Bikers on the Rimutaka Hill

[swbarnett]

, that hill is not designed for B trains, or very large loads...

That road is humongous compared to what we drove on in northern Italy. My wife was yelling at me to get away from the cliff as I nearly clipped mirrors with a ferrari. Over there they take full size tour buses on roads where they're nearly touching both sides on the tight bends. It cn take 20 minutes for two of them to pass if they meet on a bend.

What that hill needs is a tunnel. At the very least the heavy traffic should be put on a train instead of going over. However, until one of these solutions is put into action there's something that we Kiwis could learn from the Italians - Patience.

[FJRider]

... However, when you come round a bend to be confronted with a lorry and trailer halfway into your lane to negotiate said corner? Even on the bike I had a 'F**K ME' moment as I 'reacted' to alter road position. Main road or not, that hill is not designed for B trains, or very large loads...

If you came around that very same corner to find a very large rock taking up half of your lane ... would your reaction be any different .. ???

We always assume that "Our" lane IS clear around a blind bend ... even if we can't see around it ... or no indication there is a "blockage".

But we forget about the "being able to stop in half the clear distance ahead" rule ... and by your last line quoted ..

[bogan]

If you came around that very same corner to find a very large rock taking up half of your lane ... would your reaction be any different .. ???

We always assume that "Our" lane IS clear around a blind bend ... even if we can't see around it ... or no indication there is a "blockage".

But we forget about the "being able to stop in half the clear distance ahead" rule ... and by your last line quoted ..

To be fair, rocks are often moving a tad slower than oncoming B-trains.

[James Deuce]

Maybe those who feel bends can be taken "Fast and Safe" would rethink their belief on that road.

How the fuck do you ever get anywhere? I can only ever picture you taking incrementally and infinitely smaller units of distance out of the same corner without ever actually getting to an apex, let alone making it the whole way around!

[Ocean1]

To be fair, rocks are often moving a tad slower than oncoming B-trains.

Bollox. Rocks routinely leap very rapidly from the side of tracks to hit my KTM.

Gorse, bush lawyer, the more mobile forms of mud, all pretty rapid when it comes to actual "oncoming".

[Ocean1]

How the fuck do you ever get anywhere? I can only ever picture you taking incrementally and infinitely smaller units of distance out of the same corner without ever actually getting to an apex, let alone making it the whole way around!

Well, to complete the corner he first has to get half way. And then half of the rest of the way....

Proof that in fact he never actually completes any corner.

[Kendoll]

Treating public roads as racetracks needs to receive the same sort of condemnation that drink driving does these days.

What, a little smack on the wrist and a pathetic fine? Drink driving penalties are a complete joke

[Katman]

What, a little smack on the wrist and a pathetic fine? Drink driving penalties are a complete joke

I was referring more to the public stigma attached to drink driving - rather than the punishment.

[swbarnett]

the "being able to stop in half the clear distance ahead" rule ...

IIRC that's only on an unmarked road. It's your full visibility on a marked road.

[FJRider]

IIRC that's only on an unmarked road. It's your full visibility on a marked road.

Clear roadway ahead ... Marked or unmarked ... there is no distinction.

As the law is written ....

"Driving at a speed that means you are unable to stop in half of the clear distance ahead"

There are 20 Demerit points "Available" ... if you are found not doing so ...

[FJRider]

To be fair, rocks are often moving a tad slower than oncoming B-trains.

To be fair ... The bikers that have the issues ... will be traveling faster than both ...

[Crasherfromwayback]

Maybe those who feel bends can be taken "Fast and Safe" would rethink their belief on that road.

http://blog.melschwartz.com/2011/08/...k-in-a-groove/

[Ender EnZed]

Clear roadway ahead ... Marked or unmarked ... there is no distinction.

As the law is written ....

"Driving at a speed that means you are unable to stop in half of the clear distance ahead"

There are 20 Demerit points "Available" ... if you are found not doing so ...

Actually he's right.

You can drive at any speed under or equal to the limit, provided:


you can stop in half the length of clear road you can see in front of you on a road with no centre line or lanes (for example, a narrow country road where vehicles may meet head-on)
you can stop in the length of clear lane you can see in front of you on a road with a centre line or lanes.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/ro...ed-limits.html

[FJRider]

How the fuck do you ever get anywhere? I can only ever picture you taking incrementally and infinitely smaller units of distance out of the same corner without ever actually getting to an apex, let alone making it the whole way around!

But she will get there ... eventually. Alive and happy ... ready for the next ride.

As long as she doesn't impede the flow of traffic and doesn't exceed any posted speed limits. How fast ... or how carefully she rides ... is her business.

[SMOKEU]

But we forget about the "being able to stop in half the clear distance ahead" rule ... and by your last line quoted ..

As the law is written ....

"Driving at a speed that means you are unable to stop in half of the clear distance ahead"

There are 20 Demerit points "Available" ... if you are found not doing so ...

That's what I don't get. If I'm leaned over in a corner, then by the time I stand the Gixxer up, load the front suspension and tyre so I can brake hard, I'd have to go around corners at less than half their recommended speed in order to do that.