Never follow cars etc....

**Crasherfromwayback** · 3rd November 2006, 19:41

Sorry if this has been posted recently.

I had my first big road ride in some time Labour Weekend, and rode with two good friends who are both pretty handy riders. When we stopped for a ciggie, one of them piped up and asked why I passed every car/van/truck in front of me, even if my cruising speed was not really any greater than theirs.

Simple really. When riding behind these 'objects', we don't have a clear view of the road and road surface ahead. If one of these vehicles runs over a piece of wood etc on the road, it more often than not comes bouncing out from under the rear of the car/van /truck, and can kill you, or at least seriously hurt you. Do no follow vehicles, the best view is a clear view.

I once had a poxy old HQ ute that I used to transport race bikes with...and one sad day on my way home from Manfeild, it shat a rear (luckily for me, as having the front of your driveshaft drop down can make your vehicle do a nasty nose dive/flip when/if it digs in!) universal. The driveshaft parted company with my ute, I ran it over with the left rear wheel, and it went through the grill and radiator of the Mitsi Mirage behind me. My point being ANYTHING can come out from behind another vehicle, even if you think you can see the road ahead through their windscreen.

Yes I got a $300.00 speeding ticket on this, my first big road ride.
But I made it home.

Hope this helps.

**merv** · 3rd November 2006, 19:44

I always thought that if you are on a bike on the road it is compulsory to pass all the cars and trucks anyway without having any sort of reason.

**Crasherfromwayback** · 3rd November 2006, 19:49

Originally Posted by merv

I always thought that if you are on a bike on the road it is compulsory to pass all the cars and trucks anyway without having any sort of reason.

Of course....but when you get pulled over...an excuse MAY help!
Love your work!

**sunhuntin** · 3rd November 2006, 19:52

i just leave a big enough distance to be able to move out of the way. i never follow too close if i can avoid it, but will overtake if the car ahead is dragging ass in a dangerous fashion [ie, their slow driving means if he stops, ill be a charley sandwich between him and the car behind]

hell...one night i nearly collected a street sign that some boy racer had kindly knocked out of the ground and left it in the middle of the road. also those reflectors from the side of the highways...last place you expect to find them is all over your lane in the middle of town

i do prefer to be able to see for miles in both directions, which means i hate also being followed. when it comes to cars though...id rather have them up front where i can see them, specially the bad drivers. if i am stuck behind a car with no where to go, ill move as far right as i safely can so i can see past [im usually too tall to see through their rear and front windscreens] also the age old bit of advice...if you cant see my mirrors, i cant see you. this means im always dancing from side to side on the road. moving from one mirror to the other, so im always in their sight and therefore, thoughts.

**McJim** · 3rd November 2006, 19:59

Originally Posted by sunhuntin

i just leave a big enough distance to be able to move out of the way. i never follow too close if i can avoid it,.

Come to Auckland. There are Holden drvers that can fit their cars into a 1 metre gap that you leave for braking distance on the motorway!

**diggydog** · 3rd November 2006, 20:04

will thats a good point, i never thought of that as sometimes i ride too close.

**Crasherfromwayback** · 3rd November 2006, 20:04

Originally Posted by sunhuntin

i just leave a big enough distance to be able to move out of the way. i never follow too close if i can avoid it,
i do prefer to be able to see for miles in both directions, which means i hate also being followed. when it comes to cars though...id rather have them up front where i can see them, specially the bad drivers. .

I don't think that's such a great idea sorry. Have you seen how a rugby ball bounces? Unpredictable and all over the place. Just like some of the objects that can come from under vehicles....they may pop out and into the other lane...get hit by the front of a vehicle going the other way...the bounced off that and into you even if you're 200m behind!

And you let bad driver go in front of you? Fuck that! What about when they do a silly passing move that ends in a head on, and the resulting carnage cleans you up?
Pull over and give then 5 mins if they're that bad.....

**Ixion** · 3rd November 2006, 20:18

I agree with Mr Crasherfromwayback. For the reasons stated. I don't like following things. Or being followed. I want my own little box of road with nothing but me in it.

Trucks is worse than cars though, you never know what come falling off a truck. Trailers is bad too. And I don't like following vehicles I can't see through and round.

**Crasherfromwayback** · 3rd November 2006, 20:30

Originally Posted by Ixion

I agree with Mr Crasherfromwayback. For the reasons stated. I don't like following things. Or being followed. I want my own little box of road with nothing but me in it.

Trucks is worse than cars though, you never know what come falling off a truck. Trailers is bad too. And I don't like following vehicles I can't see through and round.

You're so right about trucks Ixion...tyres disintergrating at 100kph...??!!
Nasty!

**Goblin** · 3rd November 2006, 20:53

On a ride with some mates, my friend Pete saw what looked like the bike in front of him run something over and ricochet off the road and into the radiator of an oncoming Pajero. He was glad it missed him but thought no more of it. After the next stop, my other mate tried to kick-start his bike only to find the kick-starter gone! That was what Pete had seen go into the Pajero radiator. So dont ever ride with anyone with a kickstart bike! I've also narrowly missed being hit by another bikers mirror on the Dorkland motorway.

The best place for bad drivers is behind me! And I never use my horn or flip the bird at them as I pass them in the safest possible way....after all that just winds them up and makes them use their cage as a weapon.

And beware of bathtubs!

**Crasherfromwayback** · 3rd November 2006, 20:59

Originally Posted by Goblin

Pete

And beware of bathtubs!

Anyone called Pete is fucking cool.
And bathtubs are fucking cool too.

**Korea** · 3rd November 2006, 21:02

Good point.

Poor old Mum was following a cement truck in her hatchback when the scoop (whattayacallit?) fell off the back of the truck and tore up her bonnet and left fender. Had it been a rider behind it would have been nasty...

Oh yeah, and never go near a bathtub with a fella named 'Big Pete'...

**Goblin** · 3rd November 2006, 21:16

Originally Posted by Crasherfromwayback

Anyone called Pete is fucking cool.

Yeah...he's my rock!

**Coyote** · 3rd November 2006, 21:22

My bike is way too sluggish to pass cars quickly and effectively. The best it can do is pass at about 10k faster whilst making a racket

I need an SP1