Biker down in Jackrats patch

**Firefight** · 13th March 2005, 22:07

Originally Posted by Ixion

Off topic, are there any trail riding areas left around Auckland now. Almost everything seems to have been fenced off nowadays. ?

have a look in off road section mate, theres a list in there, pm me if you need more info about any of them.

F/F

**Krayy** · 14th March 2005, 07:44

I was riding out to Awhitu on Saturday arvo, practicing hanging my arse off the seat going through some corners, and thank god I did.

To set the scene, on the way out to the heads, you go through a settlement called Pollock. About 3 kms from there, after going up a huge hill (well its huge on a push bike but thats another story), you get a short flat run into a tightish left hander which has a nice inside camber to it and takes you up a hill where it opens out into a sweeper that passes through a grove of pretty dense bush. Now this means that the tail end of the sweeper and the right hander immediately after it thats still going uphill are pretty well blind except for about 100m in the middle.

So I'm barrelling thorugh the first left hander keeping well to the middle of my lane, waiting for the late apex. I saw a car coming the other way and that was fine, cos he was in his lane but he was going slightly faster than I would in the dunnydore wagon with the kids on board. But, following him about 6 feet off his tail and starting to drift over the centreline, was a white van towing a frickin boat. Dunno if it was a Toy-mota Hi Ace, a C120 vanette of a flamin Bongo, but jesus, hammering through a corner like that in something with a centre of gravity that's the equivalent of a elephant on stilts (i.e. higher than it should be) with a tonne or so of pleasure craft attached to it is pushing the envelope.

"Feck the late apex", says I, "I'm heading for the curb". As I mentioned, my arse (and what an arse) was already off the side, so pulling it in tight wasn't too much of an issue, missed me by 3 feet and stuffed up the rest of the uphill run, but if I wasn't already half way there, well who knows. Bloody yokels.

BTW, if your'e headed taht way, the council still haven't swept the road past the 2nd Te Toro turnoff where they did some resealing so you have to crawl through there at 80-90 whilst trying to stay in the clean bit of the road.

**inlinefour** · 14th March 2005, 09:51

I own one also. I also have driven trucks, hence have my HT. The two have a few simularities and I believe it would be in everyones' best interests if a new class of licience was created, to help train people on how to drive a 4WD. Remember many people have jumped into a 4WD after only driving a car and as a result drive the 4WD the same...

**Lou Girardin** · 14th March 2005, 15:53

Just had one of our rentals killed at Wellsford. The rider lost it on loose gravel ( a, bloody, gain) luckily he and the bike separated, because a 4WD came around the blind bend on the wrong side and ran over the front wheel. It was probably lucky that he did come off or the 4WD might have taken them both out.
Can we have some failing to keep left blitzes please. Are you listening Rob Robinson, Hawkins, anyone?

**Ixion** · 14th March 2005, 16:17

In a fatal crash which happened after the official weekend period ended at 6am today, one person was killed and another seriously injured after a motorcycle crashed in Taranaki.

Police said the crash happened at the intersection of State Highway 3 and Turangi Road near Waitara, about 10km north of New Plymouth, about 7.50am.

The motorcycle was the only vehicle involved in the accident,

NZ Herald 14.03.2005 11:00

**merv** · 14th March 2005, 16:23

The people involved are Ulysses Club members from Hawkes Bay. Shame to hear about this.

**Coldkiwi** · 14th March 2005, 17:05

Originally Posted by Jantar

and note that I am not asking for all city dwellers to paint "I am an idiot townie" on the side of their cars when they enter a 100 kph area.

I understand that... but can I say I think thats a GREAT idea?? Certainly for overly clean 4x4's that are obviously used by people with no understand of what it means to have raised suspension when cornering or driving.

**Jackrat** · 14th March 2005, 21:24

Originally Posted by Coldkiwi

I understand that... but can I say I think thats a GREAT idea?? Certainly for overly clean 4x4's that are obviously used by people with no understand of what it means to have raised suspension when cornering or driving.

Yet oddly enough they don't crash as often as bikers "lose control"
.
Just plain hypocracy from those that can lest afford to point the finger.

**Blakamin** · 14th March 2005, 21:37

as long as they dont wear jackrats patch... the rebels might complain.... (sorry, a bit "happy" tonight)

**Motu** · 14th March 2005, 21:38

Originally Posted by Jackrat

Yet oddly enough they don't crash as often as bikers "lose control"
.
Just plain hypocracy from those that can lest afford to point the finger.

Good one Jack! You don't pull your punches lad....

**Lou Girardin** · 15th March 2005, 13:31

Originally Posted by Jackrat

Yet oddly enough they don't crash as often as bikers "lose control"
.
Just plain hypocracy from those that can lest afford to point the finger.

No, but they do kill their occupants at a far greater rate than cars.
But then, 4WD's are safer aren't they.

**inlinefour** · 15th March 2005, 13:50

Originally Posted by Lou Girardin

No, but they do kill their occupants at a far greater rate than cars.
But then, 4WD's are safer aren't they.

And the results are no they are not safer than most modern cars. In fact the Jeep and the Landrover are the worse have a 1 star safety (0 worse and 5 being the best). The NZ favourite, the Toyota only had a rating of 3. So for all those saying that they are buying a 4wd for safety think again. I've got one, but only for pracacial applications and if I did not need one then I would not own one...

**Ixion** · 15th March 2005, 14:01

Originally Posted by Honda

And the results are no they are not safer than most modern cars. In fact the Jeep and the Landrover are the worse have a 1 star safety (0 worse and 5 being the best). The NZ favourite, the Toyota only had a rating of 3. So for all those saying that they are buying a 4wd for safety think again. I've got one, but only for pracacial applications and if I did not need one then I would not own one...

I think (though I may be misinformed) that the way those star ratings work is very misleading. They are based on a sort of points system, so a vehicle gets (quite a lot) of points for have a crushable and deformable body. Theory is that in a crash that absorbs the impact etc. The Jeep and Landrover don't crush so they miss out on the points.

But my opinion is that the whole crush thing is flawed. It's based on the USA where the dipsticks refuse to wear seat belts. If you're properly belted in, the stronger the people area is the better. It's no accident that rally drivers and such have real strong welded up driver compartments.

The crumple thing is like airbags - if you're not wearing seatbelts it may make some sense. Buut with seatbelts you're better off (overall) without airbags and with a real strong steel cage.

**Madmax** · 15th March 2005, 22:11

have been in a drag car when it barrell rolled
(broke an axel off the line, 100 ft)
i think all cars should have a roll cages
(just rember to not try to hold up the roof
when it happens,leads to lots of sore fingers
and the like)
allways rember thinking dam that was lucky?
then i undid my belt and hit my head on the roof
as it was still upsidedown
(bloody driver thought it was funny, i pointed
out that his two black eyes looked quite good as well!!
all the arms and stuff flying around inside had got him bigtime)