Question for Biker Cops

[placidfemme]

I'm too scared to take my hands off the bars at this stage, so I have resorted to nod my head and have a few responses.
Tried just waving from the bar, don't think it can be seen.

Nodding is fine, I prefer to nod as I feel safer doing that. Also by just giving a nod I reckon your more likely to get a response as a wave takes the time to check your surroundings... then take your hand off the bar and wave... where as a nod is instant (kind of)

[Jeremy]

Nodding is fine, I prefer to nod as I feel safer doing that. Also by just giving a nod I reckon your more likely to get a response as a wave takes the time to check your surroundings... then take your hand off the bar and wave... where as a nod is instant (kind of)

People notice really notice a wave though. I've had a guy wave at me on the crawl to Uni. I was in the left most lane and so was he on left on the opposite side. Which was probably the furthest away I've had someone wave. I don't think I would have noticed a nod from that far away.

Also I'd say that a decent nod is probably more dangerous than a wave during heavy traffic. As for a split second it's difficult to see the car that is front of you in the next lane to the left. (Or further left)

Cops tend to wave to me. Not sure why. Might be the reflective stickers on the helmet or something. I'll be heading to Uni and once every couple of days or so they'll wave at me when they're coming the other way.

[soundbeltfarm]

um,ah...yes...that would be me.You waved to those you knew,and everyone knew everyone - but as Ixion says there were so many bikes one the road,from bike gangs to commuters,acknowledging everyone was not possible,we all wore open face helmets and you could talk to the bike next to you at the lights.I think there was more cammadre (sp???) back then than now,today bikes are such a lesure activity no one rides a bike because they have to,it's just a trendy thing to do.

I think that's where it may have started with me - the riders of bright shiney Japanese bikes looked down their noses at us guys riding old and unreliable British bikes....they ignored us,we ignored them.I've continued to ride bikes different from the mainstream and continued to have riders of bright shiney Japanese bikes be a little puzzled when they see me on the road - their problem,not mine.

do you wear a full face stack hat now ?
if yes , how long did it take for you to move away from the open face?

[Motu]

do you wear a full face stack hat now ?
if yes , how long did it take for you to move away from the open face?

Got one of them new fangled full face jobs in 1973,just to see what they were like,brought my second one,a Nolan back from OZ in 1980.I alternated between full and open face for years.Now I have an MX helmet for those days I feel like more freedom.I'd like a Davida,but can't justify the expence for a 3rd helmet.

[placidfemme]

Got one of them new fangled full face jobs in 1973,just to see what they were like,brought my second one,a Nolan back from OZ in 1980.I alternated between full and open face for years.Now I have an MX helmet for those days I feel like more freedom.I'd like a Davida,but can't justify the expence for a 3rd helmet.

lol you can't justify it? 2 helmets in 32 years... you don't need to justify it

[Motu]

lol you can't justify it? 2 helmets in 32 years... you don't need to justify it

Got my first helmet in 1971,a white pudding basin,as embarassing then as now.Helmets last me about 7 years,and get the final toss as the stand by shed helmet at around 10yrs old,I have 2 now and a 3rd as a ''shed'' helmet,to get an expensive 3rd good helmet would be an unjustifiable expense for me...I'd ''like'' 10 helmets,but 2 is enough really.

[placidfemme]

Got my first helmet in 1971,a white pudding basin,as embarassing then as now.Helmets last me about 7 years,and get the final toss as the stand by shed helmet at around 10yrs old,I have 2 now and a 3rd as a ''shed'' helmet,to get an expensive 3rd good helmet would be an unjustifiable expense for me...I'd ''like'' 10 helmets,but 2 is enough really.

lol fair enough... I've only ever had 2 helmets... and can't wait to get my new one... I havn't decided yet which one I want... either a Shoei, Arai or Shark...

[Ixion]

Got my first helmet in 1971,a white pudding basin,as embarassing then as now.Helmets last me about 7 years,and get the final toss as the stand by shed helmet at around 10yrs old...

I had one of them too. A genuine 'Corker Skid Lid' . Me mum made me wear it. I usually have 4 helmets. Newest, open road. Then relegated to ride to work. Thence to off road (never wore a lid off road in the old days, but you need one now. ). Then emergency standby . Never take pillions so don't need one for that. They last me more than 7 years though.

[placidfemme]

I had one of them too. A genuine 'Corker Skid Lid' . Me mum made me wear it. I usually have 4 helmets. Newest, open road. Then relegated to ride to work. Thence to off road (never wore a lid off road in the old days, but you need one now. ). Then emergency standby . Never take pillions so don't need one for that. They last me more than 7 years though.

Just a random question...

You said you didn't really need helmets for off-road in the old days... did you guys have a lot less accidents back then (as in less hoons... therefore less accidents)

[Ixion]

Just a random question...

You said you didn't really need helmets for off-road in the old days... did you guys have a lot less accidents back then (as in less hoons... therefore less accidents)

Our "off road" was not like motocross, more like trials . Quite slow (usually) and a matter of "can you get down there and up the other side ?", not "how fast can you go". We came off heaps, but not at any speed. Injury was rare, apart from scratches and branch penetrations. And shell fish cuts, nasty things those barnacles.

I think they only started wearing helmets in trials very recently, Sammy Miller never wore anything but his flat cap I think.

But generally, I don't think there was such a strong emphasis on speed for its own sake 40 years ago. We liked to go fast, but it wasn't the whole deal, it was riding not racing. Couldn't honestly say we wasn't hoons though.

None of the guys I rode with were killed or seriously injured on bikes, and I can only remember two minor crashes (20mph stuff). Mind you , crashing was considered pretty dorkish so people might not have admitted to it.

[eliot-ness]

.
Mind you , crashing was considered pretty dorkish so people might not have admitted to it.

I'll agree with that. Anyone who fell off through his own mistakes kept very quiet if they didn't want to be called a pillock. No pat on the back or 'hard luck mate'. Accidents were regarded as a serious business, not something to be laughed about over a pint. Body armour didn't exist in those days. Riding gear consisted of basic waterproof jacket and pants plus gloves and helmet.
The pudding basin, thanks to the ACU, was the only approved helmet for racing in the UK up to the late 60s, despite full face being used elswhere.. Not surprising when the sports governing body went by the title of 'Auto Cycle Union'.

[placidfemme]

Our "off road" was not like motocross, more like trials . Quite slow (usually) and a matter of "can you get down there and up the other side ?", not "how fast can you go". We came off heaps, but not at any speed. Injury was rare, apart from scratches and branch penetrations. And shell fish cuts, nasty things those barnacles.

I think they only started wearing helmets in trials very recently, Sammy Miller never wore anything but his flat cap I think.

But generally, I don't think there was such a strong emphasis on speed for its own sake 40 years ago. We liked to go fast, but it wasn't the whole deal, it was riding not racing. Couldn't honestly say we wasn't hoons though.

None of the guys I rode with were killed or seriously injured on bikes, and I can only remember two minor crashes (20mph stuff). Mind you , crashing was considered pretty dorkish so people might not have admitted to it.

Kewl, thanks for answering

I've never ridden (is that a word? lol) off road... I've rode my ZXR on a dirt road lol, but not real dirt biking

I'm not sure what the accident rate was for motorcyclists in Zimbabwe, I never knew many bikers, and those that I did know had been riding for 15+ years and so they hardly ever came off...

Only accident invloving bikes I ever saw was a little messenger bike (more likely a 125 or 150cc little cruiser type bikes... like the ones you get in India or Asia...) and the messenger went across an intersection and got smacked by a car... the rider was fine... but the bike looked like a harley with high handle bars as they had been pushed right up...