Road Safety - Rider Safety

[Bender]

17 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

 

All this coincides with a couple of my other posts 

 

People are always looking for someone to blame! its never their fault 

Sounds very familiar  

[jedibiker]

12 hours ago, Stu said:

 

 

All this coincides with a couple of my other posts 

 

People are always looking for someone to blame! its never their fault 

that's certainly the case with those on facebook recently

 

On yesterdays ride out (the Mrs loves how her fazer rides now) I did notice shitloads of gravel on most junctions, more than usual.. Gov plot to stop us haha

 

 

[KiwiBob]

Stand by for one or two over zealous plod over the next couple of weeks! ... https://www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/news-article/officers-support-campaign-reduce-deaths-on-two-wheels

[Cpt_Tact]

The thought of everyone is out to kill you seems a little out dated now IMO. I doubt very much the car drivers are trying to kill you. Accidents happen, that's why they are called accidents not "attempted murder/ murder, manslaughter etc unless they deliberately knock you off", there is a reason something happened.

 

I see it all the time at the moment with riders getting impatient or using inappropriate speed/ road positioning for the situation, tail gating, dodgy overtakes to get a clear run and a nice bit of road, riding too close to traffic when filtering up to traffic lights, crossing double whites. If something happens or a near miss its instantly the car drivers fault and you see hands and gesticulations flying everywhere. 

 

I also feel a lot of riders bring their personal stress and issues out with them on the bike which then impacts their thoughts and judgments, they aren't focusing on the road and are quick to be aggressive with car drivers over the slightest mistake. About 3 years ago in May I saw one motorcyclist near Abergavenny bus station smash off someone's wing mirror because they slowed down to turn (whilst indicating) and then realised it was the wrong side road so cancelled their indicator and carried on to the next one. Guy on the bike took it as a personal affront as he had to brake heavily and then collected their wing mirror as compensation on his way past at speed. It was in town in a 30mph limit and he was about 1 inch off the back quarter all the way down the road. 

 

Doing further riding qualifications/ assessments every 4-5 years seems like a genuinely sensible thing to do as there isn't much leeway on a motorcycle and yet people think that its not required once they have passed as "they know everything or been riding for 30+ years". I had one mate who was dangerous on a bike and when I mentioned doing IAM or similar as a refresher he took it as a personal attack as he had been riding for 7 years and never had an accident, so in his eyes there was nothing wrong with hugging the apex round a right hand bend!  

 

Coming out of lock down I don't think will be pretty for the statistics over the next few months, both accidents and speeding fines/ heavy police presence.

 

Then again we don't really help ourselves as I've done all of the above when I first started riding except intentionally damaging another vehicle! It was only when I had a few near misses that I stopped and looked at myself and realised that 99% of the time it was my fault, I was the one doing something that caused that near miss. I then signed up to do further rider qualifications and took the silly speeds to the track where you then meet riders stitching up other riders and causing near misses through stupidity, impatience and bad positioning with not a car to blame insight lol. 

[jedibiker]

@Cpt_Tact

32 yr old killed in Doncaster yesterday am, 2 guys arrested in 2 different cars, both drink or drugs it says.. So I think assuming everyone is out to kill you even though its not their real intention may be a good idea. Obviously only a psychopath would go out looking to kill someone, but the term is simply a way to look at the big chunks of metal flying towards us at speed.

 

Kicking of mirrors due to someone doing something many do is a sign someone has an attitude issue.

[SometimesSansEngine]

1 hour ago, Cpt_Tact said:

I Iad one mate who was dangerous on a bike and when I mentioned doing IAM or similar as a refresher he took it as a personal attack as he had been riding for 7 years and never had an accident, so in his eyes there was nothing wrong with hugging the apex round a right hand bend!  

 

As you probably know many taster sessions subtly cover "the attitude test". I know mine did. At the end the person who had gone out with me sat me down with a tea and asked what my motivations for doing an advanced course etc were.

 

I had a work colleague walk up to me whilst I was doing my IAM and say "so what would an advanced course teach me that I don't already know" before listing off the things he was just fine with, in his opinion. I politely said it didn't sound like it was for him.

[SometimesSansEngine]

1 minute ago, jedibiker said:

@Cpt_TactKicking of mirrors due to someone doing something many do is a sign someone has an attitude issue.

 

Worth remembering that people who are arses will likely be an arse whatever form of transport they're on at that moment in time... Four wheels, two wheels, engine, no engine.

[jedibiker]

4 minutes ago, SometimesSansEngine said:

 

Worth remembering that people who are arses will likely be an arse whatever form of transport they're on at that moment in time... Four wheels, two wheels, engine, no engine.

100% true

[jedibiker]

ROSPA just quote over £900 for a 4 day course, cant afford that right now lol

[TimR]

58 minutes ago, jedibiker said:

ROSPA just quote over £900 for a 4 day course, cant afford that right now lol

That is the intensive course not the standard group  rider method .. Google ROADAR 

Edited April 28, 2021 by TimR

[jedibiker]

Just now, TimR said:

That is the tutor course not the standard rider .. Google ROADAR 

ah right, I did tell them I just wanted to improve my riding. cheers

[TimR]

1 minute ago, jedibiker said:

ah right, I did tell them I just wanted to improve my riding. cheers

I have to also apologise as didn't realise they now did a ' intensive course' which is what you were quoted for ..

 

 But visit Roadar as that is the  local group training method

[jedibiker]

1 minute ago, TimR said:

I have to also apologise as didn't realise they now did a ' intensive course' which is what you were quoted for ..

 

 But visit Roadar as that is the  local group training method

On the site now and it looks awesome.. will look further and see what can be done, so thanks for your help.

[onesea]

I sometimes consider these courses however you read some of the things you will be examined on: "Considering the use of the horn".

 

Then I consider the group's I have seen it riding as advanced riders, they rarely give me a good friendly impression.

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

12 minutes ago, onesea said:

I sometimes consider these courses however you read some of the things you will be examined on: "Considering the use of the horn".

 

Then I consider the group's I have seen it riding as advanced riders, they rarely give me a good friendly impression.

 

I'm more of the "Considering the use of the bird" school of thought.

[techniques]

Watch out for cars slamming their brakes on randomly. That's nearly got me twice in the last few weeks.

 

Car driver slams brakes + momentary lapse of concentration = bad day.

 

Stay frosty, folks.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

The closest thing to an accident I saw yesterday was a chap with a pillion both dressed a power rangers overtaking on blind crests and bends at speeds well over the limit. 

 

For all his heroics, and several near misses, at the end of the road I was still right behind him.