mid life crisis bikers

Originally Posted by twotime

for my ten pence worth, I met the 'born-again' biker on the way home last night. I may have only had a license for 8 months, but it's eight month's daily commute in London, the DAS course last year and checking this site regularly for advice. This moron OVERTAKES ME when I'm filtering past traffic on a ducati. expensive ducatti leather jacket, chinos and brogues...nice. cuts in in front of me as on coming traffic builds up, then tries to cut in front of the car he's parallel with. car slams on brakes, he panics and slams on brakes... I go wide round both of them... pull up at red lights. He comes up again GOES ROUND ME crosses the white lines and waits halfway out into the junction for the lights to change, revving the f*ck out of the 'cati. lights change as he's coming off a rev, he dumps the clutch, gets at least 4 feet on what's left of the power before he stalls, legs akimbo as if they're trying to power him along flinstone style...pr*ck. I pulled alongside him and just held his gaze for a couple of seconds before leaving....he know's exactly what I was thinking.

And you got a chance to have a chat and determine that he was indeed a born again biker? He may have just been a ****

[timwilky]

Do I detect an wiff of arrogance arround here.

We had to pass a harder test than you so we must be better riders.

Call em what you will born again, middle age etc it doesn't matter a biker is a biker, just some of us are a tad older and therefore a little more worldly wise.

Why does everyone assume that is bikers maiming themselves. Of course some over do it and come a cropper but-

There is a need for a proper study of motorcycle related accidents without the hysteria of the size of bike age or experience of the rider. simply the circumstances of the accident. ie.

nature - overtaking/filtering, vehicle pulled out, etc.
speed - was it a factor y/n
fault - rider, others
road conditions
locations - t junctions, roundabouts etc.


Then and only then, when the true nature of motorcycle accidents is known can goverment and local authorites take steps to reduce the causes. Yes there has been increases in motorcycle related accidents, but the number of motorcycle miles in the uk has also increased. So has motorcyling got safer or more dangerous?

At present it seems to me that the authorities are looking for easy ways out. To blame everthing on born agains or middle age etc. is an easy option. What they should also be doing is to make roads safer. Educate others to be bike aware and I make no apoligies for this. PROSECUTE dangerous drivers/riders ie, those who are responsible for accidents

And you got a chance to have a chat and determine that he was indeed a born again biker? He may have just been a **** [/quote]

point taken

I guess I just saw a middle-aged fella on a powerful bike with no idea how to ride it, and no concept of road safety... and assumed the rest

Originally Posted by Sythree

I wouldn't be too sure about that...

You must be another exception that proves the rule

Originally Posted by twotime

...This moron OVERTAKES ME, when I'm filtering past traffic, on a ducati. expensive ducati leather jacket, chinos and brogues...cuts in in front of me as on coming traffic builds up, then tries to cut in front of the car he's parallel with... car slams on brakes, he panics and slams on brakes...

I think you made this up....it's just an episode from the Hazards of Duke.

[Balky001]

Statistics Younger riders are on the whole fitter so less likely to get as injured compared to over 40's. And as older riders usually go for fully comp insurance compared with other age groups (as its cheaper) & have protected no claims - they are more likely to claim. So, where do these stats get sourced from. I'd imagine these stats only tell one side of a story. That said, there are a lot of old Ducati riders that wobble around Essex on a nice Sunday afternoon that do worry me.

Originally Posted by timwilky

Require his roads dept to remove

Manholes and all other metal surfaces from bends
Remove large white/red painting from road surfaces
Remove walls/hedges that obstruct visabilty at juctions
Prosecute all vehicle owners that spill diesel on roads

Doing the above which should be within his power would prove he is a guy with a passion for improving road safety, and not just another anti biker out to make a name for himself

As i work for a Barnsley council i have to price for jobs relocating manholes etc. all the time.
I've just had a look through the figures and typically it would cost £7200 to move a 225mm Drainage pipe manhole a mere 1.5m to the side of the road I.E. gutter.
The sad truth of the matter is that They aren't going to start moving manholes (in their eyes ) needlessly as this is seen as a waste of funds.
The head of Traffic for Barnsley is a Gixxer rider and does give people a B********g if they suggest stupid places for manhole placement. Local councils now have to comply to more strict rules on placements etc. Someone is working on Grip plated covers instead of relocation. They just need to stop it peeling off the steel casings. When these get sorted you may see them being changed for steel covers on roundabouts and coners but the straight line covers WILL stay .