Kids on mopeds

[HR17]

Anyone else noticed the increase in the numbers of kids on mopeds nowadays, and the resulting annoyance they cause?

I was thinking today how many have annoyed me of late while a shellsuited teenager was trying to overtake me on my right while I was in the right hand lane of a dual carrageway in busy traffic. He was either going to hit me or the barrier, so I let him pass, only for his mates to try and follow him through - near disaster averted!

There's also a little tosser who lives in our road somewhere who rides his like a BMX, riding up and down the road, time and time again late at night, full throttle, with what is either a badly modified or rusted through exhaust that makes hell of a noise.

In fact, they're probably the modern equivalent of a BMX or mountain bike, essentially a toy for 16 year olds.

I wonder if there's been a corresponding increase in accidents involving them over the past few years?

 

[mekon]

idiots on 2 pokes..... or as i call them "target practice"

take one high powered rifle
ensure the scope/sights are zeroed correctly
blow head off target
receive community service medal for nuisance removal

 

[verytalldave]

I thank God that my son has passed that phase now.

A few of his friends died on these death traps several years ago.

Its not often I object to something THAT strong, but these 50cc underpowered bikes should be banned.

 

[j@stuttgart p]

What should be banned is the speed restriction on them, have you ever tryed to ride something that only does 25-30mph thats the danger.
Yes it is too easy for kids to get a CBT, one day and thats it your away
but if they at least did 55 they could keep up with trafic on most rural roads, how many times have you been stuck behind one on a road doing 25mph??.

As for lots of noise thats just them trying to make them faster and if you put a db meter up to them they are not very loud but they have high pitch, i know from years of Lambretta racing and many many noise test at the tracks

 

[CE230]

What should be banned is the speed restriction on them, have you ever tried to ride something that only does 25-30mph thats the danger...

+1

Place where I worked though it would be a good idea to have a small fleet of Piaggio Typhoons for local trips to meetings etc. The only way into the city was via a very busy traffic island. Needless to say not many people used them more than once and they eventually ended up in a skip.

Lots of kids stick illegal 70cc kits on them to pep them up a bit but they don't last long as they've no interest in maintaining them and they eventually blow up.

90% of those that survive go on to chavmobility.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

We live right on the edge of an urban area, with parkland a very short distance down the road. It seemed to attract kids on mopeds during the Summer as they could park up and presumably 'party' in the open. It was made worse by the fact that a neighbour a few houses down had a 16 year old daughter.

We heard a moped repeatedly going up and down one night in August. Heard a bang. Jumped out of bed and the moped rider had been showing off to a group of similarly aged youths walking. He lost control, mounted the footpath and ploughed into the group. One lad was hurt.

I contacted the Police, local council and local MP to raise concerns as it was becoming a nightly occurence and the road layout was making it worse. Only the MP was kind enough to respond to me, and he took it as far as it could.

In a strange twist of fate we've not seen or heard the mopeds since the night of the accident. A shame for the lad who was hurt, but it may have prevented a more serious accident. That, the fact the neighbours have now moved, and dark nights mean we have a little peace at last.

 

[andy_k]

When I used to ride bikes, my neighbours were always complaining about the noise, 2 strokes with epansion boxes, four strokes with big bore exhausts it just seems that people like to complain about motorbikes.

I'd far rather kids spent time learning 'roadcraft' on 30 mph machines than the 250cc machines we were allowed to ride - at 17, I went from riding a pushbike to a midly tuned Kawasaki 250 capable of just over 100 mph. The tyres were crap, the handling was terrble, the brakes were mediocre but I was allowed to ride it on L plates with no instruction.

I would much rather be stuck behind one of these scooters doing 25 mph than sitting in a traffic jam whilst the police cleared up yet another crashed motorbike.

 

[Rob77]

And remember that kids in cars are no better. The flat I'm in at the moment is next door to a small retail park and they come along during the night to do handbrake turns and so on with their stupid drainpipe exhausts

 

[Alps]

should be same age limit as cars, the only reason many kids get them is because they arent old enough for cars!

