Game over?

[Mon Ami Mate]

Got up at the crack of dawn yesterday and headed for the horizon on my motorcycle. The weather was great and ahead of me was 400 miles of some of my favourite roads, interspersed with stop-offs at some of the UK's most picturesque towns and villages.

Everything was set up perfectly...but by the time I got home I was frustrated, angry and, frankly, depressed.

By the time I had travelled 50 miles I had already narrowly avoided three idiots who made concerted efforts to kill me, two through inattention, one through willfull idiocy. I'd genuinely lost count of the number of narrow scrapes I'd endured by the end of the day.

I spent the day almost continually looking for ways past endless streams of numpties - herded into tedious herds by panoplies of inappropriate speed limits, barrier lines and restrictions. Many of these people actively resented the fact that I was using a vehicle that enabled me to break the mould of their self-imposed austerity - so when I had the nerve to break free I was greeted with the now de rigeur flashing headlights, crude gestures and cars squeezing gaps and moving away from the kerb to try to block my progress. And as soon as I'd escaped from one lot, there was always another just ahead. All this on some of the nation's most remote roads...

If I'd been in a car - any car - I'd still be driving now. Can we ever reverse the trend or are we all now Canutes of the highway who need to face up to the final, inevitable end of our favourite past-time?

>> Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Monday 8th August 11:08

>> Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Monday 8th August 11:08

[MKGriff]

I feel for you matey. I was stuck in traffic heading south on the M1 on Saturday morning. I was in the outside lane and bikes were streaming past fairly frequently. I pulled as far over to the right as possible to give them room, but countless cars in front were either unaware of the world behind them, or just didn't give a toss. Lack of etiquette is more and more common these days.

[BliarOut]

I have changed my view on numpties flashing me... It now gives me great pleasure to receive a congratualtory flash on breaking out of the road train....

Don't take it personally, it is just their way of telling you that they have a small willy and think you are superior

If they flash, 'em, they are behind you. They're just pissed off because they didn't think to do it too.

[Rawwr]

Although I'll never own a bike due to the fact I have no natural sense of balance, I really do sympathise with what (sensible) bikers have to put up with. I've seen some interesting driving performed around bikers and, for balance, seen some interesting riding performed around drivers but I think the subtle difference is that a car driver is everso less likely to end up as pate should something go wrong.

It's purely an observational thing, in my opinion. You can see the Sunday driver set completely oblivious to anything outside their Nissan and it's quite scary. I like to think I'm good with bikers as I always get over and always get acknowledged by a nod or a wave - even if they do start holding me up on the next bend

The most dangerous part, as you say, is people closing gaps whilst overtaking. I've had this a few times and I usually get pretty upset with the offender. Too many arseholes, not enough lightning.

[Donut]

I agree!!

Since last Friday there has been some of the worst driving I have ever seen on our motorways.....

The M5 has been full of pure numpties...caravans travelling at 50 in the middle lane with and empty lane 1!! queues of cars in lane 3 etc

I put it down to the holiday season as people who have no motorway experience venture to Cornwall or they left there brains at work!!

[Mon Ami Mate]

Things just got much, much worse. I stopped off in Cheddar on the way back for a can of coke and a leg stretch and met two guys on Yamaha R6's. We had a chat and compared our mutual frustrations and I left just as they were getting ready to go. The Gorge has lots of loose gravel on it at the moment and no warning signs - I complained to the local authority about it a few weeks ago, but nothing has changed.

I've just spoken to the investigating officer...

www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/newsroom2/news_display.asp?NewsStoryID=5272

Appeal after fatal road traffic collision (Cheddar)

Added - Monday, 8 August 2005 8:35

Police in Cheddar are appealing for information after a road traffic collision in which a motorcyclist was killed.

At 5.50pm on Sunday, August 7, 2005 a blue Yamaha R6 motorcycle was travelling east on the B3135 out of Cheddar Gorge when the rider is believed to have lost control shortly before the junction with the B3371.

The motorcycle was then involved in a collision with a Ford Transit van travelling in the opposite direction.

The motorcycle rider, who was declared dead at the scene, is believed to be a 26-year-old man from the Brislington area of south Bristol.

It is believed he was riding in company with another motorcyclist on red Yamaha R6 shortly before the collision took place and police are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen either motorcycle on Sunday afternoon in the Cheddar area.

[gopher]

Sorry to go against the grain of this thread, but yesterday I experienced a rare and wonderfull piece of road sharing.

A48 with 5-6 cars all around the 60 mark leaving good space enjoying the drive. Bunch of bikers (>6 <10) appear behind us. Each driver in turn pulls in left a little (just to let biker know we'd seen them) and opens gap to car in front, bikers pass each car in turn and once free of the queue all Bikers raise hand with thumb up in thanks!

Felt very happy.

Cheers

Paul

[BliarOut]

That's awful :frown: I hope you pressed the point about the loose gravel. If it was a contributory factor then the LA need to be bought to book over the state of our roads. Many are simply dangerous on a motorbike

[off_again]

On a connected but not necessarily directly matter - which is better when on the motorway for bikers?

