unHappy New Year

Soldato
Joined
28 Feb 2006
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5,049
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No longer riding an Italian
As I felt like microwaved ****e last night, I decided to see in this particular new year via the medium of sleep.

So, up with the lark today (almost…. 10:00) and feeling well, I decided to have the first ride for many weeks… not like that pervs, although, sadly that’s been at least a week :(

Anyway! Got the bike out, did a quick check over, added some air to the tyres and generally inspected them like a detective looking for clues, and then I set out for the first ride of 2011!!!

Wet, cold-ish and tentative – the roads still covered in a lot of crap and a little sprinkling of rain, but otherwise I loved every minute of it, even treated the gixxer to a nice fresh tank of fuel and a bit of a blow out on a dual carriageway :D

It was all great apart from almost getting knocked off/run off the road by a 50-60 year-old old dear :(

Riding through the town centre, amazed at the lack of general traffic, I still use the bus lanes to feel important, leisurely pottering along at the posted limit, eeking away the yards/miles until I’m out of town.

Shortly up ahead I know that the bus lane I’m in will turn into a normal road, and that the cars I’m along-side now will often move into this lane, and after having it happen to me numerous times on bikes, I’m prepared for some eejit to just waft into the lane – sure enough, the old dear I’m along side does just that! Why bother posting I ask, well, I like to moan :D Seriously though, I couldn’t believe the woman’s actions:

  • Bike along-side her door/rear - would have easily be seen in her near-side mirror.
  • Bike in a low gear, specifically to make lots of ‘I’m here’ noise – although standard can (yet still marked as 102 Db).
  • Knowing what would happen (I am that kid from 6th Sense!!!) I was on the horn as soon as she crossed the crown – so daft bint easily had 2-3 seconds of horn blowage!

Yet despite all of this and having her husband in the passenger seat (who I would have assumed may have at least muttered “mind the bike dear”), I had the slam the anchors on as she just kept coming :mad: How in the name of **** do these people continue to drive without wiping out so many more road users is beyond me – I appreciate that bikes are supposed to be hard to see, but really…. all that stimulus I was giving her and she still carries on regardless :(

Here’s hoping 2011 wont be filled with events like this for me, I’ve had three offs now – two my own stupid fault, don’t want any more!
 
Lucky escape mate! Good job on the first ride! Im really itching to get out, not sure if I should wait for xrays or not.....

Ive seen way too many driving corpses this winter, really need to change something to have them retested properly not just some silly eye test.
 
If you knew people always just drift across without looking, why not position yourself next to a gap rather than just off someone's rear quarter?
 
If you knew people always just drift across without looking, why not position yourself next to a gap rather than just off someone's rear quarter?

I did initially think of replying with “because I have as much right to use the road as she does :confused:”, but that would have probably parked off an argument of sorts, and I can’t be dealing with one of those right now.

Part of me can see what you’re saying, I have knowledge of the local roads, and the common ****-ups people make on them, especially when I’m on two wheels, so I could have slowed down and allowed her to ‘go first’ as it were – thus removing myself from this equation. But…. who’s to say the car behind her would simply do the same to me?

Also why should I forgo my right of way, why should I have to think for this oblivious driver, why should they be suddenly exempt from following basic rules of the road?

Guess a little wisdom my instructor gave comes into play here – I may have been in the right, but I’m the one eating hospital food :D

Was she driving a Volvo by any chance? Bad times

For a change it wasn't such a car on my 'list', she was driving a red Ibiza.
 
Holy crap :eek:

Mind you, there's a stack of videos of bikers tazzing around that bend too... mind you, I don't think they've ended up in the other lane as badly as these tools have!

See, aren't you glad you deal with UK drivers rather than American ones now? :D
 
Wear steel slidered boots, that and the horn work wonders.
If only i recorded the stuff thats happened to me in the last two months around London, would make for almost unbeleivable viewing...wonder if the cops would do anything with the footage?
 
I'd be a liar if I said I hadn't considered booting their car as I past them after the even, my Sidi's have nice metal toe sliders.... but it would have only made me feel better then, after getting a few hundred yards down the road and the rage had worn off, I'd probably regret it.

London.... I've not driven there in a car, let alone on a bike, so I don't evny that at all fella!
 
WTF is wrong with those tin box driving idiots in that video?!!!. Is it something to do with the road itself or are they just knobs who shouldn't be behind a wheel?.
 
The bend does tighten a bit and there is adverse camber ... but it is nothing difficult and is due to the Americans behind the wheel not understanding corners
 
WTF is wrong with those tin box driving idiots in that video?!!!. Is it something to do with the road itself or are they just knobs who shouldn't be behind a wheel?.

It's a very popular bit of road, especially with bikers. They're all out there having a bit of fun (which is why the cameraman is there to start with), it's not just people who suck at driving around normally, they're cutting the corners on purpose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd9cgaLK9Rw&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=PL467A2492C0B9CBFF

Playlist of vids from the road with plenty of mishaps.
 
Well no, nor would I but they're doing it because they're out for a hoon on mulholland, not just because they don't understand lanes :p


videos like that will probably only make more people do it as well :p
 
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