just on the news, motorbikes and diesel
Discussion
90% of the people I know who've come off bikes on the road have claimed "I hit a patch of diesel" very few actually say "I was riding like a twat" I wouldn'r believe the statistic too much as its probably what was written on the insurance claim form. Yes diesel does exist on the roads and yes motorcyclists do come off on it but not to that level IMO
There is a serious campaign on the go at the moment about diesel spills.
www.darrenbourne.co.uk/killspills is a growing website on this very problem, and a number of major players have signed up in support.
I am sure the organisers would welcome a visit with a the possibility of additional signatures.
www.darrenbourne.co.uk/killspills is a growing website on this very problem, and a number of major players have signed up in support.
I am sure the organisers would welcome a visit with a the possibility of additional signatures.
Ever ridden a bike over diesel Mel??? I doubt it... It's a kinda physics thing... reduced traction between the wheels and all that. As a biker, you learn to smell diesel as well as spot it's characteristic rainbow hue.
The stuff is
kin deadly on the road. Fact. Bet the solution could be more cameras??? 
The stuff is
kin deadly on the road. Fact. Bet the solution could be more cameras??? mel said:
90% of the people I know who've come off bikes on the road have claimed "I hit a patch of diesel" very few actually say "I was riding like a twat" I wouldn'r believe the statistic too much as its probably what was written on the insurance claim form. Yes diesel does exist on the roads and yes motorcyclists do come off on it but not to that level IMO
Do you ride a bike yourself?
If not, how the hell can you come up with such a comment? Believe me, there are a lot of riders who have suffered big off's because of diesel spillage and although it is possible to smell and see the stuff on the ground before you get to it, often it is too late to do anything about it other than pray!
>> Edited by t-c on Wednesday 17th March 16:47
Many years ago I was going around a busy roundabout in the city center on my trusty TS125 on the way to school. Spotted a huge multi-coloured splodge just before I reached it with nowhere to go. Needless to say I came off and I have vivid memories of sliding along on my arse with a double decker bus bearing down on me.
Worked in a small industrial estate after that, that had a vicious left hand bend. After 7 years of driving the same road every day, I came around this corner in my mini...or rather I carried straight on and into the high curb on the other side of the road writing of the car. Literaly seconds later an Astra did the same thing, missing my car by a few inches and buckling his wheel rather badly on the curb. I could smell the diesel after getting out of the car, but the road was quite dry and I could not see the pretty colours.
Diesel spills are evil. You don't get a second chance on a bike, if you hit diesel whilst cranked over, chances are very high that you are going to come off.
Worked in a small industrial estate after that, that had a vicious left hand bend. After 7 years of driving the same road every day, I came around this corner in my mini...or rather I carried straight on and into the high curb on the other side of the road writing of the car. Literaly seconds later an Astra did the same thing, missing my car by a few inches and buckling his wheel rather badly on the curb. I could smell the diesel after getting out of the car, but the road was quite dry and I could not see the pretty colours.
Diesel spills are evil. You don't get a second chance on a bike, if you hit diesel whilst cranked over, chances are very high that you are going to come off.
It doesn't just affect the bikes. 13 years ago I took a corner that I had taken literally 2000 times before in my XR4Ti at speeds well below what I usually took them at. I hit an oily diesel patch and the front end slid out and I did a backwards spin through the corner only to smack a car parked in the oncoming turn lane.
Worse than ice IMHO.
Worse than ice IMHO.
bryan35 said:I'm surprised it was claimed to be leaking from cars. Lorries and coaches seem to be the worst offenders from observations of them ahead of me at corners and roundabouts ... especially in the morning - Streaky
Apparently,
an estimated 400 motorcyle accidents (I think in Lincolnshire alone) are caused every year by diesel leaking from cars in some way.
streaky said:
bryan35 said:
Apparently,
an estimated 400 motorcyle accidents (I think in Lincolnshire alone) are caused every year by diesel leaking from cars in some way.
I'm surprised it was claimed to be leaking from cars. Lorries and coaches seem to be the worst offenders from observations of them ahead of me at corners and roundabouts ... especially in the morning - Streaky
Once had a word with a artic driver who had spilt diesel over a significant stretch of the A38/A5.
Turned out he had an unofficial long range reserve tank mounted on his tractor unit so he only required fillups from the discount company bulk supplies.
Turned out the muppet had switched on the valve from the reserve tank to top up his normal tanks and forgotten to turn it off! Hence it just kept running out of the overflow.
The amount of diesel spray coming off his nearside meant he hadn't used that mirror in miles. Knights of the road no longer in many cases.
Edited to add,
Additionally to diesel, some of these new flat topped road studs, especially the illuminated ones, are lethal in the wet.
>> Edited by Flat in Fifth on Wednesday 17th March 18:28
Diesel is scary stuff, even on four wheels.
Hit some at traffic lights and shot straight through a red with front wheels locked on a hot, dry day (underpants nearly hot, wet, too......)
Biker plod had been parked up on an earlier roundabout, strobe popping, and traffic Omega had been parked up on next dual carriageway, strobes ditto, just before the lights.
Neither tried to point out the hazard (strange, that), but it must have been one hell of a leak from a lorry's tank.
Hit some at traffic lights and shot straight through a red with front wheels locked on a hot, dry day (underpants nearly hot, wet, too......)
Biker plod had been parked up on an earlier roundabout, strobe popping, and traffic Omega had been parked up on next dual carriageway, strobes ditto, just before the lights.
Neither tried to point out the hazard (strange, that), but it must have been one hell of a leak from a lorry's tank.
tonyout said:
You don't ride bikes Mel, do you???
Tony. you've been a member of PH for 1 month so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but here's a bit of history.
I am amongst the most experienced motorcylists here, thats not blowing my own trumpet but a fact as many others will back me up. I started riding motorcross at 11, on the road at 16, I started racing at 22 and progressed through my clubmans, to racing Endurance in the UK nationals, & 2 european legs in the world series, along the way I've done both the Manx and the Maccau GP's. Thats a rough CV, as for the road I havent been without a road bike for the last 18 years and ride regulary along with Greenlaning and Enduro. I'm in double figures for friends and associates motorcycle funerals and only last year spent 8 weeks in plaster hip to ankle. I am also however a realist and I know that motorcylists will often blame diesel rather than take a dented a pride. Personally no I've never been off on diesel, oil on a tack yes and even horse shite yes. Hope that says it all but in summary I suggest maybe you should have read my profile and maybe wind your neck in.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff