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 Post subject: Riding in a Bad Mood
PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 13:37 
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Came back from Malta last weekend to find a fine (additional tax?) from Inland Revenue for £900, 'cos I hadn't filed my last years accounts. I leave my accountant to do that...

Anyway, point is, I was riding up the M6 last night when a car in the middle lane started drifting and veering into the inside and outside lane. I held back, waited for an opportunity to get past him and started to make my manouvre when he veered across into my lane.

I flashed my main beam loads and loads of time to try and attract his attention to the fact that I was there. Eventually he noticed me and corrected his veering across lanes.

As I pulled alongside him to give him a load of verbal and a kick in his door, (yes, I know I shouldn't, but I'm human) he wound his window down and gave me an apologetic wave of his hand.

Completely dissipated all the anger inside me...

Perhaps a lesson to be learned there...

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 13:57 
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Yes, don't ride when angry :lol:

I came across one of these the other day as I was filtering between L3 and L4 round the M25. A little :censored: in L3 looked in his side mirror, saw me and then started wiggling the car to change the size of the gap while laughing. I just waited moved into the gap between the cars in the outside lane and passed him wide.

It's at times like those when I wish I had a rocket launcher under the headlights.

BTW, never punch a side mirror unless you have kevlar knuckle protectors :roll:

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 09:19 
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Hey BB, at least I hope you had a good holiday…

These motorists! They do give us a few problems with their unwitting actions.

The one I experience the most, is when I’m riding along all nice and content, and the car in front decides it’s time to wash their windscreen. Now, car manufacturers generally achieve a remarkable feat of engineering but designing efficient washers is not amongst their greatest accolades. I estimate only 50% of the water ever reaches the glass, the remainder shoots over the roof and hits me full in the face. My visor is covered and my vision is instantly reduced by an uncomfortable margin.

The last thing you want to do with an insect encrusted visor is to wipe your glove across to clear the water. Scratched visor here we come!!

Still, bless ‘em, they don’t do it on purpose. :)

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:13 
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BottyBurp wrote:
he wound his window down and gave me an apologetic wave of his hand.

Completely dissipated all the anger inside me...

Perhaps a lesson to be learned there...

One of the first things I do when I make a mistake (and yes, I do make occasional mistakes just like everybody else) is to put a hand up and mouth the words "sorry mate", that really is all it takes to appease most people.

Of course you will still get the odd twat who wants to push it further, but that is their problem if they want to call it on.

Grumpy Old Biker wrote:
Now, car manufacturers generally achieve a remarkable feat of engineering but designing efficient washers is not amongst their greatest accolades. I estimate only 50% of the water ever reaches the glass, the remainder shoots over the roof and hits me full in the face.

That is down to wind and there is not a lot the manufacturer can do about that other than maybe have the jets lowering their aim as speed increases (however that will push the cost of the car up).

On the plus side, washing your windscreen at 70mph on the motorway is a very effective way to make the tailgater drop back.

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 13:55 
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Gixxer wrote:
That is down to wind and there is not a lot the manufacturer can do about that other than maybe have the jets lowering their aim as speed increases.


I’m sure you’re right about the wind effect. However, I’ve witnessed many washers performing on low speed vehicles, that seem to exhibit a fountain spray worthy of Lake Geneva.
My point was more to do with the user’s timing, though.

I wonder if any manufacturer has tried washers mounted at the top of the screen, pointing down…

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 14:01 
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R1Nut wrote:
Yes, don't ride when angry :lol:

I came across one of these the other day as I was filtering between L3 and L4 round the M25. A little :censored: in L3 looked in his side mirror, saw me and then started wiggling the car to change the size of the gap while laughing. I just waited moved into the gap between the cars in the outside lane and passed him wide.

It's at times like those when I wish I had a rocket launcher under the headlights.

BTW, never punch a side mirror unless you have kevlar knuckle protectors :roll:


I've had that in traffic queues. They say you can get some interesting results from opening one of the car's back doors as you ride past, but I've never tried it.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 14:15 
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Jub Jub wrote:
R1Nut wrote:
Yes, don't ride when angry :lol:

I came across one of these the other day as I was filtering between L3 and L4 round the M25. A little :censored: in L3 looked in his side mirror, saw me and then started wiggling the car to change the size of the gap while laughing. I just waited moved into the gap between the cars in the outside lane and passed him wide.

It's at times like those when I wish I had a rocket launcher under the headlights.

BTW, never punch a side mirror unless you have kevlar knuckle protectors :roll:


I've had that in traffic queues. They say you can get some interesting results from opening one of the car's back doors as you ride past, but I've never tried it.


