SMIDSY

[Baz Chaz]

Next rant then... f***ing pedestrians on country roads!!

WALK ON THE RIGHT - INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC!! FFS!!! That way you stand a chance of living to see your next birthday because you can see what what the traffic on the same side of the road as you is doing and can take action to avoid imminent death, you f***ing muppets

Hmmm, I wonder what you'd make of our village

We live out in the country, 20mph speed limit, there are every few street lights, NO pavements, the kids walk together to/from the local primary school. Villagers regularly walk to the post office and yes we have horses as well. Luckily the locals are a rather tolerant bunch and are very careful as how they use the road, if it be on foot/bike/horseback or other vehicle.

Re your 'opinion' of pedestrians, It is not always advisable to walk on the right towards oncoming traffic, especially walking towards an acute right handed bend where traffic can 'hug' the nearside and theres no 'escape route'. I dealt with a very serious RTA a few years ago where pedestrians were hit by a car, they were doing exactly as you said, walking in single file and were mown down by a car, they couldn't take any action to avoid the car, there was nowhere to go!
The driver's solicitor argued that the pedestrians should NOT have been walking towards the oncoming traffic, but should've been on the opposite side, ie the wider side of the bend for safety (and there is case law regarding exactly that)
The driver might have got off with it but it was proved he was speeding and was convicted of reckless driving.

ALL road users have a duty to each other for everyones safety, more tolerance and consideration by everyone would make life on the roads a lot safer :!:

 

[calumscott]

Next rant then... f***ing pedestrians on country roads!!

WALK ON THE RIGHT - INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC!! FFS!!! That way you stand a chance of living to see your next birthday because you can see what what the traffic on the same side of the road as you is doing and can take action to avoid imminent death, you f***ing muppets

Hmmm, I wonder what you'd make of our village

We live out in the country, 20mph speed limit, there are every few street lights, NO pavements, the kids walk together to/from the local primary school. Villagers regularly walk to the post office and yes we have horses as well. Luckily the locals are a rather tolerant bunch and are very careful as how they use the road, if it be on foot/horseback or vehicle.

Sounds like I'd love it. More hamletty than ours by the sounds of things.

Re your 'opinion' of pedestrians, It is not always advisable to walk towards oncoming traffic, especially walking towards an acute right handed bend where traffic can 'hug' the nearside and theres no 'escape route'. I dealt with a very serious RTA a few years ago where pedestrians were hit by a car, they were doing exactly as you said and were mown down by a car, they couldn't take any action to avoid the car, there was nowhere to go!
The driver's solicitor argued that the pedestrains should NOT have been walking towards the oncoming traffic, but should've been on the opposite side, ie the wider side of the bend for safety (and there is case law regarding exactly that)
The driver might have got off with it but it was proved he was speeding and was convicted of reckless driving.

Not my opinion... The highway code. https://www.gov.uk/rules-pedestrians-1-to-35. And yes, on a tight right hander (for the pedestrian) crossing to the other side is correct, had the driver not been hoofing it he should have got off and been compensated for damage and trauma...

Wandering generally on the wrong side isn't and it really p****s me off. I came across one the other day on my way home down dark country lanes. Straightish road with big wide verges, dark and foggy... and there is the buffoon, no light clothing never mind hi-vis or reflective walking down the left hand side with his torch... Thank f**k I know the road like the back of my hand so the pathetic glow infront of him looked out of place and I got suspicious!! Needless to say I think he probably needed the services of a laundrette after the full effect of Volvo horns... both feet left the ground... :twisted:

ALL road users have a duty to each other for everyones safety, more tolerance and consideration by everyone would make life on the roads a lot safer :!:

The tolerance and consideration part is fine but that only comes when EVERYONE plays by the rules. Motorists have been continually persecuted for the utterly inconsiderate and brainless actions of the few. I don't want to go persecuting other groups as motorists have been but there has to be some levelling of the field.

It goes back to an earlier rant about coppers on streets and out in cars - they can fix pedestrians' behaviour, it only takes a copper to pull up and tell them what they're doing wrong and there's more people playing by the rules and not getting flattened by a (potentially) innocent driver.

 

[Jeltz]

There is a stretch of lane that I walk in at night while walking my dog, whatever the highway code says I will walk on the same side of the road both to and fro as its the safest side, it has a grass verge which slopes away from the road while on the opposite side there is a 5' wall . FWIW I also wear a high vis coat and most importantly don't have headphone in reducing my awareness. If a car approaches from the rear I know its there stand into the side with the dog held against the verge while they pass.

 

[Baz Chaz]

...... It goes back to an earlier rant about coppers on streets and out in cars.

I was one of the old school of (ocasionally) bad tempered bobbies.....

bollockings dished out to those that needed it ....

