The summer riders were out in force today in the Peak District!

Originally Posted by cbay

I was out today, using bike for work.

And someone was determined to overtake me on double whites, I just gave them space cause I didn't want to keep checking where they were every second.

I am all up for the progression thing on a bike but safety does come into it aswell, is it really worth it??

I overtake on double whites all the time. On a bike you can see further and have more acceleration to overtake than most cars, so the need for the double whites is obviated by virtue of the fact we are superior road users.

In most cases I treat double whites as discretionary for bikes as I believe they are there for idiot car drivers who need to be told where it's dangerous to overtake.

Sorry, but I have a real problem with these "summer riders are out in force" posts. Most of the org only rides when the roads are dry and the sun is shining - doesn't make them all bad riders, just mean they don't like getting cold and wet. Obviously you'll get a few who couldn't ride a rocking horse, but in my experience there are a fair few of those who've been riding all year round since god was a teenager and still can't get it right.

We're none of us that good, if we were we'd all be earning millions riding MotoGP bikes and banging supermodels, so reel your necks in and just appreciate the fact that we've still got people who want to share our pastime with us before it gets legislated off the roads.

[rictus01]

being a pure leisure rider myself, I find I need all the practice I can get, consequently that's just what I do....

Cheers Mark.

[dirtydog]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Sorry, but I have a real problem with these "summer riders are out in force" posts. Most of the org only rides when the roads are dry and the sun is shining - doesn't make them all bad riders, just mean they don't like getting cold and wet. Obviously you'll get a few who couldn't ride a rocking horse, but in my experience there are a fair few of those who've been riding all year round since god was a teenager and still can't get it right.

We're none of us that good, if we were we'd all be earning millions riding MotoGP bikes and banging supermodels, so reel your necks in and just appreciate the fact that we've still got people who want to share our pastime with us before it gets legislated off the roads.

Well said Lozzo, my thoughts exactly! I am classed as a weekend warrior fair weather rider, I have done my time commuting Used to arrive at work some mornings with a layer of ice down the front of my jacket etc. I don't enjoy getting cold and/or wet so why the hell should I get grief about it?

I'm just waiting for the next "White van man is a w***er" thread so people can make some more generalising comments about how I ride/drive

Originally Posted by dirtydog

I'm just waiting for the next "White van man is a w***er" thread so people can make some more generalising comments about how I ride/drive

No worries there mate, White van drivers statistically are the best drivers, you get a few who are a-holes but on the whole pretty decent.
I consider myself a good van driver, I use my mirrors, let people out, look out for bikes etc as it happens in my car I become too impatient.

[dirtydog]

Originally Posted by specialone

you get a few who are a-holes but on the whole pretty decent.

That's the thing though you will always get the minority of nobs in any groups whether that's van drivers, car drivers or bikers but people seem to forget that.

Originally Posted by dirtydog

That's the thing though you will always get the minority of nobs in any groups whether that's van drivers, car drivers or bikers but people seem to forget that.

Yep, but in my driving, riding time I see more numpties driving cars than any other form, mainly Asian taxi drivers or women driving big 4x4's.
Not generalising, just stating my opinion from my own experience.

Taxi drivers, next to old people they are the worst, from a white van driver, well actually red and white, with a bit of black thrown in

I think the problem with the stereotype is the riders that come out of hibernation about this time of year and try and go as fast as they did back in September, without taking into account what the lack of practice in the meantime has done to their edge - the result is that quite a few end up testing the absorbent qualities of the hedges instead...

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Sorry, but I have a real problem with these "summer riders are out in force" posts.

Meh, I used to see it all the time when I was commuting to uni, you'd make progress perfectly safely for 6 months and then all of a sudden there would be 20 inconsiderate wazzocks sat in your way doing 3mph every day!
Check your f*cking mirrors, it's not hard.

Also when going down to Aberystwyth, you'd be fine for 6 months. Then there would appear a load of hedge seeking w*nkers who can't observe properly or corner and whose falling-off antics bring with them scameras and random harassment from old bill. All the while making less progress in July than it was perfectly safe to make in December

Derbyshire is overpoliced and the roads aren't that great. Far better to go somewhere else for the stupidity and leave places like that to the sensible sightseeing types.