Bl@@dy biker.....

[MudSurfer]

Ok so you saw the "scum" coming and decided to force the law by going wide. You got slapped for trying to kill someone, the police see anti bike attitude like this every day so expect this back in your face if the biker complains.

I've noticed on other threads how good this forum is at bringing people together, coming up with ways to help each other, and shared knowledge and make things better. This is clearly an emotive subject, and not something we can fix nationally, but I think we have the opportunity here to try and make things better for our online community first and see if this can develop further.

We acknowledge that there is a lack of understanding between riders and drivers, and there are a number of riders who are also drivers to help add some perspective.

From my perspective, riders are seen to flaunt rules of the road and ignore speed limits - and this is just in the village I live in. There is a general feeling that double solid white lines, speed limit signs and laws about not overtaking over these lines, exeeding the speed limit, ovetaking people when they are approaching or crossing junctions etc., mean nothing to riders. I also accept that there are a lot of drivers who also ignore the rules of the road, but they do not normally do this in groups of 5 or more, with exhausts fitted that would get a black flag if you were on a race circuit. There has been one occasion when a car overtook across the white lines and right across a junction in this village too, so I can say that I have seen the same behaviour from both groups.

It's more difficult for cars to perform some of these moves due to size and performance, which I suspect is why it doesn't happen as often, and may explain why riders are perceived to be worse and repeat offenders.

We all want to get where we are going as quickly and safely as we can. We need to be aware of each other and be more courteous towards all road users. Riders need to abide by the law as well as drivers. So for riders and drivers, how about we all try to do the following:

• Stick to the speed limit - especially in towns & villages - they are set for a reason and should be adhered to at all times, 24 x 7
• If the signs on the road state no overtaking, then don't overtake
• If there are solid white lines - don't overtake
• If there are juntions ahead, or you are crossing one - don't overtake
• Don't drive/ride over chevrons
• Be aware of each other - riders need to make sure they ride within the lane, and try not to weave through traffic - drivers MUST keep a safe distance from ALL vehicles (you don't want to drive over a biker because you were too close to stop)

I know these are simple things, and things we should all know - but it does make a difference if we respect each other. There is a lot of respect for us all on this forum, and I don't want to see that divided over any issue.

Lets take this respect and use it on the road when we see riders and drivers alike. We've seen sorrow and sadness from a lot of people here over various things, and it puts other things into perspective. Life is precious and short, and we waste too much of it arguing over issues that we can easily resolve, so please - lets try and agree here that we will start, the members of this forum, to be more courteous on the road to all road users, be more patient when driving and get our roads safer.

[marky]

Time Out

OK GUYS we all have our opinions & we are allowed to express them but this is starting to get a bit Insane.
We need to all calm down a bit now.
Arguments can get a bit Heated at times & Friends can be lost due to Differences of Opinion.

[sv1000spilot]

It's more difficult for cars to perform some of these moves due to size and performance, which I suspect is why it doesn't happen as often, and may explain why riders are perceived to be worse and repeat offenders..

I agree with this part of your post. I live in plymouth and we have a lovely place called dartmoor nearby.

I see all kinds of riding on the roads over the moor. And even though i ride a bike the stupidity of some of them amazes me. However what sometimes looks dangerous from a car point of view when you are on the bike is safe(ish). The acceleration & braking of a modern sports bike is greater than most car drivers realise.

I'm not condoning speeding / dangerous driving but trying to get a perspective across.

[fatfires]

I agree with this part of your post. I live in plymouth and we have a lovely place called dartmoor nearby.

I see all kinds of riding on the roads over the moor. And even though i ride a bike the stupidity of some of them amazes me. However what sometimes looks dangerous from a car point of view when you are on the bike is safe(ish). The acceleration & braking of a modern sports bike is greater than most car drivers realise.

I'm not condoning speeding / dangerous driving but trying to get a perspective across.

Dartmoor is a place for touring bikes..it has a 40MPH limit, admitidly car drivers break that too - but I have had to s c r a pe up too many remains of bikers, wash down too many roads and for that matter cut too many folks out of wrecks - and deal with the pain of all involved including the rescue services. The human body is a remarkable thing, modern cars do give more protection than older ones, but even with better brakes, acceleration, road holding (than when I used to ride) the riders still have little between them and a hard thing when it comes to a bang -just look at that riders ar$e earlier (that must sting) good job it was not his head....come to think, it probably is where he keeps his brains!
On our local road, edge of the moor the local authority has put up signs showing how many bikers were suposedly killed last year - they show 6, I personally attended more than that and I didn't go to all accidents!
It realy saddens me when I think of those bikers that loose their lives on the roads, no matter how old, who was to blame, it is often a moment of madness, bravardo, showing off, whatever, that takes the life away. The majority, nutters or not spend a fortune on their machines and have pride in what they ride, how they look etc I for one just wish they could be more perseptive in the risks they take.
Every week end we hear them in mass numbers speeding down the local roads, all to often we also hear two tones and I wonder if on this occaision they have taken out some other inocent person.
Some day someone will hopefully devise a way of educating unsafe drivers and riders, untill that day comes one can only look at these fools and think..
YOU CAN'T EDUCATE PORK!


can I have a chock ice please?

