View Full Version : The perils of biking
flak monkey
29-01-11, 11:57 PM
Biker films his commute over 3 months and reduces it to 3 mins of the worst bits...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE2xNtjJeC0
Drumming_Animal
30-01-11, 12:42 AM
bloody hell he had some close calls in there, i swear he hit that audi at 1:18 with his left hand
just goes to show it pays damn well to trust no one at all, keep your eyes peeled on all angles/mirrors, fingers on your brake and your brakes/tyres in good nick
Specialone
30-01-11, 12:49 AM
Thats pretty shocking :( but regular.
I had an old duffer in a honda jazz just decide to pull into my path today while in my car, had to swerve voilently to miss him as he was on my left and decided he wanted to go right but didnt check on his right there was anyone there, abs come on im my car, bibbed my horn and pulled up to him at next set of traffic lights, oblivious to me.
That should be compulsory viewing at CBT.
It appears that in Dublin red lights mean "Aww, go on then, go on go on go on".
rictus01
30-01-11, 01:15 AM
to be honest I'd have said that was a quiet run if it'd been through London, I suppose it's what you're used to really :smt102
to be honest I'd have said that was a quiet run if it'd been through London, I suppose it's what you're used to really :smt102
+1
If you were to ride over here you would probably see that this video shows a much higher standard of driving then I you would experience in 100 yards over here.
That didn't actually seem that bad to me. Wasn't that shocking
BanannaMan
30-01-11, 02:58 AM
That didn't actually seem that bad to me. Wasn't that shocking
+1
You haven't seen bad driving till you ride in the US.
MattCollins
30-01-11, 05:46 AM
For three years of commuting that is not so bad. A couple of cars cutting across him... I'd have expected more. In one of those he could have given himself a bit more space, the other wasn't even close. Cars running the red at intersections is nothing... uses his head and looks before he moves. Certainly nothing to get upset. Pedestrians and cyclists are par for the course and not too much to worry about providing that he is not riding along with his head jammed up his proverbial rear..
Shocking? I don't think so...
Specialone
30-01-11, 09:18 AM
Matt, it's 3 months not 3 years.
The guy can obviously cope with it but he did the video to highlight how poor peoples driving was.
Just because he anticipated a lot of it, doesnt make it acceptable.
Some of the red light jumps were terrible, I've noticed these getting worse in my area, the accidents will start increasing before long, funny cos the ones with cameras on, people don't do it.
The car that pulled straight across him to get to a parking space, wouldn't be surprised if that was a woman, I've seen that a few times myself and they were all women, it's the tunnel vision a few have.
I don't commute in cities nor want to, especially with things like that going on.
The vast majority of red light jumps I've witnessed on my commute into London seem to be buses - good in one way, they are easy to spot and predict that they will be in the junction when your light is green!
I have had worse in one day in London.
Specialone
30-01-11, 09:27 AM
+1
You haven't seen bad driving till you ride in the US.
Ive been to the states 6 times in the last 13 years, haven't rode but driven a fair bit, I agree some drivers in the US are pretty bad.
Seen a drunk driver once in Florida, weaving all over the i4, so bad that a fellow American got in front of him and tried to slow him down.
Loads of car park prangs where people just reversed without even glancing behind them.
Lane discipline on interstates etc is pretty bad, they also don't concentrate, seen a couple or rear end shunts where traffic stopped and they didn't.
Even had a car nearly go up the back of us when I stopped easily from 60-0, looked in my rear view mirror to see a large pick up snaking it's way towards us, I pulled forward into the central part to avoid him.
husky03
30-01-11, 10:10 AM
how he stays calm i don't know-there would be some fist smashing on the windows for the cutting up
Geodude
30-01-11, 11:04 AM
Its getting worse out there across all the age groups too not just the kids. :mad:
Its getting worse out there across all the age groups too not just the kids. :mad:
+1 I was following a car in the sleet a few weeks ago. Down a country lane, overtook on some hatching then on a blind bend and then just before a pretty dangerous cross road. I stayed behind him on the bike. When he slowed to turn right I took a look at the driver and it was some 60 ish year old bloke but not old enough to be a flat cap wearer.
Geodude
30-01-11, 11:13 AM
Few months back i had stopped at a roundabout when a 60ish driver swerved round me from behind because she hadnt seen me!
