Think once, think twice, think bike

[Wolseley1660man]

There are some very ill-informed people in this thread. Some of those people who can't cope with filtering motorbikes almost straddle the effing white line. Is it not 9 inches from the kerb? People should be retested every four years. Accidents would fall by three quarters.edit: not a ref to an earlier post, but more rage at possibly having to order a mirror for guess what car, as it wil have to come from the UK.

[retrogeezer]

I hope you are not referring to me??I am talking about big bikes overtaking moving cars on the wrong side of the road at night!And you think that is o.k?I'll move out of the way for a bike on a fast road but there is no need for that kind of riding through a busy high street in rush hour.

[bigstraight6]

True.Most of the time the bikers I encounter are sensible and courteous - I always see them in my rearview mirror and move over if I can, 70% of the time I get a wave when they go past.But occassionally you get a pillock 3ft from your rear bumper, headlamp on full beam, weaving dangerously. More often than not, they will then go screaming past on a blind bend, oblivious to the double white lines. I just let them go, ease up a bit, and put as much distance between them and I.Interesting article in the local paper a few months back concerning a born again biker who had been killed on the A339 between Basingstoke and Alton. For those who don't know the road, it's a sweeping and challenging piece of tarmac, with lots of crests and dips, undulating corners, adverse camber and the like. It is a magnet for the Born Again crew of a Sunday morn.

I concur with the wise words of Mr Welfare, and also move over to the left if I see a motorcycle approaching from the rear and yes, about 70% will wave as they pass. But, There is also a road near me in Southeast Cornwall between Torpoint and Trerulefoot roundabout which is a fave with the Barry Sheen wannabe's and is known in said circles as the 'Torpoint twisties', and has unfortunately seen many horrific related accidents in recent years....

[Wolseley1660man]

I hope you are not referring to me??I am talking about big bikes overtaking moving cars on the wrong side of the road at night!And you think that is o.k?I'll move out of the way for a bike on a fast road but there is no need for that kind of riding through a busy high street in rush hour.

No. Generally though, my lovely little car got a clip or two on the mirrors from twits who are too far out in the opposite direction, or who see a bicycle too late and overeact and move too far out (a narrow-ish road). Anyhow if everyone kept a moderate speed, there would be less problems. No matter how skilful the rider is, weirds things can happen. A moderate speed means one can react neatly.Someone who rides on full beam in daylight is profoundly discourteous and foolish. It makes speed impossible to judge for some other road user who is deciding whether to move out or move.edit: small error excised

[Karmann Ghiaman]

A better motto might be Think once, think twice, think MORE THAN ONE bike. Often when one suddenly pops up in front of you there seems to be a mate or two of his in your blindspot, doesn't there?!? (Overtaking on the inside of a roundabout on one memorable occasion).

 

Probably best to have your light on if you're a motorcyclist, though you will often be mistaken at a distance for that other hazard: Swedish autoshite with one lamp not working.

 

Talking of lights being deceptive, I nearly got hit by PC Plod yesterday evening. He came charging down the A60 in Mansfield, all sirens blaring, all lights flashing & did a right turn straight across my path. One little orange indicator did, at the last minute, warn of this dangerous manoever, but was completely dazzled out by all the blazing headlamps and flashing blue stuff + bright orange street-lighting.

 

Which reminds me that I must test the Christmas fairy lights & get a tree soon (last year's died. So much for getting one 'with roots').

[MrRegieRitmo]

It is a magnet for the Born Again crew of a Sunday morn.

I know of another magnet for the 'born again Sunday crew', it must be a very well known place as all of these well to do accountants & businessmen ride down from Surrey on their (rather nice) bikes to visit the southern 'Ace Cafe' - the Lobster Pot. Every Sunday morning in the summer you'll find rows of bikes parked up along the promenade whilst the leathered up riders enjoy their cooked breakfast. It's a real fight for seats.....

There is also a road near me in Southeast Cornwall between Torpoint and Trerulefoot roundabout which is a fave with the Barry Sheen wannabe's and is known in said circles as the 'Torpoint twisties', and has unfortunately seen many horrific related accidents in recent years....

Similar thing going on up north, when I lived in Derbyshire many a biker came to grief along the notorious 'Cat & Fiddle' road between Buxton & Macclesfield!

[Marty]

^^^ Ditto Rivington Barn, though its quite a nice crowd up there usually where experienced bikers will happily chat with noobies / learners in the hope of discouaging bloody pillock behaviour on the roads.

 

Did my time on the 50cc shovel (anything restricted to 28 MPFH should be crushed), 90cc shovel, 125cc and then 400 cc shovels before being scared half to death by my neighbours R1 and settling for a nice fat basket Virago 535 instead. I have been bike-less for 4 years now and every day miss the enjoyment of riding.

 

Riding like driving takes time and experience - how many people pass their driving test then go off out in a Zonda or Ferrari? Nope most people start off in something small and work up due to cost.

 

Biking because of its relative cheapness, for the amount of power you get and Direct Access means that if you can afford the insurance its perfectly possible to have never ridden before on a Monday and by Friday have some ferrocious beastie between your legs and by Saturday have wings and a harp.

 

I have met very good riders and total arsewipes (worse one was bloke who came past me on what I think was a R6 between me in 3rd lane of M6 overtaking waggon and I was doing 75 / 80 ish - came flying past me between me and the armaco barrier - scared the poop out of me).

 

Like a lot of young riders I went through a sort of "I am invincible" stage and came off - I learned from my mistakes and wasnt going fast enough to do any real damage.

 

Experience and attitude count for a lot whether its driving a car, van, 42 wheeled HGV or riding a PTW or even push bike. Bikers need to look out for other road users and pedestrians just as much as drivers need to look out for the same.

[blackbird]

I'm a biker and I filter , don't push it though but there a biker who commutes on the same motorway as me and there's road works at the moment and he not only filters in the conta flow lane he goes into the road works past the cones !!!!that's just dangerous driving not only could he hit a doozer working on the road but he swerves out into the road when theres signs !!!!

[r.welfare]

People should be retested every four years. Accidents would fall by three quarters.

Welcome to the forum Wolseley1660man. I agree wholeheartedly with this statement - not only would it weed out drivers who don't look out for bikes, but I would hope it would get rid of my other pet hates - folks who don't get their eyes tested regularly (you know the type - hits their brakes every time another car comes the other way in the dark), and the folks who drive at 40mph everywhere, including 20/30 zones.

[Volksy]

folks who don't get their eyes tested regularly (you know the type - hits their brakes every time another car comes the other way in the dark), and the folks who drive at 40mph everywhere, including 20/30 zones.

Yeh and those who dawdle along at 20-30mph in a 40 zone

[MrRegieRitmo]

Friday have some ferrocious beastie between your legs

Many a Friday night has been spent like that!

[Wolseley1660man]

There are speed bumps, busy roads, bad roads and narrow roads all around where I live. Unless I go further afield 40 mph is a distant aspiration. I saw a relatively cheap 1924 bike on sale recently, I wonder....