Seawolf84 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Thought I should post it here and see what other people think. http://silentespeaks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/vanhangin.jpg since you got the bug do you feel more aware in the car than before? Or you could anticipate the traffic better than others anyway and does it make you more complacent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gin Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Yeah i think changing between any vechicles will give you a better knowledge of the road. Same with Lorry drivers etc.. It teaches you how other drivers will react to you and therefor what to do to not annoy a bike/HGV when you're in the car.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogof Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 since you got the bug do you feel more aware in the car than before? Absolutely! I drove for 30+ years before getting on a bike and it's definitely made me a better driver. My anticipation is better, planning is better, spatial awareness is better.... the list goes on. The other benefit is that it seems to have made me a far more courteous driver.There's also a downside though. Driving is just so damn frustrating.... I need to filter!!!! It's also helped me to realise the truth behind "they are all out to kill you" which is a complete load of tosh. Some might be, but most are simply unwitting and unfortunate victims of circumstance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkeh9 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 since you got the bug do you feel more aware in the car than before? Absolutely! I drove for 30+ years before getting on a bike and it's definitely made me a better driver. My anticipation is better, planning is better, spatial awareness is better.... the list goes on. The other benefit is that it seems to have made me a far more courteous driver.There's also a downside though. Driving is just so damn frustrating.... I need to filter!!!! It's also helped me to realise the truth behind "they are all out to kill you" which is a complete load of tosh. Some might be, but most are simply unwitting and unfortunate victims of circumstance. I don't drive a car (yet), but I treat it as though "everyone's out to get you". Seems to be working quite well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashloh Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 since you got the bug do you feel more aware in the car than before? Absolutely! I drove for 30+ years before getting on a bike and it's definitely made me a better driver. My anticipation is better, planning is better, spatial awareness is better.... the list goes on. The other benefit is that it seems to have made me a far more courteous driver.There's also a downside though. Driving is just so damn frustrating.... I need to filter!!!! It's also helped me to realise the truth behind "they are all out to kill you" which is a complete load of tosh. Some might be, but most are simply unwitting and unfortunate victims of circumstance. I don't drive a car (yet), but I treat it as though "everyone's out to get you". Seems to be working quite well Well that not a bad way to drive if you do it properly, but I think that's a bit of an extreme view. I usually ride as if I'm invisible to every other road user. In my opion the worst kind of drivers are the ones that Panic when they see you and end up doing all sorts of crazy stuff. I was behind a car the other day, matching it's speed and keeping a larger than needed space between us. It saw me in the mirror and actually mounted the kirb in an enthusiastic display of fear that I was going to try and overtake immediately and agressively without regard for what obsticles may be in the way. This caused the two cars in front of it to also panic, though neither of them actually went onto the path, they just drove onto the cycle lane that was next to it. If it wasn't such a scary display of misreading a situation it would almost have been funny.Edit - Also I realised after re-reading this that it turned into more of a rant than an answer to the question. I think I am a better driver now, and I think it would be great if motorcycle training was compulsary for anyone wanting to get a car licence, even if it was just a CBT or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remy Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I think I've always been fairly observant on the roads and hopefully less impatient as I've got older, but yes riding a bike has definitely made me much more aware of, for example, vehicles not always doing what they are indicating to do;the blind spots of lorries; planning my position and speed for potential hazards;what might be around the next bend (although living in the countryside has made me aware of this!);slowing down for crossroads/side roads etc;positioning myself towards the right of centre when passing a side road/crossroads to give myself half a chance should something suddenly shoot out;staying a healthy distance from the vehicle in front (unless I'm overtaking it);giving other vehicles space when overtaking;that the faster you go on a bike the less likely you will be noticed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iWannaGoFast Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Rode bikes (yes a ped, im sorry), since I was 16, moved onto my YZF at 17, finally passed my car test when I was 5 months in being 18. So had ridden for 2 years prior, and passed in 19 lessons. Couldn't get used to not being in the middle of the vehicle so spacing and pulling up on the side of the road was weird. But found stuff like clutch control relatively easy, and the theory was a piece of piss (already passed my bike test at the point). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttled Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 It has made more bike aware, so that makes me a better car driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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