Dave20046
30-01-11, 11:44 AM
That didn't actually seem that bad to me. Wasn't that shocking
+1
Few months back i had stopped at a roundabout when a 60ish driver swerved round me from behind because she hadnt seen me!
Worst thing I've seen on a roundabout is an OAP going round the wrong way and frowning at us for making frantic hand gestures at her. I feel so safe on the roads knowing there's people like that about.
Owenski
30-01-11, 12:10 PM
thought about doing this myself but very aware of the impications of what my happen if I were to be pulled over and they noticed a camera strapped to my lid.
I'd only say the car parking up and the sudden left turner were anything worth getting annoyed about the rest is par for the course. That presession cars following the redlight change is pretty bad though id love to see the police reaction to something like that, can they even pull over 3cars at once?
Specialone
30-01-11, 12:13 PM
What are the implications for having a camera ? I thought his camera was tank mounted anyway.
Dave20046
30-01-11, 12:18 PM
What are the implications for having a camera ? I thought his camera was tank mounted anyway.
If the police find reason to suspect anything (e.g a biker with a camera on his bike!) they'll likely seize the camera and view the standard of riding... and owenski rides like a nutjob
Specialone
30-01-11, 12:21 PM
If the police find reason to suspect anything (e.g a biker with a camera on his bike!) they'll likely seize the camera and view the standard of riding... and owenski rides like a nutjob
Lol, I was gonna say, we all ride like angels :)
yorkie_chris
30-01-11, 12:40 PM
I met a guy who had one hidden as an extra lamp on an XRV750. All recorder and such tucked away out of prying eyes of dibble :)
Owenski
30-01-11, 01:07 PM
If the police find reason to suspect anything (e.g a biker with a camera on his bike!) they'll likely seize the camera and view the standard of riding... and owenski rides like a nutjob
Oi I'll have you know my riding is merely sub-par!
But yeah, I was refering to the rubbing of hands together that certain officers will have when they spot a camera. The location of the camera was irrelivent but I'd use a helmet cam if i were to do it so the viewer sees what I see as opposed to the blinkered view of tank mounted.
I would have expected to see that much on a daily run. Seriously, the video was tame.
I had two Asian lads in a Zafira nearly wipe me out late last night. I entered a roundabout in town which was clear of any traffic and the view to the right of approaching traffic is restricted by a building on the corner - they came onto it at about 50 - 60mph in a 30 limit with the horn blaring and one hanging out of the passenger side window waving his fist and shouting at me. It was one of those roundabouts where the main road has a straight run through and the side roads have to wiggle round it - they could keep the speed up and it appears they have priority, even though no-one does unless on the roundabout... which I was well before them. I had to slam the brakes on to avoid them T-boning me and as I was alone and the area was full of similar aged young Asian lads milling around, I doubt I'd have been able to argue a case in my defence had they hit me. I didn't react, I just moved away when it was clear to go.
Luckily I was in the car, if I'd been on a bike with no ABS I'd probably have either been wiped out or locked the front end up on the damp road because they passed the front of me with less than a foot of clearance.
Teejayexc
30-01-11, 01:34 PM
I had two Asian lads in a Zafira nearly wipe me out late last night. I entered a roundabout in town which was clear of any traffic and the view to the right of approaching traffic is restricted by a building on the corner - they came onto it at about 50 - 60mph in a 30 limit with the horn blaring and one hanging out of the passenger side window waving his fist and shouting at me. It was one of those roundabouts where the main road has a straight run through and the side roads have to wiggle round it - they could keep the speed up and it appears they have priority, even though no-one does unless on the roundabout... which I was well before them. I had to slam the brakes on to avoid them T-boning me and as I was alone and the area was full of similar aged young Asian lads milling around, I doubt I'd have been able to argue a case in my defence had they hit me. I didn't react, I just moved away when it was clear to go.
Luckily I was in the car, if I'd been on a bike with no ABS I'd probably have either been wiped out or locked the front end up on the damp road because they passed the front of me with less than a foot of clearance.
They probably worked for Frank Thomas :rolleyes:
I doubt it, they are just the usual w4nkers driving like tw4ts at that time of night in Bedford. Standards of driving in this town are at an all-time low and the police appear to do nothing about it
Same in my town Lozzo - guy was riding round the roads, in slushy snow, on a field bike - no lid either.
