N_C

This is to kind of go along with the right hook thread.

One of the roadways I commute home on is Singing Hills Blvd. It is through a major commercial area, is 4 lanes, 2 lanes in each direction, is light controlled, 35 mph & has both left & right turn only lanes.

Last year when riding on Singing Hills I always ride in the right travel lane. Several times last year a lot of JAM's would speed up, pass me in the left travel lane, cut me off to merge across my lane & into the right turn only lane. I carry a small stop watch around my neck when I ride & I started timing how long it actually took to see if it was faster for the JAM's to do this or is it faster for a motorist to wait behind me until they can properly & legally merge into the right turn. It turns out it is faster for a motorist to wait then it is for a JAM to pass me, cut me off, then merge. I do this by timing the JAM, then if a motorist behind waits, then merges to turn I use the split feature on the stop watch. The differance is usually 5 to 10 seconds faster for the motorists to wait.

invisiblehand

What is a JAM?

fat_bike_nut

JAM = Jack-A** Motorist

caloso

I've never timed them, but noticed the same effect. I think all you can do is claim the lane to avoid the right hook and go your merry way.

invisiblehand

noisebeam

Here is an example of two motorists passing and merging into my lane or into the RTOL. Both passed safely and legally - did nothing wrong in my opinion.

youtube.com SZHgTfTH1Xo- WOL approaching RTOL

The driver of the 2nd vehicle was behind me in my lane before they merged into left lane to pass and then merged back across my lane and into the RTOL.

If I understand NC, it is the behavior of the 2nd driver he doesn't like. Is there some desire that that 2nd vehicle had been more patient and waited behind me? That wouldn't have saved them any time, in fact it would have taken them longer until they could turn right. Note they had turned right before I had stopped.

Al

invisiblehand

Hey Al,

Those are neat clips. They would be quite useful for helping new riders and describing things to motorists/non-cyclists.

-G

Bikepacker67

So when did this apropos acronym come into existence, anyway?
I've been away from these boards over the cold, dark winter, and it seems like the whole place is JAMmed up...

N_C

The JAM who passes me is the first one behind me with the 2nd vehicle behind him. It is the JAM that passes me in the left lane, then cuts me off to merge into the RTOL. Because of his speed he stays in front of the 2nd car who merges after waiting behind me until it is clear to do so. This happens within maybe 25 feet of the start of the RTOL. Which takes me all of 3 seconds to pass by making it clear enough for a motorist to safely merge to turn right.

Because of the speed of the JAM he has to slow down to merge & sometimes almost loses control. If the JAM does not realize there is a car in front of me, until it is to late, it sometimes takes longer for him to speed merge & cut people off to turn right. When this happens the 2nd vehicle almost gets hit by the JAM because the JAM insists on being in front. The JAM's typically are going 10 to 20 mph over the limit. They cover the short distance very quickly at that speed. I have even seen JAM's go so fast they can not switch lanes fast enough & end up passing by before they can merge & turn.

I am not trying to control or change how JAM's drive. Not even law enforcment can do that, even if they revoke the liscense, it changes the fact they can not do it legally. This thread is more of an observation & if neccessary a place to rant about it.

But please no debates over lane position, etc.

Bikepacker67

Well you kind of neuter any debate on the first point by qualifying with the second.

CyLowe97

So is "JAM" the new stylish way to say "cager?"

fordfasterr

there are MANY lanes like this on my routes... cagers do this ALL the time, and it doesn't really bother me as long as they don't buzz me when passing.... I usually enjoy this maneuver because as usual, they are stuck waiting to make the right and I make it a point to sprint and catch up and laugh =)

Helmet Head

No. All car/truck drivers are cagers.
Only a tiny minority (I encounter one in a way that affects me only every few months) of cagers and motorcyclists are JAMs.

N_C

No, there are 3 differant classifications of drivers:

Motorists - they for the most part drive safe, pass you with plenty of room, don't gate, don't cut off & don't right hook, etc. They are safe around all vehicle on the roadways, cyclists & motor vehicles alike.

Cager - they are a step down from motorist. They typically only acy like *******s around cyclists but are safe around other motorists. They do stupid **** while driving on purpose but they are no where near as bad as a JAM.

JAM- this is the worst kind of a cyclist & other drivers has to deal with. A JAM drives in the manner I speak of the OP of this thread & responses. While a motorist is the 2nd driver in the OP. They are out of control idiots who unless they are taken off the road they are going to kill someone someday & it won't be themselves.

Helmet Head

Maybe that's how you use the term, but it originated with motorcyclists who use it to refer to anyone driving a car or truck. It's not necessarily derogatory.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cager

Also, a motorcyclist can never be a cager, by definition.
A motorcyclist might be a JAM.

Bekologist

wow, a stopwatch around your neck for timing stupid things drivers do. you sure do have a lot of time on your hands out there

N_C

I got the small stop watch from my employer. They were using them to symbolize what we are supposed to do with compliance when helping customers during the course of our jobs. I put is on the chain that holds my Road I.D. one day to time myself, including stopping, to see how long it takes me to commute home & never took it off the chain. So I have used it to time motorists to see how much of a delay it is for them to actually wait behind me until it is safe to pass & to time them in the manner I described in this thread.

Bekologist

I would hate for you to be focused on the watch when your attention would be better served elsewhere, NC.

noisebeam

Seriously, that was what I was thinking the when I saw his OP. If I was taking hands of bars, starting/stopping stopwatch, activating brakes, watching traffic - It would be the dreaded SA overload.
Al

joejack951

N_C

It takes me no longer to start/stop/split or even look at the display on the stop watch as it does to look at & push a button on my bike computer or to look over my shoulder or in my side handle bar or helmet mirrors to see what is behind me. In most cases I do not even look at the stop watch, I have the buttons memorized.

I-Like-To-Bike

Oh, The Humanity!

dobber

Sustained whining requires creative measures.

recursive

I'm going to take credit it for it if no one else does.

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/259446-i-got-into-heated-discussion-about-finer-points-traffic-law-morning.html is the first thread that mentioned the term that I'm aware of.