Motorcycle Popo got SMIDSYed tonight

[Zedder]

There's a big difference between a short toot on the horn and trying to force the button through to the other side of the switchblock.

My comment was a sad indictment of New Zealand drivers that act like that, but also what GM said is true.

[Katman]

My comment was a sad indictment of New Zealand drivers that act like that, but also what GM said is true.

There's plenty of sad indictments on New Zealand road users (motorcyclists included).

At the end of the day, I believe the average road user can tell the difference in intent between a short quarter of a second toot and a 5 second blast.

I'd rather use my horn and be seen than avoid using it in case I offended someone.

[Zedder]

There's plenty of sad indictments on New Zealand road users (motorcyclists included).

At the end of the day, I believe the average road user can tell the difference in intent between a short quarter of a second toot and a 5 second blast.

I'd rather use my horn and be seen than avoid using it in case I offended someone.

Even when it's a short warning toot most drivers get overly upset. It's bloody crazy.

[Oakie]

Seriously, if anyone is offended by what I've said in this thread they're in desperate need of hardening the fuck up.

I appreciate your message KM but instead of everyone 'hardening the fuck up', perhaps you could 'soften the fuck up' when delivering the message on the back of someone getting hurt or worse. Dude, it's not what you say that offends people, it's just the way you say it. Just saying ...

[jrandom]

Bet he's a barrel of laughs at a party, "Dont drink that, you might get intoxicated".

[GTRMAN]

Trouble is, sitting around rubbing each other's back and going "There, there" teaches no-one anything.

What can we learn from this thread?

1. Identify potential hazards and give them the required degree of concentration.
2. Perform a turn at an intersection at a speed that allows for evasive action.
3. Perform a turn across the front of another vehicle in a wide enough arc that maximises the space between you and that vehicle.
4. Look at the driver and try to work out what they're thinking. (The leaning forward over the steering wheel with head flopping from side to side is a dead giveaway that they haven't seen you).
5. Be prepared to use your horn if you suspect the driver hasn't seen you. (Contrary to popular belief, the horn is there as a warning device - not a "Fuck you" device).
6. Be prepared to break off the turn if the car so much as sneezes.
7. Learn to compensate for the inadequacies of other road users 'cos regardless of whether you're in the right or not, you're the one most likely to be hurt.
8. Holding hands in a circle and singing Kumbayah does fuck all for anyone.
9. Katman doesn't do sympathy very well.

All good things to think about, and I'm sure the gentleman laying in the hospital bed is doing just that. But you have to look at your communcation style dude, from the way you post it would seem like you want to be be the guy at the top of the cliff saying "would never have happened if you had listened to me, you did this wrong and that wrong....." OR you sincerely want people to consider what you are saying and be better riders, but lack the communication skills to get your message across without sounding like a self important, supercilious ass.

If you truly care about rider safety, both your own and other bikers, then isn't worth taking the time to communicate your thoughts in a more engaging and positive way?

[caspernz]

All good things to think about, and I'm sure the gentleman laying in the hospital bed is doing just that. But you have to look at your communcation style dude, from the way you post it would seem like you want to be be the guy at the top of the cliff saying "would never have happened if you had listened to me, you did this wrong and that wrong....." OR you sincerely want people to consider what you are saying and be better riders, but lack the communication skills to get your message across without sounding like a self important, supercilious ass.

If you truly care about rider safety, both your own and other bikers, then isn't worth taking the time to communicate your thoughts in a more engaging and positive way?

One gets the impression that Katman thinks he is being positive and engaging already...

[oneofsix]

One gets the impression that Katman thinks he is being positive and engaging already...

where did you get that idea? He sets out to by challenging and upsetting and uses negativity to achieve this. Look at this thread, an off duty cop who is trained to be observant gets bowled in a SIDMY and we are meant to accept that he has better situational awareness skills than a bike cop! Really? and if a bike cop gets blind-sided by a dozzy bastard we as commuter riders or Sunday riders or what ever are meant to be able to do better. The only poster to try to attribute blame was Katman, the rest were just concerned for the downed riders well being with blame less irrelevant at this stage.
Ups to Katman for starting a separate thread on situational awareness and this si where his comments should have been in the first place.

Feel for the downed rider.

[MSTRS:Me]

Being human IS used too often to excuse any sort of failure that leads to carnage, big or small, victim or perpetrator. Trouble is, we ARE human and we do make mistakes.
Even the best security systems have blind spots, despite the best efforts of trained specialists who design/install them. If a PTW cop can get taken out, anyone can. Including Katman, who eats, shits and breathes just like the rest of us.
All we can do is to make sure any mistakes we do make are inconsequential.

Best wishes to the injured cop.

[Bassmatt]

How would you know how much force is being applied to someone elses horn? My scooter has an incredibly sensitive horn, and I'm not shy about giving it a quick poke if someone else is endangering me.

Your boyfriends name is Scooter?

[Maha]

+1

time and place KM, this isnt it. your lack of finesse is the reason for your crusade falling on deaf ears.

But he absolutely has a point, and I know for a fact, that what he speaks of, has happened...the ones that wont to listen, will never listen.
And there is no better time/place to deliver a safety message than in a thread of this nature.

[MSTRS:Me]

But he absolutely has a point, and I know for a fact, that what he speaks of, has happened...the ones that wont to listen, will never listen.
And there is no better time/place to deliver a safety message than in a thread of this nature.

And we keep having these threads as each new tragedy occurs. So FUCKEN often that we are in danger of becoming totally inured to them and not even try to dispense the message of personal responsibility.

[Woodman]

Personally, whenever one of these threads come up and i see katman is involved, I always have a look mainly for the humour and the ott reactions of some posters. If i see a "safe riding" thread I don't even look cos they are probarbly not entertaining at all, so thanks katman for both entertaining and informing me.

Keep it up.

[Maha]

And we keep having these threads as each new tragedy occurs. So FUCKEN often that we are in danger of becoming totally inured to them and not even try to dispense the message of personal responsibility.

Unfortunately very true John...and the likes of Boob Johnson etc, have just been replaced with the newer ilk it would seem.

[FJRider]

Even when it's a short warning toot most drivers get overly upset. It's bloody crazy.

If said driver knows they had fucked up ... they take even the short blast on the horn as a personal insult to/of their driving abilities. As with most electrical devices ... it''s either on or off. The amount of pressure on the buttom does not change volume.

The one time of the day when all attention is required ... is near the end. Be it at, or near the end of your ride/work shift, when your proximity to getting home makes you relax a little. The things you need to do when you get there (or before) taking precident in your head.