 

[andy_k]

should be same age limit as cars, the only reason many kids get them is because they arent old enough for cars!

which for many years has been the main reason kids got motorbikes/mopeds etc.

we all benefitted from it - why should we deny the kids their fun and mobility.

This thread is beginning to sound a bit like the old farts club

 

[Alps]

which for many years has been the main reason kids got motorbikes/mopeds etc.

we all benefitted from it - why should we deny the kids their fun and mobility.

This thread is beginning to sound a bit like the old farts club

yes, but for many years kids had alot more respect for others,

WOW first time ive been refferred to as an "old fart"

 

[andy_k]

yes, but for many years kids had alot more respect for others,

I'm not sure that's true - I think we are more aware of it now.

We used to hang around in car parks, outside chip shops, pubs etc generally having fun with the bikes - a favourite trick was to try and crush your back number plate by pulling wheelies or see how much smoke you could get off your back tyres whilst revving the guts out of the bike

We were just having a bit of fun - the 'old farts' used to complain and say things were different when they were kids

Mind you, they were probably the mods and rockers fighting on the beaches being told by that generation of 'old farts' that things were different when they were kids

WOW first time ive been refferred to as an "old fart"

happens to us all

 

[lxi]

it just seems that people like to complain about motorbikes.

I'd far rather kids spent time learning 'roadcraft' on 30 mph machines than the 250cc machines we were allowed to ride - at 17, I went from riding a pushbike to a midly tuned Kawasaki 250 capable of just over 100 mph. The tyres were crap, the handling was terrble, the brakes were mediocre but I was allowed to ride it on L plates with no instruction.

I would much rather be stuck behind one of these scooters doing 25 mph than sitting in a traffic jam whilst the police cleared up yet another crashed motorbike.

100% agree - nothing teaches more about roadcraft (and bad motorists) than being on a bike

 

[HR17]

I think they're a bit of a toy or fashion item for a lot of chavvy kids, much like a Staffie, mobile phone, gold jewellery etc. They're not too expensive, but potentially fatal, and very annoying to a lot of us when they're mis-used.

I had an encouter with a yoof on a mini moto a couple of years ago. He was riding along the pavement while I was trying to get an elderly relative into my car. He sat there revving and tooting his horn while grinning at me. I think he saw sense when he realised my facial expression and body language wasn't in his favour and drove away. If my elderly relative hadn't been there, there's a fair chance my foot would have gone through his teeth.

 

[HR17]

idiots on 2 pokes..... or as i call them "target practice"

take one high powered rifle
ensure the scope/sights are zeroed correctly
blow head off target
receive community service medal for nuisance removal

We call them Darwin fodder round here, and they must be so stupid to mess about with the traffic the way they do - verging on suicidal on occasions. Should they get unlucky in tempting fate, there's a chance they will remove themselves from the gene pool, and any potential offspring, unless they've already reproduced that is(they start breeding early round here!).

 

[ams]

they are so annoying feel like runing them over sometimes

 

[kwakdonut]

they are so annoying feel like runing them over sometimes

They may well feel the same about you!

 

[Colin_b]

they are so annoying feel like runing them over sometimes

My daughter got a scooter when she was 16, a good idea, I thought. Give her some mobility, and teach her how to read the road.

She was doing her test, and in the middle she met someone who actually did just that!

She picked herself and the scooter up, learned something, continued and passed her test.

When she got her car at 17 she had 1 years no-claim bonus (worth having), and the ability to drive properly

 

[Shude]

When she got her car at 17 she had 1 years no-claim bonus (worth having), and the ability to drive properly

I wasn't aware that two-wheeled and four-wheeled insurance policies were that compatible!

 

[Colin_b]

I wasn't aware that two-wheeled and four-wheeled insurance policies were that compatible!

Certainly can be, Tesco at least.