Akaroa GP rant

[Tazz]

Is it such an issue when you can clearly see what is in front of you/see completely through the corner?

I won't lie, I do it sometimes when I am on a road I know and see there is no traffic coming.

Would a coppa pull me over for failing to indicate when moving out of my lane, or something else?

Yes. It is a really bad habit. Part of the challenge in hammering down should be to do it while keeping within your own lane. It's a good feeling when you do it and are still passing corner cutting try hard 'can't actually ride for shit because I'm too busy thinking unnecessary leaning makes me fast' morons on the road to Akaroa, on a bike or otherwise.

I'll give you a pass on S bends on straights though, sometimes

[pritch]

To be at the highest point of the corner, not the lowest.

The term as used in motorcycling is different to what you might see in the dictionary. The guy in Rastus's pic was close to the apex and the guy in my avatar is approaching it at a rate of knots.

[Berries]

Interested in peoples views on this.

If you can see round the corner and there is nothing coming then I don't see a problem with it. To be honest, if you can see that nothing is coming I don't have a problem with crossing the centreline and cutting the corner but then your former colleagues look down on that. Rules are rules yadeyadeyah.

On a right hand bend if you cannot see around it then you would be stupid to ride hanging over the centreline waiting to get your head twatted by an oncoming vehicle. I am happy to leave that for Darwin to sort out.

[rastuscat]

Is it such an issue when you can clearly see what is in front of you/see completely through the corner?

I won't lie, I do it sometimes when I am on a road I know and see there is no traffic coming.

Would a coppa pull me over for failing to indicate when moving out of my lane, or something else?

The issue was when we were coming into left hand corners and we were using the wide approach (2/3 of the way from the left of the road to the centre line) we ended up bloody close to the numpties coming around the right hand corner the other way with their wheels on the centre line. Their lean put them well over into our ride of the road.

Just wait until some spotty faced irk in a Skyline with double-overhead grease nipples comes into a left hander too hot and drifts wide. He'll make a hood ornament of anything on his side of the road.

And the other point here is that riding is done from habit. I bet any of those idiots I saw yesterday would have said they had plenty of room, and they had seen that the way was clear. Yes, it was clear. Apart from us coming the other way.

[WNJ]

Just wait until some spotty faced irk in a Skyline with double-overhead grease nipples comes into a left hander too hot and drifts wide. He'll make a hood ornament of anything on his side of the road.

Or a Rossi wanna be as has happened more often than you would think,

[AllanB]

Interesting post as I went up that hill yesterday and discovered one of those huge tour buses straddling the centre line while I was mid corner technically on my side but just .....

And gave the very subject quite a lot of thought after and since including this mornings short spin.

Blind corners - not a good idea period.

Open with good visibility, not too worried at the practice in that case as what it does allow is run off room to your left IF you find yourself overcooking it or a unknown corner tightens up (in which case there may not be that much visibility ....)

The PC response to my last statement above is of course, less speed then little need for such run-off.

The Akaroa road used to be one of NZ's best. But now it is constantly busy, in poor repair (gives one thought towards a long suspended mortard ....) and as a result becoming at times quite dangerous. I think of areas way back on much lesser machines where I used to pass and I'd not ever consider it now. Maybe getting old!

Back to the original subject. From a technical point of view of law - has a vehicle 'crossed' the centre line if it's wheels are still on the correct side? Aye?

Side note - talking to a chap yesterday who got ticketed a while back for crossing the marked lines on the inside of his corner lane - you know the corners - very wide with a centre line and inner curve line too generally with some hatching lines or similar carrying to the inner grass or similar. A few of these on the Akaroa road. He contested it but lost as apparently it is a thing!

[trufflebutter]

I'm with you on that. The riding wasn't really proper apexing. It was more "Riding On The Stupid Line"

Yes, it absolutely illustrates how not to corner, there was a similar photo on FB a few days ago with a Bus superimposed, a good proportion of the front left hand corner (American photo) of the Bus was smothering the motorcyclist.

[rastuscat]

Yes, it absolutely illustrates how not to corner, there was a similar photo on FB a few days ago with a Bus superimposed, a good proportion of the front left hand corner (American photo) of the Bus was smothering the motorcyclist.