[sparkz]

with exhausts fitted that would get a black flag if you were on a race circuit.

just a little note to non bikers...one of the reasons behind the above...is to assist with the below,

• Be aware of each other

i certainly use the noise of my exhaust when overtaking to try and give the car driver some warning of where i am...i usually watching the driver constantly to see if they notice me as soon as they do i can relax a little...this is just one of those things that non bikers will not be able to understand...in a car you can drive with little concentration...on a bike...you have to be REALLY have to have your eyes up your are se

i drive thousands of miles a year in my car...i need my licence to do my job...so there is no way im going to get my licence taken off me for being stupid on a bike...however i also dont want to lose my life due to a car driver that has had a long day/drive..and is not really concentrating...if having a loud exhaust saves my life..so be it.


S

[MudSurfer]

just a little note to non bikers...one of the reasons behind the above...is to assist with the below,



i certainly use the noise of my exhaust when overtaking to try and give the car driver some warning of where i am...i usually watching the driver constantly to see if they notice me as soon as they do i can relax a little...this is just one of those things that non bikers will not be able to understand...in a car you can drive with little concentration...on a bike...you have to be REALLY have to have your eyes up your are se

i drive thousands of miles a year in my car...i need my licence to do my job...so there is no way im going to get my licence taken off me for being stupid on a bike...however i also dont want to lose my life due to a car driver that has had a long day/drive..and is not really concentrating...if having a loud exhaust saves my life..so be it.


S

while that makes a lot of sense, there are loud exhausts, and those so loud they make my house vibrate, I can hear them from approx 2 miles away (I'm not kidding) and when the bike passes, I can't hear anything else - whether I'm inside or outside - so I get the point, but do they have to be THAT loud????

[sparkz]

while that makes a lot of sense, there are loud exhausts, and those so loud they make my house vibrate, I can hear them from approx 2 miles away (I'm not kidding) and when the bike passes, I can't hear anything else - whether I'm inside or outside - so I get the point, but do they have to be THAT loud????

not at all...some people go completly over the top and should get pulled over by plod for it.....along with all the boy racers in the fiesta's with bass boxes and cherry bomb exhausts...i got one that picks one of my neighbours up at 6:30 every morning playing dance music and reving his car up!!....$$$$$$ anoying!!

S

[nero279]

available from www.onfire.co.uk

Loud pipes are only loud when you're giving it some, the answer isn't simply the pipes, even a gsxr 750 on a standard exhaust is 'loud' at 15500 rpm. As i said before i got no problem with bikes/bikers at all, but if it's that regular that it's actually having an affect on peoples lives in that village then the bikers need to be a little more considerate, they probably don't realise just how far the noise is carrying. £0.02

[Chillitt]

The trouble with exhausts is, the regs on noise have been getting tighter and tighter and with euro3 just around the corner, its going to get worse. All exhaust sold have to meet the regs, or be sold as 'racetrack only'. Everyone knows this is just a loop hole, but theres no way anyone could sell an exhaust that is 'sensibly loud' because it will be illegal for the road, and useless for the track. So you have a choice too bleddy loud, or too bleddy quiet... Luckily my bike is old enough that I can do what I like with the exhaust, so I have the 'race cans',but I am allowed to ad some baffles to them..

[sparkz]

The trouble with exhausts is, the regs on noise have been getting tighter and tighter and with euro3 just around the corner, its going to get worse. All exhaust sold have to meet the regs, or be sold as 'racetrack only'. Everyone knows this is just a loop hole, but theres no way anyone could sell an exhaust that is 'sensibly loud' because it will be illegal for the road, and useless for the track. So you have a choice too bleddy loud, or too bleddy quiet... Luckily my bike is old enough that I can do what I like with the exhaust, so I have the 'race cans',but I am allowed to ad some baffles to them..

weirdly enough....ive got a Arrow can on my GSXR...its Euro 3 stamped but the baffle is removable from the rear tailpipe by means of a circlip...it gives it a nice noise...still legal for plod and the MOT.

ironically I was out on the bike the end of last year..and got talking to a bike cop...he was really friendly and gave similar advice...use your exhaust to make people aware of your presence...but use it responsibly in built up areas etc...


