Almost toast

[Davel]

Driving down a dual carriageway on my way home, where the limit suddenly increases from 40 to 60.

In the outside lane following a car, as it passes a car on the inside lane, the guy then moves over to let me past on the bike.

Bugger me, just as I accelerate to overtake, the guy who has just been overtaken decides to swerve out into my space to take issue with the car that's just overtaken him.

The bike horn is about as useless as a wasp's fart, the bloody bike is bright red with headlight on and the stupid pratt still didn't know I was there.

I don't agree with super loud exhausts generally but am seriously thinking of termis for the bike.

[jvaughan]

Davel said:

Driving down a dual carriageway on my way home, where the limit suddenly increases from 40 to 60. In the outside lane following a car, as it passes a car on the inside lane, the guy then moves over to let me past on the bike. Bugger me, just as I accelerate to overtake, the guy who has just been overtaken decides to swerve out into my space to take issue with the car that's just overtaken him. The bike horn is about as useless as a wasp's fart, the bloody bike is bright red with headlight on and the stupid pratt still didn't know I was there. I don't agree with super loud exhausts generally but am seriously thinking of termis for the bike.

I can sympathise with you, I have exactly the same issues.... The Africa Twin.. being just about the biggest bike on the streets (yes it is taller than the BMW GS's), big twin headlights, I have a yellow jacket, and still people dont see me... Oh, and the bike has a standard exhaust. ... Time to take some baffells out, or drill a hole in the downpipes me thinks....

[SirPsycho]

This is because we are invisible. I live in central London ... "defensive" is the only way to stay alive here, especially when f**kwits do U-turns right across your path (happened to me just the other day).

[stooz]

This is really because, no matter what you look like, if you don't look, you won't get seen.

Sound however, is non directional, ie. you always hear it, and cant "turn it off"

loud pipes or at least - get some twin low and high tone horns. Fiamm do a nice set.

[barry sheene]

SirPsycho said:

This is because we are invisible. I live in central London ... "defensive" is the only way to stay alive here,

I beg to differ, having couriered for a while in London, I'd say "offensive" is the only way to stay alive...make the move before they know you're there, and have a keen sense of knowing what the idiots are going to do before they do it......a tall order but achievable...

YMMV

[SirPsycho]

barry sheene said:

I beg to differ, having couriered for a while in London, I'd say "offensive" is the only way to stay alive...make the move before they know you're there, and have a keen sense of knowing what the idiots are going to do before they do it......a tall order but achievable... YMMV

I too have been a courier in London ... and (he says grabbing piece of wood) never had an accident, but I know what you mean, and essentially I mean the same. The point being that you have to allow for every eventuality, otherwise the idiots in their tin boxes will kill you.

This doesn't mean you can't move fast. You just have to be able to stop, or have somewhere to go when said tin box irratically takes your space...

[Davel]

What about one of those paintball guns on e-bay?

Didn't it fire something like 50 pellets per minute...

It's so tempting to kick the wing mirror off as you pass, cos clearly they don't need it but you have toresist these things...

[SirPsycho]

Davel said:

What about one of those paintball guns on e-bay?

Yeah, that's a great idea!!

He he!

[barry sheene]

Davel said:

It's so tempting to kick the wing mirror off as you pass, cos clearly they don't need it but you have toresist these things...

I thought that's what the CE-Approved knee armour was for

[nicecupoftea]

My brother fitted a pair of car horns to his GPz500 after he got knocked off on a roundabout after some arse in a lowloader couldn't be bothered to stop at the give way.

They are fecking loud!!

[doctor d]

I believe this is what sir ordered

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10554&item=3695608433&rd=1

The Doctor