KBers as role models

[Quartida]

One of the points that Yungatart was making was that not all of the idiots on the roads are in cages.

I have to agree. Since getting involved - sort of - with biking I've had a lot more respect for bikers out on the roads. I'm super vigilant about checking everything - including leaving enough spaces at traffic lights for people to lane split - to make sure that I am not the cager who gets stuck into on KB when something goes wrong.

But bikers get it wrong too. We can't all assume that just because it's often the cages' fault that therefore it is ALWAYS the cages fault.

Example (fortunately not one that cost anyone a arm, a leg, or a life): Sitting in traffic the other day, I was second from the lights. All of a sudden, a huge thump from my right-hand side. WHAT THE HELL? Adrenalin rushes, as it does when you're in a car and you feel a thump (whether you're stationary or not).

And what does it turn out to be? A nice red sprotbike...that had hit my car while lane splitting. I think he must've hit my wing mirror because I couldn't see any damage later...but it gave me one hell of a fright. And did the guy give a little nod or wave to apologise? Or even acknowledge that he had just hit my car? Nope. Not a thing.

If the situaion had been reversed no doubt there would have been threads all over the show about the "dirty Lancer driver who bloody hit my bike..."

[Mr Skid]

He's my role model.

His name's Rick James, bitch.

[Skyryder]

Stop wasting energy on things you can't change and celebrate the fact you're still allowed to ride a motorcycle by lanesplitting off into the distance.

Sounds about right to me.

Skyryder

[Edbear]

Maybe I'm a bit of a Nana on the bike but I haven't had any close calls with car drivers in the past 18 mths since getting back on a bike. I've always driven/ridden as though I'm invisible and always assume the other person hasn't seen me. Contrarily to most postings, I am generally treated with courtesy by car drivers on the road. As I come up behind them, they usually notice me in their mirror and often pull left slightly to allow me to pass safely. Maybe I'm not travelling as fast as most bikers, and I give plenty of room when I overtake. I'm patient and courteous to them too. Being on the road every day in truck, I see more than my fair share of idiot drivers and the general reaction is far better to my bike than to my truck. Youngatart makes a good point as do others here. Perhaps some riders are more agressive than others or just want to enjoy the performance of their bikes, but unfortunately the open road is far from a closed track.

[Colapop]

Those of us that are parents have a responsibility to our children. To bring them up safely in as safe an environment as possible. And then send them out into the world to become part of the race, where everyone (it seems) is out to get them. We, as parents, should try and prepare them for this place. We can only do so much. We can't live their lives for them, they have to do that themselves.

The 3 three R's
Responsibility for your actions
Respect for others
Respect for yourself

I believe these things apply to all of us.
Col

[R6_kid:Me]

in real life riding most of us are good role models, well the information we will pass on face to face would atleast lead us to be able to be seen as role models.

But on KB, there is so much BS, and pisstaking that anyone that didnt know this before hand would believe that most of us are GhostRiders prodigy. I got red rep for taking the piss in hXc's thread - whoopdy fucking do. He's old enough to be on a bike, and old enough (i assume) to be on these forums. As for any other teenager/any aged member of this site, surely if you are old enough to be on a bike (and therefore be different to the other 99% of people at school) they should be old enough to make a judgement themselves.

I dont see why i should be trying to a good samaritan 100% of the time if thats not what i am. I ride like a twat sometimes, but i know that in my head, i also know somewhere else in my head that what im doing is dodgy/dangerous and thats MY choice, not something that anyone else imprinted into my conscience.

I share a mixed view, probably close to that of TS. These things happen, and as a rider you HAVE to be prepared/expecting it, otherwise you arent riding defensively. There are two ways to deal with said wankers - get over it and get on you way, or make something of it and hope you are bigger/tougher than him. The choice is yours, ride it your way, but do it safe.

[Lou Girardin]

I sure don't want to be a role model.
I'd feel guilty about all the dead and injured who didn't meet my lofty standards.
As for cagers, make them respect us through fear. Show weakness and they WILL try to kill you.

