Bad advice

[Insanity_rules]

haha! I'll turn up to a wncr on the pocket bike if you turn up in said gimp suit

As long as I dont have to wear the mask, your on! Don't tempt me, remember what I did at The Mount camp ground a few years back.

[ducatilover]

Maybe he was on 95 points?

Perhaps, mind you he was going the other way

[vifferman]

He better stay off Hamurana road! I own that

Is it alright if I have a turn on it sometime?

I've been over it a few times in the car recentlyish, but not on a bike since.... ooer... 1976?
Every time I go that way in the car I wish I was on the VFR.

[nosebleed]

Maybe he was on 95 points?

aaaah, living that dream.
frustrating as.

good on him for getting out, but i'd wager if he did look in his mirrors and saw nothing but MACK, he probably would have wobbled off and ended up underneath it

sometimes ignorance really is bliss.

[Cheshire Cat]

Is it alright if I have a turn on it sometime?

I've been over it a few times in the car recentlyish, but not on a bike since.... ooer... 1976?
Every time I go that way in the car I wish I was on the VFR.

Sure!

[Mystic13]

Maybe I should stop offering advice on this site.

Clearly one reader took my "Own Your Bit Of The Road" dissertation to heart.

There I was, on Saturday, in my cage, driving ( .... )
when I hoved up behind a Mack logging truck...loaded. He was doing 70Ks....unusual, but it happens.

I waited till we came to a spot I knew had a good straight, pulled out ( ... ) when I saw, directly ahead of the Mack, ( ...) and nearly on the centre-line, was a dude on the ( ... ) 250 Scorpion, L-plate clear, High-vis-clad, bent over like he was doing The Isle of Man, doing 70K's.....with forty tonnes of Mack truck up his arse.
............................

I swear, if ever I see you again, doing what you were doing, so utterly stupidly misinterpreting the concept of 'owning' your bit of road, I swear I'll.....Well shit, I'll think of something.

It's mind-numbingly stupid shit like this which gives all of us bikers a bad name.

But worse. I'm directly responsible for putting this idiot's life in clear danger having suggested he needs to 'own' his bit of road.

You see? We get back to the modern concept that everything has to be spelled out otherwise it ain't my fault.

And so, for all the other total fucking morons who need the advice, the advice is, "Own your bit of road BUT KEEP UP TO THE PREVAILING SPEED OR PULL OVER AND GIVE WAY!"

If nothing else this whole issue points up the stupidity of limiting learners to 70Ks, and/or giving learner-licences to those with an IQ measurable in single digits.

Jesus H Christ!

So let me see if I have this right.

The guy was on a learners doing 70k as he's legally limited to. Wearing a Hi-Viz vest. Impressive.

Personally I think that law is stupid but I'd be buggered if I'd ride to the left at that speed and let people pass me by running me up against the side of the road on a 225 Scorpion.

It seems to me your primary issue is the law being an ass.

I don't see that as a reason to beat the guy though.

It seems your initial advice was sound.

The guy could go quicker to appease you but then he'd likely cop a ticket. If he wanders around to your place are you going to pay the bill?

The fact he doesn't check his mirrors and is unaware of what's going on around him is more a risk to him and something he needs to sort.

You could have helped him with some helpful advice especially since he'd already been listening to you on KB.

I'm curious did the road rage last till you got home and could post on KB because I'd be concerned about that.

People who hold up a long line of traffic are challenging. It was you and one truck right.

Up in the US they have a law that if you have something like 3 cars behind you that you need to pull over and let them pass.

In Brisbane and the Gold Coast they fine you $150 if you don't move left. Consequently all the cars on the motorway are in the left lane, they move out and pass and move back.

Here our lawmakers are considering passing a law to fine you if you pass on the left because it's dangerous. FFS surely you'd fine those sitting out in the outside lane of three lanes doing 80k's that you find almost every week in Auckland while dozens of cars pass on the left.

Soon people will sit behind them horns blaring till they move. And of course they'd know that person can't pass to the left so they'd sit there.

So the guy was riding for 3 months. Seems like he needs support and encouragement and a big welcome to the bike community. Let's help him on his way to getting better.

On a side not if I had a 225 Scorpion I think I'd have a bid sign on the back saying "The law limits me to 70kmph on the open road. Sorry." and maybe an email address for a law change.

[Breed777]

ok, Im a newbie.... so I wanna check something.....

I understand that not checking your mirrors is a dumb ass thing to do.

But....

staying within the law, doing 70...as instructed by the law makers....

If a Mack truck is up his ass and should he happen to fall off and get squished surely its the gimp driving the truck that needs to back the F$%k off and give this obvious learner some room i.e enough room to brake safely without crashing into him... or... the leaner needs to use his mirrors and move left to let the truck pass...

