Road toll - Police stupid obsession blaming speed

[Racing Dave]

Autobahns are great, no trucks in the fast lane, and only use the fast lane if your going fast or overtaking.
And on lots of them the opposing traffic is some distance away.
I did see some crashes on them....messy.

I agree - I was in Germany a few weeks ago and came across this. The black Merc had run up the back of the white truck, stopped further up the road. ABS? Didn't work this time... 45 mins later, we were on our way.

[Graystone]

Thats why I dont believe in the idea of "riding school taught lines" on bends unless you can see all the way around. Its much safer to ride as close to the edge of the road as you can.

Riding schools do teach lines that maximize vision and maneuvering freedom. IAM (Institue of Advanced Motorists) is especially good in this regard and after reading some of your 'advice' it is clear you should consider taking one of their courses.

[RDJ]

Some studies suggest morso in handsfree mode as the sound isn't direct so often the brain has to spend more time deciphering the conversation as it's competing with ambient sounds & usually of a lower sound quality

This is so. Furthermore, the distraction effect is apparently even more pronounced for some of the newer populace when handsfree because of their need to conjure visual imagery on a smartphone when they cannot see the person (compared to those of us who grew up 'knowing' a telephone was ever only voice-only, and static i.e. in-place, on a wire). This effect is, of course, getting worse over time.

[Graystone]

So is riding in the gravel at the side of the road when you cant see around a bend taught by riding schools? Riding any closer to the centre line will put you in danger as the other poster pointed out. There was a video post on FB a few days back where a guy on a bike would have been killed had he not positiond himself towards the edge of the road on a bend.

Obviously not the gravel, that would vastly reduce the maneuvering freedom. Edge of the road and late apex are taught and recommended for reduced visibility situations. You really should just take the course, instead of making wrong assumptions about what they teach and giving irresponsible advice based on that.

[Murray]

Obviously not the gravel, that would vastly reduce the maneuvering freedom. Edge of the road and late apex are taught and recommended for reduced visibility situations. You really should just take the course, instead of making wrong assumptions about what they teach and giving irresponsible advice based on that.

Your new here - You are wasting your time trying to tell him/her anything.

All rider training gives a false sense of security, all group rides are races, rider training does not help prevent accidents, everyone on a group ride is under pressure to keep up

Some of Cassinas constant bleeting on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on

[Ulsterkiwi]

Packed it in 2.5 years ago. Most days I commute to and from Ruapuna, from Rangiora. About 30 km. Motorway, arterial, local roads. It'd make a good CBTA route actually.

I've seen so few police cars that they don't even factor in how I ride my bike. To be fair, i pretty much stick to the rules anyway, road craft etc.

It's brought me to consider that enforcement means something to those constantly pushing the boundaries, but means bugger all to most of us.

To be fair, the chance if getting caught doing something stupid are fairly slim.

I do the road rules / road craft thing more because I think it's a good idea than because of any fear of enforcement.

nice point, well made, one would even think you put some thought into it.

Therein lies the problem, folks seem fairly reluctant to accept responsibility for what they can do to keep themselves safer. If we all thought like that things may change.

I am fascinated by the numbers you quote for proportions of tickets for various offences on the road. Caveat, I have only been in NZ 10 years and the range of people I know may influence things but.....I know lots of people (me included) who have been done for speeding, both by officers and cameras. I know someone done for drink driving. I have never ever met or heard someone I know mention someone they know who has been pulled or ticketed for tailgating, using their phone, not wearing a seat belt, unsafe or illegal manoevring, failure to indicate, failure to keep left etc etc etc. Just goes to show I hang out with a really boring crowd, none of them ever does those things while highway patrol officers watch them go by.......
I guess the point I am making RC is it does not matter what number the police use, through mismanagement of their communication with the public , perceptions around road policing bear no relationship to what is happening. People, they be simple, send unclear or mixed messages (shifting "tolerance" to speed limits) and they just fill in the blanks and make their own rules up.

