as a motorcyclist...
I have to stay calm as at least once a day a driver will try to kill me without ever realising it (that Think! advert is scarily accurate).

It would take something utterly utterly stupid and ignorant to make me want to flip the bird at a driver while overtaking them dangerously (I haven't), so I can believe you've possibly nearly taken the guy out earlier without even knowing?

Either that or the motorcyclist really was a cunt and deserved the karma!
(bobming, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 15:10, 4 replies)

The Think! adverts
are all well and good, and indeed do remind me to watch out for cyclists (motor and otherwise) but the one where they say "Now you see him..." repeatedly, is a bit wrong.

There's a car waiting to turn right. He's indicating. He sees the motorcyclist in the mirror, on his right corner. The oncoming traffic clears, he turns right and BANG - the bloke's knocked off his motorbike.

But WTF was the biker doing trying to overtake a car which was so obviously sitting waiting to turn right?
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 15:21, closed)

That's at a t-junction isn't it?
Don't tell me you have right of way pulling into traffic.

I really hope we're talking about the same advert!
( Blind Meach Cautiously optimistic, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 15:29, closed)

wait. what?
the driver is indicating to turn right onto a main road. The motorcyclist is driving along the main road (right to left from the driver's perspective). Driver pulls out right in front of motorcyclist who has no time to get out of the way and BANG - the bloke's knocked off his motorbike.

On my commute to and from work I've lost count the number of times this has so very nearly happened - it's unnervingly common for drivers to just not look for motorcyclists.
(bobming, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 15:33, closed)

Wrong advert
there is one where he pulls on to a main road in front of the biker...
The one referenced however the driver is turning right from a main road no junction at all and it shows the car moving along with a bike in his rear view mirror.
(Bonzodog29 is an unemployed sponge of the worst kind, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 16:36, closed)

ah don't think I've seen that one
if that was the situation then clearly the biker was in the wrong - however it wouldn't hurt for the driver to check their right shoulder for idiots (car or motorcycle) overtaking before turning off. It's called a "lifesaver check" and is a habit beat into you when learning to ride a motorcycle - perhaps it should also be taught to learner drivers?
(bobming, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 17:49, closed)

as a car driver....
Without wanting to start a flame war, I have to say that in my experience, a significant proportion of motorcyclists appear to be massive tools who believe that the neither speed limits or the laws of physics apply to them.

We should round them all up. Put them in a field. And bomb the bastards.


ok, maybe I lied about the flame-war thing
( Linbox has a serious dunk habit, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 15:31, closed)

I have to agree
that unfortunately a large proportion of motorcyclists on the road seem to be 17-20 year olds who think they're invincible, and I've also had bikers pull stupid manoevres on me while riding.

Also, you Honda Accord drivers are way more dangerous than bikers!
(bobming, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 15:38, closed)

Couldn't agree more.
But I see a higher percentage of drivers doing similar things.
( Blind Meach Cautiously optimistic, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 15:42, closed)

As a motorcycle rider....
You're quite right. A pretty high percentage of riders ride like absolute morons. Even more when they're out in a group, and even if the first one overtakes at only sensible places the rest apparently start thinking "Ooh, gotta overtake whatever happens, or I'll lose the group" and start doing blind bends and other idiocy.

All you fuckwits up the A65 on a weekend, I'm looking at you lot.
( Fronds are waving gently on, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 20:13, closed)

I know when summer has arrived
by the regularity of the sirens on the A65...
( warmfuzzies Isn't here, Fri 18 Dec 2009, 22:16, closed)

As a biker myself
I agree entirely with bobming. The number of times I've been nearly taken out by oblivious drivers is scary, and I've only been on the roads 3 years.

However I have only once flipped the V at someone and that twunt deserved it. It was a taxi driver that undertook me on a single lane road, fucking bastard should know better!
(wehttamman via B3ta for microwave, Thu 17 Dec 2009, 15:32, closed)

I'm a motorcyclist myself...
and always think bike. It's so ingrained from my bike lessons. I had an instructor that basically said.

"If a car hits you it's your fault"

You adopt the position they are all cunts and ride accordingly.
(Doogie Talons, Mon 21 Dec 2009, 9:32, closed)