Responsible or not?

Originally Posted by Baph

- Wheelies on public road - not big, not clever.

But still fun. I don't really agree with wheelies a lot on the road but now and then it's a laugh. I was out with a mate a week or so ago in Newcastle. Riding sensibly through town at 30mph (ish). Obviously stopping for red lights and setting off at a reasonable pace but nothing silly. Anyway we were stopped at one set of traffic lights and he set off at a fair pace, I gunned my bike to overtake and he then gunned his to get back past. Cue me winding mine on to full throttle and going past him on one wheel.

I felt the nuts doing that until I realised I was in a 40 zone and riding like an idiot. There was no-one else about but I know that doens't make it right. However I feel that there is a time and a place for wheelies on the public road. Just for self satisfaction if nothing else.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

Not for us to moralise.

Nothing to see here, move along.

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

Why don't they have roads like that in the UK?!!?

Endless open sweeping flowing corners ... and f-all traffic or cops/speed cameras!! ... bliss!

As for children and goats stepping out ... in the middle of nowhere in south Africa??? .... its not London city central out there you know!!

You need to be jealous, not dissing him!!

I know the road and it is very rural...however, it is heavily trafficked by farm machinery and roaming animals...

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

Don't be so wet ... I ride faster than that and closer than that with people I have never even met before (i.e. on trackdays)!!

Trackdays...different story

Originally Posted by Baph

OK, observations of the bike with the camera:
- Wheelies on public road - not big, not clever.
- road positioning is terrible.
- excessive speed, both past the roadworks (could of been a truck waiting to come out on that left bend) and past the car on the left bend (from what I saw, I think it was stopped, cut it too close to the car, a door could of opened & taken him/her out!).
- what use of positioning they make isn't smoothly applied, leaving more guess work for other riders in formation.
- they used part of a junction to shorten a left bend. WTF?
- at times, use of the wrong side of the road wasn't required, but was used anyway.

In the UK, if seen by a copper, that'd be good enough for a dangerous driving charge.

I don't subscribe to the IAM's style of riding. I ride for fun, not to ride to a system. If I want to speed, I will. If I want to overtake on a bend, I will if I can see round it far enough. I don't think about lorries possibly coming out of junctions, because if I did I'd never ride a bike or even drive a car. Wheelies are fun, and they are clever. Ok, maybe not on a busy road but there's no denying their appeal when it's clear.

Their road positioning wasn't all that bad - it could do with tidying up but then again they weren't out for a Sunday afternoon bimble on BMW K series with the IAM. When me and my mates go out for a hoon we ride pretty much like that and sod the consequences, that's what makes it fun for us. That road was a damn sight clearer of traffic than the roads me and my mates use when we ride like that, so where's the problem?

Originally Posted by Lozzo

so where's the problem?

I haven't done an IAM course, and TBH, I don't think I will do. I never said I don't ride like that. The question was nothing to do with my riding. The question was to state an opinion based on the video. In case you missed it, I didn't actually post an opinion, just what I thought a copper would judge it as.

Every time I ride my bike I risk a Dangerous Driving charge, it's just the way I ride.

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by Baph

In the UK, if seen by a copper, that'd be good enough for a dangerous driving charge.

Have you ever been to the transvaal? it's not the UK, not by a looooong way

there is no police, and even if there were you could probably just drop them a few rand and be on your way, having driven round parts of it i'd say 100mph is certainly no more dangerous than doing 60/70 down most british A roads

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Every time I ride my bike I risk a Dangerous Driving charge, it's just the way I ride.

Interesting the way you got very defensive about my comment though.

I like a good hoon too, whenever I deem appropriate. Other's on the .Org may recall a conversation where my average speed was worked out to be NSL ish (for Germany), and at a couple of points, I had both tyres off the floor.

NB, For any officers reading, the above does read correct, for Germany!

Originally Posted by the_lone_wolf

Have you ever been to the transvaal? it's not the UK, not by a looooong way

Nope, but then, the question didn't read "is this responsible or not, considering the lack of police enforcement."

I recognised it wasn't in the UK from the road markings, and commented accordingly.

Originally Posted by Baph

Interesting the way you got very defensive about my comment though.

I wasn't being defensive, I was being dismissive

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Every time I ride my bike I risk a Dangerous Driving charge, it's just the way I ride.

Chuck?