Give me some tips for riding in the rain!

[GTRMAN]

Well, yeh, not braking is always a way to avoid heavy braking, however the idea is to avoid heavy breaking, something not braking doesn't do. Sun/street lights don't obscure white lines, add to this that white lines are in standard places anyway, it not hard to avoid em; bus trip to the optometrist in order perhaps?

I think from your posts what has happened is you've had an incident you were not equipped to avoid and its made you petrified of locking up the front wheel; a natural reaction. But it is a reaction borne of ignorance, lock ups are easy to deal with if you have practiced them, they are also safe to practice. Your ignorance on those two points is what makes you continue to give very poor advice, and ride in an unsafe manner. Ie, going through a yellow light which necessitates acceleration to get through, means you cannot stop safely in a distance the roading authorities determines for safe driving habits; so bottom line is you advocate an approach which makes you worse than what is considered a minimum safe standard, in light of that you really should be banned from posting in the survival skills section.

[Berries]

That's one of the reasons why some of us take a chance and go through an amber light in the wet.

Why stop there, if you'll pardon the pun?

A great wet road riding tip is to just keep going when you see a pedestrian crossing the road ahead of you to save any troublesome thoughts about braking. Rail crossings are another one. Even dogs running across the road, they know it is raining so check both ways before crossing just to be safe with all those people wazzing around who can't stop in the wet. As do five year old children.


I am tempted to suggest that we have a KB whip round to you can get some brake pads.

[FJRider]

I use a technique called "planning ahead" for similar situations.

A nice idea ... but I doubt if it'll catch on ...

[bogan]

self portrait

I'm not

You and your mates are the ignorant ones to make such claims about my riding for the simple fact YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN ME RIDE!! And with your ability to hold a bike upright in a skid while stopping at the lights on a wet road you still run exactly the same risk of ending up stopping in the middle of the intersection
and being hit, with the only difference is that the car that hits you will knock you off as opposed to hitting you when you are already down. You and your mate are the ones who should be banned for the bad advise. Its too bad the other 2 posters who actually stated before me in this thread that they do what I do have not pursued the debate any further than their first post then there would be 3 against 3 in the debate eh!!

It is only you that cannot stop in less than the max stopping distance, the rest of us will happily pull up well before the intersection at a yellow light; it is exactly how they are designed. It isn't a debate, or a weight of opinion thing, you are unable to stop safely at a yellow light; this is basic roadcraft that all motorists should be able to do 100% of the time, I don't need to see you ride to know you shouldn't be giving advice with behavior like that.

[Fern]

My point is that there is no exception to the slipperiness of Wellington's white lines! :-)

[bogan]

Ok I have just worked out from this post of yours what you do that is different to what I do in that when you are approaching the intersection and the light is green you actually slow down so if it turns amber you will not end up in the middle of the intersection when you brake in the wet. While slowing down approaching a green light could be safer than what I do it is not in the road code that you must do it is it?

Nope, misreading again. If the light goes yellow I'll stop from 50kmhr if it is safe to do so, if it is not I shall continue through the intersection with ample enough time so that the yellow only turns red once I am fully through it; thus completing the operation safely under any circumstances. Though sometimes I'll not stop even when I could do so safely if I just want to get where I'm going a bit quicker and ready to risk a ticket.

Here's a few figures for ya, wet stopping dist from 50kmhr is about 20m, 50mhr is about 17m/s, now have you ever seen traffic lights phase through yellow in under 2 seconds?

[FJRider]

Ok I have just worked out from this post of yours what you do that is different to what I do in that when you are approaching the intersection and the light is green you actually slow down so if it turns amber you will not end up in the middle of the intersection when you brake in the wet. While slowing down approaching a green light could be safer than what I do it is not in the road code that you must do it is it?

The topic of the thread is Tips for riding in the rain. Most would agree ... a little more care should be taken then than you would in the dry. If the green light has been on for a while ... slowing a bit will improve your ability (and safety) to stop, should you get the Amber light. If it doesn't change ... power on and go ...

