Sorry, I haven’t been out and about, as Highway One becomes a motorcycle raceway with riders tempting death to catch them, if it can. The crotch rockets have ruled the road since Thursday. Thankfully, it will be over soon.
Each year, there are deaths on this highway due to the crazy behavior of the motorcyclists that come to witness the races at Laguna Seca. Every year, there are usually several. It is hard to travel on Highway One when this race is going on.
I had to run to Morro Bay, so I chose Thursday as the best possible day. I was wrong. I had to drive with utmost caution, keeping my eye on my side mirror for the group of motorcyclist who were racing and challenging each other to more and more dangerous driving behind me, getting set to pass me on a blind curve.
It is not fun to drive on Highway One when the Laguna Seca Motorcycle races are taking place.
Oh, and if you are out and about, and want to help, Surfrider is sponsoring a beach and trail clean-up today at Molera State Beach. They’ll have everything you need. Enjoy your day, whatever you are doing.
Ran into the same problem last week on Hwy 9. We were cruising on our motorcycles, when a crotch rocket went by us like we were standing still.
You must have been riding a Harley!
I’m taking it like the awe-struck & slow driving tourist incursion in reverse. Haven’t been on a cycle for a few years but the thrill lingers. And it is the Legendary Highway One. Fortunately I haven’t had to travel through this and I’m sorry for your bad ride in it, Kate. I’ll always prefer leathered bravado to spandexed and helmeted cyclists, more hazardous on our narrow roads. The annoyance level for me is about equals locals in pick ups who tailgate at my 90mph.
After being forced off the road by a pack of motorcyclists last year, I am glad to share my karmatically positive experience yesterday driving towards Carmel. There were a fair number of cars gathered by the light at the Rocky Creek slide, and as we came up past Garrapata together a large group of motorcycles zoomed up behind us. They were starting to pull out to pass (with cars coming the other way) when two more motorcycles zoomed up & matter-of-factly joined the group…CHP motorcycles this time. (I know: how often do they show up exactly when you’d most like to see them?) It was quite gratifying to see how quickly everyone reconsidered being annoying, and how polite the group became (after you, no after you, please go ahead…(;>)). Good law enforcement!
I’m in Park City, UT visiting my son and family, so I’m missing all the road drama. Loved Martha’s story!
Yes there are some idiots – probably the bodybaggers, BUT most of these guys – a majority of cool, calm riders who drive fast NOT stupid….
As I write this sounds like a Medevac chopper on the CVV airfield behind me….
Can you please document the deaths “every year” comment? I checked public records and found exactly none, which is a bit fewer than “Every year, there are usually several.”
And I didn’t realize Hwy 1 wasn’t a public road. Or is it that you don’t believe the motorcyclists have the same rights as every other person regardless of whether they reside in Big Sur or not.
If you have a problem, why don’t you contact CHP? If the problem was as rampant as you’ve exaggerated, I would think local law enforcement would be around. Well?
GMAFB!
Wow, Mr Raimey! Did you drive Highway One this weekend? It was as terrifying as Kate described. I don’t think I’ve ever had 2 bikes pass me on a double yellow line on the curve going toward the Bixby Bridge in the 2 years I’ve lived here.
CHP has had budget cuts and is trying their best. I’ve never seen CHP motorcycles on the Highway so I know they are taking it seriously.
can’t be late if you don’t show up
Gee, Mr. Raimey, there was one motorcycle accident on Thursday afternoon that tied up trafficed on Hwy 1 at Palo Colorado for over an hour and as a result the rider was medivaced to San Jose, I believe. He was responsive but barely. Oh, and then there’s the broken foot on a motorcyclist yesterday that was going around the curves at the Hawthorne Gallery. While these are not deaths, they are accidents. This highway is unrelenting and while people think that they “know” the highway, no one truly knows the highway. We do contact CHP but with the main office being in Salinas, the response time is often over 45 minutes.
Lots of responses but no evidence to back up the lie that “Each year, there are deaths on this highway due to the crazy behavior of the motorcyclists that come to witness the races at Laguna Seca. ”
Another example of extremists trying to inflame the general public. (I’m sure you despise this tactic when John Boehner uses it.)
I’m not denying there are lots of motorcycles on Hwy 1 and that some of them pass on the double yellow line.
I’m just asking for some responsibility from the writer to not make up lies to make her case. Is that too much to ask?
Motorcycle fatalities (that’s not a very nice way to start a page is it, but do read on . . . please) represent around 5% of all fatalities on the highway in the US each year, that might not sound like tooooo many, but when you then realize that motorcycles only actually make up around 2% of registered vehicles, you begin to realize that the figure is much higher than perhaps it ought to be. Motorcycles don’t offer protection to the rider in the way that cars or other vehicles do, how about this then . . . approximately 80% of all reported motorcycle accidents result in the rider being injured or even killed, but in cars this figure is only 20%. Hmm, wonder why that could be[?] From: http://www.imotorcycleinsurance.com/motorcycle-safety-tips/10-top-motorcycle-safety-tips/
‘this little blog thing’ is a very useful resource to people who live in Big Sur or used to. Kate’s coverage of the Basin fire was tremendous.
Whether or not there were deaths this year they have happened in the past and will happen in the future.
One of her inflamed lemmings.
Care to insult anyone else Hal?
I see Kate has lots of loyal readers. Good for her. (FYI, I”m one of them… that’s how I saw her myth about fatalities on Hwy 1 during moto races)
I’d still like to see her either post some facts to back up her ignorant/incorrect/untruthful statement or a correction.
Is that too much to ask?
I don’t need anyone else saying “Yes, but motorcycles are dangerous, yadda, yadda, yadda.” I’m not arguing that point. I’m arguing the FACT that no one has died on Hwy 1 in Big Sur during moto races at Laguna Seca. (None is far fewer than several)
I don’t know how many motorcyclists have died on Monterey County roads during the MotoGP events (although I do remember the 3 motorcycles that wrecked at the event entrance on Reservation Rd. last year killing one person), but I do know that there have been a LOT of accidents over the years. It is also indisputable that driving the rural roads of Carmel Valley, Cachagua and Big Sur is like running a gauntlet at MotoGP time. I barely managed to avoid running over a guy who laid his bike down in a turn and came sliding head on into my lane on the Carmel Valley Rd. a few years ago during MotoGP. Many other rural residents have similar stories. It’s not fun.
It’s funny you’re so worried about exaggeration, Hal, when you seem to be guilty of exactly the same thing. Care to show us where it was that Kate suggested that Highway One wasn’t a public road? Should we demand you site your “source” for that?
How many of those idiots died this year?
A motorcyclist died on Highway One a little north of Ragged Point a couple of days ago. Sad.