Bikesafe Swansea (fao. Jabba esp)

[donkeykong]

Hey,

I notice you did the Bikesafe 80 quid job. I got mine saturday and sunday, Swansea though, mount pleasant (beautiful place to get your bike nicked).

Problem, I tried ramming the baffle back in the exhaust, but 3 inches were left sticking out, i didnt wanna bash it too hard, so I'm gonna leave it out and take the chance.

What were the cops like, I've read that most are cool with noisy exhausts and that, the south wales fuzz tho?

prolly too late anyway, i should get to bed else theyll arrest me for stinking of cider before they even notice the exhaust.

[the white rabbit]

I tried ramming it in, but 3 inches were left sticking out, i didnt wanna bash it too hard

A true South&West Surfer. Proud of you :lol:
But why ask Jabba, there's some of us much more experienced in such problems.

[donkeykong]

hahaha!

I know hes local to me, and done the bikesafe, thats why i ask :D

any advice off anyone though, greatly accepted, I dont fancy a slap on the wrist as soon as i get there! I'm sure theyll be ok like, just looking for that reassurance :P

[donkeykong]

yikes. i just re-read your quote about 9 times, what a sex pest i sound :shock:

[Richie]

yikes. i just re-read your quote about 9 times, what a sex pest i sound :shock:


Yep, and didn't your avatar have the same problem with a Russian Girl...?

Neighbours..... http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/9/9a/180px-Lou-Carpenter_Tom-Oliver-1988-and-1992....jpg








Not that I watch the soap you see. it was my errrrr.... it was .... well it was the only bloody thing on the 5 channels of crap on the TV ...


:oops: :oops: :oops: coat & Taxi, Ramsey Street... (Pinoak Drive, Melbourn Aus) Not that I've been there..... Honest....

[donkeykong]

heheh, yeah!

Our wife did a runner with all our money and all a few years ago :evil:
at least we still got Harold!

oh well, moment of truth time now, I'm about to head off to Swansea.
I'll see if they send me back home or not :D

[anna]

I'm sure they will be cool with you after all you have paid to be there ;)

Let us know how it goes as I am planning to arrange something silimilar for the bristol Mofo's.

[valleyboy]

:lol: You'll be buggered with that exhaust if you need the baffle in... :lol:

[Jabba]

Hi Mate.

The weren't bothered by exhausts and stuff like that as long as they weren't stupidly loud. Same with small plates.

They will check the bike over for safety mainly - stuff like chain, tyres, indicators etc.

Is it the South Wales Police? Didn't think their patch went over as far as Swansea :?

If it is SWP then you'll meet PC Nigel "Yosser" Hughes......once met never forgotten :lol: Just don't call him Nigel coz he thinks that's a poof's name :wink:

[donkeykong]

Well, day one out of the way, you were right, they didnt even mention the exhaust 8)

they gave 'advisorys' to a few people, steering head bearings, calipers starting to sieze, that sort of thing.

the copper that did all the presentation bit was called Kevin, cant remember his second name, and the bloke who actually took me out on the road was called Paddy, with a bald head.

He told me theyre the same bunch that run the Cardiff bikesafe. Apparently the Swansea one is fairly new, they started it because there was nothing down that neck of the woods, but a lot of accidents. I dont think Nigel was there, ill check again tomorrow.

Good fun though, went to Llandovery (sp?) and err.... past the Gurnos, I'm not really familiar with the route, and the rain & spray were so bad, I couldnt see a lot anyway. We went on the M4 from 45 to 47, Cop in front, he tapped his head (whatever that means), then sped off. I caught up with him, and we were doing 110mph!

quite amusing :D

Right then, I got to go now and fill the thing up again, got home on the solid light 8) 170 miles off a tank :o

[anna]

Sounds like you have had mega fun .. sorry that the weather hasnt been great for you today I hope that it is slightly better tomorrow.

Keep us updated with how tomorrow goes.

[Jabba]

the copper that did all the presentation bit was called Kevin

Kevin was the guy who trained me.........big lad, ex-rugby player. Nice guy :thumbsup:

Did mine in the wet too - 2 solid days of it, but it did wonder for my confidence.

Enjoy tomorrow - the weather should be better.


PS: Did you do the road of 1000 sheep?

[anna]

PS: Did you do the road of 1000 sheep?

AKA : THE road!!! :lol: :lol: 8) :lol:

[valleyboy]

There are better roads than THAT road around.... THAT road is challenging, not due to the bends, but the effing wildlife that tries to put itself between your tyres and the tarmac... :lol:

[anna]

There is NO better road than THAT road around.... THAT road is challenging, not due to the bends, but the effing wildlife that tries to put itself between your tyres and the tarmac... ITS GREAT :lol:

I think I should be a mod.. look I can edit VB's posts too :lol: :lol:

[valleyboy]

Less of that.. Rich has been busy enough on various posts as it is! :lol:

[valleyboy]

There is NO better road than THAT road around.... THAT road is challenging, not due to the bends, but the effing wildlife that tries to put itself between your tyres and the tarmac... ITS GREAT :lol:

I think I should be a mod.. look I can boss more people around :lol: :lol:


:wink:

[donkeykong]

I remember now, Kevin mentioned Nick, he was the Chief I think........until he got arrested for drink driving :lol:

We went on a good road, down the Gower, no sheep, just cows. lots of cows meandering obliviously across the NSL road.

