Bikers "sixth sense"

**Flyingpony** · 15th April 2005, 00:23

Always ride defensively, never day dream nor get cold fingers.

Ensure your brake light(s) work before every journey.

Yip, got pulled over one evening for no tail light, but it was working the day before. No ticket, very nice guy.

Car's don't understand how quick a bike can stop. Always check your mirrors frequently and get rid of those annoying tailgaters (it's their speeding ticket, not yours).

One rainy day when under light braking, I heard wheels skidding extremely close behind me and discovered that in the past 15 seconds I'd attracted a black coloured cage tailgater whom was now going sideways!

**Motu** · 15th April 2005, 09:47

I've always done the 6th sense thing,I don't question it's existance - I know! Often on back roads I will find my pace may drop off,enough for me to notice - hmm? I'll think,why am I going so slow? oh well,I'll just carry on at this pace for awhile.Sure enough I'll find out why I subconsiously backed off not far ahead.

Riding the sealed and gravel backroads that I do it's important to build a complete picture of your surroundings,everything to do with where you are,the time of day,the day of the week,you really have to be super alert,specially if you have a bit of pace on.Obvious stuff like dust and powerlines,how fresh is the poo,tyre marks,what sort of vehicle made them,milk tanker or stock trailer,which way is it pointing,because somewhere out there is the rest of the rig.

I love it...it's zen.

**avgas** · 15th April 2005, 10:14

Anyone notice that bikes themselves try and warn you.
Before i did my leg, my bike would start.
Before my dad hit diesel, at the local (beforehand obviously), his bike fell off the stand.
mabey im crazy

**TwoSeven** · 15th April 2005, 10:27

Originally Posted by Bob

You know that way you pick up on signs telling you something is going to happen? I had a perfect case last night.

The East India Dock Road allows bike access (legally) to the bus lane. It has a left turn a little way down, so vehicles have to enter the lane momentarily.

That road is a bugger to drive up some times. I watched someone cut up an 18 wheel truck once while it was turning. When I came back a few hours later they were still trying to cut the car out from under it - the truck had turned over the top of the car.

**The Tazman** · 15th April 2005, 10:47

[QUOTE=Lou Girardin]It's a life saver that the noob's need to learn fast.

That would be a start. I think that everyone should be made to learn on a bike first before being let loose in a car. Then they might learn some road and road user awareness!!!!

**Wolf** · 15th April 2005, 12:30

Originally Posted by The Tazman

I think that everyone should be made to learn on a bike first before being let loose in a car. Then they might learn some road and road user awareness!!!!

Working on that - convinced a friend that she would be best suited learning how to ride first, then came up with a whole lot of arguments she could use to convince her mum of that. If it works out, that's one more biker on the roads with the potential of there being one more savvy car driver on the road when she gets a car licence in years to come.

Tried to post a thread asking for more suggested "advantages" but I can't start new threads at the mo'.

**T.I.E** · 15th April 2005, 12:35

yep i drive always putting myself in the blind spot of cage drivers. and get ready for when they can't be bothered turning their head and move over, to acclerate and hit the horn and scaring the shit out of them.

i ride as if no one can see my. i am invisible to everyone.
and thinking like that has kept me alive this far.

**Ixion** · 15th April 2005, 12:39

Originally Posted by Wolf

Tried to post a thread asking for more suggested "advantages" but I can't start new threads at the mo'.

I had that problem last night. Cleared cookies and cache, restarted Firefox and it seems to have come right

**Motu** · 15th April 2005, 12:45

[QUOTE=The Tazman]

Originally Posted by Lou Girardin

It's a life saver that the noob's need to learn fast.

That would be a start. I think that everyone should be made to learn on a bike first before being let loose in a car. Then they might learn some road and road user awareness!!!!

Up until 10 or 15 yrs ago when bikes were much more common most people started on a bike,only later graduating to a car when they could afford it...just like Helen Clark did.I think the standard of driving may have been worse back then - at least I remember the drivers being much more aggressive.Now days it's more often that they are timid and hesitate instead of making a purposful move.

**TonyB** · 15th April 2005, 13:01

Hows this for 6th sense?
Many moons ago I went to a AB's vs Wallabies game at Lancaster Park. Took my RZ250 and doubled my mate Roy there. A nice security guard let us park right outside, but I digress...
On the way back we were lane splitting a little too fast past stationary traffic down Ferry Road. I was riding along when Roy's helmet smacked into mine and he started climbing up my back. WTF? Then I saw a car that was pulling out through the traffic right in front of us, so I went to hit the anchors BUT THEY WERE ALREADY ON! Thats why Roy was climbing up my back- I was already braking hard. My only explanation is that it was a reflex reaction, the subconcious brain reacted before the concious brain had even had time to register the car (que jokes about me being retarded etc!) No I'm not bullshitting you.
Oh, and we missed the car...and the AB's won...they lost the next one though, THAT was the one when the Aussie hooker scored and gave Fitzie the finger. Sigh, the beginning of the long decline...

**Wolf** · 15th April 2005, 13:06

Originally Posted by Ixion

I had that problem last night. Cleared cookies and cache, restarted Firefox and it seems to have come right

Tried that and failed. Still getting "malformed reply from server" both at home and (cough) at work. alucard_draken said he'll start the thread for me, tho'.

**750Y** · 15th April 2005, 13:09

I will occasionally get all my leathers on at 6am go out to the shed to start up the bike ready for the coro loop assault, then get this bad feeling & will walk back into the house & get all the gear off, make a coffee & sit out on the deck watching the sunrise. i don't ride on those days.
Also sometimes i will just stop partway through a ride, turn around & take it straight home & park it up. don't know why i do this but i NEVER go against that feeling.
sixth sense? probably not, who knows, just a 'weird feeling' really like You're doing something wrong...

**TonyB** · 15th April 2005, 14:16

Originally Posted by 750Y

I will occasionally get all my leathers on at 6am go out to the shed to start up the bike ready for the coro loop assault, then get this bad feeling & will walk back into the house & get all the gear off, make a coffee & sit out on the deck watching the sunrise. i don't ride on those days.
..

Hmm, I just ignore that feeling... it's never been right yet (touches wood- the kind that grows on a tree OK!)

Originally Posted by Motu

I've always done the 6th sense thing,I don't question it's existance - I know! Often on back roads I will find my pace may drop off,enough for me to notice - hmm? I'll think,why am I going so slow? oh well,I'll just carry on at this pace for awhile.Sure enough I'll find out why I subconsiously backed off not far ahead

Yep, that happens to me too. Weird eh?

**Lou Girardin** · 15th April 2005, 14:50

Originally Posted by takiniteasy

yep i drive always putting myself in the blind spot of cage drivers. and get ready for when they can't be bothered turning their head and move over, to acclerate and hit the horn and scaring the shit out of them.

i ride as if no one can see my. i am invisible to everyone.
and thinking like that has kept me alive this far.

Of course you're fucking invisible. you're in their fucking blind spot. One of them will scare the shit out of you one day. Literally!