[FJRider]

So is riding in the gravel at the side of the road when you cant see around a bend taught by riding schools?

I used to think the only really safe place was in bed. But apparently ... some people die there too ...

[Woodman]

It would depend on the road though as I saw another video clip of a rider on a single lane gravel road and he was lucky to avoid a collision on a bend by riding towards the centre of the single lane because it was less gravely than the edge of the road. This is an example of why riding in the gravel at the side of the road is safer however the tradeoff is that the more gravelly the bend is the more likely you are to lose it in the gravel itself as opposed to risking a head on. Everything has its tradeoff and luck plays a part whether you go to riding school or not.

The centre of a single lane gravel road is used by vehicles travelling in both directions you muppet. You cannot use that example for general two way roads. Muppet.

[Graystone]

It would depend on the road though as I saw another video clip of a rider on a single lane gravel road and he was lucky to avoid a collision on a bend by riding towards the centre of the single lane because it was less gravely than the edge of the road. This is an example of why riding in the gravel at the side of the road is safer however the tradeoff is that the more gravelly the bend is the more likely you are to lose it in the gravel itself as opposed to risking a head on. Everything has its tradeoff and luck plays a part whether you go to riding school or not.

Yeh, nah, yeh, riding on the gravel part of a gravel road is probably ok.

Your video clip sounds like the rider was reliant on luck, instead of riding slower but on his own side of the road to make his own 'luck'.

[Graystone]

Yes he was relying on luck to swerve out of the way in time. In that situation though if he had been riding slower and the car coming the other way was going faster he would still have the same time to get out of the way. Irrespective of speeds on such a road luck plays a big part irrespective of what some riding school supporters on here believe.

Probably shouldn't ride down the middle of the road then, that'd take the big lady luck down a peg.

[RDJ]

Probably shouldn't ride down the middle of the road then, that'd take the big lady luck down a peg.

Yeah, that; the middle of the road is a safe space for music but on a bike, very much not. Personally I've had a modest degree of success over 45 years on a bike sticking left of center (except for the texting chick that got me from behind, but in every life a little rain does fall...)

[Laava]

Some studies suggest morso in handsfree mode as the sound isn't direct so often the brain has to spend more time deciphering the conversation as it's competing with ambient sounds & usually of a lower sound quality

How is handsfree any different to having a conversation with your passenger? With the exception of having to take one hand off the wheel to answer said phone initially. I use mine all the time, mainly cos it is so friggen easy to just push a button on the steering wheel...as opposed to when I used to juggle an actual phone which I agree is a distraction, esp if you are wanting to read or reply to a text. To be honest, the texting thing is prob the worst aspect of the whole cellphone/driving thing. I just dont answer or make them in the car anymore. There is a lady at the end of our road often in the morning with her ph to her ear with one hand and applying makeup with the other, fucken shits me!

[Woodman]

If you read my post again I said it would depend on the road. Some 2 way roads are narrower and windier that others. So I would never rule out doing that on a 2 way road either. Muppet yourself.

But you cited a single lane gravel road then said some 2 way roads are narrower so why even enter a single lane gravel road into the discussion?

[Swoop]

Phones district just as much whether they are hands free or not.

I've noticed a recent increase of "wheel-turners" who are now holding their phone 6" in front of their mouth (normally being held horizontally). I can only presume they believe that they are using it in "hands free mode"
Or, perhaps it is the current fashion to hold it this way, instead of up against the ear...

... after reading some of your 'advice' it is clear you should consider taking one of their courses.

We would like to see her do exactly that, but denial of "needing" any form of observation (apart from a mental health professional) will be refused by the retarded cunt.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Yeh, nah, yeh, riding on the gravel part of a gravel road is probably ok.

Your video clip sounds like the rider was reliant on luck, instead of riding slower but on his own side of the road to make his own 'luck'.

wait, whut? have you never ridden on a gravel road? (hint - ride in the wheeltracks not the loose shit in the middle - its surprising how fast you can go on a CB750....)