biker down - a2 this morning

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

I see what you're getting at Greg - it's not apportioning any blame to a victim of stupidity to think of ways you could have avoided it - it's the old saying, 'who cares if you're right if you're dead'.

On the other hand, even if you're good enough to avoid 5,000,000 in 10 drivers than try to kill you, if you ride for long enough you're luck will run out.

Obviously this means mpaton doesnt ride enough

Reading the thread I do see where Greg is coming from, as the majority of accidents do seem to be avoidable by both parties if better concentration, appropriate speed and care is taken.

But no faulters do happen - it is unfortunate that Kate and I seem to have had more than our fair share of those...

Just wondering now with falling driving standards whether the no fault accident proportion will change and increase and become more common..

Originally Posted by Kate

Hey Jonboy, my comments weren't pointed at you, sorry if thats how it came across.

No problem - as per PMs no offence, it's just the old chestnut of not being able to express views sufficiently well on a forum .

After my first rear-ending I now do have a tendancy to stare in my mirrors all the time. Unfortunately, at the second incident, there was absolutely nowhere I could go as its at a incredibly busy t-junction and I was thankful I wasn't pushed out into busy traffic.

See it could well be that neither of those accidents were avoidable and they fell into my 5% of "impossible to prevent" cases.

My mum was in a red micra (I know, I'm trying to talk her into a different car, practically any other car) and indicating right. I believe the coach driver was prosecuted.

Again, wasn't there and she probably couldn't have done anything. My view on this is really bike orientated though, cars are far less maneouverable and in a lot of circumstances you have no options (or far fewer) available.

BTW, both the accidents that I've had (involving no-one else but me and poor road circumstances) were my fault and could definitely have been avoided . Perhaps this is why I take this hard-nosed stand, as I'm so hard on myself now, not accepting a single excuse if I make a ****-up.


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Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

On the other hand, even if you're good enough to avoid 5,000,000 in 10 drivers than try to kill you, if you ride for long enough your luck will run out.

This is true, and peeps should be wise to the fact that if you do enough miles then the odds decrease proportionally to you staying rubber side down. That's why I humbly suggest that biking is inherently dangerous - but a danger I've come to accept and that's that. Doubtless others will disagree but that's how I see it.


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Originally Posted by jonboy

This is true, and peeps should be wise to the fact that if you do enough miles then the odds decrease proportionally to you staying rubber side down. That's why I humbly suggest that biking is inherently dangerous - but a danger I've come to accept and that's that. Doubtless others will disagree but that's how I see it.


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I guess if you look at my accident rate Im proof of that the higher the mileage the more likely you are to come off. Despite 3 of the 4 on the SV and the ne on the CBR not being my fault

Flaming Squirrel wrote:

Obviously this means mpaton doesnt ride enough

*Adopts **** Emery type voice*

Jordan..."You are awfull....but I like you!"

On a more serious note I have to agree that anyone choosing to ride a motorcycle on public roads is increasing their chances of having some kind of accident. It is unfortunately something that we all have to accept and just try to prevent such instances as much as possible. This prevention though cannot remove all such incidents due to the presence of other vehicle drivers and pedestrians and animals.

I cannot understand why there is no bike awareness element to the car driving test in this day and age? I mean a half hour video or DVD with a question and answer section?

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

Flaming Squirrel qrote:

*Adopts d*ck Emery type voice*

Jordan..."You are awfull....but I like you!"

You do realise that almost nobody on here knows who the hell D1ck Emery is don't you? Showing your age Peter (and I don't know who he is either ).

I cannot understand why there is no bike awareness element to the car driving test in this day and age? I mean a half hour video or DVD with a question and answer section?

Too true. It seems that not even basic bike awareness is drummed into new drivers, which is rather shocking considering all the government pro safety politically correct campaigns .


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Originally Posted by jonboy

You do realise that almost nobody on here knows who the hell D1ck Emery is don't you? Showing your age Peter (and I don't know who he is either )..

I dispute that. If you are the original jonboy, and the Walton one was an imposter then you must be way old enough to remember **** Emery. The Walton jonboy grew up during the 1920s and 30s so you must of come before him to be the orignal. Nice try. I can only put the memory loss down to old age :P

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Chuckles with shoulders moving up and down in a very Muttley kind of way!

it was a bitter pill to swallow when i was discussing the issue of accident avoidability with a police rider a few years back, and he said essentially the same as Greg - practically all could be avoided.

I countered with my 'but someone drove into the back of me while I was stationary waiting to pull onto a roundabout' and he said he'd have been looking in his mirrors with the bike in gear just in case.

Now I also agree that there are very occasional exceptions to this rule, but that hard lesson meant I now look in my mirrors and hold the bike in gear in similar situations. So far that has prevented two incidents at traffic lights, and improved rear obervation when traffic is slowing saved me from a nasty rear end shunt on the motorway the other day (albeit still a very close call!)

I now look back at that first accident and yes it was technically the other guy's fault but I also know I could have done something to help prevent it