Is riding a motorbike that dangerous...!?

Originally Posted by TC3

That sounds plain daft to me. Most car drivers are ok and aware of bikes for one. There are many bikers that make biking more dangerous than it need be by taking stupid risks. Most car drivers i know do not drink and drive. Sorry but what you said is a load of sh!t

That's based on my own personal experience at being rear-ended and sideswiped by 3 cars over the last few years. I'm sure there are dangerous bikers out there, but none of them have rear-ended me, sideswiped me or written my bike off. Yet.

When they do I'll change my tune, until then I have no option but to see car drivers as the dangerous ones. Yes it's only a small percentage of car drivers, but it's still enough to knock me off 3 times

Originally Posted by SVeeedy Gonzales

When they do I'll change my tune, until then I have no option but to see car drivers as the dangerous ones. Yes it's only a small percentage of car drivers, but it's still enough to knock me off 3 times

Agreed. In total, 5 other motorcyclists (in seperate incidents) have done stupid things that have resulting in me having to brake/take evasive action. The reason I can remember each of these incidents clearly is because a bike doing it is such a rareity. How many times has a car done it? 5000ish? At least once every trip and dozens on longer ones. In any event, far too many to recall.

As to most car drivers don't drink drive? Sorry- I don't believe that. Out of the people I know, about 70% have driven over the limit. We're not talking falling down drunk, more just having a second pint/glass of wine. It's not much, but it's still over the limit though. The number of motorcyclists I know who do this (when on bikes, rather than in cars) is far less; I'd estimate in the region of 5%.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Bud

IMHO, the biggest dangers to bikes are vehicles of the four wheeled variety (especially those with badges containing the letters B, M and W!).

It'd be nice if this was true... But most biking accidents, and most biking KSI (killed and seriously injured) are single vehicle. The number one cause of bike crashes is the bike's own rider. Not saying that car drivers and car designers are blameless, but as long as people keep on thinking that cars are the main danger, they'll keep on riding into telegraph poles on a sunday afternoon IMO.

Originally Posted by northwind

It'd be nice if this was true... But most biking accidents, and most biking KSI (killed and seriously injured) are single vehicle. The number one cause of bike crashes is the bike's own rider. Not saying that car drivers and car designers are blameless, but as long as people keep on thinking that cars are the main danger, they'll keep on riding into telegraph poles on a sunday afternoon IMO.

I was aware that the biker was most likely to be responsible for their own demise with regard to KSI, but other road users being more significant in actually causing accidents?

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

I was aware that the biker was most likely to be responsible for their own demise with regard to KSI, but other road users being more significant in actually causing accidents?

Yep, you're correct. Other road users have you off more in town, but it's usually our own fault when we lunch ourselves at high speed on A roads.

[northwind]

Ah sorry, you're right, the stats I was looking at were accidents with police in attendance. That'd cut out a lot of minor in-town bumps.

Ask the guy who just crashed into my wall wearing only a lid.

Dan

Originally Posted by Sudoxe

Ask the guy who just crashed into my wall wearing only a lid.

Dan

WTF? Not even a pair of pants!? These kids will do anything for kicks.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Sudoxe

Ask the guy who just crashed into my wall wearing only a lid.

I did, he said "Bloody cars are a menace"