city vs. country vs. 400 series riding - risk level | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

city vs. country vs. 400 series riding - risk level

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All risks already mentioned taken into consideration, I still feel like 400 series are the worst. Bopping around the city, sure I see lots of people make questionable moves... but it's rarely surprising. In rural areas, yup you still have to pay attention. I feel though that on the 400 series (well actually the QEW specifically) I see the most dangerous maneuvers, ones that would be lethal to me on a bike if I got caught up in them
 
TwistedKestrel said:
All risks already mentioned taken into consideration, I still feel like 400 series are the worst. Bopping around the city, sure I see lots of people make questionable moves... but it's rarely surprising. In rural areas, yup you still have to pay attention. I feel though that on the 400 series (well actually the QEW specifically) I see the most dangerous maneuvers, ones that would be lethal to me on a bike if I got caught up in them
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On that note, HOV lanes change everything. HOV with a painted divider is probably the most dangerous road feature in Ontario. Huge closing speeds, morons making bad decisions and not many good escape routes.
 
sburns said:
I think it is the least safest, faster speeds, more idiots, more vehicles, larger vehicles, and construction (lane shifting, and shrinking)
Last year I avoided the 401 completely because of the construction which had the lanes all ripped apart.
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timtune said:
can't argue with sburns' logic.
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... except statistics show he is wrong.
Limited access highway are safer per mile traveled, by a long shot. When you DO get into an incident the dangers and damages COULD be higher (statistically) but the incidents per mile traveled per vehicle is MUCH MUCH lower.
Limited access highways move a lot of cars/trucks per hour, the density skews the perception of "safety".
 
One thing I find about riding in the "country".
I live in a farming community. Every spring and fall the farmers fertilize their fields, sometimes spreading manure in the fields. LOTS OF MANURE... which means over loaded manure spreaders... which leads to manure fall off the wagons as they go around CORNERS.
... so here's bitzz, all excited to get out in early spring or late fall, screaming through that corner only to find **** ALL OVER THE ROAD.
If I die doing this, I left instructions my gravestone will say "The **** finally got him"

**** = slang for excrement
 
What's the purpose of asking the question in the first place? It's not like the answer to this question is something that one would use to decide what type of riding they want to do.

Neither city streets nor motorways are enjoyable riding conditions, so I don't do it other than as necessary to get from one place to another. I'm not a touring rider; if I want to have the use of a motorcycle someplace far away, the motorcycle gets there in the back of my van. Basically "being around cars" = "no bueno".
 
I feel that the 400 series on a work day are very safe. The 400 series on a weekend where its the people who don't commute come out and all have the same scared mentality. The 400 series have their own etiquette. If you don't know it, then yes its scary. Onramp/off ramp queueing, lane merging/leaving space, mixed signals, truck drivers. Anyone who has commuted via major highway in a 9-5 job for a couple months will know what I'm talking about.

Intersections, especially high density areas, are a nightmare. A whole lot of people who don't know/don't care about the rules of the road. Drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, taxis.

Suburbs are typically also photo radar community safety zone boring straight lines so lets skip that as motorcyclists.

Back roads you gotta worry about the roads (gravel, mud, unmaintained) and the farm equipment. Still the most fun option which leads to a different set of 'dangerous' criteria.
 
Aens said:
I feel that the 400 series on a work day are very safe. The 400 series on a weekend where its the people who don't commute come out and all have the same scared mentality. The 400 series have their own etiquette. If you don't know it, then yes its scary. Onramp/off ramp queueing, lane merging/leaving space, mixed signals, truck drivers. Anyone who has commuted via major highway in a 9-5 job for a couple months will know what I'm talking about.

Intersections, especially high density areas, are a nightmare. A whole lot of people who don't know/don't care about the rules of the road. Drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, taxis.

Suburbs are typically also photo radar community safety zone boring straight lines so lets skip that as motorcyclists.

Back roads you gotta worry about the roads (gravel, mud, unmaintained) and the farm equipment. Still the most fun option which leads to a different set of 'dangerous' criteria.
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I agree with this. On the major divided highways everyone's travelling in the same direction with no intersections to worry about where cagers can make left turns in front of you, or into you. Ride either ahead or behind vehicles in the adjacent lanes as much as you can.
 
One of the reasons I asked this question was that it seems to me that driving around Mississauga is actually not too bad, I've seen very few idiot drivers here. I spend a good amount of time on the 401 between Guelph and Mississauga, luckily going against the usual flow of inward/outward bound traffic, and by far and away my biggest beef is the multitude of left lane hogs doing 20 km/hr less than everyone else, oblivious or indifferent to the rules of the road. But I digress.
 
Anywhere with cheese grater guardrails is needlessly dangerous to motorcycle traffic.

Do I need to describe them to anyone?
 
When I started riding, I wanted to ride everywhere. It didn't take me long to learn that I didn't enjoy commuting on 400 series in rush hour. Too many a-holes just don't pay attention and I was always on extra hyper alert.

I have learned that secondary roads north of the city are far more enjoyable. I agree that intersections are sketchy.
 
Trials said:
Anywhere with cheese grater guardrails is needlessly dangerous to motorcycle traffic.

Do I need to describe them to anyone?
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Like this:
gMgjcBG.jpg
 
Where is that Europe?
you ever see that in Ontario?
 
Baggsy said:
Like this:
gMgjcBG.jpg
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About 15-20 minutes west of London on the 401, they rebuilt the highway last year, .about a 25 km stretch, (there was nothing wrong with it before) and as I recall, that type of guardrail is what they put in. Pretty sure but not 100%.. But its not on both sides of the median, its only on the westbound side. I think they did this because all the "new" truckers are falling asleep once they get past London and wiping out.. BIG increase in the number of truck crashes in that area over the last few years. I know this because my hometown is down there and I go there a lot.
 
JZ67 said:
When I started riding, I wanted to ride everywhere. It didn't take me long to learn that I didn't enjoy commuting on 400 series in rush hour. Too many a-holes just don't pay attention and I was always on extra hyper alert.
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While the question about enjoying commuting in stop and go first gear was never a consideration, as long as you make yourself visible and don't leave a car sized gap infront of you, you have nothing to worry about. Its what I mean about spacing. You cannot leave enough space for a car or a car will try to fill that space. You are going slow enough that you should be able to ride and stop well within 1 car length. Don't be following anything taller than you either. If your lane is going faster than your adjacent lane, take blocking position. Don't be riding in one of the centre lanes. 401 etiquette.

I find some of the best lane changers are the m-f 9-5 crowd. Yes its scary if you let it happen to you, but they rarely make a mistake cause practice makes perfect. Absolutely none of this applies to midday or weekend drivers. Those are unpredictable and dangerous as hell. Not just as a motorcyclist but as anybody who shares the road with them.
 
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These
T-31_guardrail_.png
 
Trials said:
These
T-31_guardrail_.png
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with no lower bumper to stop you from wrapping your body parts around the I beams :| The most common type in the province.
 
Some interesting feedback here, I was thinking about this same question. I recently started a new job in Toronto and I plan on commuting as much as possible by motorcycle. My route is a mixture of all those, country then 400 then city.

Still not sure of the best motorcycle route though, it'll be some trial and error but so far by car the 400 through Vaughan seems to be the most dangerous, drivers are either aggressive or absent minded in that stretch.
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