Motorcycles near Tampa (Lutz, Wesley Chapel, Odessa: school, living, dangerous)

[jackacc]

Anyone near the Wesley Chapel, Odessa, LOL, Lutz areas ride their motorcycle daily? I am planning on moving around this area this summer and was wondering how the traffic is. I ride backroads in PA/NJ now and it is nice, but the highways are a little scary here.

I lived in south FL years ago and I would have never ridden a motorcycle down there, too crazy and too many awful drivers. I was hoping the greater Tampa area would be more motorcycle friendly. My future office is off SR54 and it seemed pretty tame from what I could see when I was visiting last.

Thanks!

[jkwing]

Lived in Tampa, rode a Bike , lived off of sr54 in NPR, not a bad ride, traffic is heavy, yet that area is more yuppy workers than blue hairs

[stpeteguy]

Originally Posted by jackacc

Anyone near the Wesley Chapel, Odessa, LOL, Lutz areas ride their motorcycle daily? I am planning on moving around this area this summer and was wondering how the traffic is. I ride backroads in PA/NJ now and it is nice, but the highways are a little scary here.

I lived in south FL years ago and I would have never ridden a motorcycle down there, too crazy and too many awful drivers. I was hoping the greater Tampa area would be more motorcycle friendly. My future office is off SR54 and it seemed pretty tame from what I could see when I was visiting last.

Thanks!

Owning and riding a motorcycle in Tampa is a dangerous proposition. A lot of time it's the crotch rocket riders that end up getting mopped off the pavement. Usually, it's their own stupidity, doing wheelies in traffic, racing, etc. that causes it.
But a lot of times, it's the responsible drives that get into accidents too. There are just so many cars here, so many people not looking where they are going, that it's just inherently dangerous to be on 2 wheels, instead of 4.

Still, a lot of people own them, but it's not like riding in the country.

[JasonO]

I find it to be a death defying challenge driving 1 mile down the road in my high-safety-rating sedan. I said in another thread that no one here should be allowed within 100 yards of a motor vehicle.

I can't even imagine going anywhere on a motorcycle.

[glastron_79]

Originally Posted by jackacc

Anyone near the Wesley Chapel, Odessa, LOL, Lutz areas ride their motorcycle daily? I am planning on moving around this area this summer and was wondering how the traffic is. I ride backroads in PA/NJ now and it is nice, but the highways are a little scary here.

I lived in south FL years ago and I would have never ridden a motorcycle down there, too crazy and too many awful drivers. I was hoping the greater Tampa area would be more motorcycle friendly. My future office is off SR54 and it seemed pretty tame from what I could see when I was visiting last.

Thanks!

I agree riding a motorcycle around here is a big risk. Same goes for bicyclists. I see the same guy riding his bike every morning on the stretch of Westshore along the backside of the airport where DHL and the plane garages are. Poor guy doesn't even wear a helmet. Looks like an HCC student. I am very tempted to yell out my car window and tell him to start wearing a helmet.

[jackacc]

Yeah I have heard people refer to motorcycles as "donorcycles" in FL before. I may have to reconsider keeping it depending on where we end up living. I love riding but I truly enjoy country rides with not much traffic, 2 lane roads mostly. Riding next to other cars has always made me nervous, especially since noone seems to know how to use turn signals anymore. My wife wants me to sell the bike anyway to help pay for the move

I know a guy in south FL that was hit by a car while riding his bicycle to school in the morning (a teacher) and even though he was wearing a helmet, he will never be the same . Driver of the car was on some kind of meds that made him drowsy and that's all it took...

[MikeM8560]

Id hang on to it and wait and see for your self. there alot of nice riding day here in fl.

[spainbrit]

There are a lot of bikes along the beach roads over the weekends, I would say driving to work is a major risk, unless you like white knuckle rides.
Too many drivers here dont' seem to notice the huge trucks they hit, what chance does a bike have?
Sad but true - have you noticed we dont' have too many police officers on bikes here, except in downtown st pete where they are on bicycles

[Occifer]

Using your bike as a daily rider around here and commuting to work in all the traffic is a real craps shoot. There are just way too many cars on the road being driven by people who don't pay attention. However, going on weekend rides when traffic isn't as heavy really isn't more dangerous than riding in general, especially if you stick to the back roads. If you're riding in a group, main road and interstate riding isn't even that bad. I seriously wouldn't commute on a bike though...too dangerous.

The rate of crashes involving bikes really isn't any worse here than other major metro areas when you consider the traffic and the amount of bikes on the road. The vast majority of the serious sport bike crashes that I work involve the rider doing something stupid, be it speeding, stunting, lane splitting, etc. The majority of the serious Harley/cruiser crashes that I work involve the rider being drunk. If you don't speed around like a moron, don't ride after you've been drinking, and avoid riding during peak traffic hours, you really won't face any more risk than is inherent to riding a motorcycle anywhere.

[jackacc]

I think I am going to at least move down with the bike and see how it is wherever we wind up living. I don't plan to commute on the bike, I just enjoy taking weekend rides with a few friends. It is a beautiful way to relieve stress once I find a nice route.

Most of the crashes I have seen or read about when I lived in So FL were sportbikes, in fact, most of the ones here in PA are sportbikes too, ususally doing something they shouldn't have been doing like you guys said.

I NEVER drink and ride, that is just not smart. I ride very cautiously and wear a full face and riding jacket all the time (even though most of my skid-lid, T-shirt wearing friends make fun of me)

I am hoping to get a few more rides in this season up here before I have to put her away for the winter! Thanks for the replies everyone!