Sounds as if the learner and the trucker are to blame...

Just my 2c

[Sparrowhawk]

Personally I think that law is stupid but I'd be buggered if I'd ride to the left at that speed and let people pass me by running me up against the side of the road on a 225 Scorpion.

Agreed that the law is stupid, however... After a mate & I got our licences and first bikes (his is a GN250, & mines a GPX250) we took a ride thru the hunua's, then down SH2 & 27 to Te Aroha. On the way down we stuck to the 70kph limit. It was really simple. If another vehicle came up behind us, we'd both tuck in to the left hand side of the road as soon as we could. I felt safer doing that than having impatient cagers up my jacksey.

Even now (legally able to do 100!), if someones tailgating I'll let them past. It's for my own sake, not theirs. If they want to go 130k's, it's their neck.

[MarkH]

He frowned then said, 'Nar mate. I don't look in me mirrors. I own my bit of road and so all I have to worry about is what's in front, not what's behind.'

'Really? And where did you get that idea?'

'Some bloke on KB said we motor-bikers have got to own our bit of road or get trashed.'

I am another bloke on KB and I have some advise for anyone reading this:

Situational awareness!
Be aware of what is around you, check your mirrors now and then so that if there is a big truck behind you that you realise it. If a dog runs out in front of you do you dodge or brake? If a truck is less than 10 metres off your tail then emergancy braking may not be the best option. Owning your piece of road doesn't mean being unaware of what is near you or being inconsiderate to other road users.

Also:
It is illegal to hog the centreline while moving slower than the flow of traffic. The road code say you are to keep as far to the left as practicable when slower than the other traffic.

And:
Upgrade your license and enjoy travelling at 100kph on the open road with no truck driving up your tailpipe. 70kph on the open road with angry frustrated drivers behind you does not equal being safe! What do you want on your gravestone - "It wasn't his fault". It is much safer to keep with the flow of traffic and not have some impatient prick pull a dangerous passing manoeuvre causing your death, being their fault wont bring you back to life.

[Breed777]

And:
Upgrade your license and enjoy travelling at 100kph on the open road with no truck driving up your tailpipe. 70kph on the open road with angry frustrated drivers behind you does not equal being safe! What do you want on your gravestone - "It wasn't his fault". It is much safer to keep with the flow of traffic and not have some impatient prick pull a dangerous passing manoeuvre causing your death, being their fault wont bring you back to life.

I totally agree with you but as I found out today, you can do 100 and still end up with some prick behind you wanting to do 120. the amount of times I have been driving/riding and would kill to have a set of blue and reds and a siren I could throw on.... always the way.... never a cop when you see crazy stuff...

little off the topic.... saw a guy in Tauranga last weekend on what looked like a GN, pulled up to the lights and reach out and grab a Mr Whippy van and let it tow him for about 200m...must of really wanted that ice cream!

[MarkH]

I totally agree with you but as I found out today, you can do 100 and still end up with some prick behind you wanting to do 120.

Maybe, but the prick behind you will be less angry and impatient when you are doing 100-105kph than when you are doing 70kph and he wants to do 120!

[Breed777]

Maybe, but the prick behind you will be less angry and impatient when you are doing 100-105kph than when you are doing 70kph and he wants to do 120!

Have a feeling if I do 140 i will still end up with someone riding or driving up my ass

[Bass]

Have a feeling if I do 140 i will still end up with someone riding or driving up my ass

Then let them pass - help them to do so even.
To me, it makes more sense to have those who wish to travel faster than me, in front of me where I can keep an eye on them, (for the brief period that they are in sight), rather than behind me and maybe planning something stupid to get by.

[dpex]

.

I'm curious did the road rage last till you got home and could post on KB because I'd be concerned about that.

Nar Mate. Ten minutes later I was doing 'There's No Sodding Trout!' rage, and thus had forgotten all about the dick-head. Besides, I don't ever do more than 'think' what I'd like to do to a dick-head.

BTW: There's some damned nice biker roads around the area. I was especially taken with the road beyond Lake Tarawera. All narrow and rolling hills. Must bike down and do that road sometime soon.

[madbikeboy]

ok, Im a newbie.... so I wanna check something.....

I understand that not checking your mirrors is a dumb ass thing to do.

But....

staying within the law, doing 70...as instructed by the law makers....

If a Mack truck is up his ass and should he happen to fall off and get squished surely its the gimp driving the truck that needs to back the F$%k off and give this obvious learner some room i.e enough room to brake safely without crashing into him... or... the leaner needs to use his mirrors and move left to let the truck pass...

Sounds as if the learner and the trucker are to blame...

Just my 2c

Umm, the realities of surviving while riding a bike, versus the law are sometimes quite different.

Judgement and common sense trumps the rules...