You'd have thought I'd asked for a turn on his sister when I suggested he at least wear a crash helmet!
Well all my riding is virtually central London and that didn't seem too bad.
It could be worse
RjrEQaG5jPM
The Idle Biker
30-01-11, 08:19 PM
It wasn't brown trouser stuff but bad enough to act as a reminder. Thought the guy was sensible, I'm afraid to say I would have been sorely tempted to kick the door panel of that beige car pulling across to park at about 1m 30s.
The Red lights are an advisory option in Ireland, aww go on now, tis just a wee light doncha know.
Well all my riding is virtually central London and that didn't seem too bad.
It could be worse
RjrEQaG5jPM
And not one single collision. Maybe all junctions should be the same way over here. I can't remember which country it is but there is one where they took away the priority traffic law at cross-roads and made it a who dares wins situations. Apparently it worked very well with accidents going down instead of up.
andreis
01-02-11, 01:51 PM
And not one single collision. Maybe all junctions should be the same way over here. I can't remember which country it is but there is one where they took away the priority traffic law at cross-roads and made it a who dares wins situations. Apparently it worked very well with accidents going down instead of up.
I know there's an Asian country that goes by with no laws for traffic. It's been adopted by a few European cities as well. See here : http://www.tressugar.com/Removing-All-Traffic-Laws-Makes-Town-Safer-Make-Sense-1739759
Interesting quote from the article : " Local police say that without rules, people — wait for it — think for themselves (!) and communicate more and assume the responsibility of powering a huge pile of metal. "
Seems to be what people need in general : to remember that no one is above anyone else. Which is in a way what happens : people don't care about others, thinking they're more important. I now of a study (I'll search for it if it's a must...) that proves that introducing laws of traffic eventually leads to people trying to leverage the advantage certain laws give you.
missyburd
01-02-11, 02:22 PM
what was he even riding?
Didn't seem too bad to me, as Rictus says, must just be a case of where you live. Definitely agree with it being a bit of compulsory viewing on the CBT.
dizzyblonde
01-02-11, 02:32 PM
Few months back i had stopped at a roundabout when a 60ish driver swerved round me from behind because she hadnt seen me!
Peg was banked over going round a roundabout to pull in at Ferrybridge services, getting ready to pull into it. Had to jam on when he was faced with a bag load of cars breaking quickly due to some stupid bat coming out of the services the wrong way! You can't see over it, due to a big plot of trees in the middle
It clearly has two big NO RIGHT TURN signs on the exit of that service station...being on a huge roundabout and all that:rolleyes:
on this note, did anyone see bbc news this morning with the guys head cam on his push bike? van turned left across him, the van hit him and then the guy jumped out the van and tried to belt the hell out the cyclist. he eventually got prosecuted and fined, but still bad, there was a tanker driver overtake him on a small island and kept going round, the cyclist had to jump onto the island to save his life.
And not one single collision. Maybe all junctions should be the same way over here. I can't remember which country it is but there is one where they took away the priority traffic law at cross-roads and made it a who dares wins situations. Apparently it worked very well with accidents going down instead of up.
Exactly, they're so confident it works they don't even need lids!
Interesting idea that about how traffic laws might actually make things worse.
Specialone
01-02-11, 04:17 PM
on this note, did anyone see bbc news this morning with the guys head cam on his push bike? van turned left across him, the van hit him and then the guy jumped out the van and tried to belt the hell out the cyclist. he eventually got prosecuted and fined, but still bad, there was a tanker driver overtake him on a small island and kept going round, the cyclist had to jump onto the island to save his life.
Yeah I seen that, the van didn't hit him btw he banged the side with his hand when the c**t of a van driver deliberately moved over knowing full well there was a cyclist there.
The tanker was fecking scary cos that guy had no idea or cared there was a cyclist.
metalangel
01-02-11, 07:10 PM
Every time I have a close call in the car (and I've had quite a few so far this year, many due to people doing stupid stuff on roundabouts) I try not to think about how it could have gone had I been biking.
Dave20046
01-02-11, 09:21 PM
what was he even riding?
Didn't seem too bad to me, as Rictus says, must just be a case of where you live. Definitely agree with it being a bit of compulsory viewing on the CBT.
looked like one of them big yam scootery things. burgman or something?
