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How Safe Is Vasco Rd.?

You can always take Morgan Territory Road through there. :)

Similar to me commuting from Pleasanton to Santa Clara via Calaveras Road (which I did before I moved out here).

Not something you want to do every day, but it's a good diversion once or twice a week.
 
I love cruising on Vasco outside of commute times. The road is smooth, the windmills and the hills look cool. Been stuck in 1 or 2 commutes and the craziest thing I saw was quite a few cycles zipping on the shoulder......
 
Gixxergirl1000 said:
With the road reconstruction/relocation, and the rumble strips, and the plastic "posts" they put up, it's been a long time since we had a head-on. There's still the occasional accident- like any other heavily traveled road is going to have- but it's not the "Blood Alley" it was years ago.
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Good to hear your perspective. Glad the head-ons are down atleast.

From my limited experience, people simply lose their minds on that road during the merges. Bumper to bumper when it is single lane and all's well. It's the split into two lanes that it turns into the Vasco International Speedway. Then the merge back into single lanes. People are always trying to snake each other when they see an opening.
 
The winter valley fog is very hazardous, combined with zombi drivers, you better be on your game 100%
 
fsckewe said:
Good to hear your perspective. Glad the head-ons are down atleast.

From my limited experience, people simply lose their minds on that road during the merges. Bumper to bumper when it is single lane and all's well. It's the split into two lanes that it turns into the Vasco International Speedway. Then the merge back into single lanes. People are always trying to snake each other when they see an opening.
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Not like it used to be. Seriously- there's way more 2-lane sections heading in to Livermore now, and traffic flows really well until the reservoir. On the afternoon commute back in to town, there's only 2 places where it's 2 lanes merging in to one, on something like 18 miles of road. It's really not that bad... I've commuted in much worse a decade ago when I was commuting to San Ramon, and Hayward.
 
Gixxergirl1000 said:
Not like it used to be. Seriously- there's way more 2-lane sections heading in to Livermore now, and traffic flows really well until the reservoir. On the afternoon commute back in to town, there's only 2 places where it's 2 lanes merging in to one, on something like 18 miles of road. It's really not that bad... I've commuted in much worse a decade ago when I was commuting to San Ramon, and Hayward.
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Arright, Connie, I'm gonna tell my buddy in B'wood that you said it's ok for him to ride that road during the commute now. :party

He stopped a few years back cuz of the idiots...
 
brichter said:
Arright, Connie, I'm gonna tell my buddy in B'wood that you said it's ok for him to ride that road during the commute now. :party

He stopped a few years back cuz of the idiots...
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He should, seriously. With all the re-routing of the road, and the rumble strips, and the plastic posts, it's a different road. I see about 4 regulars on bikes coming through every morning... and there's one really old guy on a bright yellow harley with an American flag off the back that comes through when the weather is nice. Whenever I've gone through on the Gixxer in the past, he always waved... in a very stately manner. Always made me smile.
If I had to make the commute the other direction, I'd be doing it on a bike. 580 is nasty, and Vasco isn't scary.
 
I commuted for several years on Vasco and my new commute to Walnut Creek is worse in terms of crappy drivers and a-holes in general. If you pay attention, Vasco is no big deal. Never had any issues other than a street sweeper throwing a rock and cracking the windshield on the cage.
 
weak_link said:
I commuted for several years on Vasco and my new commute to Walnut Creek is worse in terms of crappy drivers and a-holes in general. If you pay attention, Vasco is no big deal. Never had any issues other than a street sweeper throwing a rock and cracking the windshield on the cage.
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+1 walnut creek to brentwood is much more dangerous than vasco
 
It's all challenging. Keep your wits about you anytime you at all times, especially on a motorcycle.
 
Be careful on that. My friend was killed a month ago in their car while on that road. Watch out for illegal u turners in blind corners on a road with a 55mph speed limit.
 
johnkol said:
I hope you're joking; Morgan Territory is an awful road even for weekend riding, commuting on it would be suicidal.
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You're riding the wrong bike if that is the case.

I've found it enjoyable on several Ducatis that I used to own and on the two big dual sports that I now own.
 
ScottRNelson said:
You're riding the wrong bike if that is the case.

I've found it enjoyable on several Ducatis that I used to own and on the two big dual sports that I now own.
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+1 My supermoto LOVED that road. Haven't tried the Multistrada on it yet but I'm sure it'll be allright, especially in enduro mode. :teeth

The real issue with that road are the ranchers in teh F350's cutting over from Livermore to Clayton who hog the road and don't move an inch when they see you.
 
Was on Vasco Rd. yesterday. non commute hours, Sunday.

After I read this thread I just had to go and check it out. Its not bad at all because of all the upgrades they did to it. Everything looks brand new, from the walls/dividers, to the rumble strips, center plastic post markers, second lane for slower cars.

Like these previous experienced riders posted. It was not like it used to be. I can only imagine how it used to be. I

It was probably how Hwy 4 used to be (franklin canyon area) before they upgraded it to two separate one way highway. So I would agree with them, it is safer now. You can really tell they did upgrade it to make it safer.
 
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ScottRNelson said:
johnkol said:
I hope you're joking; Morgan Territory is an awful road even for weekend riding, commuting on it would be suicidal.
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You're riding the wrong bike if that is the case.

I've found it enjoyable on several Ducatis that I used to own and on the two big dual sports that I now own.
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How fast can you go on a road that is strictly single-lane, has constant blind curves, the pavement is broken, and the sun poking through the tree canopy plays tricks with your eyes? I personally find it impossible to rail the turns and still be able to stop on a dime in case a truck is coming the opposite direction.

In any case, the OP lives nearby so he can definitely experience the road for himself and form his own opinion.
 
johnkol said:
I personally find it impossible to rail the turns and still be able to stop on a dime in case a truck is coming the opposite direction.
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You shouldn't be "railing turns" on the street, period. It's no racetrack and shouldn't be treated as one anywhere along its length. But it can be fun to ride at a pace that takes into account all of the potential hazards the road might offer, including dirt and mud on the road, animals, and that F-350 hauling a loaded horse trailer coming the other way at the worst possible time.

You don't take Morgan Territory Road to get there quickly, you take it to enjoy the ride and to challenge your riding skills.
 
ScottRNelson said:
You shouldn't be "railing turns" on the street, period. It's no racetrack and shouldn't be treated as one anywhere along its length. But it can be fun to ride at a pace that takes into account all of the potential hazards the road might offer, including dirt and mud on the road, animals, and that F-350 hauling a loaded horse trailer coming the other way at the worst possible time.

You don't take Morgan Territory Road to get there quickly, you take it to enjoy the ride and to challenge your riding skills.
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Scott totally "gets" that road. :love
 
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