My road riding rules

[Pwalo]

For what they're worth here's Pwalo's riding rules.

1. You ARE invisible. It doesn't matter if you wear a flourescent vest, white helmet, have your lights on, have loud pipes, etc. It's nothing personal. Cars etc don't see trains, fire engines, other cars so don't expect them to see you. Think about how easy it is when you are in a car to lose another car in the A or B pillar etc.

2. The road is not a race track. I LOVE going fast (yes even on a GS500), but roads aren't race tracks. They are just too unpredicatable. You know the stuff. Traffic, roadworks, curbs, dodgy road sealing. The fantastic thing about tracks is that they stay the same lap after lap. Roads don't.

3. YOU are responsible for your own safety. This is a no brainer. I was always taught that the only person you can control or predict with any degree of ceratinty is yourself. You simply can't guess what others sharing the tarmac with you will do. Look out for yourself.

That's it.

PS I still love going fast and getting corners just right.

[Motu]

No problems with any of that,you don't get to ride a bike for decades without having to come to terms with this stuff.I agree with point 2,but probably opposite from your intention - I love road riding because the roads are unpredictable,I don't want them all the same every time and totaly predictable,I want challenge,keeping up a good steady pace on a back road is the pinacle of my motorcycling experiance,it brings everything I've learned over the years into play.

[vifferman]

I love road riding because the roads are unpredictable,I don't want them all the same every time and totaly predictable, I want challenge,keeping up a good steady pace on a back road is the pinacle of my motorcycling experiance,it brings everything I've learned over the years into play.

One of the best things about commuting on a bike compared to a car (or worse - the bus) is that you have to be so alert, that it takes so much concentration. I find it wakes me up, and I get to work buzzing, whereas in the car I'm relatively relaxed, and almost asleep if I take the bus.

[Ixion]

No problems with any of that,you don't get to ride a bike for decades without having to come to terms with this stuff.I agree with point 2,but probably opposite from your intention - I love road riding because the roads are unpredictable,I don't want them all the same every time and totaly predictable,I want challenge,keeping up a good steady pace on a back road is the pinacle of my motorcycling experiance,it brings everything I've learned over the years into play.

I agree with that. I think track riding would be so boring. Just trying to go faster and faster. I like new roads I've not been on before - I don't know WHAT they're going to do. Or roads that I've not ridden for so long they've changed or I've forgotten them.

[eliot-ness]

My thoughts exactly. Invisibility can be countered to some extent simply by road positioning. I've read a few times on the site that bikers should follow in the wheel tracks of the car in front in wet weather, the reason given is that this is the driest part of the road and the area between the tracks is where all the oil and crap accumulates. I disagree on three counts. First, The wheel tracks usualy coincide with the blind spot. Second, Your tires, if they are any good at all, are designed to dissipate water, just like the car tires. Third, The so called crappy area is the one you cross twice when you corner at speed on the recommended line so riding in a straight line shouldn't be a problem. There used to be a sticker on the backs of trucks, "If you can't see me, I can't see you" which was very apt. Always ride in a position where you can see the drivers face in his mirrors, interior or wing. Don't suddenly accelerate out of his blind spot when you see a chance to overtake, he may be waiting for that same chance. Flash your lights or give em a blast on the horn before you make your move, don't expect him to know what you're thinking. Anticipation is ane of the bikers greatest safety assets. Use it and some of of the problems will never happen.

[Motu]

Or roads that I've not ridden for so long they've changed or I've forgotten them.

This is what I've been doing these last few years,and it's been the best time on a bike.

Back in the 70s I rode and drove on the roads from say Naike north,including Coromandle to say Waipu....I had a rare map with all the roads including tracks and paper roads,and I used to go out and ''find'' them,by myself as I still do today.I knew these roads very,very well,and coming back to Auckland in the mid 90s I could explore them again,especialy when I got the XLV750.As you say,they have changed....disapeared,sealed,smoothed out,no exit roads go somewhere,roads that went somewhere are dead ends.As I have gone further out in my exploring I had to change bikes as the XLV750 became unsuitable.It's been a shit load of fun for me.

[Ixion]

My thoughts exactly. Invisibility can be countered to some extent simply by road positioning. I've read a few times on the site that bikers should follow in the wheel tracks of the car in front in wet weather, the reason given is that this is the driest part of the road and the area between the tracks is where all the oil and crap accumulates. I disagree on three counts. First, The wheel tracks usualy coincide with the blind spot. Second, Your tires, if they are any good at all, are designed to dissipate water, just like the car tires. Third, The so called crappy area is the one you cross twice when you corner at speed on the recommended line so riding in a straight line shouldn't be a problem. ...

Agree. I''ve never been happy about the "right wheel track always" idea. Sometimes it's a good place to be , but other times centre or left is better. I never trust drivers to see you in their exterior mirrors, a lot of older drivers simply never use them (they were quite rare when older drivers learned to drive). And if I'm in the right hand lane I don't like right wheel track cos it's an invitation for a cage to come share your space. Left track is better. Right or left track is good though coming up to lights or intersection , because you have an escape route in case the idiot behind you doesn't stop.

[Oakie]

No arguments here.
I often ride slightly to the right of the car infont for three reasons:
> it allows me to see better what the traffic ahead of him is doing so I don't just have to take my queues from his brake lights alone
> it gives him two mirrors with which to see me (assuming but never taking for granted that he uses them)
> it allows me a bit of an escape route if my following distance isn't all that it should be and he brakes suddenly.

You could say the same applies on the left of the vehicle but I've always felt the nearer to the centre line you ride, the more likely it is that the vehicle behind you is going to take notice of you. Even alone on the highway I sit about 1.5 metres to the left of the centre line as then cars have to make a proper overtaking manoeuvre to get by rather than just slide on past without much thought if I was close to the left hand edge of the road. That's happened to us all hasn't it?

[RiderInBlack]

Bigger blind-spot on the left of a vehicle + they do not expect to see you there. I drive the ute looking for vehicles gaining on me (it's f*cken slow). There is not left mirrior on it (I've added a right one) so don't come-up on me on the left because I will have a shit show of seeing you unless you are driving a Mack Truck.

RIB's Number One Riding Rule:
Ride Assuming that everyone on the road is an Idiot about to do something stupid. Do not forget that the most dangerious Idiot to you is the one on the bike with you

[DingDong]

Yeah thats all great stuff

[Skyryder]

Me?
I have just one rule.

1 Be prepared to give way to all.............even in the right.

We say the same thing guys but mine just take fewer words.


Skyryder

[Bonez]

a lot of older drivers simply never use them (they were quite rare when older drivers learned to drive).

Where the hell did you get that from?

[SPman]

SP's road rules
If you're slower than me - get out of the fuckin way!
If you're faster than me - f' christ sake pass me and get out of the fuckin way!
Anyone else - get out of the fuckin way!


Seems to work for me!

[Ixion]

Where the hell did you get that from?

From when I learnt to drive. Not many cars had wing or door mirrors. I think they didn't really become common until we started to get Jap cars in volume. (Not sure if there was a legislative change.Do you actually have to have an exterior mirror? I'm sure you didn't use to.) You could get them but not many had them (Trucks were another matter). They were considered "sporty" or swanky. A lot of older drivers I know very rarely check their exterior mirrors (even though they may be quite good at checking the interior one)

[2_SL0]

SP's road rules
If you're slower than me - get out of the fuckin way!
If you're faster than me - f' christ sake pass me and get out of the fuckin way!
Anyone else - get out of the fuckin way!


Seems to work for me!

LMAO