Motorbike rant :(

[Spinal]

/me sits back, relaxes picks up a mug of hot chocolate... then sighs and shakes his head...

Anyone want some hot chocolate? (or hot cocoa for those who prefer?) Only catch is that you must all be friends...

Michele
(We are family.... all my brothers sisters and me!)

 

[chrisbez]

Michele,

Yes please! I'll take the cocoa, with sugar. Yes, I'm shaking my head,as well....

An interesting thread, which I've attempted to follow, as it weaved as much as the baddie biker, which I hope I'm not!

As a Honda VFR800 owner and also a mountain bike rider and as well as a Merc driver, I have seen how selfish cage drivers can be, in their own little world, where nothing or no-one else seems to matter....

Regarding the French attitude to bikers, yes it is true, French drivers will get in the gravel to let a biker past on 'A' roads, or less. Amazing!

Chris B.

 

[BearFace]

....sorry if i offend any riders on here, i know you are not all the same, but it seems that most riders going into edinburgh between 8am and 9am every weekday get so used to going down the middle in stop/start traffic, they decide to do the same when its flowing freely....

No offence taken; you're absolutely right.

Having done quite a number of trackdays (and crashed out at speed).......and having been down the road on my **** a few times (either because I've been going too fast, or because another driver "didn't see me..."), I'm far more aware of my mortality when I'm on my bike. I think there are many riders who think they're invincible, and this is a seriously dangerous attitude.

I'm sorry to say that it can take either serious injury or the death of a friend to make some bikers realise just how vulnerable they are. For me, I will regularly filter past slow traffic, but I'm secure enough in mine and my bike's general superiority (in performance terms) over cars to not feel the need to undertake them when they're travelling reasonably quickly. These inexperienced kids on their 170mph sportsbikes need to revise their approach to riding before it's too late...

 

[glojo]

I think we ought to put things in perspective though and take a close look at ther Road Rage section and see how many articles there are about idiot car drivers.

Usually the reckless bike rider seriously injures, or kills themselves, unfortunately it does not usually work out in a similar fashion when you get the idiots driving either their cars, or someone else's.

John

 

[Benzowner]

It all seems to be a question of "what if?" Well put into perspective, if me granny had ba**s she'd be me grandad If a motorcyclist decides to take a calculated risk, whether you agree or not, it is up to him. I cannot and never will sit in the outside lane of a motorway at 70mph to stop all those cages breaking the speed limit at no more than one or two cars lengths apart, they are taking risks. The carnage caused by cars colliding at speed is awful, but those car drivers are taking the same calculated risk travelling so close at speed. You will rarely see motorsyslists riding in fog, but cages do at rediculous speeds.

At the end of the day, we all need to share the same road, so lets get along.

 

[NormanB]

I liked this paragraph in one of the earlier links:

It is not a "them and us situation" as we are all road users and as such we all deserve consideration. Many, if not all, riders are also car drivers but not all car drivers own or ride motorcycles.

Leaving the prattish motorcyclists to one side of the argument, the serious point is this - I am (IMHO) a much better car driver - now that I am a rider - why? - training and awareness.

The route to a full motorcycle licence is rigorous and much more unforgiving than that for a car licence.

Basically most motorists are unaware of the real world outside their tin box and are cocooned in comfort, listening to music, making telephone calls, eating donuts, repairing their mascara, telling little Johnny to shut the f*** up and generally driving too close to the vehicle in front. That they are also unaware that a motorcyclist is overtaking them (or filtering) past them is no suprise to any holder of a full motorcycle licence as this problem is inculcated into them from day one of the training (the prattish motorcyclists have just forgot!)

The sad facts of life are that motorcyclists are very aware of the daily risk they are taking and they know they are vulnerable - while motorists are seduced by their protective cage, crumple zone and airbag which they subconciously believe confers immortality upon them and they drive and behave accordingly.

With the benefit of hindsight, only recently gained, I believe that motorcycle training should be compulsory prior to embarking on the path to achieve the priviliged position of earning a car/HGV/PSV licence - why? Well it is an awareness thing, awareness of the environment - road surfaces, markings, road camber, tar lines, weather, rain, other vehicles etc etc - all the things that a car insulates you from.

Why do I ride? Well cars are very practical BUT traffic density has taken the fun out of most motoring (well in the south east and major connurbations and arteries between them) and cars are well BORING! Boring that is in comparison to riding on the open road (not speeding or getting your knee down) but making progress, reading the road and adapting to meet the challenges ahead while still being able to smell the countryside as you 'burble' along.

 

[Hamishmoon]

Are the Bikers on a no win situation here, Ok if it is raining, you are still sitting in the car listening to the traffic news knowing the situation, but us "poor" Bikers are getting wet, where is the smug smile then. I agree with "Motard". Actually living in Kent now people are far more couteous than living in Scotland regards to giving Bikers more room. being in London last year the motorists on the M25 amazed me they always let me through, try Dundee on friday night and they will touch paint to stop you sneaking through a space big enough for two Bikes.

 

[chrisbez]

Well, NormanB has summed it all up very well and I agree with him entirely.
Motorbiking is great fun, especially in the company of like-minded people.
Risks are not taken lightly, by the average (sane) biker.
Yes, it is a lot more dangerous on a bike than in a cocooned cage.
Why?
Because of the morons driving cars.
Bike riding is a never ending lesson, where you can never be perfect.
But you continue your quest for perfection.
So, you continue your learning cycle.
And enjoy!

Chris B.

 

[blassberg]

Bike riding is a never ending lesson, where you can never be perfect. But you continue your quest for perfection.

Yes - this is the appeal to me - not any adrenalin requirement - although I do like to make "satisfactory progress"