Biker down on NW this morning (9th April)

[Mully]

Evening all,

According to the radio (and the traffic) this morning, a bike went down on the NW motorway this morning. City-bound before Waterview.

Apparently, they hit the barrier?? (Thank God it's not cheesecutter)

Anybody heard anything??

[98tls]

Bikes go down every day,after riding them for 36 years its a fact i am well aware of,ive never understood other motorcyclists need to know the details.Be assured it hurt and if it was someone of importance in your life you would know by now.

[Mully]

Well, I more wanted to make sure he/she was OK. Haven't seen anything on the news sites today, so presumed they are, but yeah.

Sorry for caring. I'll try not to do it again.

[Ixion]

Yeah, see that you don't. So , some biker, somebody who you shared an interest with , is maybe dead. You didn't know him or her , so what the fuck is it to you. Next thing you'll be expressing sorrow for a firefighter who died in the course of duty (y' didn't know him either , did you). or some kid who's been raped and murdered (nothing to do with you , that, either)

After all why should we care if other people live or die. If I'm alright , Jack, that's all that matters, right?

Heading for an infraction you are, it's against site rules to have any compassion for anyone you don't know intimately.

[98tls]

Yeah, see that you don't. So , some biker, somebody who you shared an interest with , is maybe dead. You didn't know him or her , so what the fuck is it to you. Next thing you'll be expressing sorrow for a firefighter who died in the course of duty (y' didn't know him either , did you). or some kid who's been raped and murdered (nothing to do with you , that, either)

After all why should we care if other people live or die. If I'm alright , Jack, that's all that matters, right?

Heading for an infraction you are, it's against site rules to have any compassion for anyone you don't know intimately. Not at all,after reading his reaction to my post i pmd him explaining said reaction and on reflection will add i didnt word it as i meant it,i also added "good on you for caring".

[Bikernereid]

Hey you care as much as you want, good for you.

I for one appreaciate this as my bloke rides and being stuck on the other side of the planet I can keep an eye on what is happening to riders over there (not morbid at all).

I would hate for something to happen to him and for me not to know about it as I would want to get on a plane to NZ and be there with him.


Well, I more wanted to make sure he/she was OK. Haven't seen anything on the news sites today, so presumed they are, but yeah.

Sorry for caring. I'll try not to do it again.

[_Gina_]

After all why should we care if other people live or die. If I'm alright , Jack, that's all that matters, right?
.
Nobody is supposed to care about anybody and certainly having empathy for people you may or may not know is no longer tollerated by the masses like it once may have been.
Or so I observe quietly from the fray.

[-df-]

I saw the guy just before he went down fly past me lane splitting doing 70-80 while the traffic was doing 40-50...so he kind of was asking for it (no offence to peopel but if you do that sort of thing you have to be prepared to suffer the consequences).

Traffic suddenly stopped infront of me, saw the bike under the barrier and the guy lying across the fast lane shaking and looking like he was in more pain then I ever want to experience.

Never had a bigger chill go up my spine...kinda shook me up seeing it to be honest.

Just a reminder to all, lane splitting at speed isn't the best idea.

[Str8 Jacket]

Traffic suddenly stopped infront of me, saw the bike under the barrier and the guy lying across the fast lane shaking and looking like he was in more pain then I ever want to experience.



Did you stop and see if he was OK or did he have people with him already?

[-df-]

Did you stop and see if he was OK or did he have people with him already?

He already had about 6 cars stopped (in 2 of the 3 lanes), with people on the phone/looking after him. I was about 100m back from the accident when it happened.

I could never drive away from an accident if there wasn't already people dealing with it!!

[jrandom]

I saw the guy just before he went down fly past me lane splitting doing 70-80 while the traffic was doing 40-50...so he kind of was asking for it (no offence to peopel but if you do that sort of thing you have to be prepared to suffer the consequences).

I once saw a guy crash shortly after doing 70-80 round a corner in front of me that was signposted '45', so he kind of was asking for it (no offence to people but if you do that sort of thing you have to be prepared to suffer the consequences).

[-df-]

I once saw a guy crash shortly after doing 70-80 round a corner in front of me that was signposted '45', so he kind of was asking for it (no offence to people but if you do that sort of thing you have to be prepared to suffer the consequences).

You are a fucking moron aren't ya?

[Katman]

It would certainly make a difference if everyone rode within their limits.

[jrandom]

You are a fucking moron aren't ya?

No, not really.


It would certainly make a difference if everyone rode within their limits.

Yeah, what Katman said.

I was trying to make the point that the exact speed involved has very little to do with it.

I and dozens of others on this forum ride safely at '70-80' through traffic that's doing '40-50' every day.

[Oakie]

It would certainly make a difference if everyone rode within their limits.

Or their bike's limits.

[-df-]

Yeah, what Katman said.

I was trying to make the point that the exact speed involved has very little to do with it.

I and dozens of others on this forum ride safely at '70-80' through traffic that's doing '40-50' every day.

So reactions have nothing to do with it? you know...covering more distance in a given time...less time for reactions...car changes lanes or something else...no time to react...getting thru yet?

If not all good...fingers crossed one less rider I have to be carefull riding on the road with...

[jrandom]

So reactions have nothing to do with it? you know...covering more distance in a given time...less time for reactions...car changes lanes or something else...no time to react...getting thru yet?

We discussed this in another thread just yesterday.

Oddly enough, cars can take you out more quickly and with less warning when traffic is moving at slower speeds.

