North western/southern m'way

[bosslady]

If you have no idea what is going on around you (on the road) at any one time, then that needs to be addressed. Yes, things can change in an instant but, being alert enough to be comfortable in your ''road space'' in certain conditions can save shit from happening, how you do that I guess is up to the individual.
Those that head check in a car then STILL indicate and move in front of you, really have no idea, I am the better road user for noticing these people before crap happens.

Not sure how you came to the conclusion I have no idea what's going on around me.

[Maha]

Not sure how you came to the conclusion I have no idea what's going on around me.

I concluded that because, you said you head check, why would anyone need to do that if they knew what was going on around them?
At times I would glance if I manage to loose a vehicle in my mirrors, but it's not something that I need to do with every lane change.

Do you head check when you lane split? that's just lane changing on a smaller scale.

[nzspokes]

If you have no idea what is going on around you (on the road) at any one time, then that needs to be addressed. Yes, things can change in an instant but, being alert enough to be comfortable in your ''road space'' in certain conditions can save shit from happening, how you do that I guess is up to the individual.
Those that head check in a car then STILL indicate and move in front of you, really have no idea, I am the better road user for noticing these people before crap happens.

You have magic mirrors that see into all the blind spots?

Good luck with that.

[nerrrd]

Agreed, always head check. Mirror check, indicate, head check then move over. 9/10 I probably don't NEED to have head checked but you only need that one other time to maybe have a mishap... pays not to be complacent eh. I practice the same habits in my car too.

Yup, it's saved my bacon more than once (and I like my bacon) , it's a habit too now which is good for me I think.

If you have no idea what is going on around you (on the road) at any one time, then that needs to be addressed. Yes, things can change in an instant but, being alert enough to be comfortable in your ''road space'' in certain conditions can save shit from happening, how you do that I guess is up to the individual.

Maybe not "no idea", but personally I don't trust myself not to miss something. But yeah, I can see that observation / planning / spatial awareness etc is the way to go 'cos then nothings going to happen at the last minute that you're not ready for. It's how those IAM guys roll, isn't it? I try to do those observational commentaries as i'm riding along on a regular basis (like Riderskills showed me once), still find them really hard to do.

As you say it's up to each individual to figure out what works for them.

[bosslady]

I concluded that because, you said you head check, why would anyone need to do that if they knew what was going on around them?
At times I would glance if I manage to loose a vehicle in my mirrors, but it's not something that I need to do with every lane change.

Do you head check when you lane split? that's just lane changing on a smaller scale.

Then you assume (not conclude) wrong. Nothing wrong with building and maintaining good habits. I'll continue to do so, so assume whatever you will

[nzspokes]

Yup, it's saved my bacon more than once (and I like my bacon) , it's a habit too now which is good for me I think.

Its a very good habit to have and can save your life.

[pzkpfw]

I'm not advocating recklessness, but this is one of those times when a little speed adds safety. It's much easier to aware of what's in front of you than behind, so making sure you're a little "faster" when changing lanes or merging makes you safer. You're not so likely to run up the back of someone in front of you, because you can see them. Whereas being "too slow" when changing lanes or merging means you are encouraging someone behind you to run up the back of you. If you've just passed someone on the motorway, and they were doing 90 and you're doing 100; they're not going to teleport into you when you move into their lane.

Obviously not a full-time rule. Someone ahead of you could unexpectedly slow down. Someone behind you could be going faster than you realise. You might meet an unexpected lane splitter. You might move into the centre lane when someone on the opposite side also decides to do the same thing. So some combination of head checks, mirrors, spatial awareness and memory is still needed.

(This (speed differentials) is a real bug bear for me right now. I commute with the Wife at present, in her little Suzuki. Pretty much every day I'm on a merging lane behind some clown, wanting to merge onto an 80 or 100 k road, doing 10 k slower than that. First, they are encouraging someone on the motorway to run up them, secondly they are causing traffic behind them on the merging lane to bunch up (because we were speeding up to motorway speed, to merge safely) which just makes it extra hard for all of us to merge safely into the main traffic flow. (Merging lanes are stupidly short in Wellington).)

[Maha]

Yup, it's saved my bacon more than once (and I like my bacon) , it's a habit too now which is good for me I think.



Maybe not "no idea", but personally I don't trust myself not to miss something. But yeah, I can see that observation / planning / spatial awareness etc is the way to go 'cos then nothings going to happen at the last minute that you're not ready for. It's how those IAM guys roll, isn't it? I try to do those observational commentaries as i'm riding along on a regular basis (like Riderskills showed me once), still find them really hard to do.

As you say it's up to each individual to figure out what works for them.

Agree Rod, habits/methods are picked early on and some continue those through because they work for them. Motorcycling is a very personal thing and 'My Bike My Rules' applies vehemently.
At least you know how to voice an have an argument...

[Road kill]

If people stopped the constant tailgating most of the problems would never eventuate.

I'd say 90% of the bikers I see who are not splitting are well within 10 meters of the car in front of them.

The average car following distance, one and a half car lengths.

Truck drivers both tonka toys and big rigs,,,,often the same.

[nzspokes]

Then you assume (not conclude) wrong. Nothing wrong with building and maintaining good habits. I'll continue to do so, so assume whatever you will

As Nerrd as eluded to good quality training (Riderskills) train you to look for hazards both in front of you and behind. Head checks are a large part of this. I see much more after my minimal time with Riderskills.

I could do with an update with my riding been a bit interrupted in the last year.

[The Reibz]

You people have failed to identify the biggest hazard on this piece of road...
A cop often sits just off to the left with a radar gun collecting vital revenue. Worlds biggest speed trap, unless you can escape into the traffic you are farrrrkkkked.

[Hitcher]

ABGEL is not found.
A3BKY - 2000 TRACTOR MASSEY FERGUSON 35. So that was a Hog

It's that data that prompted my earlier post.

It's pointless whingeing on KB about this sort of stuff. That's why Moderators move threads like this to R&R.

If a crime has been committed, ring 111. If you have accurate data and want to have a whinge, ring *555.

[Road kill]

It's that data that prompted my earlier post.

It's pointless whingeing on KB about this sort of stuff. That's why Moderators move threads like this to R&R.

If a crime has been committed, ring 111. If you have accurate data and want to have a whinge, ring *555.

Bull shit,your just an all round sour cunt.

Yeah I know,,,bite me.

[nzspokes]

It's that data that prompted my earlier post.

It's pointless whingeing on KB about this sort of stuff. That's why Moderators move threads like this to R&R.

If a crime has been committed, ring 111. If you have accurate data and want to have a whinge, ring *555.

Well it did lead to a reminder about head checks which is a good thing in my book.

[Gremlin]

I concluded that because, you said you head check, why would anyone need to do that if they knew what was going on around them?

No... you're assuming you know what is going on around you. You are assuming, as you do not know, as you have not looked.

You should never go somewhere where your eyes haven't already been.