Pride Bike!

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
06/25/2018 at 16:36 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good, Pride Month

It was my first real Pride fest and parade! Everyone recommended taking a train, but I did one better:

I rolled right up to the barricade nearest the start of the the parade route and parked it in a small gap. Tied the helmet to the bars then set out!

The bike and myself were well loved among the crowd. :3

I so wanna ride in the parade next time!!!

More Pride shenanigans to come! I wish lane splitting were legal in IL.

I also want some ideas for what to call my trans motorcyclist channel on YouTube/blog.

DISCUSSION (17)

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Mercedes Streeter
06/25/2018 at 16:40

I wish lane splitting were legal in IL.

So does every motorcyclist in the other 48 states it’s illegal.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
06/25/2018 at 16:44

It’s legal in at least two states I’m aware of.

fintail > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
06/25/2018 at 17:24

I’d be scared as hell to lanesplit with the distracted passive-aggressive drones on the road here. I suspect many would either blindly wander in to you, or intentionally block you out of spite.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
06/25/2018 at 18:05

What’s the other one? I thought California was the only one.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Mercedes Streeter
06/25/2018 at 18:07

looks like a great time! I kinda wish I could get a bike if only for the easy parking.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Mercedes Streeter
06/25/2018 at 18:10

Oh I thought you were here in SF. I saw horse people bondage slaves or something pulling thier masters on rickshaws yesterday . And here I thought I’d seen everything in SF. I had to go through the east bay to get back to Marin yesterday after work, the city was all locked up on my usual route.

Mercedes Streeter > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
06/25/2018 at 18:18

We had those people yesterday, too! And furries...furries got their chance to shine, too.

wafflesnfalafel > Mercedes Streeter
06/25/2018 at 19:20

I took a walk after work during the big pride parade out in Seattle here a couple years ago. A couple things happened, 1) I saw the incredible love of same sex couples as they took selfies from our view park with the Space Needle flying the rainbow flag in the back ground, and 2) on the way back to the office I was looking at the then new P100D Tesla through the dealership window when I heard several Harley Davidson’ s roll up behind me. Just as I turn towards them, a couple of the same sex couples on the bikes yelled at me something to the effect of , “you don’t want one of those Tesla’s, you need a Harley”. So my claim to fame is that I got harassed by lesbians on Harleys during our pride parade. :)

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
06/25/2018 at 20:03

Actually, it may not have passed. It was almost a west coast thing.

Mercedes Streeter > fintail
06/25/2018 at 20:14

I did some splitting yesterday in Chicago traffic. Shortly after Pride ended an ambulance raced to where the parade began while at least 5 police cars and an ATV with military-looking guys raced to where the parade ended. Traffic was already bad but that made traffic a standstill. Seriously, I sat for 15 minutes and only moved the bike a single car length.

Eventually I saw a conga line of motorcycles slowly splitting their way through the stopped cars and I joined them. Sure, we were only going 10-15 mph, but that’s much faster than 0! The only problem we had was with a BMW driver that got pissed that he had to sit while we rolled by and he tried (unsuccessfully) to run into one of the scooters. Otherwise, even the police realized how awful traffic was and let us continue to splice our way around the massive jam.

random001 > Mercedes Streeter
06/25/2018 at 21:00

Love it.

Drin ks involved.

Im a firm believer that people should be proud of who they are, no matter what. That said, it's hard to be proud of being a white guy these days. It's seen as super bad. Can I even be proud of that? I don't know....

random001 > Mercedes Streeter
06/25/2018 at 21:02

I miss having a bike some. My last one was a Triumph Sprint ST 1050 Triple. So nice. Having the 500c reminds of that sometimes. I really don't know if I can ever go back to a full cage anymore. I love the convertible life. I'm looking at Wranglers now because of this. Mmmm, rum....

fintail > Mercedes Streeter
06/25/2018 at 21:03

You had some guts to pull that off - the passive-aggressive dbags (you saw one in a BMW, shocking) would make it a risky proposition. You’d want a helmet camera at the very least.

You should visit California and experience it, drivers there can be as shit as anywhere, but they generally get it. Or better yet, visit the first world/western Europe where it has always been a thing, and nobody minds. Driving in Germany will impress you.

Tohru > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
06/26/2018 at 00:11

I lanesplit in Illinois anytime I take my bike there. They come up to my state and drive like they own the road, so it’s only fair.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Mercedes Streeter
06/26/2018 at 12:12

I wish lane splitting were legal in IL.

No. Nope. Absolutely Not

Mercedes Streeter > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
06/26/2018 at 13:03

Why not? Aside from the fact that Illinois drivers are already spiteful enough to riders, of course.

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > Mercedes Streeter
07/12/2018 at 11:25

“I also want some ideas for what to call my trans motorcyclist channel on YouTube/blog.”

You could always mutate Rainbow Road somehow, I dunno.