'advice' given to those that might have heeded it ....

the occasional thick ear where some 'youth' needed putting in their place ...

to the smartass 'you can't do me pal, I know better' they got a ticket ...

and to the terminally stupid........ well they just got locked up

I still see some of my old 'clients' in town when I go in and some of 'em cross the street to come and say hello, often bringing small child with 'em and introducing them , I prided myself on dealing with everyone from 'Dukes to Dustmen', treat everyone fairly, was only assaulted once (bastard knifed me) and I and a number of my era HATE the way modern policing has gone.

Don't think I'll contribute further to this thread, the good old days have gone, don't get me going on 'hit and run' tactics, ie speed cameras, they've done more harm to police public relations than anything else going :!: When you were 'done' in my day you certainly knew why, by who and had a chance to explain (and with the right amount of contrition get a bollocking), no fekker gets chance with a speed camera ..... :evil:

 

[calumscott]

Baz... :hat:

 

[TRXnMe]

Teenage Kicks got it about right in my experience.

I drive, ride motorcycles (survived for 30 years now, yay me) and ride pushbikes.

Some road users GAS (yup, a TLA ) about their driving and take pride in what they are doing, others dislike driving and only do it bcause the buss doesn't run every 15 minutes to where they want to go. Thing is, even the ones who do care can have a bad moment

Me, I trust no one (not even me most of the time) and make sure I'm visible, not only visible but mobile, not just in a straight line, but left to right across the road, this form of movement catches the eye and get the driver's attention, something to do with us being able to spot a stalking hunter and leg it, but no one surviving a charging sabre tooth.

There are published studies out there showing that the average driver looks in each direction for less then 1 second, if you're a two wheeler, do you really think you can be seen with a 1 second glance?

I think not, so I do stuff to grab the eye and extend the 1 second to 2 or 3 while they work out it's a motorcycle.

 

[kentmark]

Totally agree that there are car drivers who are muppets and should indeed take more care to look out for bikes (push and motor).

But i still get really pissed off with motorbikes who in damp/icy/foggy conditions think its perfectly ok to carve in and out of traffic on a busy dual carriageway, undertaking/overtaking, cutting up, sitting in blind spots sitting just off your bumper after cutting you up. And then complaining when they get hit. Now I try to watch out all around me but I leave a gap between me and the car in front for a reason. Also I'm not fecking psychic!

Rant over.

 

[fbsf]

We bikers are permitted to "filter" - Highway Code section 211. Most car drivers would agree that this is part of being a biker - otherwise we would just be sat in traffic contributing to said.

However, there is a big difference between "filtering" and "undertaking". Whilst I filter through traffic (and in bad weather, keeping moving whilst in traffic to avoid vizor/glasses fogging is essential - if you haven't ridden a motorbike in bad weather, you won't understand the importance of this) once the traffic gets above about 15mph, then I join the flow when safe to do so.

In my view, "filtering" above this speed becomes unwarranted and unnecessary, causing aggrevation and dramatically increasing the risk to the motorcyclist.

 

[kentmark]

We bikers are permitted to "filter" - Highway Code section 211. Most car drivers would agree that this is part of being a biker - otherwise we would just be sat in traffic contributing to said.

However, there is a big difference between "filtering" and "undertaking". Whilst I filter through traffic (and in bad weather, keeping moving whilst in traffic to avoid vizor/glasses fogging is essential - if you haven't ridden a motorbike in bad weather, you won't understand the importance of this) once the traffic gets above about 15mph, then I join the flow when safe to do so.

In my view, "filtering" above this speed becomes unwarranted and unnecessary, causing aggrevation and dramatically increasing the risk to the motorcyclist.

I was definatly referring to the idiots who just carve in and out regardless of what other traffic is doing. There are a couple of main dual carriageways I travel on regurlarly, it's a common occurance for a bike to cut you up in traffic moving at 40-50mph then sit just off your bonnet. I've had to hang on my brakes a couple of times or I would have hit the pratt who just cut me up and pulled into a space that isn't there. Then watch them do the same manover again and again up the queue of traffic. One day someone won't brake for whatever reason!

And to also restate - there are twats driving cars too! This is not just an anti-motorbike rant!

 

[fbsf]

I was definatly referring to the idiots who just carve in and out regardless of what other traffic is doing.

I'm with you on that - I see it all the time and actually get shoved out of the way by bully boys who think their more powerful bike and power ranger outfit means I'm less worthy. If only people realised that rushing like a banshee doesn't make more than a couple of minutes difference per journey...

 

[calumscott]

I was definatly referring to the idiots who just carve in and out regardless of what other traffic is doing.

I'm with you on that - I see it all the time and actually get shoved out of the way by bully boys who think their more powerful bike and power ranger outfit means I'm less worthy. If only people realised that rushing like a banshee doesn't make more than a couple of minutes difference per journey...

Biggest revelation of motoring is that! 15 mile journey, averaging 45mph which is a reasonably brisk but still chilled and enjoyable B-road pace will take 20 mins. Average 55mph which is (I remember fondly) a balls out, high stress, totally "on it" Navigation Rally pace will take 16 and a half minutes. Three and a half minutes... Crucial in motorsport... but on the morning commute?

