How not to...

[cruising]

Just a "hot not to" message for the newer riders (and maybe a reminder for experienced ones.)

Got to a roundabout today. Saw a guy on a pit bike approach from the right. Blink of an eye and he was at the roundabout. Another blink and he had gone through. Fella must've been doing atleast 30.

Now everyone knows that bikes can be invisible at the best of times. Just a few days back I had to accelerate hard to get out of the way of an old fella who didn't spot me at the roundabout in the middle of a sunny day. So when I saw this wannabe ghost rider zoom through a roundabout like a man who really really really needs to take a giant shit, I did get a bit of a fright. He really didn't make any allowance for anyone's error. If the car next to me had not spotted him and gone straight, he could've done nothing except sit back and enjoy a nice flashback of his life.

Point being: Don't count on the other person to not make any mistakes. More importantly, don't leave yourself without any room to maneuver when they do.

Remember what everyone says: They are all out to get you. Don't make it easier for them.

P.S. If you are the bloke riding the pit bike (rego ***HF) wearing a blue woollen jumper, mate, you couldn't be a bigger moron. Zig zagging between cars, filtering without looking left or right, undertaking at a corner!!!. Big fan of Russian Roulette, arn't you fella?

[SwanTiger]

I recently got back on a bike after a few months of not riding (jumped the previous bike into a river) and am used to navigating traffic in a car. Well at least, taken for granted to fact that other motorist pay attention to the fact I am in another vehicle capable of equally damaging their vehicle.

Point being - I was making a right turn at a major intersection, indicator going, was stationary for 5 - 10 seconds before the opening and had my headlamp on, as you do. At the opening pulled out and then noticed another car that was turning in the same place but coming from apposite direction, so it was his turn to give way. I pull in and he is still coming, im into the corner and he is still coming, he carries on into and through the corner without even slowing then as we straighten out he notices me. He slows down and moves to the side of the road and then pulls over with a "shocked face" in response to my "Your a fucken blind tosser face". It wasn't really his fault, he just plain did not see me.

Bikes aren't hard to see, people just don't look for a "bike", they only expect "cars, trucks, vans, etc...".

Maybe the LTSA needs to run those "Ticking Time Bomb" ads with an emphasis on motorbikes.

[Karma]

If you are the bloke riding the pit bike (rego ***HF) wearing a blue woollen jumper, mate, you couldn't be a bigger moron.

Wonders what MarkAucklands Rego is... only bloke I know that rides one of those on the road.

Where abouts was this?

[Shadows]

Stupid fucking things should be banned.
I've seen too many holding up traffic. Just what we need is another 2 wheeled machine pissing cage drivers off into muscling bikes off the road.
Saw a mini chopper thing coming out of a service station, it was so low it was almost invisible due to the cars parked on the side of the road. The only thing that gave it away to me was a little bit of the front wheel sticking out. Any car pulling into the station could easily have run over the top of him before they realised that he was there. Scooters stink too but at least scooters are a bit more upright and visible.
Stupid fucking things. Get a real bike.

[cruising]

Where abouts was this?

Heading from Basset to Brighton Rd, next to Thomas Bloodworth Park.

Just what we need is another 2 wheeled machine pissing cage drivers off into muscling bikes off the road.

That's exactly the thing that prompet my rant. Bloke driving like a nut case reflects really badly on all bikers. Trying to pass from right, then quickly cutting in to pass from the left - that's just not good driving regardless of how many wheels you are on.

[beyond]

errrmmm, they really don't see us at all. Not ever, well hardly ever.

[inlinefour]

Stupid fucking things should be banned. Get a real bike.

However we do live in a world of freedom and although I do not like then and think they are dangerous to use on the road, banning might be a bit harsh. What they really need to do is check the power output of this wee machines. I see alot that are clearly over the 2 kilowatt mark and are still classified as mopeds. I'd suspect that if they where classed correctly, along with full rego/WOF costs, there would be less of them on the roads.

[SlashWylde]

...Saw a guy on a pit bike...

Hey i think I saw this guy the other day! I was riding home from work down the Mt Wellington Highway just past Panama Rd and I saw this guy on a pit bike weaving through traffic and overtaking on the median strip going round the outside of corners etc

Wanted to tell him that if he carries on like that it won't be long before he gets squashed or punted over the hood of a car but he was gone in a flash.

[Shadows]

However we do live in a world of freedom and although I do not like then and think they are dangerous to use on the road, banning might be a bit harsh. What they really need to do is check the power output of this wee machines. I see alot that are clearly over the 2 kilowatt mark and are still classified as mopeds. I'd suspect that if they where classed correctly, along with full rego/WOF costs, there would be less of them on the roads.

Yeah, you're right. They should be discouraged, not dictated to.
I'm starting to sound like Helen Clark.... for that I shall have to abuse myself.
But they should definately get real bikes.

[Shadows]

Hey i think I saw this guy the other day! I was riding home from work down the Mt Wellington Highway just past Panama Rd and I saw this guy on a pit bike weaving through traffic and overtaking on the median strip going round the outside of corners etc

Wanted to tell him that if he carries on like that it won't be long before he gets squashed or punted over the hood of a car but he was gone in a flash.

It certainly sounds like he's determined to learn the hard way. That Charles Darwin bloke had a theory on that didn't he?