-Ralph-
01-02-11, 10:43 PM
His observation and anticipation looked pretty crap on occasion to me. There was at least 4 or 5 grabs at the brake where he could have seen it and dealt with it much earlier. And a couple of times he started to set off at traffic lights then saw a vehicle running the red.
-Ralph-
01-02-11, 10:49 PM
And not one single collision. Maybe all junctions should be the same way over here. I can't remember which country it is but there is one where they took away the priority traffic law at cross-roads and made it a who dares wins situations. Apparently it worked very well with accidents going down instead of up.
Mexico is like this, the biggest drug dealer in town goes first, evryone else makesno assumptions. In cities there are priority systems and laws, but unless there is actually a red traffic light they are largely ignored.
philbut
01-02-11, 11:15 PM
Didn't look so bad to me. I also think riding a scoot rather than a big noisy bike makes people more likely to take the wee wee and pull out on you. I ride a lot in London and whilst you do get the odd person miss you, if you are agressive and don't d*ck about, most drivers will not cut you up provided they have seen you. I think drivers weigh up sub-consiously what you are driving and decide if they will get away with it or not. scooters send out a pretty lame message to other road users - I know this isn't true with the super scoots, but people assume it all the same.
yorkie_chris
01-02-11, 11:17 PM
I have repeatedly seen people take the p*ss more when I am wearing leathers (they were cheap, I look a d*ck), compared to when wearing normal black kit.
philbut
01-02-11, 11:22 PM
I have repeatedly seen people take the p*ss more when I am wearing leathers (they were cheap, I look a d*ck), compared to when wearing normal black kit.
It's true. so long as people look in the first place, looking mean will quite often make all the difference. I find with my dirty bike and large metal bits sticking out the side (luggage) I don't get too many people trying to stop me filter!
-Ralph-
02-02-11, 08:05 AM
People definatley do make a subconcious split second risk assessment before they maneouvre, and it's a primal thing, it's not about whether there will be and accident or whether the car will get damaged, it's instinct and in the subconcious and it's only weighing up what the risk is of them getting hurt, nothing more.
If a big firkin truck is coming along thier desired path, risk of being hurt is 10 out of 10 and the foot stays firmly on the brake pedal, if they see a bike, when they are sitting inside a steel cage, risk is 2 out of 10. That's why you get drivers that have clearly seen you pull into your path. And they don't even know why they did it as once they realise that they could have killed that biker, most would eventually admit that what they did was stupid.
We will never change subconcious primal instinct, ane however much we train drivers to use concious thought in their decision making, and however good the driver is, there will always be the odd bad morning when the switch off and go back to driving without concious thought. Unfortunately for alot of drivers that is every morning! We just have to be aware of it.
And not one single collision. Maybe all junctions should be the same way over here.
South Asian traffic is regulated by their religious beliefs, if they die (and it's a very frequent occurrence) they accept it was time for them to die, rather than it being a preventable accident because they were driving/riding like complete idiots. They are also very relaxed, you rarely if ever see raised tempers. If that was over here there would be piles of twisted wrecks at every junction within hours and major road rage incidents.
yorkie_chris
02-02-11, 02:57 PM
It's true. so long as people look in the first place, looking mean will quite often make all the difference. I find with my dirty bike and large metal bits sticking out the side (luggage) I don't get too many people trying to stop me filter!
High vis too, oddly, seems to make people take the p*ss.
But other people reckon they get more room when wearing it, meh who knows.
missyburd
02-02-11, 03:10 PM
looked like one of them big yam scootery things. burgman or something?
i thought it was a yam scoooter too, in which case it's no surprise people were taking the mick, scooters are practically non existent on the road in most people's minds :rolleyes:
Owenski
02-02-11, 03:17 PM
High vis too, oddly, seems to make people take the p*ss.
But other people reckon they get more room when wearing it, meh who knows.
Not wore my Hi-Viz since coming off because it was torn in the slide as a proper PRO Hi-Viz rider you may be interested to know I've only had 2 moments of heavy braking on the commute whilst riding without. Thats nearly a month of inner city filtering with only 2 incidents worth remembering (and one of those was an intentional ar5ewhole) 2 incidents per month is about average, so its made little or no difference to weeks when I've worn it.
That said I know if I HAD been wearing it then the merc wouldnt have pulled up to block me filtering, driver got "dave'd" for his stupidity, co-incidently it could actually be the same silver car I had to avoid last week.
