Where do you want to see motorcycling heading?

[Katman]

Do you have a recent example of a fuckwit on a bike fucking things up for you?

Further to my PM to you giving an example that affects me personally, another couple spring to mind.

Those who can't lane split without taking off cars wing mirrors or those who have an accident while lane splitting and then try pinning the blame on everyone but themselves are taking us down the path where one day NZTA, the police, or the government will simply turn around and say categorically that lane splitting is illegal.

Those who see no problem in carving up a car mid-corner simply because the "fucking cager was spoiling my lines" are creating a large number of car drivers who will be only too happy to see us come to grief (and even worse, producing a number of drivers who may well happily contribute to the demise of the next motorcyclist that comes their way).

[oldrider]

Religious quotes are probably a bit naff to the majority these days but the old:

"do unto others as you would have others do unto you" is probably a good fit here!

Treat other road users as you would have other road users treat you as motorcyclists!

If we make other road users our "friends", maybe they will want to see us, even look for us! (that would be nice)

Too easy though eh!

[mashman]

Religious quotes are probably a bit naff to the majority these days but the old:

"do unto others as you would have others do unto you" is probably a good fit here!

Treat other road users as you would have other road users treat you as motorcyclists!

If we make other road users our "friends", maybe they will want to see us, even look for us! (that would be a nice)

Too easy though eh!

it's the only way it'll... they may even want to join us...

[Conquiztador]

Another angle on that old crusade of yours I see. The ONLY thing "we" have in common is that "we" all ride bikes. And there it stops.

When the rules are tightened for bikers, I break more of them.
When the petrol becomes more expensive I still ride. There will be more space on the roads.
When a idiot in a cage does something stupid I give them the finger.

I don't ride to fit in.
I don't ride to make a statement.
I don't ride to change the world.

I only ride for me.

[Katman]

Another angle on that old crusade of yours I see. The ONLY thing "we" have in common is that "we" all ride bikes. And there it stops.

When the rules are tightened for bikers, I break more of them.
When the petrol becomes more expensive I still ride. There will be more space on the roads.
When a idiot in a cage does something stupid I give them the finger.

I don't ride to fit in.
I don't ride to make a statement.
I don't ride to change the world.

I only ride for me.

Do you care whether the irresponsible actions of other motorcyclists will one day impinge upon (or even remove entirely) those motorcycling liberties you're so fond of?

I do.

[onearmedbandit]

Probably one of the biggest problems within motorcycling is that not enough of the motorcyclists who ride with a brain inside their helmets are standing up and telling the fuckwits on bikes to pull their heads in and stop fucking things up for the rest of us.

Are there really that many fuckwit riders out there? I ride most days out on the open road on a well trodden motorcycling route and in the past few months I've seen many bikes, from GN250's to cruisers to Rossi rep R1's, and none of them have acted in a way to offend the general public. I'm not saying they aren't out there, but they are not as visible as 'boi racers',in other words in my opinion they are in the minority. It's not really a question of 'can we weed out the fuckwits on motorcycles' but rather 'can we weed the fuckwits out of life'. Which, unfortunately we can't.

The fact is that motorcyclists (and therefore motorcycling) are becoming seen, in the eyes of the general public, to be no better than a two wheeled version of boy racers.

I disagree with this as a general statement. Why just the other day I was parked in town outside the Arts Centre, 'twas a beautiful day, lots of mothers out walking their young children. After watching my 3yr old daughter at ballet I went back to my bike, sat down on a seat about 5 metres away, and watched as mother after mother pointed out the 'nice motorcycle' to their children. When I got up to leave a couple of mothers got their children to watch me, I waved at them, they waved back with big smiles, everyone was happy. No matter where I go, I have people of all ages/backgrounds/etc approach me and talk to me because I'm on a bike, they ask questions, share stories, even the people I only passed 5 minutes ago. I think your perception of the 'image' of motorcycling is a little out of adjustment, as we, in the eyes of the general public, are no where near the level that 'boi racers' are placed.