[Erelyes]

While slowing down approaching a green light could be safer than what I do it is not in the road code that you must do it is it?

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

If a car can enter your path, it is safest to assume that it will enter your path. At intersections:

• approach slowly - if a driver does pull out suddenly, your chances of making a quick stop or quick turn are better if you're going slowly

But okay

[bogan]

So after all your debate with me you concede you do exactly the same thing as me except we do it for different reasons but both equally as deadly eh so that brings to an end our debate then!!

Not equally as deadly as I don't advise others it is the safer option

Practice is the safer option, knowing your capabilities is the safer option, competent threat assessment is the safer option. Accelerating through a yellow light is not the safer option.

[FJRider]

So after all your debate with me you concede you do exactly the same thing as me except we do it for different reasons but both equally as deadly eh so that brings to an end our debate then!!

As with many similar decisions ... get it right on the day and you'll have NO issues.

Get it wrong ... And because YOU made the decision ... it becomes your fault. Just as much fault as any others "Involved" in the ensuing carnage.

The simple fact is ... that riders with limited riding experience ... tend to make wrong decisions. Guessing right is not the same as knowing you are right.

Sadly .. Being in the right (or making right decisions) has no certainty of keeping you safe either ..

[bogan]

If it was not safe you would not be doing it either since you have rambled on about it being so unsafe and you worry about what others think of my "advice" as you put it.

It is safe because I can stop, but chose not to if circumstances allow/warrant it, but in that situation it is not safer to go through than it is to stop as you say it is. Your way of not being able to safely stop (and advising making no effort to acquire this most basic of skill) in the first place does not allow for the evaluation of circumstance, and choice of options.

Practice is the safer option, knowing your capabilities is the safer option, competent threat assessment is the safer option. Accelerating through a yellow light is not the safer option.

[FJRider]

And when motorcyclists get to the point where all the things you say become a big enough worry they stop riding but even driving has no certainty of keeping you safe just safer in some situations.

Many have .. and do stop riding for that reason ... and ... that is their choice to make. And I will not argue or deride those that make/made that decision. Neither should you.

but ...

Google ... Risk management.

The risk factor is always there when you ride a motorcycle. That is the reason many ride ... (that and the bad boy/girl image motorcyclists are often perceived as having). How much risk you take is entirely up to you ... as the rider. If you feel brave, lucky ... or (extremely .. ??) skilled ... you may choose to take far greater risks. That is your choice.

Risks taken in ignorance or stupidity (or vanity) make the rider at the controls NO less responsible for the (any) carnage that may result from those risks taken.

If your statement to Police afterwards is that ... I didn't know THAT would happen ... remember .. it is not a get out of jail free card.

Even being not at fault does not remove you from some responsibility by simply being involved. In some cases ... somebody else may still be alive had you made a different decision. In some cases ... that different decision may just have been slowing down a bit.

Those choices you may make could save a life. The life you save may be yours ...

[FJRider]

What a nonsensical remark to say you should feel some guilt if you are not at fault.

As YOU have (obviously) no conscience ... that will work for you.

Good luck with that ... expect the same in return if the error is yours. And the one that dies is a love of yours.

[FJRider]

It is safe only if circumstances allow/warrant it eh sport. How about you just respect my reason for doing it and I will respect your reason for doing it because you are in a hurry??????

Only end results count. Reasons for ... are really immaterial. Reasons wont remove responsibility.

Get it right ... no worries

Get it wrong ..

[bogan]

It is safe only if circumstances allow/warrant it eh sport. How about you just respect my reason for doing it and I will respect your reason for doing it because you are in a hurry??????

Of course that is the case. As in most road rules, like pass only when it is safe circumstances, go through an intersection only when the circumstances are safe. I will not respect either your opinion or advice because they are demonstrably wrong.

I do not expect you or a cop to respect my reason of I was in a hurry, because it is not the safest option. Stopping is, even if it is a hard stop. Practice is a safe way to improve your hard stopping performance, I suggest you work on both that, and getting a better attitude.