Learning All The Time - Common Courtesy

[James Deuce]

MV fella will have been doing that thing where it's all point and squirt and no corner speed, therefore holding you up under braking. Have been undertaken a couple of times on the hill and once on both sides at the same time. I was discourteous in response to the undertake when approached at the cafe in Martinborough by an Aprilia RSVR rider who thought he should apologise. I disabused him of the notion that I gave any fucks about his opinion or apology.

[swbarnett]

Of course we are all individuals, but ignoring social rules like courtesy etc because of an inflated sense of it (hence "individualism" in my previous post), is what appears too common.

Exactly what I was getting at.

[Viking01]

MV fella will have been doing that thing where it's all point and squirt and no corner speed, therefore holding you up under braking. Have been undertaken a couple of times on the hill and once on both sides at the same time. I was discourteous in response to the undertake when approached at the cafe in Martinborough by an Aprilia RSVR rider who thought he should apologise. I disabused him of the notion that I gave any fucks about his opinion or apology.

James,
Hi. I see that you have had experience of the Rimutaka GP on the week-ends
as well. We ride over to the Wairarapa probably once a fortnight, and while
I have been energetically overtaken on the hill by other riders before, I have
never had the pleasure of the tag team approach (one on either side of you
at the same time). I can quite imagine your subsequent cafe discussion was
fairly short and to the point .... 8-)


In line with the topic of this thread, the amusing (?) part in my case was that
had my rider waited a further 5-10 seconds (after having navigated the bend),
there was a straight stretch immediately following.

Which was plainly visible as we came down the hill to the bend, and which he
could have used to do a much safer overtake.

I was quite happy for him to overtake, as he was obviously riding much faster
than me. And my ego is normally jammed in neutral. Safety first !

But at least the event was not wasted. There was still some learning that I
was able to take out of it. Even though this particular scenario hadn't come
up in riding class discussions.

Whether my actions in response were correct or not, that's another matter.
Guess I could well get some feedback.


Don't target fixate. Well, it's always easier said than done. Despite a mirror
check some 3-4 seconds earlier (in which he was present), the overtake was
a surprise due to its speed (and which was accentuated now that he seemed
to be braking firmly).

Should I still start looking around the corner, or should I keep watching him
instead ?

And which line should I take (follow him around on the same line - given that
he had positioned himself right where I had intended to ride, or maybe steer
a slightly tighter line inside) ?

F@#$% !

In the end, I chose to continue looking around the corner and not worry about
him. While braking firmly up to the entry point. And trusting on peripheral vision.

As for riding line, I chose to steer a similar line out wide around the corner as he,
though I couldn't know whether or not he might trail brake on his way around.

The separation distance between us felt quite small, though to an observer
it was probably quite large. Maybe handling a similar situation is what track
riding teaches you.

Anyway, we both made it around the corner, and he swiftly vanished off into
the distance. But it was a minute or so before the old heart rate dropped back
down again. Phew !

[Moi]

MV rider was lucky it was you to whom he demonstrated his "superior" overtaking skills. Had it been some one much less experienced then it could easily have ended badly for one or both riders. Otherwise, his overtaking demonstrations may be taken as learning experience by another rider who doesn't quite get the whole message and messes it all up one day, possibly with tragic results.

Perhaps he'll do it one day to someone who sends the video to the local constabulary with a request for local plod to pay MV rider a call - though I suspect that may be wishful thinking.

Also, does it say something about those who have "done track days" and now believe that is the way to ride when on any piece of public road?

[Viking01]

MV rider was lucky it was you to whom he demonstrated his "superior" overtaking skills. Had it been some one much less experienced then it could easily have ended badly for one or both riders. Otherwise, his overtaking demonstrations may be taken as learning experience by another rider who doesn't quite get the whole message and messes it all up one day, possibly with tragic results.

Perhaps he'll do it one day to someone who sends the video to the local constabulary with a request for local plod to pay MV rider a call - though I suspect that may be wishful thinking.

Also, does it say something about those who have "done track days" and now believe that is the way to ride when on any piece of public road?

Moi,
Hi. As I said, the actual separation distance was probably much greater than it actually felt.

Think that it was more the initial surprise at the overtake happening, and the time it took for
my old brain to re-engage and to start taking some appropriate action.

[Moi]

Moi,
Hi. As I said, the actual separation distance was probably much greater than it actually felt.

Think that it was more the initial surprise at the overtake happening, and the time it took for
my old brain to re-engage and to start taking some appropriate action.

The separation may well have been greater than it felt at the time and, for you, it worked out OK, despite the "heart-starter" moment due to the "surprise element". However, had he done it to someone with limited experience and who reacted by grabbing a handful of brake, then the outcome could easily have been a different matter.

As you said, had he waited he could then have overtaken you on a piece of straight road. But, lack of consideration for other road users... do that to a car driver and all the good done by bikers who acknowledge someone moving over or such is out the window.