Is biking REALLY dangerous or only midly dangerous? - Page 5 - SV650.org

17-04-05, 08:49 PM

Biking isn't all that dangerous, rather oil, diesel, gravel, mud, ice, wet manhole covers and road markings, poor standard of many drivers of 4-wheeled vehicles, suicidal pedestrians...

Although there's more risk of overestimating your skills/underestimating the upcoming corner than in a car, most of the risks are from other road users/features not taking bikes into consideration.

That said, we're all pretty aware that these things are there, and so long as we're always looking out for them, we shouldn't get too many (or any!) nasty surprises

18-04-05, 10:46 AM

Well, if I can put my 2 cents in - as seen from a non-UK perspecitve (USA and DK) - and as a confirmed adrenilne junky (ex-skydiver, mountain climber, rock climber) - biking has if nothing else the element of percieved danger - and thats also why we do it - we scare ourselves silly - move our limits and get better. Remember your first track day - I know when I had mine, I was thinking "no way - that knee will never get down" - but limits were pushed and things happened. SpO I think it is also about evaluating your personal risk level and acting accordingly. By the way - a study from the US shows that most accidents happen within 10 minutes of leaving home - why? You are not in a complete "bike" frame of mind, and still are thinking of that you are late, angry, stressed, horny - whatever! When I had my spill last year - it was spot on! I was stressed, it was raining, and when the taxi pulled in front of me - bang! down she went.

18-04-05, 10:52 AM

i was doin' a fair bit of thinking about this over the weekend. spoke to my parents about it (my dad is a bike examiner and mummy was a riding instructor) basicly it's only as dangerous as you let it be. My dad covers around 300,000 miles a year and has been doing so since before i was born. he rides to work and at work he has to ride all day, and he has NEVER crashed. my mum done almost as much when she was riding and she also never crashed. so the percieved dangers of biking really shouldn't put you off. it's all down to the rider...

18-04-05, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godikus

it's all down to the rider...

Unfortunately this isn't totally true. Much is down to the rider agreed, but there are certain circumstances that can occur and are simply beyond control.

.

18-04-05, 11:01 AM

agreed, but that could be said about anything. now i've said that, bet my da crashes on his way back from work tonight

18-04-05, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godikus

i was doin' a fair bit of thinking about this over the weekend. spoke to my parents about it (my dad is a bike examiner and mummy was a riding instructor) basicly it's only as dangerous as you let it be. My dad covers around 300,000 miles a year and has been doing so since before i was born. he rides to work and at work he has to ride all day, and he has NEVER crashed. my mum done almost as much when she was riding and she also never crashed. so the percieved dangers of biking really shouldn't put you off. it's all down to the rider...

Write in to Bike and challenge their claim that "Stan" the courier 2,500,000 miles + is the "highest mileage rider"

18-04-05, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKrider

Well, if I can put my 2 cents in - as seen from a non-UK perspecitve (USA and DK) - and as a confirmed adrenilne junky (ex-skydiver, mountain climber, rock climber) - biking has if nothing else the element of percieved danger - and thats also why we do it - we scare ourselves silly - move our limits and get better. Remember your first track day - I know when I had mine, I was thinking "no way - that knee will never get down" - but limits were pushed and things happened. SpO I think it is also about evaluating your personal risk level and acting accordingly. By the way - a study from the US shows that most accidents happen within 10 minutes of leaving home - why? You are not in a complete "bike" frame of mind, and still are thinking of that you are late, angry, stressed, horny - whatever! When I had my spill last year - it was spot on! I was stressed, it was raining, and when the taxi pulled in front of me - bang! down she went.

I agree with the phenomenan you describe. I have to have a quick dual carriageway/lane blast to "wake up" properly and get into a really mentally alert state. So much so, that I will go the long way round to get petrol, just so I am in the right frame of mind to navigate the roundabouts, etc. I'd say 90%+ of my lock ups/skids have been within 10 miles or so of home.

18-04-05, 12:19 PM

could be down to cold tires as much as your frame of mind. wonder if tyre warmers could wake your mind up for that 10 miles. altho warming your mind with your tyres is probably best. usualy navagating my way out of my garden/street is enough to get my mind on the game.

