Rode code vs actual riding

[vifferman]

I can tell you one law that is almost universally disobeyed: 30km/h past a school bus that has stopped to let passengers on or off, no mater which side of the road you are on relative to the bus. I can't remember the last time I saw anyone obey this (apart from myself).

And the other day at work, our departmental boss was complaining because he got ticketed for doing a rolling stop at a stop sign. And my boss chimed in and said he never came to a complete stop at the stop sign on his street unless there was some traffic coming the other way. I was most unsympathetic. I have a particular beef about stop signs because I bought my first bike from a lady who had years of grief after some old bat drove though an intersection with a stop sign and into her. Apparently, she almost never bothered stopping. The result in this case was a leg badly broken in 6 places, weeks in traction, followed by weeks in plaster up to her chest, then more weeks in a full leg one, followed by calipers, followed by walking with a cane for a very long time.

[MSTRS:Me]

But that was nothing to do with a sign. And everything to do with inattention. I'm not saying that one shouldn't stop at such a sign, BUT that if one was actually looking, then no crash would take place.

[Max Preload]

...he got ticketed for doing a rolling stop at a stop sign.

WTF is a 'rolling stop'? It's either a stop or it's not!

[Skyryder]

Nope, it's Weet-bix for illiterates.

And beta-bix for nerds.

Skyryder

[EJT]

Example.

I like the question where they ask why you wear a full face helmet and one of the options is

"so your mates won't recognise you when you get pulled over by the cops" - or words to that effect.

I think from memory the answer was to provide better protection in a crash but I really really wanted to tick the above for a laugh

[peasea]

And beta-bix for nerds.

Skyryder

And Weta-bix for entomologists.

[rwh]

WTF is a 'rolling stop'? It's either a stop or it's not!

When you come to a stop, but the earth is still moving underneath you. Requires quite a high relative speed, especially closer to the equator.

Richard

[Bikernereid]

It is like a game. Until you get your full everything the Road Code says is true. It shows a perfect world where everything is laid out in neat little diagrams. And everybody obeys the rules. Do what you have to do to pass.

Riding on the streets is about survival, you do what you have to to survive. Most drivers never read it again after they get their licence and they don't give a stuff about your well being.

Luckily I have spent most of my life driving with all those bloody lunatics in the UK so drive defensively and as if every other person on the road is useless!! I guess at the end of the day I will learn more about staying alive on a bike from watching and talking to other well seasoned bikers.

[MarkH]

One of the questions when I applied for my W.O.F. certification was:

If a tyre shows a reading of 1.6mm tread depth would you......

(a) fail it

(b) pass it

(c) pass it and tell the owner that it may not pass it's next WOF.

I chose C and got it wrong.

Apparently I don't have the right to advise the owner that it might not pass next time.

Go figure.

I would disagree with all 3 answers, prefering instead:
(d) Pass it and tell the owner that they should check it and replace it when it gets to 0.5mm. Especially for a 12 month WoF.

It just seems a sensible thing to point out to the car owner that their tyre is getting close to the legal minimum, then it is up to the car owner what they do with that information.

[Karl@Alpha]

One of the questions when I applied for my W.O.F. certification was:

If a tyre shows a reading of 1.6mm tread depth would you......

(a) fail it

(b) pass it

(c) pass it and tell the owner that it may not pass it's next WOF.

I chose C and got it wrong.

Apparently I don't have the right to advise the owner that it might not pass next time.

Go figure.

So why do they have "comments" at the bottem?
I have my WoF cert, I had the same loaded question...

[Katman]

I would disagree with all 3 answers, prefering instead:
(d) Pass it and tell the owner that they should check it and replace it when it gets to 0.5mm. Especially for a 12 month WoF.

Well that would definately score you a fail.

The minimum depth is 1.5 mm.

[kiwifruit]

I can tell you one law that is almost universally disobeyed: 30km/h past a school bus that has stopped to let passengers on or off, no mater which side of the road you are on relative to the bus. I can't remember the last time I saw anyone obey this (apart from myself).

I've never seen anyone obey that law either (apart from myself and my folks). Other motorists have even overtaken me when i've obeyed this law.

[MarkH]

Well that would definately score you a fail.

The minimum depth is 1.5 mm.

Meh - I just replace them when there is not much tread left, I have never in my life actually measured it.

But my point remains - it just makes sense to advise the owner of the car that legally they have to replace the tyre once it is below the legal minimum tread depth and they shouldn't wait 'til the next warrant to worry about it, especially if it is a 12 month WoF.

I can't see how they can say that you don't have the right to give advice to the owner of the car, why would they say that? Are they trying to preserve the polices ability to find something to ticket the car for in a couple of months? Is there a ticketing quota for cars being in an unwarrantable condition?

[Katman]

Is there a ticketing quota for cars being in an unwarrantable condition?

Not as such but............

The powers that be in W.O.F. HQ take a close look at any certifying agency that fails less than 10% of their vehicle checks entered online.

[quickbuck]

One of the questions when I applied for my W.O.F. certification was:

If a tyre shows a reading of 1.6mm tread depth would you......

(a) fail it

(b) pass it

(c) pass it and tell the owner that it may not pass it's next WOF.

I chose C and got it wrong.

Apparently I don't have the right to advise the owner that it might not pass next time.

Go figure.

Crikey, I get advised my tyres on my bike won't pass the next one all the time.
I just smile, say thank you and add, "Nor will my front pads", and ride off.

Amazed that you have no right to offer advise as a safety inspector.... Amazed.