1) Stay in lane and let the bike pass on the inside of you
2) Indicate in advance and pull out of the way

I usually indicate and get out of the way since undertaking is technically illegal. But had a couple of nasty stares from bikers whom I assume expected me to stay in the lane....

Just wondering as I ALWAYS make room for bikers. Its just I am sad fat bloater with no sense of balance and far too tall for a bike....!

[BliarOut]

off_again said:

On a connected but not necessarily directly matter - which is better when on the motorway for bikers? 1) Stay in lane and let the bike pass on the inside of you 2) Indicate in advance and pull out of the way I usually indicate and get out of the way since undertaking is technically illegal. But had a couple of nasty stares from bikers whom I assume expected me to stay in the lane.... Just wondering as I ALWAYS make room for bikers. Its just I am sad fat bloater with no sense of balance and far too tall for a bike....!

It's best to stay in lane initially.... Some bikes will come by quickly and changing lane could do more harm than good. If you wait, you'll soon get a sense of whether the bike is coming past or waiting for you.

General rule of thumb here is indicate in good time and allow the biker to see that you are going to change lane. If you are stuck in the outside lane then a flick of the right indicator and a slight pull to the right can be helpful. Not too far though, most of us don't like getting pebble dashed by all the crud that accumulates near the central reservation

[Mon Ami Mate]

off_again said:

On a connected but not necessarily directly matter - which is better when on the motorway for bikers? 1) Stay in lane and let the bike pass on the inside of you 2) Indicate in advance and pull out of the way I usually indicate and get out of the way since undertaking is technically illegal. But had a couple of nasty stares from bikers whom I assume expected me to stay in the lane.... Just wondering as I ALWAYS make room for bikers. Its just I am sad fat bloater with no sense of balance and far too tall for a bike....!

If you can be in a different lane, surely you should be! I won't undertake on the bike - it's bloody dangerous.

[busa_rush]

It's also the fault of car manufacturers, with vehicles like the Zafira and Renault Megane Scenic and such like, is it any wonder numpties don't like to overtake ? Most "normal" cars are so asthmatic and lacking in acceleration that it's very difficult to overtake.

I practise overtaking whenever I can in the Dax, it's important not to loose these skills !

[Mon Ami Mate]

Just had another call back from the investigating oficer who confirmed that the rider appeared to lose control braking for the corner. I know speculation is wrong but I'd put my house on him losing the front end on the loose gravel which is at the entrance to the corner. He probably was going fairly quickly and braking hard - I normally am at this point, but desisted yesterday because I know about the surface. If this proves to be the case, in my view the local authority has blood on its hands.

[Einion Yrth]

off_again said:

undertaking is technically illegal

'undertaking' or more accurately passing on the nearside is not illegal, it is advised against and may be used to support DWDC / DD but it is not per se illegal.

[BliarOut]

Mon Ami Mate said:

Just had another call back from the investigating oficer who confirmed that the rider appeared to lose control braking for the corner. I know speculation is wrong but I'd put my house on him losing the front end on the loose gravel which is at the entrance to the corner. He probably was going fairly quickly and braking hard - I normally am at this point, but desisted yesterday because I know about the surface. If this proves to be the case, in my view the local authority has blood on its hands.

Do you have copies of the e-mail or letter you sent to the LA. If, and I do say if, he lost it on gravel then they should be culpable if you had already notified them of the danger.

[Mon Ami Mate]

BliarOut said:

Do you have copies of the e-mail or letter you sent to the LA. If, and I do say if, he lost it on gravel then they should be culpable if you had already notified them of the danger.

Unfortunately I complained by phone rather than by post or email.

[Mon Ami Mate]

I have just spoken to Somerset County Council's Highways department. They have a log of my call on 23rd June. On the 27th of June they sent an engineer to investigate and he apparently reported back there were "no abnormalities". So, either he isn't telling the truth or it is considered normal for a road surface to be treated with loose chippings and no warning signs put up. I've asked for a log of works done to that stretch of road, to see when the loose chippings were applied, and have been told that this is not available to the public.

[pdV6]

Mon Ami Mate said:

I've asked for a log of works done to that stretch of road, to see when the loose chippings were applied, and have been told that this is not available to the public.

Why ever not? What are they trying to hide?

[DennisTheMenace]

Malc i cut through the gorge a few weeks back and there was gravel everywhere then and it was dangerous , the traction control light was flashing when i overtook a corpse in a rover , ASfor the r6 biker my condolencies to his family , its getting worse going out on the bike and im getting more defensive in my riding style

shame biking used to be good fun

[rude-boy]

pdV6 said:

Mon Ami Mate said: I've asked for a log of works done to that stretch of road, to see when the loose chippings were applied, and have been told that this is not available to the public. Why ever not? What are they trying to hide?

Try the Freedom of Information Act