S

[MudSurfer]

weirdly enough....ive got a Arrow can on my GSXR...its Euro 3 stamped but the baffle is removable from the rear tailpipe by means of a circlip...it gives it a nice noise...still legal for plod and the MOT.

ironically I was out on the bike the end of last year..and got talking to a bike cop...he was really friendly and gave similar advice...use your exhaust to make people aware of your presence...but use it responsibly in built up areas etc...


S

I've learned a lot on this thread - and I would also like to put a note out to the biker community that go through South Newington, Oxon:

'Please be considerate with noise and speed - the village has a 30 mph speed limit, no footpaths, no street lights, some blind corners and double white lines. There are kids that live in houses on the road, and wait for buses & visit friends, so please, PLEASE, be aware of this when riding through the village and keep the speed and noise levels down, as the Parish Council are already moaning about bikers and loud cars (stereos, exhausts) to the police. Be loud enough to be safe, but not so loud you cause problems to the residents'

It would be great if this got to a large number of the biker community, as I love bikes, I really do - have some good friends who are bikers and always try to be considerate to them on the road, but they are making me want to move house because it is too loud and too dangerous to walk around the village.

[Diezel Weazel]

available from www.onfire.co.uk

Loud pipes are only loud when you're giving it some, the answer isn't simply the pipes, even a gsxr 750 on a standard exhaust is 'loud' at 15500 rpm. As i said before i got no problem with bikes/bikers at all, but if it's that regular that it's actually having an affect on peoples lives in that village then the bikers need to be a little more considerate, they probably don't realise just how far the noise is carrying. £0.02

Quite agree "Loud Pipes Saves Lives" and for Most Superbikes that maybe true(when you're giving it some)
BUT My Harley is "Loud n Proud thumping away on tickover and still Motorists don't Hear or Seen Me and don't care they ain't & "I got three wheels" !!!!!!
For NOT paying attention

There's always a Payback .... You just can't see it Comin !!!!

[AuldNick]

Every biker has to ride as if he were invisable as mosy car drivers simply dont look for bikes, those who do see bikes coming either move over and let the bike pass or the minority (I rekon 30%ish) who go wide and try to block the biker, this is dangerous and these drivers should expect some sort of retaliation whether it's a mirror, window, slap they deserve it, the plod know the scenerio so dont waste your time greetin to them.

Everybody speeds, drivers and riders although in the defence of any riders I have been running with everyone bar none slow down in towns and villages and speed limits are always heeded there.

Loud pipes are 100% legal even the EU/BS mark aint needed anymore it is simply up to the MOT tester so say otherwise because every government in EU land realised loud exhausts DO save lifes thats the reason why bikes dont even need silencers and a shiny pipe will suffice, so dont blame noisy bikers thank dozy/dangerous drivers for disturbing the peice.

How many times "sorry mate I didnt see you" does it take? Mibbi when the biker is under the oncoming car!

[openback]

there are kn*b heads on bikes and there are kn*b heads in cars/trucks etc, trouble is you only remember the one you met on your last journey, when did you last see a post saying "i had a really good journey today and some nice bloke let me out at a junction"????

[rsvr]

Every biker has to ride as if he were invisable as mosy car drivers simply dont look for bikes, those who do see bikes coming either move over and let the bike pass or the minority (I rekon 30%ish) who go wide and try to block the biker, this is dangerous and these drivers should expect some sort of retaliation whether it's a mirror, window, slap they deserve it, the plod know the scenerio so dont waste your time greetin to them.

Everybody speeds, drivers and riders although in the defence of any riders I have been running with everyone bar none slow down in towns and villages and speed limits are always heeded there.

Loud pipes are 100% legal even the EU/BS mark aint needed anymore it is simply up to the MOT tester so say otherwise because every government in EU land realised loud exhausts DO save lifes thats the reason why bikes dont even need silencers and a shiny pipe will suffice, so dont blame noisy bikers thank dozy/dangerous drivers for disturbing the peice.

How many times "sorry mate I didnt see you" does it take? Mibbi when the biker is under the oncoming car!

Well said that man!!

And just to back that up i have just fitted my new Smaltmoto full system and will be heading for South Newington this weekend.......not!!

Bike...Aprilia RSV1000 Factory



and this is what she sounds like, give it a couple of mins till the engine warms

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y61...t=Mov01271.flv