Should we ban cars from twisty A roads in the UK.?
There is a healthy debate going on in motoring about banning motorcycles from overtaking on ordinary roads "As they are dangerous!"
Well most weekends and evenings when driving home from work i take the scenic route. I ride the bike at a speed within the legal limit for that road , sticking to the posted speed limits when they appear. The Art is cornering at speed without loosing momentum.
HOWEVER you can guarantee at almost every junction into that road a car/vehicle driver irrespective of sex age or ethnicity will look directly at me or through me and pull out into the road across my line or route.
some about a third will actually enter the carriageway and proceed along the route at some 10-20 MPH below the legal limit.
I’m observant and as soon as i see a vehicle in such a position i’m preparing for the posibility of reacting.
I’ve got a choice.
1 I can brake hard and slow down to their speed and and to the conjestion
2 Overtake as I reach the situation; responding to the potential Hazard
These other road users are inconsiderate to my making progress or to my enjoyment; they also endanger my life.
So my question is
Should we petition to get the roads cleared of slow moving miopic drivers who are incapable of understanding the highway code and always reply with" Sorry I didn’t see you!!!!)
Which bit of me and my bike is invisible?
Is it the 110 Watts of double headlight.
The high intensity driving light above the headlight
The flourescent jacket/ Sam Browne. the Neon blue illuminated rucsac cover the mulit coloured helmet
To clarify, I drive and ride to the UK Police manual "ROAD CRAFT" standard. I drive for my profession . I don’t drive the "RACING LINE" but go for the view and use progressive riding techniques.
I didn’t say I hammered the brakes, i said i had to brake and in plenty of time.
Safety Stability View
Take Use Give
Information Position Speed Gear Accellerate
I too am an advanced motorist and i definately look for that FRIDGE in the bend 
well me,im over 6ft,my bikes about the same,were both covered in yellow,even my helmet has lights on it…theres a staggered junction near my house…”they” pull out from the right so i move to the left,then ”they” pull out from the left so i move to the right…i sometime wonder why i bother and turn round before some fool kills me….driving slow is worse than driving fast,yet they still do it…..and that stupid wife your on about….UNBELIEVABLE!…I was actually going to contact her to say ide been a bit harsh,until i say the bit she wrote”why should i look in my mirrors for bikers?”..pet if you were beside me when you said that,you’d be getting a slap,i tip ya……
ill sign it friend!…
no if you are a good driver you can drive on any type of road..
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I just love it when you whizz past my open car window and deafen me.
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Yeah, it’s normally lassies who do it.
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I`m not a biker but I know where your coming from.
I`m afraid it`s the standard of drivers we have today.
the same driver who think it`s ok to cut inside an Artic om a roundabout then wonder why the truck has just driven over the top of them.
maybe you need to strap a 2000 watt Boom box on you bike and get some big fat illegal exhaust pipes, then they might just about hear you over the top of their own boot full of speakers
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I know how you mean! I’m a safe motorbike rider. I usually take the country roads home and there is always someone coming in the other direction who cut their corners and go over the lines. Some idiot in a Mazda did it around a blind bend and nearly collided in to me! It gets on my nerves that there are so many car drivers that are just incapable of driving their car properly and safely!
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Look for years now the govint have told people speed is dangerous, and as we’ve seen this last week we can trust the govint they wouldn’t lie would they, people associate motorcycles with speed therefore it stands to reason that motorcycles are dangerous.
I’ve seen loads of drivers who pull out in front of bikes it’s why I like you have over 165 watts of lighting on the front, a high viz jacket and constantly look for sleeping car drivers.
I don’t think all the safety stuff they fit to cars makes roads a safer place, it makes the occupants safer and if you’re in a steel box with limitless safety built in you can drive like a twat in the knowledge that even if it’s your fault you won’t get hurt. I’d make cars less safe then you’ll find drivers doing what they should be doing – driving.
I’ve been an advanced motorcycle instructor and trust me a lot of the bad press bikers get is caused by themselves. On any sunny sunday there will loads of them acting like they’re riding gods, and for every 100 riders sticking to the speed limit there only needs to be one acting like an arse and that’ll be what people remember.
Plus what govint minister is ever going to allienate voters who drive by expecting them to drive well – driving is a right you know!
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It isn’t just bikes that have trouble with these f***wits.
Some of them drive faster in the 30 limits than in the 60′s. If they pull out in front of me in a bloody great 4×4 you’ve got no chance on a bike. The ones that speed up as you’re overtaking on the only straight bit of road for miles need to be publicly flogged and their cars confiscating.
