There’s a thread here about U.K. public safety videos. I’d just like to rant err express my displeasure about motorbikes.
There’s recently been some PSVs about how car drivers should be extra careful and double-check for motorbikes.
Well, I’d like to suggest they bloody well get bike riders to look out for cars!
Case in point was this morning. I was on the sliproad from the M1 to the M25 (J6A, southbound, joining the anticlockwise M25). Traffic was heavy so I had limited manoeuverability, and there are extra speed limits in force due to the roadworks. I’m in the right-most lane of the sliproad, still where it’s concurrent with the M1. I’m paying particular attention to a largish bike in the lane on my right because he’s very close to the edge of the lane and therefore me. So this complete arse of a numpty suddenly decides he wants to leave the M1 and get on the M25. So he jumps straight in front of my car. No indication, no looking over his shoulder or in his mirrors, no nothing. He was so close his rear wheel was obscured by the front of my car. If I’d chosen that moment to accellerate, he’d be dead.
Damn good thing I was paying particular attention to him.
I don’t ride now, but I can tell you how many more times cars almost hit me because they weren’t looking (too fucking many) than I tried to kill myself but doing stupid and cut off cars (never).
On the issue of motorcyclists though, I’ve had the occasional arsehole, but I’d generally place them a league ahead of car drivers. They’re generally a pretty safe bunch.
Well, yeah, and while we’re at it, how about a big ass bitch slap to pedestrians who take advantage of those stupid “must stop for pedestrians in crosswalk” laws in the form of jaywalking and sauntering across like redarded sloths. You can make all the laws you want, but the tons of steel moving fast ultimately beats any less-than-fully-aware or passive-aggressive scofflaws.
I have some friends that ride a motorcycle safely, but I gotta say if you are going to try and say the majority of bike riders are “Safer and more conscientious of their surroundings” you are fighting a losing battle. YOUR own l33t driving skills aside, motorcycles tend to attract a fair share of show boaters, braggarts, and idiots. By sheer number of accidents and such of motorcycles you might be right, but in percentages, I would wager they are pretty much identical (if not that the motorcycles have a greater accident/idiot rate).
As for the Anecdotes, date, etc comment, well it goes both ways pal. You can come in here all you want and say how “I am such a l33t motorcycler man, therefore all motorcycles are safe” and you are just as guilty.
I saw a sign recently that read, “Motorcycles. . .they’re everywhere”. The sign was meant to educate car drivers, but I picture the occasional paranoid schizophrenic reading the sign and absotively freaking out.
I see them all the time though in KC and in Columbia. The majority do drive sensibly, usually the ones on big bikes like full sized hondas and harleys, but you get the little rice burner young kids, and they do wheelies, drive in between cars during rush hour , do incredible speeds (me: 80mph, them: leaving me in the dust, at least 100 mph), etc.
Being defensive about automobiles is certainly understandable considering how many wrecks are caused or nearly caused because of careless drivers on the car/van/trucks part, but saying that motorcycles riders are more aware and “better drivers” certainly isn’t accurate considering the number of A-hole drivers out there on both vehicle types.
I have come to the point where I cringe when I see a motorcycle coming up the road behind me. All too often, the drivers on those bikes think that because they are smaller they can cut off cars and pass with zero room for passing. The two lane highway I drive quite often can be quite deadly (as witnessed by the proliferation of white crosses by the side of the road.) There are days when I wish I had a flashing blue light on my car and the power to ticket those idiots to the point where they actually started to use their brains.
disclaimer: I do understand that not all motorcycle drivers are risky or dangerous drivers. I know there are smart riders out there. Those riders are a nice break from the idiots.
I’m sure the people who decided to fund the campaign just went off a couple anecdotes they thought of while sitting around in a pub.
I can? That’s nice to know. When I feel that this is the sort of thing I have any intention of saying, I’ll feel all the better for posting it, knowing I have your permission. Thanks.
I think that is actually precisely what it is. But if what you mean is that other people can come into this thread with more anecdotes, you’re right. It *still * won’t be data, though.
You are right, of course, there are NO bad motorcycle drivers, we just invented our stories in a pub to discredit those that actually ride responsibly. :rolleyes:
Well, doesn’t prove or disprove that there are irresponsible motorcyclists out there on the roads. Of course, you can think what you want, but I see it every day, they may be mere anecdotes, but you coming in with a cute and trite saying doesn’t make the fact that I see such a thing at least once a week (oftentimes more) any less real.
