Sorry mate... Didn't see ya

[Motu]

Um,sorry....I do that one a lot too.

Maybe I shouldn't be in charge of a motor vehicle.

[Big Dog]

Piss off! I know my road code, I only give way unneccessarily when I know my reg or wof are expired. At least if their behind me I know where theyt are.

However everything changes when their lights come on having nearly been punted from behind on the motorway several times including once where the passenger door hit my braking foot!

People giving way out of turn cause as many accidents as people not giving way (that I have seen any way).

Having said all that "Many a man has given his life to defend his right of way!" (Can't remember which nz actor in 80's road safety campain).

[SILVER SUZI]

Interesting what you say about the Titanic on castors. When I first moved up to Auckland I was driving a truck! Red as it happens and plenty of people pulled out on me. Go figure. 10ft high, 8ft wide, 40 odd ft long with a container on the back.
Now lets go one step futher. As a voluinteer firefighter I drove a big red truck with lights and sirens. Most people do see you... and stop. Even when you are right behind them! They panic and stand on the brakes. Fortunatly you don't have to drive a fire appliance for long before you start to expect the unexpected

[marty]

Originally posted by Jackrat
I think you foget Motu,most of the guys on this site are perfect an never make mistakes.Ummmm well it wasn,t my fault,I was only lane spliting at speed,I was only doing twice the speed limit,and I should be able to because I own a fast bike,Ect,ect,ect,

i was only going 11/10ths when i fell off - what the fuck happened?

[750Y]

well first time in a long time, I had someone try squeeze me out of the lane by overtaking me as i rode along the motorway. I had moved into the left side of the fast lane to avoid the blind spot of the car caught behind a truck up ahead. funny i was on the 4hundy which is fairly small, no-one ever did that when i was on the 7. I wasn't expecting it. oh well i'm not complaining about it as it was totally legal for her to do so just kinda funny really, size counts alright. lol

[madandy]

A couple of months ago, on my old, mighty AX100! I nearly copped it in a round-a-bout.An aging dude in a spanking new black Malloo ute drove 'round in front of me, changed lanes as I tried to overtake him.was so close I kicked a mighty great dent in that shiny beast with my steelcap!stuff him and his ignorance...he sure saw me when he heard the thump as his rear left panel folded

[Jackrat]

I got,a admit it struck me as being a bit odd that if I was riding my
TS125 Suzuki I had people totaly ignore me,Yet when I was on my 750 Bonnie with high bars an a bloody great chain an padlock
draped over my shoulder an across my chest most folks spotted me first look.And then again I was driving my pilot ute with a 1x2 meter sign and two flashing orange lights when a woman snuck past me and under the truck I was escorting,She reckoned she didn,t see me or the bloody truck,Thats an eighteen wheeler with a combine harvester on the back.Work that out.

[SPman]

If you want to get down the motorway at speed, sit in behind a gang of Harleys! - its like the parting of the Red Sea! Cars fall over themselves trying to get out of the way...

 

[What?]

Originally posted by Jackrat
Bugger,Had to reply to this one.

Welcome back, Jack. Nice to know that at least some of the crap I write serves some sort of purpose!!!

BTW Scumdog, not quite "everyone" sees cop cars. I know of a couple of incidents... Scary, man. VERY scary

[Big Dog]

I'm either fairly lucky or fairly visible.

I tend to think it's,
10% Defensive driving,
25% Big bike,
25% Big Dude,
40% Luck.

[madandy]

Yeah, having a big (ger) bike has deffinately helped me get seen at intersections and everywhere else...the RF might not be a real 'big bike' but it's a good size for a 400...people sure respect it alot more than the ax100 I was on up 'till a fortnight ago!

I think brightly coloured bikes/helmet/clothing help, too...and riding with your headlight on...I can't believe some guys ride without their light on!

[Big Dog]

HMM the point to my earlier post is that there is so little we can actually do about avoiding trouble we should do them well.

[BigB]

We are know tin top drivers are brainless put last night I came up against a classic.

Going home just after 4pm on the motorway just by the Kyberpass on ramp in fast lane heading south doing 10 kph.

I always leave a bit of a gap between me and the car in front, I come to a stop and what happens, the guy behind whos been about a foot of my back tyre for the last 100m runs into the back of me

He didn't knock me down but hard enough to shunt me forward. So I turn and nicely tell him what I think of his driving (abuse the shit out of him), and he's already yelling at me to get out of the way and get a f##king move on!!!!!! f##king wanker.

So I did move on at 5kph and when he got pissed of and moved to the inside lane and came up beside me I really let ripe. Then took off leaving hin sitting there looking a right dick as about 20 cars went passed. (I would have kicked his door in put there was a cop about 10 cars back and I know who would have come out worse off)

[STfella]

Yes, everyone sees a cop, and therein lay the key. They paint the things to be seen. The cop bikers wear conspicuous dayglow jackets. Perhaps we can take a tip from that.

I wear a dayglow jacket, oh yes I do ride an ST. So I guess, at a quite take, I could look like a cop. It all helps me get seen. I know I am more visible than just in black leathers.

I've just posted something about Modulated Headlights today. These are extreemly useful in getting you seen, I just don't know if they are legal in NZ. And, perhaps to the blind tin top driver, they may make you look more like a cop, therefore you get seen.

[ManDownUnder]

I am often amased at how many things I am looking at as I go down the road... simply because they represent a physical threat to me on my bike.

Coming up to a pedestrian crossing, you're looking for people stepping out, people on the crossing, cars slowing, turning etc etc etc...

If everyione had to spend a couple of years in the saddle I think it'd be a better place - simply because everyone would have been shared shitless a few times, maybe been in one or two dings (where there is some pain - not just a loud "crunch") and guess what - they'd wise up a little.

Problem is I think that heightened awareness would wear off after another year or two... maybe we should make it compulsory to ride a bike!