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I’m not a biker but I can totally see what you mean about some drivers, it leaves you sat like wtf just happened? or what are they doing? I think the testing standards have to be raised and excuses like "I didn’t see you" should be punished, it’s not acceptable.
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Nice pipe dream, but it’s ‘not gonna happen’.
Those short sight distance twisties can be seductive.
Sounds like you’re pretty careful, but do keep in mind what an old rider/journalist called the ‘fridge factor’.
His premise was ‘If a refrigerator was dropped in that road ahead of you,
across your lane, is your speed such that you can avoid it in the time
you’ll have between when you see it and when you’d hit it.
Maybe O.T., but I find that you can make an enforced slow ride sporting by narrowing the road instead of increasing the speed.
If you try to keep those wheels on a one foot wide
track, (where the right wheel of an auto would be ),
you’d be surprised how much sharper you’ve got to
be even at ‘slowpoke’ speeds.
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Old, (not bold), Road Rat
I think maybe you need to use your horn more ! Near us, someone has put up VERY big signs saying " Watch out for bikes", Think bike", and , " double check your mirrors before turning "
I think its an excellent idea.
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Come on Phil, that was you that blasted past me on the A146 this morning at 90.
Seriously, i do sympathise. I have always thought that this lack of consideration for bikers is down to the fact that so many new car drivers have never ridden a bike on the road. I cut my motoring teeth on motor bikes, had the almost obligatory accident – which hurt the Norton more than me luckily – so am bike aware. I drive 30k a year and have seen some horrific examples of motorcyclists being put into dangerous situations by car drivers’ stupidity. and sadly have also seen 2 instances that were fatal for the motorcyclist. Maybe the government should add a stiff motorcyclist awareness section to the driving test.
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hi
why ban anything ,first of all lete deal with legal limit,on rural / country roads its 60 thats the LIMIT no faster that may not be other road users limit i live on a farm the road that passes it is a national speed limit road single carriageway it is used by the local test centre where drivers are told if you go over 40 you will fail ,why because that is the safe speed for that road ,there are 4 farm entrances 3 right angle bends and 2 t junctions all in the space of 3 quarters of a mile ,
people not seeing you
simple your lights , they see the light ok but they cant see what is behind it so the sam brown brightly coloured helmet is irrelivant,
light travels at one speed no matter what the light source is bolted to it is harder to judge the speed of approach and also the distance ,so yes you and your bike are invisible ,just umpteen watts of light try it with some mates get them to ride down a road and stand there and try to guess thier speed and distance ,
put ear plugs in so the exhaust note cant be heard,,
your choices
1 slow down when you se the hazard roll of the throttle drop down a gear and accelerate smoothly pas when safe ,no hard braking involved
thats only one choice , and the only choice ,
so the answer
drive to road condition not the limit ,
no need to ban anyone ,
jb
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biker (not a dayglo derek weekend warrior ) full licence since 1981,
HGV driver since 1987
car licence holder since 1980
slow rider ? or old
yes to old no to slow
bikes owned in the past yamaha 350lc ,suzuki gsxr750 ,motoguzzi leman ,2, plus harleys classics and chops
Nobody is going to ban cars from any roads (except possibly some BOATS), let alone A roads.
A speed limit is there to display the highest speed permitted for the road – it is not a suggested speed, if other road users choose to go slower that is their prerogative and 10-20 mph below is not so excessive as to attract prosecution for slow driving.
While I agree that drivers are often myopic sheep, I have seen riders committing themselves to foolish speeds and manoeuvres. And, although “the Art [and fun] is cornering at speed without losing momentum” it also leads to presumption, presuming the road ahead is clear or free from debris, diesel, horse poo, pheasants, deer, gravel or other road users, in that case you are taking your own life in your hands if you corner as hard as you can (especially on a familiar corner). “Only go as fast as you can see” is a mantra for advanced riding courses.
I don’t want to preach, I am just as guilty and get fun from exactly what you describe and have faced the same hazards – and others have paid a high price for taking those risks, these are the stock responses that you will face if you brought up the suggestion to a roads minister/local councillor/police officer.
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well me,im over 6ft,my bikes about the same,were both covered in yellow,even my helmet has lights on it…theres a staggered junction near my house…”they” pull out from the right so i move to the left,then ”they” pull out from the left so i move to the right…i sometime wonder why i bother and turn round before some fool kills me….driving slow is worse than driving fast,yet they still do it…..and that stupid wife your on about….UNBELIEVABLE!…I was actually going to contact her to say ide been a bit harsh,until i say the bit she wrote”why should i look in my mirrors for bikers?”..pet if you were beside me when you said that,you’d be getting a slap,i tip ya……
ill sign it friend!…
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