Well this is a bit of a daft argument isn't it? You complain that bikes come from "nowhere" whilst you are stationary in traffic, but then you admit you aren't actually looking out for them anyway.
Why do bikers..
- Thread starter Mr-White
- Start date
Well this is a bit of a daft argument isn't it? You complain that bikes come from "nowhere" whilst you are stationary in traffic, but then you admit you aren't actually looking out for them anyway.
Pretty much this.
The vast majority of bike hate is envy in my eyes.
I drive and ride and choose to ride daily to work for the simply fact its much easier, cheaper and more stress free..! Haters gonna hate, etc
Not for me, if I wanted to ride then I'd buy a bike (I actually have a thread open looking for a new car). I'd rather be comfortable in my car with a radio, heating/aircon, phone (when stationary
) and passengers to talk too then getting a few miles further down the road. What this thread was about was the way bikers ride, they seem to compromise their safety in exchange for getting through traffic quicker. The blame then gets shifted to car drivers who couldn't care less because they see they're doing nothing wrong.MW
Soldato
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Where did i say bikers run red lights?
Anyhow. Whatever, i'll stop bitching about it.
Not for me, if I wanted to ride then I'd buy a bike (I actually have a thread open looking for a new car). I'd rather be comfortable in my car with a radio, heating/aircon, phone (when stationary
MW
Bikes are never going to be as safe as cars but I would go shouting theyre dangerous either- Else people wouldnt ride them to work. Not least myself.
You do bring up the typical assumptions with the car>bike argument though that shows youre no biker.
Comfortable? Im not less comfy on my bike than in my car tbh.
Radio? Headphones.
Heating/Aircon - Well let me put it this way .. Ive yet to have a cold morning yet. The right kit makes all the difference and I find myself colder when driving about as the heater dependancy makes you somewhat less used to the air temps. My visor does a brilliant job of aircon and that cant be beaten on a nice sunny day tbh.
Phone.. well thats up to you. I dont use my phone while driving but I do enjoy being nearly wiped out by the massive amount of people who still drive with them to their ears.
Passengers, well whatever floats your boat. I dont have any passengers to commute with in the car either..!
I dont know.. most people who dont ride come up with the same come backs and if they were truly as disadvantageous as you suggest then why do you think people still ride?
I know that I like having supercar performance and a massively quicker route into work (Bus lane bonus++), the ability to park on a pay and display road for free right outside my office, the 10quid a week it costs me to commute where the car costs £45, etc.
Were not riding like maniacs. Youve just clearly never ridden.
Im sure the elderly wonder why younger people like to drive faster .. yet you wouldnt say its massively dangerous?
There's going slightly over limit and there's doing three figures when you are much much more vulnerable.
Of course, most bikers are tools... hummm
I know quite a lot of bikers, and most of them are far from tools, no different than you or me. I know some real idiots though, but I know idiot car drivers also. You know, the 'yay went out for some drifting action the other night', 'got the back end out' type, well I wasn't impressed last year when some GTIFSTURBO nutter drifted 3/4 into my lane on a fast b road.
When you are sat in traffic any bike coming past (filtering) is going to appear to be crazy dangerous, but thats because you are static, and they are traveling maybe 20mph. Traveling at 20mph is not dangerous if you are concentrating. I filter every day and have done so for 20+ years, never hit anyone... but one thing I know, many car drivers stuck in traffic hate it. This must be the case as at least one time a week someone will block me on purpose. (and the guy who opened his door on purpose)
I would never expect any car driver to go out of the way to let me past.. I'll find my own way. Likewise when on a fast road I don't expect anyone to pull over, again.. I can nip past when safe.
This thread is a bit crazy really... there are many fools on the road, I've done foolish things before, I'm sure we all have. Bikes do tend to egg the rider on with crazy performance and adrenelin fueled fun, but most people stay in control.
Cager term as someone else said is not a 'dig' at car drivers, just saying 'your sat in a cage'. Call us power rangers if you want... it's a bit of fun.
No doubt we'll get someone pipe up with 'organ donor' in a min (as it's oh so funny), I find that massively offensive as it suggests death, which is not something that is either funny or I hope ever going to happen to me on a bike. I bet you wouldn't call a relative who had just died in a RTA one, so why a forum member ?
The last thing I would say, you can't comment on bikes unless you've ridden one really.. you feel a target, and when you have a near miss you heart is in your mouth and you shake with fear. Same situation in a car, you probably wouldn't even notice as too busy fiddling with radio, picking nose or having a chat with passenger.