[Brian d marge]

I would like to see more education

especially as more ordinary people are moving towards scooter ( electric ones are cheap to run and probably when they are more widely available , soon, you will see more riding them

These people aren't as tuned into the perils of a scooter or bike

Speaking of electric , Hell yes , or diesel

When the price of gas touches 3 dollars a litre !!!

Stephen

[oldrider]

I would like to see more education

especially as more ordinary people are moving towards scooter ( electric ones are cheap to run and probably when they are more widely available , soon, you will see more riding them

These people aren't as tuned into the perils of a scooter or bike

Speaking of electric , Hell yes , or diesel

When the price of gas touches 3 dollars a litre !!!

Stephen

Does this light your fire Stephen? http://www.advancedeco.co.nz/lifebatt.html Have a look at the video's.

[Brian d marge]

Does this light your fire Stephen? http://www.advancedeco.co.nz/lifebatt.html Have a look at the video's.

Very much

Thanks for that

I am just running out of peasants to keep the Nuclear fire a burning

Stephen

[Swoop]

The example given earlier was that of the NRA in the US - they used to have a slogan stating something like X number of people hunt, shoot and VOTE

You will find that was a slogan of the NZ sporting shooters association.

[McWild]

I disagree with this as a general statement. Why just the other day I was parked in town outside the Arts Centre, 'twas a beautiful day, lots of mothers out walking their young children. After watching my 3yr old daughter at ballet I went back to my bike, sat down on a seat about 5 metres away, and watched as mother after mother pointed out the 'nice motorcycle' to their children. When I got up to leave a couple of mothers got their children to watch me, I waved at them, they waved back with big smiles, everyone was happy. No matter where I go, I have people of all ages/backgrounds/etc approach me and talk to me because I'm on a bike, they ask questions, share stories, even the people I only passed 5 minutes ago. I think your perception of the 'image' of motorcycling is a little out of adjustment, as we, in the eyes of the general public, are no where near the level that 'boi racers' are placed.

I very much agree with this.

I have only experienced positive reactions from the public when out and about on the bike, and as said have often have people talk to me because I'm on a bike.

I'm a young guy, and I highly, highly doubt that I would get the same positive reactions if I were to pull up somewhere and get out of a shitbox with the body scraping the ground and an exhaust big enough to put my arm in.

[Katman]

I very much agree with this.

I have only experienced positive reactions from the public when out and about on the bike, and as said have often have people talk to me because I'm on a bike.

I'm a young guy, and I highly, highly doubt that I would get the same positive reactions if I were to pull up somewhere and get out of a shitbox with the body scraping the ground and an exhaust big enough to put my arm in.

Don't worry, the Akaroa GP and Coro GP seasons will roll back around soon enough.

[avgas]

I want what the japanese adds in the 80's promised me.
I want KBTTL, I want VVVVVVVVTTTTTTTTTTTT, I want SRAM and I want Lasers shooting out of my bike

[onearmedbandit]

Don't worry, the Akaroa GP and Coro GP seasons will roll back around soon enough.

Now I certainly won't argue the rep of those two roads, although I've only ridden one of them. And yes sure enough there are many cases of riders acting like they own the road, to the point that I can't be arsed with the Akaroa ride any longer, too easy to be tarred with the same brush. However, these are but two of the many many roads we have in NZ that are great for riding, a lot of them very popular but don't share the same rep as those two. And nor do the riders.

[Pedrostt500]

I ride for my own personal satisfaction, I Would like to see the numbers of regular riders increase, I dont care what they ride, or wich organisation or club they belong to, or if they just like to rid on their own.
I think it would be good to see motorcyclist numbers at least double if not trebble in the next 10 years, there are alot of benifits with a larger riding population, and some negatives.
Education needs to hold presidence over regulation, if every road riding club and orgaisation got behind the education of new and long time returning riders, this would be far better than a disinterested group like the AA taking on the mantel of rider education.