Cool pro-biking article in the NZ Herald

[SMOKEU]

I'd like to see Mr. Joyce name one new 250cc road bike model that is faster than my 21 year old Honda.

[p.dath]

p.dath stop making threads boring.

This one had some real potential for gold.

If by gold you misleading commentary, sure.

[Latte]

Gold = Entertainment ........ everyone likes to be entertained.

[simpy1]

I'd like to see Mr. Joyce name one new 250cc road bike model that is faster than my 21 year old Honda.

Aprilia RS250? That's probably the only one though! EDIT: Maybe I'm wrong - is it not made anymore?

[R-Soul]

While it will reduce the amount of turning accidents, I bet now while waiting in the middle of the road for all traffic to disperse, there will be an increase in nose to tail accidents.

Maybe New Zealand should change to driving on the righthand side of the road too, think of the tourists.

Fanny.

The law changes now mean that road users just have to be alert and see what is in front of them, and not turn in fornt of moving vehicles. Self preservation usually accouns for them doing this anyway (do you honestly just pull in front of a moving car just because its got its indicator on, or do you wait for it to slow down a bit or even stop first?). The old rules required you to read the mind of the person turning left, to see if they are actually turnng left there, or into the driveway or dairy immediately after, or if they have just left their indicator on.

Any road law that requires mind reading is RUBBISH!

[robo555]

Aprilia RS250? That's probably the only one though! EDIT: Maybe I'm wrong - is it not made anymore?

Not made anymore. There's the RS125.

[nodrog:Me]

Any road law that requires mind reading is RUBBISH!

Heavens forbid that one should be required to use their brain to assess situations whilst driving.

Fanny.

[rickstv]

[QUOTE=p.dath;1129877025]As I understand it, councils have already started planning for this. Some roads will need to be modified to make them safer with the addition of a turning bay.

Pretty easy problem to solve.


I remember a time before the silly new right hand rule came into force (sometime in the 70s I think) if we were on a road with an open road speed limit and wanted to turn right, we had to pull over to the left to allow all traffic to pass before starting the turn.

This prevented nose to tail accidents. I wonder if they will bring that back in?
Rick.

[Subike]

[QUOTE=rickstv;1129877779]

As I understand it, councils have already started planning for this. Some roads will need to be modified to make them safer with the addition of a turning bay.

Pretty easy problem to solve.


I remember a time before the silly new right hand rule came into force (sometime in the 70s I think) if we were on a road with an open road speed limit and wanted to turn right, we had to pull over to the left to allow all traffic to pass before starting the turn.

This prevented nose to tail accidents. I wonder if they will bring that back in?
Rick.

I think that any person who exersizes any sort of road sence would being doing this already in open road areas. I have seen tail ender from trucks hitting cars stopped on the centerline to turn, and they are not nice incidents.
Many of us more mature aged people will be welcoming the return to the "new" rule, as we saw its error in the first place, but as usuall the boffins at the top of the heap, dont listen to the workers on the coal face.

[schrodingers cat]

While it will reduce the amount of turning accidents, I bet now while waiting in the middle of the road for all traffic to disperse, there will be an increase in nose to tail accidents.

Maybe New Zealand should change to driving on the righthand side of the road too, think of the tourists.

Fanny.

Those of you who have spent any time in the UK will know that the whole concept of 'paying it forward' applies. I slow, flash and let you across my bow, thereby slowing my progress to a tiny degree because soon - I'll want to turn across you!

The ol kiwi 'fuck you mate' causes sooooooo much congestion on our roads.


Remember the mathmatician a couple of years but that stated the easiest way to keep rush hour motorway traffic running smoother was to REDUCE the speed limit.
Made total sense when he explained it but no-one wanted to try to understand. THe drivers interviewed pretty much said 'I want to be able to drive as fast as I can so I can get there quickly' (To summarise "Me, me, me, fuck you mate."

[Gremlin]

I've stopped letting people in, in a lot of situations... well, attempting to let them in... why? Because I slow, they slow, I slow down more, beep my horn, flash my lights, all the while still slowing down and they still don't get the hint.

Worst is when a car has pulled onto the median strip from a side road, and looking to merge with the lane. Seems like its a big ask to get them to accelerate up to speed, then merge into a gap between vehicles. Same on the flipping motorway onramps. Seriously? How hard is it?

[p.dath]

As I understand it, councils have already started planning for this. Some roads will need to be modified to make them safer with the addition of a turning bay.

Pretty easy problem to solve.


I remember a time before the silly new right hand rule came into force (sometime in the 70s I think) if we were on a road with an open road speed limit and wanted to turn right, we had to pull over to the left to allow all traffic to pass before starting the turn.

This prevented nose to tail accidents. I wonder if they will bring that back in?
Rick.

It is still in the current road code. It never went out.

[Berries]

Those of you who have spent any time in the UK will know that the whole concept of 'paying it forward' applies. I slow, flash and let you across my bow, thereby slowing my progress to a tiny degree because soon - I'll want to turn across you!.

It's just courtesy isn’t it ? You have to do this in the UK so everyone gets along. Over here there are not the same volumes of traffic so it doesn’t happen.

I've stopped letting people in, in a lot of situations... well, attempting to let them in... why? Because I slow, they slow, I slow down more, beep my horn, flash my lights, all the while still slowing down and they still don't get the hint.

Me too. I may leave a gap at the lights to let someone turn across me, but if they sit there and dither they can bollocks. I will wait a couple of seconds while they sit there in la la land then I'm off.

There is no thanks here for being courteous. Think I'll join the FU brigade like everyone else.

[Berries]

It is still in the current road code. It never went out.

It is still there, but the way it is written shows that hogging the centreline is preferred - A driver ............. must move as far as practicable to the right without encroaching on any lanes that are unavailable to the driver with pulling to the left being mentioned as not being in breach of this subclause. it is clear which one is being promoted.

[Luckylegs]

I'm also supportive of over 25 year old learner riders having the same time on a restricted licence as young drivers.

I help out at the NASS training nights. Becoming safe on a motorcycle is about spending time in the saddle, and not the year you were born in.

And I have had this discussion with many new "older" riders, who think their car driving skills and transferable to riding a bike. Most change their mind after they have been riding for a year. The skills for riding a motorcycle are very different. Personally, I think you have to be a *much* better road user to ride a bike safely than what the "average" car driver is - but that is my personal opinion. Your's may be different.

Really? I would have thought the thing that makes me safe on a bike is maturity and being able to 'read' the traffic. Im pretty sure that over 25's are generally more mature than your average spotty teenager and that many years driving gives you some awareness skills (That'll be a quotable quote on this forum, no doubt, but.... I believe true nonetheless). The skills to ride a motorbike are not largely different to that of a car. The mechanics of doing things are different. Whats different (as you note) is the attitide.

...FWIW, I agree with the removal of the over 25 thing for people getting their first lisence and not just an add of class 6 to an existing.