[MSTRS:Me]

I sure don't want to be a role model.
I'd feel guilty about all the dead and injured who didn't meet my lofty standards.
As for cagers, make them respect us through fear. Show weakness and they WILL try to kill you.

Whether you want to be or not, you are a role model. As are we all. Like it or not, most people are who they associate with. I'm not saying that we are all naive and believe what we read etc, but it is the rare individul who is not influenced to some extent. It is easy for the less experienced (read 'younger') members to get the idea that ALL cagers are homicidal maniacs AND that ALL bikers have a duty to 'educate' said cagers by means of mirror removal etc.
There is a big difference between riding assertively and aggressively.

[Smorg]

KB is not a creche.

thats it im going home

[Hitcher]

I take full responsibility for every fright and near miss I have ever had involving a cager. Heed well the words of the Prophet, St Aaron Slight: "The bastards can't see you and if they do, they'll try and kill you."

My mistakes have been to give the "bastards" the benefit of the doubt, assuming they have 20:20 vision and that they care. Never assume any cognisance or compassion and heed the words of the Prophet at all times.

[Biff]

Nothing wrong with slagging off piss poor cage driving IMO. It raises awareneess of the dangers we face ever day.

[Insanity_rules]

Nothing wrong with slagging off piss poor cage driving IMO. It raises awareneess of the dangers we face ever day.

Thats it on the head there. Keep your eyes open and understand the risk factor.

By the way Biff I look forward to your international insult of the week, very funny.

[DMNTD:Me]

It is easy for the less experienced (read 'younger') members to get the idea that ALL cagers are homicidal maniacs..

Although I agree to an extent with your other points I disagree with this one.
In my opinion it is better to teach that cagers are out to kill us all therefore raising the awareness that we as bikers must ride defensively...
As far as wing mirror removal,driver bashing etc...well I'm not totally innocent there but if an incident is bad enough,IE: some twit nearly kills you and then has the audacity to give you shit,why not clip their mirror or slap them? I mean they nearly killed you!
No I'm not talking about "minor" mistakes...I'm talking serious life threatening.
So am I a good role model? Possibley not...

[James Deuce]

Although I agree to an extent with your other points I disagree with this one.
In my opinion it is better to teach that cagers are out to kill us all therefore raising the awareness that we as bikers must ride defensively...
As far as wing mirror removal,driver bashing etc...well I'm not totally innocent there but if an incident is bad enough,IE: some twit nearly kills you and then has the audacity to give you shit,why not clip their mirror or slap them? I mean they nearly killed you!
No I'm not talking about "minor" mistakes...I'm talking serious life threatening.
So am I a good role model? Possibley not...

By all means treat every other vehicle with the disdain they deserve. I'm actually more concerned about sharing the road with other motorcyclists than all other vehicles, particularly those motorcyclists that insist on their right to "undertake" on twisty roads.

Why not slap their mirrors off? Because it can invite unwanted Police attention and a court date. A near miss isn't illegal (without proof of dangerous driving, et al - and if you've just damaged someone's car the witnesses may not be all that kindly disposed toward you - "What near miss?"). Vandalism is.

[MSTRS:Me]

Although I agree to an extent with your other points I disagree with this one.
In my opinion it is better to teach that cagers are out to kill us all therefore raising the awareness that we as bikers must ride defensively...
As far as wing mirror removal,driver bashing etc...well I'm not totally innocent there but if an incident is bad enough,IE: some twit nearly kills you and then has the audacity to give you shit,why not clip their mirror or slap them? I mean they nearly killed you!
No I'm not talking about "minor" mistakes...I'm talking serious life threatening.
So am I a good role model? Possibley not...

Hard to say in a sentence or two what one really means....yes, we must be aware at all times of the risks posed by retards in cages, but the truth is that it is a relatively small proportion that fall into this category (just as it is a relatively small proportion of bikers who are dickheads too). The trick is to pick them BEFORE they take you out, and yes this is not always possible, but for the most part the rider should be master of his own destiny. In the right circumstances I'm all for educating those who seek a diploma in roaduser awareness. Just be sure that none of the incident had anything to do with what the rider was(n't) doing.