City and State (or Province): Miami, FL

Country: USA

Best and worst seasons for riding: This one's a toughie. Our summer is like everyone else's winter - but instead of snow we get rainstorm after rainstorm. Of course, I'll still ride - but the rain sure takes a good chunk of enjoyment from the experience. Fall feels like summer but a little less wet. Winter is nice, even with the occasional dip into the 40s, but the winds can be rough: 25-30 mph gusts are not uncommon every day. So my vote is for spring: cool breezes, fairly dry, and no hurricanes!

Best and worst time of day: Morning rush hour starts happening anytime after 7:30 AM, and doesn't really die off till after 9:30 AM. Unless, of course, you get on one of the many roads and highways that are always under construction; then the traffic keeps up for a while longer. Starting at around 4 PM, and lasting till close to 7:30 PM, traffic on the southbound Palmetto is nasty as you approach 836 (Dolphin Expressway). But really any major road is bad at this hour, including LeJeune Road (42nd Ave), Coral Way (24 St), Bird Road (40 St), Kendall Drive (88 St), and US 1.

Best and worst time of year: Traffic is crap all year round within the city, but during the holidays cagers get even dumber. And of course, they're out more so the jams are even worse.

Best and worst roads to take to work: I-95 is OK if you're good at high speeds and know how to really, really scan. It's my fave road. SR 826 is crap, too many ramps going through some of the worst places to ride through, like Hialeah and Medley. For some reason, when it's windy out, it's always worse on the Palmetto. The 836 (the Dolphin) is harsh at anytime during rush hour. Total gridlock. The turnpike will move most of the way except when approaching a toll booth. Watch for idiots swapping toll lanes abruptly while they decide if they have the correct change or if their Sunpass transponders have enough money in them.

General impressions on your fellow motorists: They're all out to kill you. Sometimes, on purpose. Road rage is a major issue down here.

You need to watch out for the geeky wannabe-thugs in the lowered econoboxes, the proverbial soccer moms, the five-foot tall "big boys" in the oversized SUVs… and your fellow riders too. A couple of close calls I had this year were with idiot bikers who probably couldn't spell endorsement, let alone have one on their licenses. Cell phones, food, DVD players (in the drivers' line of sight!), radios, and even booger-picking all seem to provide valid excuses to back up my newest least favorite line, "I didn't see you!"

People here are a-holes. No one cares about you on your stupid little bike. Everyone cares about only one thing: "ME!" It's your responsibility to predict what they'll do in their efforts to Get Ahead of the dreaded Other Guy. Always have an escape route, and play the "what if?" game often. Common courtesy is rarely found here. That said, I find that most people do their best to stop well behind me at traffic lights. And that's something I really appreciate. But that's about the only nice thing the general population will do for you here. Be sure to give a grateful gesture when someone lets you in willingly, it's quite rare.

Lastly, keep in mind that many cagers here don't have insurance, and sometimes, not even a license.

How cool or grumpy are the local cops: FHP doesn't seem to care much for sportbikers. Don't bother lane-splitting (which is illegal here anyway) if there's any chance of a trooper hanging around. An Opa-Locka cop tried to pin a crazy 75 in a 40 on me, but that got thrown out of court (of course!). Hialeah and Medley officers have a very bad rep, but I've gotten away with a lot (in some of the cages I've owned) thanks to understanding officers from Medley. I don't recall ever meeting a Miami-Dade officer I actually liked - in fact, you have to watch out for these guys 'cause a lot of them drive like crap. And I mean crap. Coral Gables PD gets my nod as the best department in the Greater Miami area - they're very strict, but not a-holes. Just don't bother speeding down a Gables road, or you'll get what's coming to you.

Your name: Gabriel

Your bike: '98 Suzuki Bandit 600S streetfighter

Years/miles riding: 4 year, about 85K miles so far