In the end, though, it's all about anticipating what's happening on the road in front of you and maintaining full situational awareness.

One way or the other, the rider who went down this morning failed to do that.

I reckon that if you noticed him coming past and thought "what a plonker", he would have been filtering badly. A good lanesplitter just slides through the traffic with a minimum of fuss, and almost never has to use sudden throttle or brake inputs.

It's not so much about reaction times as it is about the physical limitations of how quickly a bike can stop or swerve. It's very easy to outride one's braking distance in traffic without actually going too much faster than the surrounding vehicles. Reacting quickly won't save you when it can't result in anything but a stoppy into the back of a truck.

It's quite possible to manage one's position on the road so that one can get through traffic quickly while always maintaining safe braking and swerving options.

[Edbear]

...I and dozens of others on this forum ride safely at '70-80' through traffic that's doing '40-50' every day.

No doubt you try to ride safely most of the time, but perhaps this chap thought he was splitting "safely" too? Most riders don't ride to have an accident, they ride to enjoy riding and live to ride another day, few are actually reckless, though obviously there are those on the road.

Personally, and I haven't ridden with you or even met you in person, but I feel the speed differential you are comfortable with, leaves little or no room for error. I just don't trust drivers to see what is coming up behind them, or to check carefully before changing lanes. It may be that "most" do, but there are far too many who don't, and it only takes one to ruin your whole day...

[jrandom]

No doubt you try to ride safely most of the time, but perhaps this chap thought he was splitting "safely" too? Most riders don't ride to have an accident, they ride to enjoy riding and live to ride another day, few are actually reckless, though obviously there are those on the road.

I dunno, eh. 'Back in the day', I did some unsafe filtering, and I knew it at the time, too. I was, in fact, being reckless.

And I've seen it being done by others and known that the way they were going about it wasn't safe.

I'm more cautious and hyper-alert now than I've ever been, and I moderate my filtering behaviour far more than I used to.


Personally, and I haven't ridden with you or even met you in person, but I feel the speed differential you are comfortable with, leaves little or no room for error.

Well, I wouldn't filter on your bike the way I do on mine. It's all about maintaining a safe available handling envelope to deal with any possible behaviour by other vehicles on the road.

[Morcs]

So reactions have nothing to do with it? you know...covering more distance in a given time...less time for reactions...car changes lanes or something else...no time to react...getting thru yet?

If not all good...fingers crossed one less rider I have to be carefull riding on the road with...

depends on the rider.

I guarantee my reactions are better at 150, than yours are at 80.

many factors come into play - perception, anticipation and awareness are some of them, and they are different.

How you ride before you are forced into a reaction is critical - if you are good, when it comes to making a swift reaction, you already know your surroundings and your relation to them.

[jrandom]

How you ride before you are forced into a reaction is critical - if you are good, when it comes to making a swift reaction, you already know your surroundings and your relation to them.

Situational Awareness (tm).

Morcs hits the nail on the head.

[Edbear]

I dunno, eh. 'Back in the day', I did some unsafe filtering, and I knew it at the time, too. I was, in fact, being reckless.

And I've seen it being done by others and known that the way they were going about it wasn't safe.

I'm more cautious and hyper-alert now than I've ever been, and I moderate my filtering behaviour far more than I used to.



Well, I wouldn't filter on your bike the way I do on mine. It's all about maintaining a safe available handling envelope to deal with any possible behaviour by other vehicles on the road.


When I was a teenager, I know I did ride at times without due regard, though I always had that "little voice" that tempered my riding. It meant I wasn't as "good" as some of my mates, but I'm still alive. Even so, I know that at times it was more good luck than good management that I didn't become a statistic.

I agree that a C50T is not a good filtering bike and I never try to keep up with the sports bikes that cruise past me through traffic... (much to my wife's disgust! She says, "If they can do it, why can't you?" "You ride like a Nanna!", "Here, let me drive!":rolleyes:) She'll learn...

I agree, it's about defensive riding, the "what if?" attitude and making sure as best you can, that you can dodge an incident.

[marty]

what's the chances it's this guy/girl?

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=71182

[Mully]

what's the chances it's this guy/girl?

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=71182

Unlikely, this was further up the motorway. Near St Lukes according to the thread. The person who fell off was just before Waterview.

Unless, of course, this person was doing laps of the motorway waiting to be taken out/fall off.

[-df-]

I reckon that if you noticed him coming past and thought "what a plonker", he would have been filtering badly. A good lanesplitter just slides through the traffic with a minimum of fuss, and almost never has to use sudden throttle or brake inputs.


He seemed to be filtering very smoothly to be honest, it was more the speed he went past that got my attention.

oh, and kiwifruit...good to see you are sticking up for your wife to be, can't you do it in public?

[-df-]

depends on the rider.

I guarantee my reactions are better at 150, than yours are at 80.



Didn't realise we had already met...

[jrandom]

oh, and kiwifruit...good to see you are sticking up for your wife to be, can't you do it in public?

Trust me, you wouldn't like it if he did.

[Maha]

No, not really.



Yeah, what Katman said.

I was trying to make the point that the exact speed involved has very little to do with it.

I and dozens of others on this forum ride safely at '70-80' through traffic that's doing '40-50' every day.

My god! you guys are getting on like a house on fire aint ya!....:dodge:

[jrandom]

My god! you guys are getting on like a house on fire aint ya!...

I'm not sure that that was the most appropriate metaphor...