"dave'd" is a term I've employed following the actions of a certain dave20046 it is used to summarise when a rider pulls up along side a car drivers window and angryily shoots a look of discust towards its driver whilst taking the throttle to the rev limiter a couple of times.
davepreston
02-02-11, 05:44 PM
you people have missed the biggest peril
possibly finding your way on here
yours no saving you after that
Dave20046
02-02-11, 08:37 PM
On the high-viz front I've always kind of thought if they can't see a headlight (mine's always on), a big block of black and a motorbike then high -viz isn't going to help too much. Only thing I do believe in is a bright helmet, if cars are emerging at junctions or whatever and you're in the lane furthest from them for example ,it's a bit easier to see the lid over car roofs but again it's probably only marginally safer (statistically)
i thought it was a yam scoooter too, in which case it's no surprise people were taking the mick, scooters are practically non existent on the road in most people's minds :rolleyes:
True, but I just googled "big yamaha scooter" and it looks like it was a t-max ...which is practically a smart car!
"dave'd" is a term I've employed following the actions of a certain dave20046 it is used to summarise when a rider pulls up along side a car drivers window and angryily shoots a look of discust towards its driver whilst taking the throttle to the rev limiter a couple of times.
Thanks for clarifying that - I assumed you meant dave preston'd and you'd chucked the bike at the car :mrgreen:
P.S I'm glad the disgust is notable through the tinted visor.
Specialone
02-02-11, 08:45 PM
I think hi viz has lost a bit of it's impact, that many people see them these days, people don't give them a second glance.
kwak zzr
02-02-11, 08:48 PM
ya ya right phil i wore mine in argos today and didnt feel a p rick where as 2 years ago i would have done :)
Dave20046
02-02-11, 08:49 PM
I think hi viz has lost a bit of it's impact, that many people see them these days, people don't give them a second glance.
There's a guy round here (possibly two as I notice him that often) who wears something that looks VERY similar to police high-viz. I know he's not a copper as I've seen him 2-up but it does get a second glance from me atleast.
Might be worth a pop I guess!
davepreston
02-02-11, 09:49 PM
Thanks for clarifying that - I assumed you meant dave preston'd and you'd chucked the bike at the car :mrgreen:
you cheeky fecker, wait till i see you next
Dave20046
02-02-11, 09:55 PM
you cheeky fecker, wait till i see you next
haha please don't be holding a paintball gun next time I see you![-o<
sunshine
02-02-11, 10:28 PM
that looks like a gently commute, i find it scary when and old guy pulls out on me then says "sorry, i didnt see your bright yellow car"
WHAT?!?!!?! how???? the lights are even on!
yorkie_chris
02-02-11, 10:30 PM
haha please don't be holding a paintball gun next time I see you![-o<
Or if he is, hope you see him first.
Dave20046
02-02-11, 10:36 PM
Or if he is, hope you see him first.
It doesn't help! :(
IIRC Dave walked calmly from one end of the field to the other absorbing shot after shot to shoot some children :D
Two biggest dangers around here are school buses in country lanes - they have a habit of driving on the wrong side of the road - and tractors that pull out of field entrances without looking, mainly cos the driver has some loud muzac on in the cab. They then leave a trail of mud and **** over the road, and hold you up for ages, no chance of getting past.
Wideboy
02-02-11, 10:47 PM
i was thinking of doing this and sending it to the local rag as all they do is print rubbish about bikers
metalangel
03-02-11, 12:41 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqnRIeRT2hs
davepreston
03-02-11, 07:00 AM
IIRC Dave walked calmly from one end of the field to the other absorbing shot after shot to shoot some children :D
fyi anyone in that field was classed as a combatant, woman children yorkshiremen ,abite all of them less than a credible threat but valid targets none the less
Owenski
03-02-11, 08:54 AM
fyi anyone in that field was classed as a combatant, woman children yorkshiremen ,abite all of them less than a credible threat but valid targets none the less
+1 if it moved it was liable to get shot, or occasionally shouted at.
Dave20046
03-02-11, 09:10 AM
fyi anyone in that field was classed as a combatant, woman children yorkshiremen ,abite all of them less than a credible threat but valid targets none the less
well dave, those combatants were crying
Every time I have a close call in the car (and I've had quite a few so far this year, many due to people doing stupid stuff on roundabouts) I try not to think about how it could have gone had I been biking.