I've had a close call with a door opening on me, but if I was knocked off because of someone opening a door in a queue of traffic then I would get the police out and see if they could be prosecuted.

Assuming I was capable of moving that is :(

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 14:20 
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R1Nut wrote:
Jub Jub wrote:
R1Nut wrote:
Yes, don't ride when angry :lol:

I came across one of these the other day as I was filtering between L3 and L4 round the M25. A little :censored: in L3 looked in his side mirror, saw me and then started wiggling the car to change the size of the gap while laughing. I just waited moved into the gap between the cars in the outside lane and passed him wide.

It's at times like those when I wish I had a rocket launcher under the headlights.

BTW, never punch a side mirror unless you have kevlar knuckle protectors :roll:


I've had that in traffic queues. They say you can get some interesting results from opening one of the car's back doors as you ride past, but I've never tried it.


I've had a close call with a door opening on me, but if I was knocked off because of someone opening a door in a queue of traffic then I would get the police out and see if they could be prosecuted.

Assuming I was capable of moving that is :(

I would get the ambulance service out to escort them to hospital!

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 14:31 
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You misunderstand, I was talking about bikers opening the rear door of a car that was moving over to try to block them in traffic, before riding off.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 15:51 
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I did misunderstand. That's one I hadn't heard of before.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 18:45 
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R1Nut wrote:
I've had a close call with a door opening on me, but if I was knocked off because of someone opening a door in a queue of traffic then I would get the police out and see if they could be prosecuted.
Take it from someone who knows...from the painful end. The cops preferred course of action was an extremely severe bollocking. The preferred charge is careless driving.
:bow: :bib:

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 09:28 
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Hmm... I tried riding when angry once and I scared myself silly! :lol:

Funny thing though - people see a rat bike and tend to get out of the way... :roll:

Incidentally, I heard from an instructor mate of mine that the DSA are changing the HC to state that all riders must wear a white or brightly coloured helmet. Couple that with the 'advice' to have lights on at all times and very soon unless you're doing both you're likely to be held at least 50% responsible for any accident. :x :x

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:36 
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It depends why you want to ride in a bad mood.

I go out on the bike to "chill out" Thats why I like to ride cruiser style (as oppose to knee slider style)

I ride to escape from the world not to try and fight back.... :wink:

When I ride to work I often leave with a lot of issues/stress. One hour later when I arrive home I am back to normal.

Now driving in a bad mood............thats a different story!

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 15:20 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:
Incidentally, I heard from an instructor mate of mine that the DSA are changing the HC to state that all riders must wear a white or brightly coloured helmet. Couple that with the 'advice' to have lights on at all times and very soon unless you're doing both you're likely to be held at least 50% responsible for any accident. :x :x


I ride with lights on at all times but surely by forcing us to wear bright coloured helmets is taking away our freedom to express ourselves? What's the definition of a brightly coloured helmet anyway?

Human Rights complaints would surely increase if this comes to fruition.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 18:12 
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R1Nut wrote:
I ride with lights on at all times but surely by forcing us to wear bright coloured helmets is taking away our freedom to express ourselves? What's the definition of a brightly coloured helmet anyway?

Perhaps you should have thought about that before complying with the totally unproven DRL='safe' mantra.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 19:19 
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Icandoit wrote:
R1Nut wrote:
I ride with lights on at all times but surely by forcing us to wear bright coloured helmets is taking away our freedom to express ourselves? What's the definition of a brightly coloured helmet anyway?

Perhaps you should have thought about that before complying with the totally unproven DRL='safe' mantra.

I don't have the choice - my bike comes with DRL's permanently on...

Oh, and :welcome:

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 20:01 
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BottyBurp wrote:
I don't have the choice - my bike comes with DRL's permanently on...

Many don't - and that is part of the problem.

But further to the 'instructor mate of mine [says] that the DSA are changing the HC to state that all riders must wear a white or brightly coloured helmet'; other than the contentious 'must', they already do. The H/C says 'You could wear a white or brightly coloured helmet'.

I think rather simplistic interpretation of the H/C by some M/C instructors that has led to the mistaken belief amongst many new riders that headlights are 'safer' The H/C says "Dipped headlights, even in good daylight, may also make you more conspicuous". Which must also mean they can also make you less conspicuous.....

I'm not sure the DSA would want (or needs) to open the conspicuity can of worms anyway. They know the current wording of that part of the M/C section of the H/C is already contentious. Recently they have even removed the requirement that students under instruction must have a headlight on while training. So, on the whole, I suspect Sixy_the_red's instructor mate may have not been quite right.