18-04-05, 12:31 PM

Now I'm the opposite to that... I prefer to have a slow start and end - I take the route through town to warm up, with more stopping and starting.. I've tried going straight onto fast A roads but doing it first thing in the morning freaks me out - I prefer to get into the groove on 30mph roads and speed up from there. Same with coming back - nice to have a slow down, even if there's more work with the traffic.

Having said that, it does get good when I finally get onto the faster roads

18-04-05, 01:20 PM

Why do you have to "get in the groove"??????

You should be totally focused from the second you get on the bike. You could drop it or get knocked off on your own street.

I leave for work on mine at 6:30 every morning when all the cage drivers are still half asleep. If i wasnt focused i'd be knocked of everyday.

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17-04-05, 08:49 PM	#41
SVeeedy Gonzales Guest Posts: n/a	Biking isn't all that dangerous, rather oil, diesel, gravel, mud, ice, wet manhole covers and road markings, poor standard of many drivers of 4-wheeled vehicles, suicidal pedestrians... Although there's more risk of overestimating your skills/underestimating the upcoming corner than in a car, most of the risks are from other road users/features not taking bikes into consideration. That said, we're all pretty aware that these things are there, and so long as we're always looking out for them, we shouldn't get too many (or any!) nasty surprises

18-04-05, 10:46 AM	#42
DKrider Guest Posts: n/a	Well, if I can put my 2 cents in - as seen from a non-UK perspecitve (USA and DK) - and as a confirmed adrenilne junky (ex-skydiver, mountain climber, rock climber) - biking has if nothing else the element of percieved danger - and thats also why we do it - we scare ourselves silly - move our limits and get better. Remember your first track day - I know when I had mine, I was thinking "no way - that knee will never get down" - but limits were pushed and things happened. SpO I think it is also about evaluating your personal risk level and acting accordingly. By the way - a study from the US shows that most accidents happen within 10 minutes of leaving home - why? You are not in a complete "bike" frame of mind, and still are thinking of that you are late, angry, stressed, horny - whatever! When I had my spill last year - it was spot on! I was stressed, it was raining, and when the taxi pulled in front of me - bang! down she went.

18-04-05, 10:52 AM	#43
Godikus Guest Posts: n/a	i was doin' a fair bit of thinking about this over the weekend. spoke to my parents about it (my dad is a bike examiner and mummy was a riding instructor) basicly it's only as dangerous as you let it be. My dad covers around 300,000 miles a year and has been doing so since before i was born. he rides to work and at work he has to ride all day, and he has NEVER crashed. my mum done almost as much when she was riding and she also never crashed. so the percieved dangers of biking really shouldn't put you off. it's all down to the rider...

18-04-05, 11:01 AM	#45
Godikus Guest Posts: n/a	agreed, but that could be said about anything. now i've said that, bet my da crashes on his way back from work tonight

18-04-05, 12:19 PM	#48
Godikus Guest Posts: n/a	could be down to cold tires as much as your frame of mind. wonder if tyre warmers could wake your mind up for that 10 miles. altho warming your mind with your tyres is probably best. usualy navagating my way out of my garden/street is enough to get my mind on the game.

18-04-05, 12:31 PM	#49
SVeeedy Gonzales Guest Posts: n/a	Now I'm the opposite to that... I prefer to have a slow start and end - I take the route through town to warm up, with more stopping and starting.. I've tried going straight onto fast A roads but doing it first thing in the morning freaks me out - I prefer to get into the groove on 30mph roads and speed up from there. Same with coming back - nice to have a slow down, even if there's more work with the traffic. Having said that, it does get good when I finally get onto the faster roads

18-04-05, 01:20 PM	#50
mysteryjimbo Guest Posts: n/a	Why do you have to "get in the groove"?????? You should be totally focused from the second you get on the bike. You could drop it or get knocked off on your own street. I leave for work on mine at 6:30 every morning when all the cage drivers are still half asleep. If i wasnt focused i'd be knocked of everyday.