[yellowperil]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I often ride my older Harley. Kick start only, way too big of a carb, way too big of a set of cams, way too much head porting, way too much compression, etc. It has a nasty habit that sometimes catches me off guard - if I'm not attentive enough, after a quick gas and go or other similar short pause, it will carb fart and die a minute or two after it gets going again. Hot gas in the float bowl. Always when I'm sitting at an intersection, in neutral, hands off the bars. Rather inconvenient to try and start a high compression bike with the afore mentioned "features" at an intersection with traffic behind me. I do my best to push it out of the way before engaging in the just died, hot start, dry cylinder kick start routine.

Some folks apparently have no patience for a guy who is doing his best to get out of their way. Way too many times I've had to listen to the horns going off behind me just the instant the light turns green. I've adopted a certain approach for these impatient ass holes - I quit trying to push the bike. I put the kickstand down, walk up to their driver's window, and ask them to honk again, only longer. I'll then say "by golly, it didn't work this time either - try again". They look at me all confused. "Honk yer effin' horn, you effin' idiot."

"Wha...?"

"I'm still hoping that leaning on your god damned horn is going to start my bike. Do it again. It's way easier than kicking the old SOB."

Or you could tell them you'll stay and honk the horn for them if they'll go and start your bike.