If you're running late, you're still going to be late - and you run the risk of being really late, or even "the" late...

(...don't get me wrong, I still enjoy a good blat down the country lanes, I'm just a bit more circumspect about where and when these days.)

 

[Jeltz]

I do a lot of driving and have grown out of the need for speed, I regularly see reps bunny hopping along a line of traffic on open A roads to get to the front, but when we all reach the town they are only ever a few cars ahead.

Trouble is they aren't paying for their own fuel, if they were then maybe the accelerator wouldn't be getting such a battering.

 

[stevie1556]

Biggest revelation of motoring is that! 15 mile journey, averaging 45mph which is a reasonably brisk but still chilled and enjoyable B-road pace will take 20 mins. Average 55mph which is (I remember fondly) a balls out, high stress, totally "on it" Navigation Rally pace will take 16 and a half minutes. Three and a half minutes... Crucial in motorsport... but on the morning commute?

I'm with you on this.

I've just moved house and live about 32 miles from work. Apart from 3 miles, its all A roads and motorways. The difference between 70mph and 60mph is about 7 minutes and 15mpg! A massive fuel saving for very little time.

 

[Russ146]

My Dad taught me:

"Theres old riders and theres **** head riders, But there ARNT any old **** head riders"

The muppets dont live long hence the high fatalities for bikers.

Bikers have to give drivers a chance to see them, ride defensively or else.

And finally: TURN THAT HEADLIGHT ON!!!!!!! and give drivers something to see you by

 

[TRXnMe]

My Dad taught me:

"Theres old riders and theres **** head riders, But there ARNT any old **** head riders"

The muppets dont live long hence the high fatalities for bikers.

Bikers have to give drivers a chance to see them, ride defensively or else.

And finally: TURN THAT HEADLIGHT ON!!!!!!! and give drivers something to see you by

I really hope you aren't convinced about the head light comment? There is some very sound research about drivers 'looking habits', the nub of which is that they usually look for 1 second, or less, in either direction before pulling out, during this 'look' they expect to see certain things, primarily other cars. If you're not what they expect they'll not see you unless something catches their eye, your head light MIGHT catch their eye, or it might blend into the general light clutter behind you, think how many Volvos, SAABs, or any other modern car with daytime driving lights fitted there are out there.

I'm not anti headlight use, but very much in favour of thinking about what is behind me, will the light pick me out, or camoflage me, I only turn it on when the option is for it to pick me out.

As to speed, I enjoy a nice blat, A roads aren't much of a challenge though, so if I'm looking to press on I'll plan a route on nice B roads, fewer speed traps and more corners to read, set-up for, tip into and hammer out of, it's not the speed for me, it's getting all the steps required for the ride correct, or as near to correct as possible.

Casualty rates among bikers are currently biased towards folk 35 and above, the ones who passed their test when it was a ride round the block without running the examiner down, not surprisingly the last figures I saw showed a drop in the number of deaths, recession and high fuel prices are the most probable reasons for this.

I'll get off my biker survivalist horse now and go back to brewing booze

 

[critch]

MAG proved the t.r.l.'s research on permanent headlights was massively flawed and permanent lights do actually camoflage riders at dawn, dusk and in certain conditions during winter when the suns low. i totally disagree with trxnme's stance on the reasons for the older bikers accident rates most of the injured are born again bikers who might have had a small capacity ptw, have returned to the fold and bought a machine totally unsuited to them and their abilities. B.T.W.the highest accident by capacity rate last time i looked at the figures were sub 100cc riders of all ages, which basicly mean scooter riders on cbt's or grandad licencing rights. i am a fully qualified das instructor(although my licence needs renewing, no time for hobbies now!)and taught many people in the 5 years i did this, i saw many older fellers saunter in with scooter entitlement and wobble off into the distance on new 50cc's for cheap commuting(usually after refusing a free cbt)

i normally saw the same scooters back at the shop a few weeks later either with road rash or a radically shorter wheelbase

 

[Russ146]

I'll take my chances with the light on thank you fella's

I also slow down at junctions to give people a chance to see me, not scream through a crossroads at 60mph and when approaching side roads take extra care.

I ride an Royal Enfield 500 Bullet and my Son's Ducati Monster 796, my last bike was a Yamaha 650 special and before that a suzuki gt250a before that a Suzuki ap50 and my first bike was a KTM comet cross bought at 15, been riding bikes since 16 and never had a crash. So i must be doing something right, (I hope)

This year i rode 800 miles around India and will be doing the same again soon. If you've ever been to India you will know what i'm talking about.

 

[TRXnMe]

Russ, yup, I've been ti India a couple of times now, driving appears to be population control Kudos for riding a bike in the sort of traffic I saw over there.

critch, what is that you disagree with in my view?