If everyone had to ride a bike just for a few months, I think the road would be a safer place... you do rely more on observation and avoidance when you have not been seen. This is not because bikers are more gifted, they just have to be more aware due to low visibility of their bike to others. Most car drivers assume they have been seen at T junctions for example... how many of you slow and cover brake and position for quick avoidance ?.
Could rabbit on all night about this, no doubt the above has offended someone here as usual
You do bring up the typical assumptions with the car>bike argument though that shows youre no biker.
Comfortable? Im not less comfy on my bike than in my car tbh.
Radio? Headphones.
Heating/Aircon - Well let me put it this way .. Ive yet to have a cold morning yet. The right kit makes all the difference and I find myself colder when driving about as the heater dependancy makes you somewhat less used to the air temps. My visor does a brilliant job of aircon and that cant be beaten on a nice sunny day tbh.
Phone.. well thats up to you. I dont use my phone while driving but I do enjoy being nearly wiped out by the massive amount of people who still drive with them to their ears.
Passengers, well whatever floats your boat. I dont have any passengers to commute with in the car either..!
I dont know.. most people who dont ride come up with the same come backs and if they were truly as disadvantageous as you suggest then why do you think people still ride?
I know that I like having supercar performance and a massively quicker route into work (Bus lane bonus++), the ability to park on a pay and display road for free right outside my office, the 10quid a week it costs me to commute where the car costs £45, etc.
Were not riding like maniacs. Youve just clearly never ridden.
I have ridden briefly before, I used the cycle paths we have here, didn't fancy my luck on the dual carriage ways as I felt too vulnerable.
Riding a bike may not be uncomfortable but there's no way you can say it's as comfortable as a car.
I don't suffer from a long, expensive, congested route to work nor do I have trouble parking at home or work, so I'm lucky enough not to have to ride a bike.
Driving fast isn't the problem, it's the environment around you that determines a safe speed and London is one long gauntlet
MW
I have ridden briefly before, I used the cycle paths we have here, didn't fancy my luck on the dual carriage ways as I felt too vulnerable.
Riding a bike may not be uncomfortable but there's no way you can say it's as comfortable as a car.
I don't suffer from a long, expensive, congested route to work nor do I have trouble parking at home or work, so I'm lucky enough not to have to ride a bike.
Driving fast isn't the problem, it's the environment around you that determines a safe speed and London is one long gauntlet
MW
Are you talking about cycling?
Are you talking about cycling?
Nope, we have cycle paths here for bicycles and motor bikes
MW
Because they have no brain cells?
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I had a 600 bandit at 19 rode it like a tool and had some close calls till I stuffed it up the back of Sierra and snapped my leg in two, 10 years later I moved to work in London and commute and got back on the bike, it now sits in the garage because I'm too scared to ride it, I could list the drivers that don't look and don't seem to care, but in reality I don't trust myself not to ride like a tit.
Put the lid on with all the leathers with body armour and something changes, one day I can be riding like a test examiner pleased with myself for planning ahead and riding defensively, the next I'm pulling wheelies off roundabouts and scraping pegs round corners it's only when I get home do I realise what I've done.
There's a thread of thought that the more protective gear you wear the more of a tool you ride, in the States where you don't 'have' to wear a lid most bikers are happy cruising on hogs even though they have the space for speed.
Now I train it in and cycle the last 2 miles and take the bike out now and again and on tube strike days.
Put the lid on with all the leathers with body armour and something changes, one day I can be riding like a test examiner pleased with myself for planning ahead and riding defensively, the next I'm pulling wheelies off roundabouts and scraping pegs round corners it's only when I get home do I realise what I've done.
There's a thread of thought that the more protective gear you wear the more of a tool you ride, in the States where you don't 'have' to wear a lid most bikers are happy cruising on hogs even though they have the space for speed.
Now I train it in and cycle the last 2 miles and take the bike out now and again and on tube strike days.
Soldato
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I'll do it if it's straight enough and there's enough room. There has to be a good distance or I'll just wait.
As long as you can keep your truck in a straight line there shouldn't be a problem
I'll do it if it's straight enough and there's enough room. There has to be a good distance or I'll just wait.
As long as you can keep your truck in a straight line there shouldn't be a problem
Trouble is mate, I have seen what happens when a problem arises - some bikers , for example, are as bad as keeping straight as some truckers....
Let me get you straight, you are picturing two artics, straight motorway or dual carriageway and coming inbetween them using this gap pictured....
?
If so, you have bigger balls than I sir!
but in a nutshell, this is the gap I mean, & it happens often.
Associate
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im not no biker by any means i used to tootle around on a 125 when i was 17 , and bikers and car users can be quite oblivious to each other at times, having been nearly t-boned several times, and sod trying to get through the gap of 2 lorries like that on the motorway or dual carrage way thats suicide