Can you send me that pic with the bus imposed? It'll be great to use as a training example.

[george formby]

And the other point here is that riding is done from habit..

Yup. Better off with good ones. I've been pilloried on a UK forum for disagreeing with crossing the centre line to better see through a sweeping corner. It's commonly taught now, apparently. That's a pursuit technique IMHO. And a bad habit to make habitual on the roads you habitually ride on. Particularly if your heading home and your brain is discussing with your stomach whether to have Indian or Chinese. And you end up riding to fast for your appetite.

Readers may have a greater choice of cuisines than myself but you get my drift.

[AllanB]

On that road more looking forward to a Bacon Buttie at Little River or a Samon frittata? Mmmmmmmm

[rastuscat]

On that road more looking forward to a Bacon Buttie at Little River or a Samon frittata? Mmmmmmmm

Or a locha wocha mocha choca, per the liberal tendencies of today's hipsters.

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[Ocean1]

Yup. Better off with good ones. I've been pilloried on a UK forum for disagreeing with crossing the centre line to better see through a sweeping corner. It's commonly taught now, apparently. That's a pursuit technique IMHO. And a bad habit to make habitual on the roads you habitually ride on. Particularly if your heading home and your brain is discussing with your stomach whether to have Indian or Chinese. And you end up riding to fast for your appetite.

Readers may have a greater choice of cuisines than myself but you get my drift.

Habit has more to do with body inputs/reactions, rather than situational criteria. So I'd not be batting your corner.

There's a strategic difference between keeping to your "own" bit of road and avoiding oncoming traffic, and I'm an avid, nay devout adherent of the latter. To the point of completely ignoring any road marking whatsoever should it make me feel even slightly less exposed.

Also, let's not forget that while avoiding sharing space with heavy objects at significantly differing velocities is pretty high on the list of shit to worry about, it's not the only item there. Spotting a deeply suspicious shiny dark patch up ahead can easily alter my preferred line.

[rastuscat]

Habit has more to do with body inputs/reactions, rather than situational criteria. So I'd not be batting your corner.

There's a strategic difference between keeping to your "own" bit of road and avoiding oncoming traffic, and I'm an avid, nay devout adherent of the latter. To the point of completely ignoring any road marking whatsoever should it make me feel even slightly less exposed.

Also, let's not forget that while avoiding sharing space with heavy objects at significantly differing velocities is pretty high on the list of shit to worry about, it's not the only item there. Spotting a deeply suspicious shiny dark patch up ahead can easily alter my preferred line.

Yes indeedy.

I coach a conservative line on the road due to wanting to have a safety margin in the event that my preferred line isn't available at the last minute.

We stopped and had lunch at Little River with a guy who had an off by hitting a pine cone on a recent outing. A line with a safety margin might have saved him.

Still, I can't always disagree with those whose awesomeness allows them to ride a Rossi or Corser line coz they are some stunningly amazing pilot.

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[george formby]

Habit has more to do with body inputs/reactions, rather than situational criteria. So I'd not be batting your corner.
.

Anything done repetitively and thoughtlessly is a habit. My point with crossing the centre line in the UK is just my opinion that it is a condoned technique which could easily put a rider who is not paying attention in the face of oncoming traffic at high speed. I fail to see the benefit of being in the oncoming lane when I can achieve the same thing in my lane by slowing down slightly. IMHO

But yeah, na. Have a decent safety margin and keep refining it with experience, don't be habitual!

More info on being skittled by a pine cone would be nice.

[rastuscat]

Anything done repetitively and thoughtlessly is a habit. My point with crossing the centre line in the UK is just my opinion that it is a condoned technique which could easily put a rider who is not paying attention in the face of oncoming traffic at high speed. I fail to see the benefit of being in the oncoming lane when I can achieve the same thing in my lane by slowing down slightly. IMHO

But yeah, na. Have a decent safety margin and keep refining it with experience, don't be habitual!

More info on being skittled by a pine cone would be nice.

The UK Popos use the full width of the road to get a better approach view to left handers.

I think it's a bad idea myself. If everyone always stayed on their own side of the road there'd be bugger all head ons.