Thinking about your first post. In my youth I was quite an aggressive rider but I have found that being calm is a far more effective way of riding. Stress does not seem to dissipate when I took out my anger on others, it simply compounded the problem. To an extent I still find this but try to keep a placid expression and genial outlook on other drivers. Wearing an open-face lid (as I do) helps a lot as other drivers can see a 'face' and this seems to dissolve a lot of the aggression that can appear when masked behind a visor. The grey beard helps too. I'm obviously not some yob. (I expect there are some grey bearded yobs - but they are not common......!)
BottyBurp wrote:
Oh, and :welcome:

Hello.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 09:46 
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Icandoit. Welcome, but I don't agree with you at all.

I mate of mine on another forum was involved in a VERY nasty SMIDSY a while back that involved him having an intimate moment with a wall, and he was told in no uncertain terms by the attending police officer that if he had not had his lights on then he would have been held partly responsible for the accident. Insurance companies take the 'should ride with lights on' as a get out clause even though its complete b*llocks. The only reason it's not law is because the big 4 made an agreement with the EU to install DRL on all new bikes as of (I think) 2003.

I challange you to find me a new bike on the market that doesn't come with hard-wired lights.

Same deal with helmet colour. From the sounds of it its basically being made 'law' that if you're not riding with a white or brightly coloured lid and you're involved in a SMIDSY then you can be held responsible. Bear in mind that most of the 'rules' in the H/C aren't YOU WILL / WILL NOT, but are YOU SHOULD / SHOULD NOT. There's actually very little in the H/C that is a specific offence in its own right.

The DSA don't actually have a clue and that's the problem. The rules on visor tinting are about to change, yet if 'my mate the instructor' is caught riding with a tinted visor AT ALL he will lose his job. Go figure.

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:00 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:
[...]The rules on visor tinting are about to change[...]

What rule change Sixy?

I find it a right pain up the ar$e not being able to have a tinted visor and having to wear sunglasses...

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:12 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:
I mate of mine on another forum was involved in a VERY nasty SMIDSY a while back that involved him having an intimate moment with a wall, and he was told in no uncertain terms by the attending police officer that if he had not had his lights on then he would have been held partly responsible for the accident.

Good job the police are not the law makers then isn't it? I know of a serious incident that a rider without lights on was involved in (SMIDSY on a mini-roundabout) and the question never came up as part of the investigation or was reflected in his final pay-out.
Sixy_the_red wrote:
Insurance companies take the 'should ride with lights on' as a get out clause even though its complete b*llocks. The only reason it's not law is because the big 4 made an agreement with the EU to install DRL on all new bikes as of (I think) 2003.

It is not a 'law' in the UK because no-one has called for it to be so. The recent government study suggested that the effective compulsory DRL on motorcycles should be removed (perhaps with an 'AHO off switch'!). The DfT have shown support against compulsory DRL too. There is a cross European manufacturers agreement to sell bikes with DRL as a way (IIRC) of attempting to 'reduce motorcycle injuries'. I have not seen anything to suggest that this has done so, nor do I think it would have. I suspect that it is a way of making it easier to make a larger profit.
Sixy_the_red wrote:
I challange you to find me a new bike on the market that doesn't come with hard-wired lights.

Last time I looked some KTM's and Piaggios.

A friend has just bought a run-out Triumph Tiger (995?) and it came with DRL. He has converted it to a switch (£95 of bits from Triumph) as in the first few weeks he had some unexpected near ROWV's. Since switching his lights off this has now stopped. (BTW before you question his experience he is an ex Police class 1 instructor and currently an IAM examiner)
Sixy_the_red wrote:
Same deal with helmet colour. From the sounds of it its basically being made 'law' that if you're not riding with a white or brightly coloured lid and you're involved in a SMIDSY then you can be held responsible. Bear in mind that most of the 'rules' in the H/C aren't YOU WILL / WILL NOT, but are YOU SHOULD / SHOULD NOT. There's actually very little in the H/C that is a specific offence in its own right.

The H/C is not 'law' but the DSA are responsible for what goes in to it. I thought I was pretty clear in quoting the points about helmet colour and headlights. They say 'You could' and 'may' which are rather less didactic than your suggestion.
Sixy_the_red wrote:
The DSA don't actually have a clue and that's the problem. The rules on visor tinting are about to change, yet if 'my mate the instructor' is caught riding with a tinted visor AT ALL he will lose his job. Go figure.

That is not correct either. The DSA do not have objections to the use of legal and tinted visors. (Can you point me to the information about pending changes to visor legislation please?)


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