and to the dude in the Jeep by Jasper on Friday who did the same thing, passed in a stupid place, cutting me off and generally driving too fast for the road conditions - I was the lady who waved at you in the ditch while the tow truck was winching you out.

I hope he gave you a good bill and added a stupidity tax or surcharge! In my world I have learned that slow and steady win the race - I made it home because I took my time and was cautious - what right do you have to risk my life by your impatient and dumb choices?

Now on to the news of the day...

In Holland - Dutch police are getting tough on outlaw bikers...

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), demand for new harley's is high

In Florida they are discussing the opportunity to extend Biketoberfest

In South Dakota, two Hells Angels are convicted of assault

There is also an interesting article on Helmet advancements under the Lifestyles - Rider Safety & Training category.

I leave you with a few giggles from friends on Facebook and from emails...