Motorcyclists

[Timbo]

For those of you that do a fair bit of driving every day.

How many motorcyclists, on average per day, do you think you could kill if you didn't slow down, swerve or get out of their way? 2 already for me today, I reckon the daily average could be as many as 5.

 

[steward 433]

NONE

As a motorcyclist myself i am more aware of their prescence and what they are likely to do next.

Always expect them to do something stupid as it seems there are a lot of idiots out there. MORE ON SCOOTERS THAN BIKES THOUGH

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I thought that one of the basic skills that ALL car drivers should have was the ability to slow down, swerve or get out of the way of other traffic.

I hadn't realised that this was optional.

In my experience, motorcyclists are quite good at it.

 

[Timbo]

NONE

As a motorcyclist myself i am more aware of their prescence and what they are likely to do next.

Always expect them to do something stupid as it seems there are a lot of idiots out there. MORE ON SCOOTERS THAN BIKES THOUGH

Thats the point. How many COULD you kill, IF you didn't have to make allowances.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Maybe Timbo would have a different opinion if he rode a motorcycle for a week? Just a thought like

 

[Timbo]

I thought that one of the basic skills that ALL car drivers should have was the ability to slow down, swerve or get out of the way of other traffic.

I hadn't realised that this was optional.

In my experience, motorcyclists are quite good at it.

I don't mean not stopping at junctions and basic stuff like that. I mean motorcyclists who come at you on the wrong side of the road because they can't wait 20 seconds to overtake, the ones who overtake you on the inside, the ones that cut you up when they're trying to overtake a long line of traffic and realise they can't make it.

As I'm sure you know.

 

[Timbo]

Maybe Timbo would have a different opinion if he rode a motorcycle for a week? Just a thought like

Yeah! Maybe I could get a 50 and just because I'm doing 1mph faster than the car in front I could overtake it then when I'm nearly past it (but not quite) I could just cut in. Then if the car I'm overtaking doesn't slam the brakes on I could get thrown into the car coming the other way. Then give him the finger if he so much as frowns.

 

[steward 433]

Thats the point. How many COULD you kill, IF you didn't have to make allowances.

Probably still none as most motorcyclists are good judges of space and distance and you really wouldn't need to move most of the time.

A very large proportion of bike accidents happen at junctions where the car driver "just didn't see him"

 

[steward 433]

Yeah! Maybe I could get a 50 and just because I'm doing 1mph faster than the car in front I could overtake it then when I'm nearly past it (but not quite) I could just cut in. Then if the car I'm overtaking doesn't slam the brakes on I could get thrown into the car coming the other way. Then give him the finger if he so much as frowns.

See now you are more correct and talking about scooters 50cc

 

[Uncle C]

I don't mean not stopping at junctions and basic stuff like that. I mean motorcyclists who come at you on the wrong side of the road because they can't wait 20 seconds to overtake, the ones who overtake you on the inside, the ones that cut you up when they're trying to overtake a long line of traffic and realise they can't make it.

As I'm sure you know.

As a bike and car owner, I see this from both sides and have much sympathy with the bike rider.

On the bike, almost every time I am forced to straddle the white line or pass on the inside its because some car owner insists on sitting in the middle of the road even in traffic jams. You might be surprised at how many car owners begrudge being overtaken by a bike and purposely manoeuvre to claim all the road.

OTOH there are some suicide merchants on bikes, but I dont think its anywhere near as many as you are making out.

BTW Scooter riders are fair game, but you dont get many points as its all too easy.

 

[Brovion]

Isn't this a bit like saying how many pedestrians could you kill if you didn't have to keep avoiding the pavements?

 

[Uncle C]

Isn't this a bit like saying how many pedestrians could you kill if you didn't have to keep avoiding the pavements?

Good point, and one well made

 

[Timbo]

Probably still none as most motorcyclists are good judges of space and distance and you really wouldn't need to move most of the time.

A very large proportion of bike accidents happen at junctions where the car driver "just didn't see him"

Most people don't see motorbikes because they come from somewhere you're not expecting them! Last week I was at the double mini roundabouts by the Sheffield Park turning on the A272. A motorbike came across the first roundabout and then tried to take the second roundabout round the wrong way to avoid the 2 cars that were waiting and smacked straight into a car that pulled out of the Lewes road.

I do over 500 miles most weeks and see this sort of thing more and more regularly now.

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

im 48 now and ive been riding bikes since i was 14.
i think riding bikes makes you a better car driver as you have a better perception of road awareness. a large proportion of my time driving my van, i am thinking to myself 'look at that bloody idiot on that bike'
personally though.....i find pedal cyclist to be more of a danger, going through red lights and coming out of side roads without stopping

 

[Timbo]

Isn't this a bit like saying how many pedestrians could you kill if you didn't have to keep avoiding the pavements?

Not really. I can't think that I've ever come round a corner and found a pavement full of pedestrians in the middle of the road overtaking a bus.

 

[steward 433]

Most people don't see motorbikes because they come from somewhere you're not expecting them! Last week I was at the double mini roundabouts by the Sheffield Park turning on the A272. A motorbike came across the first roundabout and then tried to take the second roundabout round the wrong way to avoid the 2 cars that were waiting and smacked straight into a car that pulled out of the Lewes road.

I do over 500 miles most weeks and see this sort of thing more and more regularly now.

Like Uncle C stated there are suicide merchants around but statistically 85% of bike accidents involving other vehicles are caused by the other vehicle

I still see loads of cars acting like idiots deliberately blocking bikes from overtaking and that is just plain dangerous and very sad

 

[steward 433]

im 48 now and ive been riding bikes since i was 14.
i think riding bikes makes you a better car driver as you have a better perception of road awareness. a large proportion of my time driving my van, i am thinking to myself 'look at that bloody idiot on that bike'
personally though.....i find pedal cyclist to be more of a danger, going through red lights and coming out of side roads without stopping

Spot on post Dave

 

[king baldrick]

your problem mate is that u cant drive!!!!!!! there is some bikers that do not deserve a licence but most of us ride with care althought non bike riders dont think so...
everyone should have to ride before they get a car it would improve car drivers road perception and make the road safer

 

[steward 433]

everyone should have to ride before they get a car it would improve car drivers road perception and make the road safer

I totally agree with that

 

[readingstockport]

Reading university has conducted tests on perception, awareness and road hazard avoidance and consistently motorcyclists perform as well or better than advanced police motorists.

Then only group that out-performed your bog-standard motorcyclists were police motorcyclists.