But to be fair, in most cases when your in the cage and have a 'moment', its quite likely you wouldn't have been in that spot had you been on the bike.
South Asian traffic is regulated by their religious beliefs, if they die (and it's a very frequent occurrence) they accept it was time for them to die, rather than it being a preventable accident because they were driving/riding like complete idiots. They are also very relaxed, you rarely if ever see raised tempers. If that was over here there would be piles of twisted wrecks at every junction within hours and major road rage incidents.
This sounds like a something Irons would believe in. :)
High vis too, oddly, seems to make people take the p*ss.
But other people reckon they get more room when wearing it, meh who knows.
I used to wear full length hi-vis jacket with reflector strips auber all. That still didn't stop me getting a car pull out of a turn directly in front of me which resulted in a smash and broken body parts. If they look the see you, if the look but are not looking, they don't.
I think hi viz has lost a bit of it's impact, that many people see them these days, people don't give them a second glance.
I have noticed a fair amount of riders now choose to wear hi-viz. I do still wear my high-viz jacket if the weather is dire and seriously poor light when commuting to work. They do work, especially on motorways, but generally, in town, people just don't take enough time when looking. It's only ever a cursory glance and generally they are looking for a car or larger vehicle, so if they see anything smaller it just doesn't register in their brain as an obstruction. Regardless of what hi-viz clothing is being worn.
-Ralph-
04-02-11, 08:54 AM
South Asian traffic is regulated by their religious beliefs
:lol: It was the generalisation in this post that made me laugh. The WHOLE of South Asia believe in fate, not just the Hindu's, etc.
-Ralph-
04-02-11, 09:12 AM
But to be fair, in most cases when your in the cage and have a 'moment', its quite likely you wouldn't have been in that spot had you been on the bike
generally they are looking for a car or larger vehicle, so if they see anything smaller it just doesn't register in their brain as an obstruction
Back to making subconscious risk assessments that are based only on personal danger, a risk that might result damaging your car so your brain rates it as a low risk, could result in you dying on the bike. Because your subconcious has rated it high risk, it forces you to think about it. So you are generally much more aware on the bike than in the car, and IMO bike riders in a car are more aware as they are accustomed to having to think about everything they do.
The psychology of driving fascinates me, the govn road safety campaign is not called THINK! for nothing.
Another one is the fact that drivers forget that there is a human being sitting on the bike, hence the THINK DAVE! campaign. Because the driver can't see the usual human features such as hands and face, he sees you as part of the machine and treats you with the same level of contempt. People react differently when they can see your face and better again when they see your eyes. Try stopping to ask for directions without opening your visor, people will almost step back away from you when you speak. Stop, take your helmet off, and you'll get an entirely different reaction. Lifting your visor will be something in between. Remeber this advert?
BG1lUd5-sz4
You can hear it in peoples language when they are driving.
Cut up by a car with clear glass "that stupid woman cut me up!".
Cut up by a car with blacked out glass "that stupid ar$ehole cut me up!".
Cut up by a bike "that bike cut me up!".
On a bike you are no longer a human, you're just a machine.
Owenski
04-02-11, 09:32 AM
Agree wit that last post Ralph 100%, it has been covered on here before but it doesnt make it any less valid.
Oddly I'll shamefully admit to on occasion in the car making a manoeuvre and then thinking "did I even check my blind spot"? I'm sure I did it's just I don't actively think about the action any more it's sort of become instinctive. Sort of like when u go through some traffic lights, sometimes you'll register the green light but no longer have to think 'green means go'
Even odder is believe bikers who also drive cars are even better on the road than the ones who only ride, the odd trip in the car for work makes me appreciate even more just how invisible bikes are when filtering. if I'm in a traffic que in the car and a bike comes past, even if I'm been alert the bike is still only 4-5 car lengths away before they're clearly visible, it justifies the IAM 20/20 rule that's for sure.
missyburd
04-02-11, 11:30 AM
I have noticed a fair amount of riders now choose to wear hi-viz. I do still wear my high-viz jacket if the weather is dire and seriously poor light when commuting to work.
