Blocks of wood in the road

[sootie]

If you used the two second rule while following ... you would have had plenty of time to change your line. Obviously following too closely ... your fault.

Nice idea FJ but it just doesn't work on the AK harbour bridge. Any gap like that, and you get overtaken & the gap is filled in usually with some further safety issues for a bike.
I estimate I have made 2000 crossings over the bridge in heavy traffic. I could not begin to count the objects I have seen lying on the road. Short lengths of 4x2 from builder's utes are about the most common. I bet other riders will back me on this.
By the way, I was once hit by a tennis ball sized rock which came at me sideways from a truck. A truck tire squeezed it out like an orange pip. I did see it coming, but too late & just took it on the leg - All OK, but a nice bruise.
My worst one was a bumble bee (I think) which hit me on the cheek; hurt like hell & filled my eyes with water. Just what you need at 80 kph with close traffic on all sides.
I am a bit more careful with visa position now days, but even a good strike on that in heavy traffic is scarey.
As I say, welcome to road riding in peak traffic around Auckland - usually no problem, but every so often you need to expect something to come at you from out of left field with almost no warning.

[FJRider]

Nice idea FJ but it just doesn't work on the AK harbour bridge. Any gap like that, and you get overtaken & the gap is filled in usually with some further safety issues for a bike.

And you think it's a coincidence that I chose to live (and ride) in the south island ... about as far away from a proper motorway as is possible.

And the following distance laws are in force on Auckland Harbour Bridge ... as they are anywhere else. Ignore them at your own peril. And live (if you call it living) with the results if you do ...

Sorry .... but you'll get little sympathy from down here ... about Auckland motorway "hazards" ..

[sootie]

And you think it's a coincidence that I chose to live (and ride) in the south island ... about as far away from a proper motorway as is possible.

And the following distance laws are in force on Auckland Harbour Bridge ... as they are anywhere else. Ignore them at your own peril. And live (if you call it living) with the results if you do ...

Sorry .... but you'll get little sympathy from down here ... about Auckland motorway "hazards" ..

You are all heart FJ! LOL

[FJRider]

You are all heart FJ! LOL

Don't get me wrong ... it's a rat-race down here too ... (But the rats down here run a lot slower)


Auckland traffic problems ARE a major source of amusement for south island residents ... please continue ...

[sootie]

Have to go out FJ, but I have a nephew down in Dunedin who refuses to drive in Ak, but has told me that everyone should give up driving (cars even) by the time thay are 70.
He is never going to live that down!

[ProTuned]

Lessons learnt:
1) ART is crucial - else I would have tried to fight the steering and probably highsided.

So a possibility of flying off the harbour bridge if you were in the outer lanes then.. seesh.. Ive always had a little bit of me thinking about the chances of that happening when riding across it, the barriers aren't that high either.

[swbarnett]

I have been hit by significant objects several times while crossing the Ak harbour bridge.
I reckon the odds are about one significant strike every 500 crossings.

In my daily commute actoss the bridge over the past 12 years I've not had one. I must be well overdue...

[sootie]

In my daily commute actoss the bridge over the past 12 years I've not had one. I must be well overdue...

You actually amaze me! What about the odd Warehouse hubcap rolling down between the rows of cars, chemical spills or sports balls?

I would comment though that I think the Police had a blitz on unsafe loads maybe 15 years ago, and builders vehicles in particular have looked safer since then. I used to try & not follow behind one of those just in case.
Come to think of it, there has not been as much building lately either.
(I have not been commuting the bridge for 7 years now.)

Anyway, how do I join your bridge crossing group rides?

[G4L4XY]

I was heading over to Tauranga one time on the Hyo, was following a trailor full of firewood. The load wasn't as secure as it should've been and after not too long I decided to hang back should a piece fall off the trailor....minutes later whad'ya know a piece of wood does come off and slides along the ground. Should I have been tailgating or following any normal distance I would've got owned

..my 2c

[sootie]

I was heading over to Tauranga one time on the Hyo, was following a trailor full of firewood. The load wasn't as secure as it should've been and after not too long I decided to hang back should a piece fall off the trailor....minutes later whad'ya know a piece of wood does come off and slides along the ground. Should I have been tailgating or following any normal distance I would've got owned

..my 2c

Good for you! Very sensible.
Making very good time up the southern motorway towards Ak on a Sunday last summer when a huge 4WD pulled out in front of me blocking the fast lane. What bothered me was the two push bikes retained vertically on to the roof rack by only wheel clips. I think he had the vehicle floored because he gave up that speed after 5 minutes.

In the meantime I had calculated that the force on the retaining clips was around 2 times what it would be at the legal speed limit. (If you know any aerodynmics you can work out what speed that was.) I chickened out & dropped back rapidly. If a bike had broken loose it was certain death for me. The adjacent lane was full & there was nowhere to dodge.

How good are these roof rack fittings & bike clips?

[G4L4XY]

What really gets me all riled up is when people cut you off when your in the "fast" lane on the motorway and then they take all day just to pass the car and then they dont even pull back into the other lane, it's like they do it just to fuck you off

[sootie]

What really gets me all riled up is when people cut you off when your in the "fast" lane on the motorway and then they take all day just to pass the car and then they dont even pull back into the other lane, it's like they do it just to fuck you off

Agreed, but you do have to remember that you may be riding a bike with about 6 times the power to weight ratio of the car trying to overtake. This is why I like powerful vehicles - it is not so much about going fast, it is more about being able to climb hills well & overtake cleanly & quickly when you want to. It is far less stressful than trying to urge your vehicle to get up & go!

The 4WD I was describing just did not have any more power, and should not have been in the fast lane at that speed with that load. I don't get too upset with minor speeding in or on a vehicle obviously designed for the job, but I like to think I would not have tried to go that fast in that 4WD. Not the viewpoint of our law I know.

[BoristheBiter]

What really gets me all riled up is when people cut you off when your in the "fast" lane on the motorway and then they take all day just to pass the car and then they dont even pull back into the other lane, it's like they do it just to fuck you off

The worst bit is after they take all day to pass the car, you try and undertake them and they speed up WTF's up with that.

[sootie]

The worst bit is after they take all day to pass the car, you try and undertake them and they speed up WTF's up with that.

So, you have been a perfect gentleman up to that point; and this is where you lift the front wheel & show them what you really have got (politely of course!)

[FJRider]

So, you have been a perfect gentleman up to that point; and this is where you lift the front wheel & show them what you really have got (politely of course!)

I'm not saying that lifting my FJ's front wheel is easy (or possible for that matter) but it can give a good demonstration of a motorcycles ability to overtake ... 80 to 140 and back to 100 km/hr in as long a time as it takes to say it ... !!!


You guys and guyess's up norf are simply spoilt. More than one lane in each direction ... and you moan about limited chances for overtaking ... get real guys ...