Bikers deserve the way people perceive them

[CookMySock]

It may not be you that receives the attitude. It could the biker directly behind you that wears the wraith of a pissed off car driver.

I have learned that no matter how strongly I feel, or how wrongly I think I am treated, I have no right to take violent action against others. People in cars (or on bikes) carry the same responsibility, and if piss a car driver off then that is too bad. There are plenty of times I am pissed off, but I may not use my vehicle as a weapon, and that is the law - stiff titty, boo hoo hoo, take a number please! Maybe this is what you're really worried about MG, is some asshole motorist doing bad things to you. Maybe someone already has.

A biker only has to annoy a driver one too many times for that person to have a lifelong hate for everyone on two wheels.

Perhaps, but I think you are overstating the problem somewhat. I take great mirth from passing cars in little gaps, and lots of other cheeky shit too, and that is at least 50% of what I enjoy about biking. If they don't like it, then they should get a bike too, or.. whatever.. I don't care. Biking is vastly more amusing than being in a car.

[....] I had 4 guys 1 in gang patch and 3 others riding with him toot and wave out when I moved over for them, really made my day until my return trip home when 12 bikes went past me splitting and I moved over for all but 1 of them and not one of the 12 waved or acknowledged me.
So guess what look out for me now cause I wont be letting you through anymore.

I ALWAYS wave at vehicles that let me through. So THANK YOU from me, if that will help repair the damage there. Letting me through GREATLY improves the quality of my biking experience. I'm amazed you had a patched rider "toot and wave" though - geez he will giving ya a kiss next. Better watch out if you're stopped at the loo's up the road.

Steve

[Number One]

I don't think KB has enough free space for the examples that me and other KB members could provide about inconsiderate riding and bikers taking unnecessary risks.

Absolutely there are knob ends on bikes out there. Had a pearler of an example yesterday coming home from work. Pulled straight across a deserted motorway (behind) to the right hand lane. Ended up behind another biker (very shexxy sounding something whatever it was but that is irrelevant) anyway, I see him look in his mirrors see me and then he proceeds to scream off riding like a fuckwit splitting up the already doing 100+k traffic - which by the way was building to full rush hour. I think he thought I wanted to race him..like ummm NO I value both my license and my life thanks. Anyway I do my normal thing of using the gaps to pass, indicating each move and allowing time for the drivers to see me behind, beside and then wanting to get in front. As I am doing this I notice MR FAST BIG BALLS still splitting like a twat meh good on ya mate whatever. There were cars making that surprised swerve you see them do and I even saw one driver shake his fist at the guy. SO turns out me and MR FAST BIG BALLS are going the same way taking the same exit and everything...and guess what? For all his stupid and illegal moves he didn't get that far ahead anyway - infact I ended up pulling in behind him at the motorway exit BUT no matter he must've felt really cool anyway Then as we ride up into the 50K residential area he decides I can only imagine something along the lines of 'he is far too cool to have another biker behind him' so he carves up all the traffic. Good one mate! I was soooo impressed I weed a little in breathy excitement NOT. I giggled to myself wondering what he would have made of knowing it was a GIRL behind him....would he have responded with the 'ya wanna race me - you won't beat me' attitude I wonder...

I'm pointing out that I've had a gutsful of bikers bitching about their reputation being undeserved because they apparently never do anything wrong. We deserve everything we get if we stand aside and let some riders ruin the way the rest of us are perceived. We can't change the perception if we refuse to acknowledge we're doing anything wrong or let someone else know that they're being a dickhead.

Fair enough but don't let it bother you too much eh? The sad fact is that people will continue to ride like cocks if that's what they want to do and there is nothing anyone can say that will stop them doing it. As for saying we deserve everything we get - I disagree completely! We can't change these peoples attitudes - that is something only they can do and no amount of our bitching will do it. This element exists everwhere. The important thing is that drivers see that some of us are respectful road users who will give them a wave for their courtesy and what not. Well that's how I look at it anyway

On a positive note. Not all drivers hate us. A good example. Got to the Lower Hutt lights the other day. Traffic backed up in all lanes and lights had just gone red. Tootling slowly down the centre I made my way to the front....about 300m away! As I got within 50m there was a car in the right hand lane that was quite far left in his lane...no room to fit through so I stop and patiently wait for the traffic to get moving again. BUT WAIT! This guy looks up, turns his head, sees me and then puts the car in gear and quickly pulls up and over to let me through. I pulled up beside his window and gave him a smile, thumbsup and thank you wave he merrily smiles back and waves me on. Good man! Then another thought went through my mind...how many bikers would have stopped to acknowledge his action? I would like to say we all would be so courteous to, but I have been that driver and bikers often don't...as they are entitled to be made way for clearly

Anyway don't let it get you down too much - I believe those that are the worst for the crappy biker behaviour are those that won't be changing it any time soon and certainly not because of what anyone else thinks. Just ride your ride and laugh at the twats out there cos they ain't listening and they don't define YOUR behaviour.

[scumdog]

I have learned that no matter how strongly I feel, or how wrongly I think I am treated, I have to right to take violent action against others. Steve

Huh?

Is there a word or something missing from the above statement??

Like maybe 'no'?

[Grahameeboy]

Bikers deserve the way people perceive them

Of course they do but most bikers have their heads so far up there own arse they can't see it

How can they see when it is so dark

[CookMySock]

Huh?

Is there a word or something missing from the above statement??

Like maybe 'no'?

Yes, thank you scumdog. Typo fixed, whew.

Steve

[74 knuckle]

Ha! what a crack up. Motogirl you talk of perception Yet you've percieved this biker did this to piss you off. Perhaps his/her mind was so focused on what he/she had to do, that there riding focus wasn,t what it should've been. Perhaps they too went home to change there undies afterward!!!! Have you apologised everytime you've pissed a cagey off? I took my bike to work the other day and was almost collected by a cagey in the carpark, However rather than take off and get pissed about it. I stopped to make sure she was okay, as I could only feel how frghtening it may have been for her also. Turned out she was the topdog to the place and she has been very obliging to all our needs since

[Big Dave]

Ohhhh nooooooooo - my reputation is ruined - what am I going to do!!!!!!

[awayatc]

victim support...?

[Big Dave]

victim support...?

I was thinking 'burnouts' - but if she's good looking.......

[vifferman]

Whelp, while I don't think you should've "knocked some sense into" the guy on the 250, I think it might have been a good idea to at least point out he very nearly got collected, that what he did was risky and rude, and that you were saying this as a fellow biker.

[FJRider]

Of course. I wouldn't put a biker at risk of hitting me through not knowing where I was headed.

Then obviously the biker was at fault... GOD... what am I saying ..