P.S. Aye yeah, I did err.... THAT road (not on the bikesafe though), and the one below it too, over the Rhigos mountain, amazing view!! I didnt know the Tower Colliery was up that way. Treorchy's a shi*ehole though. those sheep are funny, I was actually laughing like a weirdo, they all decided to have a nap on the middle of the road, hehehe! The cocky ones just stay there, and make you go around them, and just turn their heads to watch you go past.

Oh aye, cheers for the edit Anna :lol:

[valleyboy]

I crashed last year on that road up and over the Rhigos... sheep related as well....

Theres a lay by as you get tot he top on the Aberdare side of the mountain, you can look down on Tower colliery, and on a nice day can see right across to Pen-Y-Fan..
REALLY nice sun sets to be viewed from up there as well...

[Mogs]

Very Poetic VB

As the sun sets over Old Tower Collery...

[donkeykong]

poetic indeed!

well bikesafes over now, and i can genuinely recommend it to EVERYBODY, regardless of experience level and age/sex. The whole weekend was a great laugh, the coppers were fantastic, and did a lot to dispel the 'them vs us' attitude that admittedly, i did have beforehand.

the highlight for me was overtaking two cars and a horsebox in one go, and losing the copper (Paddy) & the other fella, and having to slow down and wait a few miles up the road for them to catch up. afterwards, he was really pleased and enthusiastic with the overtake i made (even though i lost him :D).

Anyway, went over the black mountain (west), holy frig! scary road.
shortly after, we swapped positions, Paddy (cop) in front, me next, fireblade fella behind. he RACED off through a nice looking A road, hedges either side, clear lane marking down the center of the road, i thought 'yeah, ill keep up'.....

so I gunned it, blasted it where i could, shat my pants, locked the back just before a cattle grid for a hairy moment (changing down without rev matching), but try for the life of me, i could NOT keep up with the fskcer. I reached 80~90 in places.

The real lightbulb moment was afterwards when we stopped at the mumbles. i said 'yeah the last 20 miles or so were real fun', and he told me, he did all that within the speed limit (NSL 60 road).

I was genuinely speechless. I think i said something like 'f**k off, you were f**king gunning it!!'

it really is worth doing, just so you can follow a police rider, and see what theyre capable of WITHIN the speed limit.

Kev told us they didnt get much support off the big fellas for doing bikesafe weekends, because they arent out there handing points out, patrolling etc... The other cops that turned up, along with the Rospa riders, and the paramedic, did so without getting paid. it says something when they regularly sacrifice their own weekends for these courses.

I'm personally going to send a letter to the south wales chief, because i feel that its such a benefitial weekend to bikers that it should in no way be compressed, sacrificed, or ignored.

holy ****, what a long post!
I'll snip it here, and hope that some of you who might not have considered a bikesafe course, might change yer minds :D

P.S. bikesafe south wales is amongst the best in the country

[anna]

thanks for the write up sounds like you had fantastic fun and a real worth while thing to do.. I think some of the bristol contingency were going to do a course similar in Bristol and I think you have made my mind up to go ahead and get it done.

[Beenz]

Going by the very good writeup and all the fun you had doing it, I've just gotta give this a go and book into one of these.

[Jabba]

My experience with S Wlaes Police was exactly the same as dk's; coppers were fantastic, I learned a lot and really came to appreciate the coppers. They are human and decent people.

One small point......you may have had trouble keeping up with that copper because you were behind him; those at the back on a rideout always have to go faster to keep up :thumbsup:

One small note of caution; I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm but poo can happen to the best of the best (http://www.shropshirestar.com/show_article.php?aID=47227), so please don't get over-confident. Ride as they have taught you and you will be safer, though.

[donkeykong]

aye, i know what your saying. theres a good chapter in roadcraft, warning against 'overconfidence after training'.

Unfortunately, I get reminded of **** like that often. My old man works for a place called W.D.Davies. The cops call him out after fatalities in Wales, he goes to inspect the vehicles, to establish any mechanical defects, then presents the evidence as an expert witness in court. This time of year, he does a lot of bikes. brings the photos back, and makes sure I see em.

definately sobering.

[Mogs]

Bikesafe for me was a refresher after a “resting” period of over 10 years, the course cost about £80. is very good, I’m not knocking it, its well worth it if that is the only form of additional training you intend to take.

However it has not turned out to be value for money. On the course I was persuaded that the IAM “Skill for life” package (also costing about £80) would teach me far more, and it has. As such the only knowledge I gained, not covered by IAM (so far), was how to remove a helmet in relative safety in order to commence mouth to mouth. All other 1st Aid covered on Bikesafe I had already done as part of 1st Aid at work.