Do bikers feel superior?
Discussion
I ask this question following a trip in Suffolk today. It was a lovely sunny day and I was taking the TVR through the B-roads with enthusiasm on my way to a BBQ. Splendid!
I'm follwing a couple of cars and minding my own business when I see a largeish bike coming up behind me. No problem. A straight bit comes up and I overtake the two cars and pull away. Not surprisingly, the bike does the same. For the next 2-3 miles he stays behind me, then on a short straight goes ripping past and goes a few hundred yards ahead. But he doesn't keep going at breakneck pace, he slows back down so before long I'm right behind him.
When we get to the first of several 30 limits, he slows to 25mph and drives with such particular care that I think he might be a police biker having the day off. He stops at a pedestrian crossing when the pedestrian is still 10 feet away from it. He waits until the lady has fully crossed the road before proceeding. And then off again at 25mph. Frankly this is beginning to spoil my day. I think hs is getting some kind of kick out of showing me how fast his bike is, then holding me up. In between 30 lmiits he creams off at top speed (far in excess of the speed limit) and I see him really pushing it round the bends. This is a competent biker. But then the next village appears and we're doing 25 again. I think I could probably nip past, but something tells me that if I try it, he'll speed up or swerve to hold me back. He stays at old codger speed until we reach a junction with a major road. And then he blasts off at top speed pulling a wheelie as he does so. Luckily I'm going another way.
Why did he have to behave like that? He proved his bike is faster than my car, wow. He mad me go more slowly than I wished to go, big man. But he had no actual regard for speed limits as the rest of his antics showed.
Do owners of large bikes generally feel that they are superior in some way to the rest of us, such that they can play with us in a rather childish manner?
I'm follwing a couple of cars and minding my own business when I see a largeish bike coming up behind me. No problem. A straight bit comes up and I overtake the two cars and pull away. Not surprisingly, the bike does the same. For the next 2-3 miles he stays behind me, then on a short straight goes ripping past and goes a few hundred yards ahead. But he doesn't keep going at breakneck pace, he slows back down so before long I'm right behind him.
When we get to the first of several 30 limits, he slows to 25mph and drives with such particular care that I think he might be a police biker having the day off. He stops at a pedestrian crossing when the pedestrian is still 10 feet away from it. He waits until the lady has fully crossed the road before proceeding. And then off again at 25mph. Frankly this is beginning to spoil my day. I think hs is getting some kind of kick out of showing me how fast his bike is, then holding me up. In between 30 lmiits he creams off at top speed (far in excess of the speed limit) and I see him really pushing it round the bends. This is a competent biker. But then the next village appears and we're doing 25 again. I think I could probably nip past, but something tells me that if I try it, he'll speed up or swerve to hold me back. He stays at old codger speed until we reach a junction with a major road. And then he blasts off at top speed pulling a wheelie as he does so. Luckily I'm going another way.
Why did he have to behave like that? He proved his bike is faster than my car, wow. He mad me go more slowly than I wished to go, big man. But he had no actual regard for speed limits as the rest of his antics showed.
Do owners of large bikes generally feel that they are superior in some way to the rest of us, such that they can play with us in a rather childish manner?
I stick to limits on built up areas but not so much out of towns. But you get assholes in cars as you do in bikes.
not eveyone is the same and you can't tar everyone with the same brush.
Much like me saying when I pass some TVR owners in my Kit car a few look down their nose to me being in a cheap home built seven.
But that would make me post in the TVR board about TVR drivers being up their ass.
Now that is not a nasty jib at TVR owners, or car driver. just that everyone is different and do daft things, sometimes.
it's just human
not eveyone is the same and you can't tar everyone with the same brush.
Much like me saying when I pass some TVR owners in my Kit car a few look down their nose to me being in a cheap home built seven.
But that would make me post in the TVR board about TVR drivers being up their ass.
Now that is not a nasty jib at TVR owners, or car driver. just that everyone is different and do daft things, sometimes.
it's just human
Momentofmadness said:
Very stinky bait 
Not at all, just an honest question.Rubin215 said:
Do bikers feel superior? What; to you in particular?
No, I expect he did it to anyone in a sports car.Rubin215 said:
That sounds like some kind of inferiority complex to me!
I suppose if you adopt a superior position it could look like thatRubin215 said:
Grow up.
What do you mean by that?I suppose I might have expected a hostile reception (thank you Rubin
) but every other road user managed to mind their own businesses without showing off or acting like a prick. I'd stress that the biker in question was highly competent so his actions were not careless, but deliberate. I don't want to race, I had no point to prove, just making my way at my own speed and if anybody wants to go slower or faster, that fine, as long as they don't try to do both at once!Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 27th July 20:27
agent006 said:
If he was only going 5mph below the speed limit in the 30s having been well in excess of a NSL, how fast were you going in the 30s to catch up with him? 40? 90?
That's a good point.Anyway, he may have just wanted to play....Have you never goaded slightly inferior car to have a blat?
Stu R said:
bikers are superior.
What he said. I always slow down in built up areas and 30 limits, maybe his speedo overreads slightly. Most sportsbike riders are infinitely superior than their four wheeled petrolhead counterparts and thus you should treat them like the lords of the road they are, and feel priveleged that one has deigned to have you in his presence during the 30 zonesDarkslider said:
Stu R said:
bikers are superior.
What he said. I always slow down in built up areas and 30 limits, maybe his speedo overreads slightly. Most sportsbike riders are infinitely superior than their four wheeled petrolhead counterparts and thus you should treat them like the lords of the road they are, and feel priveleged that one has deigned to have you in his presence during the 30 zones
It could be that his speedo is hard to read or was reading about the speed limit, not that he was trying to wind you up OP ? Failing that, he might have been slowing down to show off his steed to the villagers (we know they don't care but don't let that stop us)...
It is quite hard to keep a bike below 30mph tbh, the slightest whiff of throttle and mines doing 45.. he might just be playing cautious?
I quite enjoy having a play with a well driven car, aslong as they don't get all tetchy if I do decide I want past.
It is quite hard to keep a bike below 30mph tbh, the slightest whiff of throttle and mines doing 45.. he might just be playing cautious?
I quite enjoy having a play with a well driven car, aslong as they don't get all tetchy if I do decide I want past.
In fairness I think the biker is doing the right thing. Bit of fun in NSL, sensible in a 30 where there is probably increased risk. I do this on weekend rides. Most traffic gets up your arse through villages, then left for dust in the nsl, mostly due to 40mph monospeeders. it's nice to take a break in the villages, it takes a lot of concentration pressing on, on a bike!
Only because you were also making progress you kept catching up. Don't get the issue myself... Complaining about being held up in a 30?
Only because you were also making progress you kept catching up. Don't get the issue myself... Complaining about being held up in a 30?
that is comparative to similar car forumsIronically, I seem to attract similar bad feeling from people for driving my Griff500 well within the speed limits in built up areas. Usually I find it's from the same people who drive at 45mph everywhere regardless of limits and who are the first to flash headlights if you dare to overtake them in a NSL.
Not suggesting this is you Simpo but isn't it just easy pickings for plod and honestly, how much more fun is 35mph vs 25mph?
dumbfunk
Not suggesting this is you Simpo but isn't it just easy pickings for plod and honestly, how much more fun is 35mph vs 25mph?
dumbfunk
The people that piss me off are the ones who will do 40 in a 60 and then carry on at 40 through villages etc. They are usually quite old and are not great at driving. If I'm on a fast ride I will usually slow down to 30 in a 30 so that if there are any coppers about their attention is not attracted to me.
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