I agree with having extra training and I'm really looking forward to my Bike Plus day next month. After that I'm planning on doing some more training before the summer is out with a friend, using someone she's already used before and rates highly.
We spoke to one of the coppers at Squires yesterday and he was explaining some more about the Bike Safe scheme that they run, this is another thing I'm interested in learning more about, esp if it's cheap/free!
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
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I'm not so sure about the BMW versus bike thing Geoff, more that when kids come along and the need for a family car arises the money goes elsewhere and we leave the luxury biking behind for a few years until our forties when the kids have flown and we can afford our bikes back! Insurance puts the young ones off and I couldn't believe i could insure a 1000cc bike fully comp for £110 with no ncd!
My mate went out with cleveland police and they covered 3 hours of fast riding with stops for advice, all free. Been thinking about that myself, got to be good advice
Something i will definitely have to do as well cos i think i'm overly cautious since my big wipeout ..then again almost pushing 60yrs i dont feel the need for speed anymore unless conditions are very good.
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
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Can't blame you for being overly cautious excal, big shock to the system when it all goes wrong. I had 2 close shaves in my first two weeks back on a bike and it gave me one hell of a reality check!!
Yeah RK , i will never stop riding as long as i'm able but much more sensibly than before , i feel i've nothing to prove to anyone ...my back wont let me forget the incident anyway lol
dont just think about whats round the corner, think about the stupid fast as a fast thing sports bike wizzin up behind you and over taking before youve realised that they are even there!
sorry you sports bike fiends but y do all know that you do it!
You're absolutely right RK as far as born agains are concerned historically. However, I am talking about the very recent (as in last twelve months) sudden rise in the number of people of a certain age turning to biking.
As they said in the Calender report, there have been more rider fatalities in North Yorkshire in the last few months than in all of 2008!
Interestingly, fataliities in the under 25s have actually decreased over the same period.
What would the ratio's be Geoff , under 25 riders as opposed to over 40's that would be interesting to know !back to statistics again lol . I am the first to admit that over a certain age , be it 35 or 45 your reflexes will get you into trouble at high speeds or through other road users stupidity .
It might turn out to be an eye opener Geoff , really worth looking into IMO .. everything mentioned so far puts us (not you) oldies in the spotlight and i just wonder why ? some lessons to be learnt on this one .
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
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Quite frightening when you look at it like that geoff. I didn't know there was such a surge in the last year and yes Julie you're right about the people from behind. Its deffo one area of my riding I need to be more aware of as I don't use my mirrors as much as i should really. Even peeps in your own group! A few of us went away at the weekend and i had to stop twice to tell one of the lads to back off. He was riding so close I couldn't see him at all! That would be an interesting statistic exc cos i think the younger riders maybe a bit loony but they can't half handle their bikes!!
Too true RK , i'm just wandering if we outnumber them by a big % because of buying power ..talking newer faster bikes in older hands etc..there must be a logical answer cos we should have more sense as far as safety's concerned , more experience and so on .
Extra training is always a good idea IMO and can definately be a life saver.Being a lorry driver as well as a biker,I think I've got a pretty good grasp of roadcraft as well as multiple pairs of eyes but nothing can prepare you for the SMIDSY's! Believe it or not,you also face them in a 44 tonne truck!
Got you there Pondlife , drove some big stuff in the army as well being a recovery mech , and slamming brakes with a 22 meter trailer is not an option , i'm up for training and a bit of confidence building defo ...RK on the open rd at speed i believe in minimum 30 meter gaps and staggered riding ...better to lay down the rules before the trip starts , faster riders up front leading with everyone knowing the stops and destination , Geoff's taken lots of groups out and can give valuable tips on this !
Good on you Ian , i know that the Triumph dealers in York organize weekend rideouts and i will be asking them soon if this includes some training as well , i first want to know my way around a bit on the roads first.
Pondlife, Oh I do believe you, I had a BMW pull out in front of me, clobber me so hard they pushed me from the nearside lane of a 4 lane road to the far side of it. I was driving a bus, at night, the bus is white, has big orange LED destination blinds, all the interior lights on, as well as obviously the headlights, she didnt see it.
I can recommend the Bikesafe course, I did it a few years ago, it was great.
If you are in the Kent area, although he does also run courses all over the country, I would recommend Kevin at Survival Skills if you just want to spot train on something that you are not comfortable with. Kevin can be contacted through www survivalskills.co.uk He sorted out my mental block concerning downhill twisties. Still not my strongest area but they dont freak me out like they used to. Very reasonably priced as well.
If you want to do some training with a difference then try the First Bike on the Scene course ran by the ambulance service.
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
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Pondlife/exc,
I've got some pretty strong feelings about most but not all trucks on the road. Whether it's lashing down with rain, snow, sleet or black ice they rumble along at 56mph, never slowing for poor road conditions, usually 2 feet from the lorry in front catching their slipstream or crawling past for 2 miles in the fast lane at 56.001 mph. The majority have no respect for anything else on the road and they're handled by tired and bored people with a dash full of sandwiches, crisps and pop, cb radios, mobiles and some even a TV! I was wiped out by an artic 2 years ago with my kids on the A1 at Wetherby and ended up being dragged backwards across 3 lanes by my caravan before it overturned in the central reservation. A total nightmare cos the trucker decided at the last minute he was in the wrong lane! Apologies to the million people held up that afternoon
it works both ways RK agree with you on that one , but normally truck drivers are very clued up and dont take risks ..guess you were very unlucky and it must have been heavy on the kids to get over ..un-nerving !
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