+1, only times I wear it, or if I know I'll be coming home in the dark. I have black kit though and if the weather is blue sky and blazing sunshine then I think I'm a lot more visible (as visible as you can be on a 125) in just black kit rather than orange or yellow. But as folk say, if an idiot is going to do something perilous on the road then it won't make a difference what you wear, they will have already committed to pulling out/ramming you up the rear etc.
:lol: It was the generalisation in this post that made me laugh. The WHOLE of South Asia believe in fate, not just the Hindu's, etc.
Ok it was a generalisation, but the majority of South Asia are Hindu (about 80% of India alone)
-Ralph-
05-02-11, 10:12 AM
Ok it was a generalisation, but the majority of South Asia are Hindu (about 80% of India alone)
By population maybe there's more than 50 or 60% Hindu in South Asia, but only because India and Nepal are such a large piece of the sub Indian continent and they are vast majority Hindu. The rest of the countries have a Hindu minority, such as Pakistan have a tiny minority. So it's not true to generalise about "South Asia" driving based upon fate, it depends what country you go to, and where within that country you are.
yorkie_chris
05-02-11, 02:59 PM
The Pakistanis in Bradford seem to drive on fate too.
sloppy joe
05-02-11, 04:48 PM
The 'Fate' system of roadcraft appears to be in favour round here too among all creeds and colours. A number of the mini roundabouts near me are approached by quite a few people apparently on the basis of 'everyone else slows to see if anyone is coming and give way, therefore I will neither slow down, look, or give way, in fact I might just speed up a little'. Seriously frightening.
My biggest bad driving bugbear, however, is that my road is used by some as a cut through to avoid some lights, especially school run parents as there is a school 500 yards away. Short road, about twenty terraced houses long, narrow (only one car can pass through at a time), cars parked either side and at last count about 7 young kids living on the road, including mine. The number of these school run idiots that fly down between parked cars about 40mph at a time when there are loads of kids on their way to school, it drives me nuts.
MattCollins
05-02-11, 04:59 PM
SJ, you could try petitioning your council to do something about it.
In these parts new housing estates have limited thoroughfares and a lot of old ones are having changes made for the reasons you describe.
thedonal
05-02-11, 06:16 PM
That video shows the amount of red light jumping there is. This is getting particularly bad.
I reckon that driving standards are really taking a dive and partly because of the huge amount of traffic (and roadworks increasing the delays around my area- gas and water are on serious congestion missions at the moment) and peoples' lack of patience.
Though this is all exacerbated by thoughtless driving- sitting in a jam blocking someone else's exit where it is clear they won't be joining the same queue. Sitting across box junctions and keep clear boxes.
But that's alright- the police and authorities are (seemingly) only really interested in speeding offences...
Specialone
05-02-11, 06:21 PM
It's attitudes as well.
I overtook a old duffer couple today in their smart 'car' ( not a car IMO) in a 30 zone, they were doing less than 25, as I overtook them safely, they gave me a long blast of the horn WTF ?
Lately, it's been old duffers who have been the problem, normally women and Asian taxi drivers.
The old lady I filtered past earlier on wasn't too impressed either, but why the hell was she stood in the road in roadworks? Just because your Jeep rotbox isn't going anywhere, doesn't give you the right to go for a stroll... get out my way and let me do my thing ;)
-Ralph-
05-02-11, 08:34 PM
I reckon that driving standards are really taking a dive
But that's alright- the police and authorities are (seemingly) only really interested in speeding offences...
Driving standards IMO are taking a dive because there are so few police patrols on the road. Getting stopped by the police and getting told off because they have seen some bad driving is very rare nowadays. When the cats away, the mice will play!
Having said that I got stopped last weekend in Birmingham City Centre, for the first time in many, many years. I turned right at a set of traffic lights past the front of an oncoming police car who was turning left. It was one of those situations where if you didn't take a gap, you wouldn't get across, and the lights would only let one car turning left through for each change of the lights. He didn't have to brake or anything, there was room to do it, but was just peeved that his left indicator was on and I hadn't given him priority and he stopped me and gave me a lecture about priority and how if it had been close enough for an accident, he'd be claiming off my insurance. He was just cheesed that I'd cut HIM up though, I'm sure if he'd seen me do it to somebody else, but been unaffected, he wouldn't have given a toss. At the end of the day everybody is agressive and takes gaps in B'ham otherwise you just wouldn't get anywhere, he must see it 100 times a day.
vBulletin® , Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.