h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Has anyone ever noticed that motorcycle accidents usually involve either split diesel (usually from Volvo lorries), or Volvo cars? A friend of mine rides bikes, as do I, and both of us have a total figure of 5 accidents due to Volvo drivers. We have been riding for about a year!
My theory is that the size, build and tank related company gives the drivers(?) a false sense of importance and safety. Do they not realise that a motorcylce has two wheels, no seat belt and a tendancy to hurt it's rider if a volvo decides to cut it up/drive into it? My left wrist has two metal pins in (caused by a volvo pulling out in front of me and my subsequent collison with the front wing!). The ironic thing is the pins are Swedish and manufactured by the same company that used to make the intricate metallic parts for Volvo! Bugger!

Well, Volvos are big and bulky, to tell the truth i would not be writing back to you if it was not for a Volvo, my father had a crash in his 40s and due to Volvos being safe it saved his life.
I apreciate that you are a biker and nower days it is becoming a dangerous hobby.
I would really apreciate it if we stayed in contact.

My bro-in-law has a Yamaha Diversion and a Volvo 340, whcih he recently bought to replace his old 740. He has to take a bit of stick from his biking mates, some of whom think "Planet Ovlov" is real, but in the end he uses the bike and the Volvo for the same reason: they are practical. They do exactly what they say on the packet, so to speak.

Most people here in Australia who ride some sort of bike are very wary of "Volvo drivers", as most of them have had accidents with Volvo cars, in almost every case caused by the driver of said automobile. In my case the car was speeding (close enough to DOUBLE the speed limit!) as he went around a corner, and wiped me out as I turned right into the street before the intersection that he turned from. He of course claimed "he didn't see me" (didn't get much of a chance at that speed!) and I was extremely lucky to only suffer "severe internal bruising" in both my legs. My bike was completely ruined, and I couldn't walk for a week, but if I hadn't have had a helmet on then I would have been killed, because his windshield was smashed, as well as his radiator. I have been in several other accidents with volvos since, but that's been the worst one so far. Oddly enough, NO other car makes have even came close to hitting me...

Hmmm. Most of the really crass behaviour I see is from BMW and Mercedes drivers, who aside from their assumed exemption from all parking restrictions appear to make it a point of pride never to allow anyone to hold them up by obeying the speed limits.

I think this not a matter of pride, rather it's the onboard equipment. BMWs and Daimlers get the right of way built in at the last stage on the factory conveyor belt

Yes, clearly they are far more important than us ordinary mortals.